RAFTING NEWS

Whitewater - Center Restructuring

2009-08-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

The US National Whitewater Center is in over their heads and trying to tread water. Located on the Catawba River, the country's economic woes have hit this North Carolina center for outdoor recreation quite hard. With a debt load of over 12 million dollars, restructuring has started with 41 different lending agencies.

Jeff Wise, executive director has noted that some programs are up, while others are down. Families still come to the center on the Catawba River for rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, hiking and biking, but the local economy has hit many of the families.

Corporate groups rafting have nearly disappeared as those companies are bearing the shame of past wasteful spending. Most of the corporate groups are not supporting company-based recreational programs any longer for their employees.

For more information contact: Michael Barrett at 704.869.1826
Thank you TOPIX and Gaston Gazette for this post!

Travel Therapy

2009-04-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

From the San Jose Mercury News and The Associated Press comes a timely news story on stress related illnesses. Writer Karen Schaler has just written a Berkeley-based $20 paperback book from Seal Press. The chapters are broken down into 11 different situations of stress and travel remedies.

For the love lost folks, you are best suited for an extreme adventure such as shark diving, hang gliding or whitewater rafting. Physically demanding adventures will help you to relax through your anxiety or stressful times.

Those in need of a personal reinvention of the mind and soul might want to consider an exotic adventure in an exotic location. For those who are workaholics, Ms. Schaler recommends reconnecting with your family and loved ones on a family-friendly outing or vacation.

Those of us with whitewater rafting companies knew about this "healing" method a long time ago!

Extreme Travel, Pop Culture Travel Guide

2009-02-20T15:18:00.000-08:00

Jaunted contributing editor, kjb has researched the winter rafting phenomenon started by W.E.T. River Trips during the heyday of the early 80's. Whitewater rafting guides started off from the snowy mountains of Donner Ski Resort and the rafting company actually hiked a raft, a kayak and a mountain bike up the hill to "raft", "kayak" and "ride" the snow downhill.

Now, several rafting and whitewater enthusiasts have taken to the snowy slopes and do just that as a precursor of what's to come for the whitewater rafting season in their own regions. In California, the paddling enthusiasts are already out on the rivers and mountains riding the snow and the water in the rivers.

kjb, Jaunted Contributing editor just posted a story about winter rafting and featured WET River Trips and Blue Heron Whitewater. These two companies have a reputation of early season boating on rivers in their regions. WET, rafting in California, navigates the South Fork American, Middle Fork American and North Fork American whitewater trips. Blue Heron Whitewater offers a similar chilly start in North Carolina on the French Broad River.

River rafting in the winter is highlighted with less crowds, beautiful scenery and a chance to see the river before the summer crowds. Most outfitters that operate in the winter and spring provide wetsuit packages to keep you safe from hypothermia. Look up these two outfitters during your spring break for a chance to ride the rapids!

Thank you to kbj, Jaunted, The Pop Culture Travel Guide & your great post for winter rafting!

For more information on California whitewater rafting or North Carolina rafting see RAFTINFO.com for more American whitewater.

Rafting Movies : Land of the Lost : June 5, 2009 release

2009-02-03T15:18:00.000-08:00

This past 2009 Super Bowl had a commercial with a satirical take on an 1970 Saturday morning children's show called Land of the Lost. The old movie has a paleontologist who goes rafting into a lost world. And now soon to be released on June 5, 2009, Universal Pictures will be releasing a Will Ferrell comedy called "Land of the Lost."

Several scenes take place on an expedition with white water rafting shots. Even California's Hollywood knows how mainstream whitewater rafting has become for the general public. An irreverent take on rafting through rapids will bring even more of the public to the rivers this summer.

Thanks to CBS Entertainment and Universal Studios for this informative post.

Whitewater Center, Charlotte, NC

2009-01-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

U.S. National Whitewater Center has announced today the opening of the Whitewater Center Parkway in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. Guests can reach the facility from Belmeade Drive. Call the center at (704) 391-3900 for more information. US National Whitewater Center is an outdoor and environmental education center.

The new parkway features whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking on the new multi-channel river. Mountain biking, trail running and climbing are also featured at the center. Conference and meeting complex with restaurant and catering faciliites makes this a perfect site for the official U.S. Olympic training.

Thank you Charlotte Business Journal for this Rafting story!

Australia : Forth River, Tasmania

2009-01-05T12:52:00.000-08:00

Rob Shaw from the Examiner reports the news about the organisers of the Australian whitewater championship held on the Forth River yesterday. The National schools championship concluded on this river. An overwhelming number of visitors from the interstate and New Zealand were reported there by Andrea McQuitty. Competitors and supporters number in the hundreds each day on the course itself.

Brilliant performances by the youthful group show promise for the future. The Australian slalom kayaking championships will run on Thursday and Friday on the Upper Mersey.

The national whitewater titles will be staged this Saturday and Sunday with the finals for the Australian team to compete in the World Cup in October on the Launceston's Cataract Gorge.

Support from Forestry Tasmania, Peter Rowlands who is currently the North-West manager, provided safety and rescue assistance.

Thanks to The Examiner and Rob Shaw for this story. Read the entire story and view the pictures.

Cagayan de Oro Whitewater - Philippines

2008-10-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

Rafting outfitters are struggling with a political storm on the Cagayan de Oro's whitewater river. Opposition to the proposal for a bioethanol plant in two upland villages poses an environmental threat to the river itself. Opening the Barangays Mambuaya and Bayanga to industrial corporations jeopardizes the health of the river. The Mambuya hosts the city's 12-kilometer white water rafting course.

Oro Association of Rafters is composed of all six local whitewater rafting companies. The association will oppose the plan by Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc. to construct this bioethanol processing plant. Jerome Garcia, operator of Dome Expeditions Tours has said that the association has already stated their position in public.

The association believes that because neither an environmental impact assessment was done or public hearings before the passage of the new ordinance, that the project should be re-assesed. Garcia encourages that the bioethanol plant be relocated outside of the city to curtail threats of pollution to the river.

Thank you to Sunstar for this update and post from the Philippines.

River Day - Concord River, Lowell, MA, USA

2008-10-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

Our friends over at Topix just posted about the River Day held in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA. Lowell Sun has the full story on their website. The Concord River is just off of Lawrence Street near Senator Paul Tsongas burial site. His wife, US Rep. Niki Tsongas pointed out, "Paul's right up there. This river is a geographic uniter, but it's a personal place as well."

Story after story were told during the presentation for River Day event hosted by Tsongas purely to celebrate the rivers that connect the Fifth Congressional District.

Plans for a Concord River Greenway was presented by Steve Conant, co-founder and president of the Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust. He envisions a 25-mile path from Framingham to Lowell. The environmental, historical project leaders and builders expect the construction to be completed by 2009.

Educators from all over the country as well as India and China have come to this historical site to learn about Lowell's history and rivers.

California American River Whitewater Trips

2008-05-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

California's whitewater rafting season has begun. The Sacramento Bee in Northern California recently partnered with the well-known whitewater rafting company, W.E.T. River Trips in a historical event on the three forks of the American River. They called it the Rafting Triple Crown or Rapid Fire.

Rare is the day when all three whitewater sections of the American River are runnable. Due to spring runoff and dam schedules, North Fork American, South Fork American and Middle Fork American are rarely flowing at the same time. This past week, The Sacramento Bee, Good Blood Productions and W.E.T. River Trips accomplished a record setting time on running all three whitewater sections in less than 12 hours in one day.

Ryan MacPherson, who works for W.E.T. River Trips as a safety kayaker on the class 4+ North Fork American owns his own video production company, Good Blood Productions. Ryan recently finished working with the documentary, "The Deadliest Catch" on the Discovery Channel. W.E.T. River Trips has given Sacbee.com permission to post the video for their readers.

Congratulations to this California rafting company and the great publicity for all the whitewater companies in the west.

Rafting News from Second Life - USA

2008-04-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

Whitewater and paddling in the USA is pleased to announce world wide partnerships with the rafting and extreme sports networks. W.E.T. River Trips is the first rafting, whitewater or paddling entity in Second Life. Over one year in development, W.E.T. River Trips is networking in the virtual world with giants in the extreme sports industry such as the Costa Rica sims, the Weather Channel's surfing sims, SL Triathelon, Base Jumpers, Diving and Second Life script and terrain developers.

Builder, Tu Dae - Wizard Water & Rock Video

Throughout the virtual world, W.E.T. River Trips has encouraged other sim owners to create rivers, streams, whitewater, waterfalls and other water elements in Second Life.

Recently, the Dutch have announced the creation of a new sim soley based on paddling sports. The marketing relationships with the Dutch were developed in-world through electronic music and owners of other sims.

W.E.T. River Trips is now a concierge level landowner in Second Life. Their female avatar is represented by their domain name RAFTWET. The avatar is a single, business woman created to network with other sim owners and businesses. She has created three major groups for avatars including a builders's group for land development and the paddling sports of rafting and whitewater.

"Our focus is to network and educate. The more the public knows about rivers, the more protection a river will have from the encroachment of civilization and pollution. Countries such as Costa Rica, Mexico, Brasil, Australia, Germany, Turkey, Korea, Japan are already here marketing their outdoor tourism programs. We were concerned that the USA had not discovered this marketing opportunity. We came here to make sure that the USA was well-represented for outdoor tourism and whitewater rafting. And now... we are network partners with the world," exclaims RAFTWET Jewell, the company avatar in Second Life.

As the rafting company celebrates their first year in Second Life, they have taken on a philosophy of sharing and educating the world-wide public to the whitewater rafting and extreme sports networks. "If you build it, they will come" is the mantra of the virtual world builders, and W.E.T. River Trips has taken this to another level in marketing whitewater paddling sports.

Siang River, India

2008-03-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

India's love of rivers was highlighted recently on a "trip of a lifetime" to the remote Siang River. Shauna Rempel from the Toronto Star writes a great article about North American men and women who did an inaugural expedition of River India.

Her blow by blow article captures the heart of river rafting on this expedition-style adventure sport. The Siang River is known as Tsnag-Po in Tibet and flows into the Lohit and the Dibang in Assam to form the Brahmaputra (Son of Brahma in Sanskrit) River.

Scott Lindgren led a group of kayakers back in 2002 on an exploratory trip there. Only 10 documented whitewater trips have been known. This trip is the definition of wilderness whitewater paddling.

River India was started by Roland Stevenson who focuses on this type of rafting. He comments, "You could go to Rishikesh and do a trip like that. (50 tour operators with bus trips for rafting) But I didn't start River India to offer that kind of experience." A son of a diplomat with a PhD in physics and 10+ years of paddling experience, Stevenson adds, "I'm offering trips of a lifetime."

Thank you to the The Toronto Star and Shauna Rempel

Silver Creek - California

2007-11-01T08:49:00.000-07:00

Visit the AmericanWhitewater.org water steward organization for river rafting acess for the public. Many runs have been opened by this politically active organization. Most recent was the Silver Creek run on the South Fork American river. Only 10 elusive days were available to run this small section of the main south fork in the last 2 years.

Kayakers, paddlers and media swarmed onto the river at the last days of October 2007. Reviews, kudos and accolades were given on this most precious whitewater resource. Contact AmericanWhitewater.org for more information on how you can influence the water managers of this run to allow for more water releases on scheduled dates.

For more information on California whitewater rafting, please visit the C-W-R.com website.

William Nealy - Whitewater Cartoonist

2007-08-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

The whitewater industry lost a giant in the world of cartooning, writing and art when they lost William Nealy. His artwork today is still being enjoyed not only by whitewater paddlers but by the general public at large. Much of his artwork has never been seen before or published. The Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) has made an agreeement with Mr. Nealy's estate, and the NOC will be housing his unseen works and rotating them for view on a regular basis at the Paddler's Club.

William Nealy's artwork was the quintenssential interpretation of whitewater paddling. His drawings will be enjoyed now even more now that it has it's own place in the most appropriate setting. A grand opening is set for August 31, 2007 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm and will benefit the American Whitewater non-profit organization.

Rafting Forum

2007-08-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

Topix is a news service specializing in feeds from every blog, news source registered in the universe. The rafting news portion has a forum where rafters, paddlers and kayakers can vent or comment on their news' items. Each teaser has a recap on the feed with a direct link to the publisher or media source. Though all encompassing, many of the items are sensational or promotional releases.

W.E.T. River Trips' Rafting News will focus on news that promotes the rafting whitewater industry and other paddling and surfing news. PR pieces will not be given the same role here as a real news item. We will leave it to Topix to gather it all as one source. Check it out and make your comments count.

Lim River - Montenegro

2007-07-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

28 rafts competed in a recent competition on the Lim River in Montenegro. A six-man team from Bulgaria secured a silver and bronze medal in 3 categories: slalom two manshes, sprint with eliminations and 5 km drops. This was an impressive showing for this team as it was only the 2nd time that they participated in this competition.

The biggest competition came from the Serbs, Crotians and Slovakians. Those more seasoned teams placed first and second in the rankings. Next step comes the preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games in Peking, China.

Thanks to Blaga Bangieva for this informative post!

Gauley - West Virginia

2007-07-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

The state's Division of Natural Resources Whitewater Commission has been asked by the West Virginia Professional River Outfitters to levy a mandatory 35-cent fee for each rafter that floats through 4 sections of the Gauley River.

This fee would help the WVPRO in stocking trout for the river. Since 1990, the association has taken it upon themselves to stock the river with trout using the association's membership fees. This has helped extend the recreational opportunities for the public and the resource.

Each licensed rafting company will collect the monies as a mandatory use fee and submit those funds as part of a monthly report of use. This same concept is used in California on the American River's whitewater sections of the South Fork and Middle Fork of the American.

The Gauley and other rivers already have a use-fee levied for rafting, but this fee covers the agencies that fund studies for economic impacts and developing tourism, carrying capacities, safety issues and overseeing the quality of the rafting trip itself.

The new fees will be earmarked solely for the stocking of trout. This program will help to create a economic base for fishing and extending the Gauley's recreational resources.

Thanks to the Daily Mail for this item.

International Surfing Day

2007-07-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Surfrider Foundation helped sponsor several environmental events last week during International Surfing Day. Over 2,500 lbs of trash were collected during this year's events.

The focus of the event was surfing as well as activities ranging from litter clean-up to global awareness of keeping beaches and oceans protected. “To be out there interacting with our oceans and riding waves, it’s an incredible experience,” says former World Surfing Champion Shaun Tomson. “This is a great opportunity to let the rest of the world see just how special the sport of surfing is.”

Over a dozen countries participated such as the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, France, Argentina,, Brazil, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Germany and Japan.

International Surfing Day was made possible by Surfing Magazine, the Surfrider Foundation, Billabong, SoBe LifeWater Beverages, Islands Restaurants, Pac Sun, Simple Shoes, Surf Tech Surfboards, Earthpack and Wavewatch.com. For more information on International Surfing Day please check the website.

Thanks to American Chronicle for this information.

4th of July - USA

2007-07-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

The Fourth of July is here with hot weather, hot dogs and red, white & blue confetti. The real beginning of summer. Throughout the country many people will jump aboard a raft and float down a river. Some will venture out on their own, floating in plastic rafts or inner tubes. While other paddlers hire professional whitewater outfitters to paddle down advanced river runs near their communities.

Whatever river you are paddling today on this 4th, Rafting News asks everyone to have a proper lifejacket on at all times. Many locales have community programs for families where you can rent lifejackets for all members in your group. Drinking is fine when you get back home to the barbecue, but don't do it on the river. And a word about trash. Pick it up and throw it away into a trash receptacle. Keep the rivers as clean as the day they were formed. Come home tonight safe and sound to your friends and family and keep this July 4th as a cherished memory.

Faux River - Maryland

2007-06-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

It was inevitable... there are man-made surf waves at theme parks and climbing walls in almost every city. There are man-made kayak surf holes on rivers that run through urban centers. There are whitewater rafting parks, man-made and human designed in many, many locations throughout the world. So it was inevitable that the first man-made river now cascades down from a mountain in Garrett County, Maryland. Marsh Mountain hosts the Adventure Sports Center International with a 1,700-foot whitewater river.

For $50 per person, they plan to take as many people on this faux-whitewater river as an introduction to the sport. From Class I to Class IV, a new paddler will be able to experience what the rest of us have been experiencing all along, except this is a controlled environment with no surprises.

Experienced, professional guides still lead the charge as they help the novices learn whitewater paddling techniques. This new venture will only help to bring new rafters and paddlers to the sport of whitewater river rafting on real rivers!

Thanks to Washington Post for the news announcement!

AB 951 - American River, California

2007-06-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

The California legislator's have finally addressed the deviant behavior on the urban lower American River in Sacramento. Assemblyman Dave Jones, a Democrat representing Sacramento wrote the AB 951 after many of his constituents had raised questions about the alcohol-inspired riots from past holiday weekends on that river.

The county placed a ban on alcohol, but found that they could not regulate the actual behavior in the rafts. The local jurisdiction pleaded with the assembly to find a way to regulate drinking on the river. The cost to the county has been noted as increased sheriff patrols on the river have tried to prevent near riots during the Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends. And then after the trip, the rowdy paddlers get in their cars and drive drunk putting the entire community at-risk. All these holiday weekends attract participants who have traveled sometimes from out-of-state to join the revelry on the do-it-yourself float stretch of the class II Lower American River.

What used to be a fun-filled weekend for families has turned into classic film grist for a "Girl's Gone Wild" episode. This is the urban jewel of Sacramento's waterways. The Lower American has been an artist's river as many well-known painters have featured river scenes in their artworks. It has been a local shame that the river has lost it's soul to a bunch of rowdy testosterone-laden young hooligans ready to drink and fight their way towards manhood.

The Sacramento community welcomes Congressman Dave Jones bill. Now let's hope the Govenor's listening to those who want to enjoy a day on the river without wading through beer bottles, trash, boom boxes and flying fists on what used to be a family rafting trip.

SURFING Magazine - Carbon Offsets

2007-06-12T08:44:00.000-07:00

Surfing Magazine, established in 1964 covers progressive surfing and is the official magazine for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. They have formed a partnership with Carbonfund.org foundation to buy carbon offsets for mangrove reforestation in India. Mangroves are important for the health of fish habitat and help filter ocean pollution.

The magazine's second annual Green Issue will be distributed August 21, 2007. The first Green Issue focused on how global warming will affect surfers and surfing. This year, the publication is making itself accountable by buying the carbon offsets.

"We have an obligation to protect the resources that give us so much joy," says SURFING Magazine Publisher Ross Garrett. "Offsets aren't the whole answer, but they might buy us some time. Overall, through this issue and International Surfing Day, we’re focused on generating awareness and action with surfers across the globe."

Carbonfund.org support mission for renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects, help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The organization is a non-profit.

Thanks to CSR Corporate Social Responsibility for this news item!

Tuolumne River - California

2007-06-09T09:55:00.001-07:00

Well-known river, the Tuolumne, lies just outside of the Yosemite area in California. A popular rafting destination for many northern Californian paddlers, the river has been on several lists of top ten whitewater rafting rivers in the west.

After two years of extreme high water, the Tuolumne will have great regulated flows though out the 2007 rafting season. Outfitters on the main section of the Tuolumne and the famous Class V section called the Cherry Creek run, should have a near normal season due to dam controlled water releases.

The Cherry Creek run is one of the most difficult Class V rafting trips, and original whitewater pioneer, Marty McDonnell's Sierra Mac River Trips was the first outfitter to offer commercial rafting on this stretch of river back in 1972. "I have a passion for that stretch of river," said Marty McDonnell, "It requires a team of guides who really know the river and we have a group of about six who work together here all summer whose main focus is the Tuolumne. Folks who want to do the river know we do about 90 percent of the trips, and they trust us."

The Tuolumne River was designated to the Wild and Scenic Rivers System on September 28, 1984. The O'Shaugnessy Dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley of Yosemite National Park controls the water releases for the main Tuolumne river.

Thanks to Union Democrat for the quotes!

RiverLink - French Broad River

2007-06-07T09:39:00.000-07:00

Non-profit RiverLink is the organization helping the French Broad River to maintain its environmental water quality and its economic viability. Founded in 1987, they have helped to increase conservation and public awareness of the river by developing access and recreation. RiverLink was also vital to the economic revitilization of Aheville's riverfront district.

On June 14th, RiverLink hosts the Asheville Associates at Windows at the Park. A festival of music, food, beer and wine tasting, and rafting will raise monies that go directly to RiverLink. Huck Finn Rafting and Southern Waterways will provide the rafting trips throughout the day.

Thanks to the Citizens-Time from Asheville for this news item!

Fly Fishing meets Whitewater

2007-06-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

Fly fishing never seemed so exciting, as the usual tranquil sport contrasted with the wild waters of the Eagle River in Colorado. Eight finalists were met with whitewater rapids along with trout fishing in a contest held this past week during the Teva Mountain Games. Higher flows from spring melt met the competitors with exciting white water.

First prize winner, Mark Sassi of Edwards won a $1,000 prize and a new Sage fly rod for landing 5 fish in 4 hours. Cody Powell came in second with 4 fish with Jeff Wagner landing 3 fish for the third place finish. Wagner also won a $500 bonus for the largest fish caught.

Thanks to the Denver Post for this news!

White Water Media Day - California

2007-06-01T09:39:00.000-07:00

Whitewater rafting enthusiasts will appreciate the efforts from the American River community in the Lotus Coloma Valley in Northern California. Tomorrow, June 2nd is the Annual Whitewater Media Day on the South Fork of the American River. El Dorado County, California Outdoors, the American River outfitters, local businesses and the media will all be paddling on the Gorge section of this river.

The Gorge is an 11-mile stretch of Class 3 to 3+ whitewater river. The section starts in the heart of the Gold Rush town of Coloma, where John Sutter found the first gold. An historic park lies in Coloma preserving Sutter's mill right on the shores of the river. The Gorge flows through several rapids and its moniker emphasizes the steep canyon-like walls near the best class 3+ rapids of the day. The river ends in Folsom Lake, a large reservoir just above Sacramento; California's state capitol.

Each rafting company donates guides, rafts and equipment, vehicles, barbecue, and, even land in order to host this special media event. Publishers of print, television, radio and internet media send their representatives to paddle and river raft the South Fork American, the most popular river in the Western United States.