Rafting on the Middle Fork of the American River

“I was here last Saturday, and this place was packed.” Chris Reeves, our river pilot from Tributary Whitewater Tours, was amazed how quiet the Oxbow put-in location was by the edge of the Middle Fork of the American River. Chris is used to guiding busy weekend trips, but it was a beautiful Monday morning, and we practically had the river to ourselves.

I rummaged through a pile of wetsuits, lifejackets and helmets to properly suit up for the adventure ahead. My friends and I were attending an Outdoor Writers Association of California conference and had chosen this sixteen mile river adventure from among several conference activities. It had been years since I had been on a white water trip, and I was excited for the adventure ahead.

A handful of Class IV rapids awaited us—water without a sense of humor. We gathered around Chris for a review of safety and paddling protocol. I paid special attention when Chris pointed out a rope line around the perimeter of the raft. “If you fall overboard, grab that rope.” That seemed important.

On board and underway, we bounced through a succession of fun Class II and Class III rapids, each of us responding promptly to Chris’s hollered commands. Two miles down the river, we encountered our first Class IV rapid: the Tunnel Chute. The Tunnel Chute is actually a manmade feature built by miners in the late 1800’s to divert water around a spot that, once it became accessible, yielded huge quantities of gold. The roiling 80-foot chute ended with a squeal-inducing drop. Just like that, mayhem turned into utter stillness as we slid quietly though a dark ninety-foot tunnel; smiles and chatter all around.

After our nifty handling of Tunnel Chute, I was looking forward to Kanaka Falls, our next Class IV rapid. My recollection is a bit foggy. All I know for sure is that one minute I was paddling and the next I was in the water. As I went overboard, I remembered Chris’s words that morning and thought to myself, “Grab that #$@&%* rope!” I did. My boat mates snapped into action and in a flash I was back on board.

As we did after each rapid, we excitedly recounted the drama at Kanaka Falls. Steve’s wife, Kathy, would have joined me overboard had Steve not snatched her out of mid air. I teased Jack that while I was in the water, I thought I saw him going through my wallet.

Drifting along in peaceful water; time to soak in the deep and magnificent canyon this river had cut. The steep walls, cloaked in a variety of conifers and oaks, easily reached 2,000 feet above us. Near one bend in the river, soft afternoon sunlight from around the corner gilded the edges of the mantle of trees above us. Fabulous.

Soon, we reached Chunder, another Class IV rapid, and once again, it was, “Man overboard,” and once again, it was me. When I popped to the surface (don’t let go of that rope!), my boat mates warned me that we were about to hit a huge granite wall named Mike Tyson with me as the front bumper. I turned around in time to cushion the impact.

My tale suggests more danger than fun when you run the Middle Fork of the American River. Not so. Acquaintances became friends, and smiles were the order of the day.  River rafting, or whatever activity you prefer, our hosts proved that Placer County is a great outdoor play land.