Let It Snow

Wow. The Kern River Valley and the Southern Sierra Snowpack got hammered by an Arctic Gorilla the first part of the week. Although the weather might indeed have been frightful, it looks like Kern River Rafting in 2009 is gonna be delightful.

The storm essentially closed the Kern Valley for two days and the snow is still covering the mountains with a blanket of promise for bigwater boating in 2009.

Below are a few photos of the aftermath on the Upper Kern after the roads were cleared and access was allowed:


Corral Creek


Entrance to the Gorge



Upper Kern




Ant Canyon


The Mayor and First Lady of Bigwater's Residence

Fun in the Sun in 2009

Summer of 2009 could be an adventure of a lifetime if you are selected to join us for our annual Guide Training scheduled for the latter part of April.

Guiding on the Kern River is one of the most rewarding jobs you will ever have. The summer of 2009 is sure to provide more whitewater adventures than you could possibly imagine. Seemingly endless balmy days filled with frothing excitement and beautiful, star filled evenings await those who are chosen to fill the ranks of our Kern guide staff.

If you think you might have what it takes, give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234 and we will be happy to talk about guiding opportunities this summer. Check out our informative Whitewater School page for more details.

Kern River rafting on the Lower, Upper, and Forks of the Kern offers everything a guide could ever ask for so give us a call and we will see if we can put you in the drivers seat on the Kern in 2009.

Lower Kern Camp Bliss

Two day Kern River rafting trips are a wonderful bundle of adventure, fun, and great food wrapped up in the plush warmth of our Lower Kern Camp. There is no better place to watch a summer evening unfold and enjoy the warmth of a campfire surrounded by great friends sharing tall tales of the day just experienced rafting the Kern River.

On August 11th and 12th the sky opened up and offered an extra special treat. It just so happened to be the peak of the Perseid Meteor Showers . On any given evening spent alongside the Lower Kern, shooting stars and satellites abound in the heavens but this time of the year the stars can seem to rain from the sky.

Our Lower Kern campsite is designed to provide a truly blissful ending to a magical day and the perfect setting for the anticipation of the next day spent having the time of your life running the warm rapids of the Lower Kern River.

2008 Green Bag Sighting Winners!

Emmy and Steve Scarano at Ellis Island National Monument

Our August 2008 eNewsletter might have prematurely named a bunch of give-away green bag sightings in Idaho as "Winners".

Prematurely, because Steve and Emmy Scarano recently submitted these two photos of the happy couple posing at the Statue of Liberty National Monument.

Steve and Emmy usually bring a large group of friends every year and run a two day trip on the Lower Kern. Their last trip was this past June. We look forward to hosting them again in 2009 for another celebration of fun and whitewater on the mighty Kern River.

Steve advises that he may soon have more photos from Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. Those photos could be really cool.

Thanks Steve and Emmy. Safe Travels!


























Emmy at the Statue of Liberty

Stay tuned not only for more shots of the "Travels of the Green Bag", but of tempting tidbits of photographic memories from our 2008 photo archive.

Kern River Outfitters' Boatman's Holiday on Idaho's Middle Fork of the Salmon

On August 29th, long time Middle Fork and Kern River guide Scooter Carling and a group of his fellow Kern guides launched a 100 mile odyssey on Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River. After a great season escorting thousands of our guests through the Kern’s whitewater maze, everyone decided they needed some well deserved R and R. Is there a better way for a guide to relax than to explore yet another exceptional whitewater paradise?

Following Scooter's lead, trip participants included: Chris Brown, Chandra Anderson, Jason Schneider, Justine Stewart, Ryan Guy, Chase McGregor, Rabbit, Chuck Richards, Mike Spradlin, Tom Peltier, Darby Vreven and, of course, Betty Bigwater.

During their week-long trip, they relaxed at six camps including: Sheepeater, Little Soldier, Shelf, Funston, Wilson Creek and Cradle Creek. The guides soothed their weary bones in several natural hot springs, enjoyed the world class trout fishery and even got a glimpse of a bear with her two cubs. Numerous sightings of river otters and bighorn sheep along the river and several ospreys hunting from above were also enjoyed by all.

At the conclusion of the trip, the crew stopped in Salmon, Idaho and were treated to a wonderful dinner complements of Bob, Mary, and their sister crew at Idaho River Journeys’ Center of Operations. Although they missed the feast in Salmon, Jason and Justine were lucky enough to “Turn the Corner” and continue on to run the Main Salmon.

An outstanding and totally rejuvenating time was had by all!

For more information on river trips on the Main and Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho, check out Idaho River Journeys' informative website or feel free to give Bob or Mary a call @ 1-888-997-8399.

Here are some cool photos Mike Spradlin and Scooter shared of their adventure:

The Intrepid Boaters


The Ramp at Put-In


Shadows on the Wall


Waterfall


Arrowhead


Perfect Day for Fishing


Veil Falls


Another Beautiful Day


Headin' Downstream


Pictographs


Chandra Consulting the River Map


Osprey Scanning the River


Scooter Scanning the Camera


Couple o' Baby Bears


Splashyak Paradise


Darby and Solar


Betty


Loon Creek Hot Springs


The Crew at the IRJ Center of Operations

The 2008 Season Comes to a Close

All of us here at Kern River Outfitters want to offer a great big "Thanks!" to each of our guests who joined us this past season. From the middle of April through this past weekend, we were able to share the Lower, Upper, and Forks of the Kern with over 4,000 happy guests.

We hope all of you treasure your time with us throughout the off-season and look forward to joining us next year for another wonderful whitewater adventure here on the mighty Kern River.

The Raging of the Lower Kern...

Its August here in the Kern River Valley and the water levels have been excellent indeed.  We at KRO are all stoked to be paddling on just about 1500 cfs on the Lower Kern, which makes for an epic 2-day trip with plenty of whitewater excitement.  The late summer weather makes it perfect to cool down with a river trip and enjoy spectacular scenery while going downstream. Our guides have been taking some on-water photos of our lower trips in places where the standard rapid photographer cant get to.  So check them out and we hope to see you out here soon...

Meet Our Guides

Ryan – Arcata, CA.  Ryan braved the cold and rain of Northern California to earn a Masters Degree in Computer Science.  Although his favorite form of stress relief is a sizzling summer on the Kern, he also enjoys wrestling sports mascots and making his own clothes.

Good Sports

Let's hear it for the KRO Load Stars!  We finished the season with a stunning record of 3 wins and 11 losses (NOT last place), and had way more fun than all the other teams combined.  Go Loadies!

Meet Our Guides

Kyle – Twin Falls, ID.  Kyle is currently studying diligently at the University of Idaho.  When he’s not tearing up the Kern, Kyle loves kayaking, longboarding, running half-marathons, and Sour Patch Kids.

 

Meet Our Guides

Jason S. – Los Osos, CA. Jason is a general contractor with a Degree in Political Science who, unable to reconcile his high moral standards with a career in politics, chose river life instead. He makes no apologies for his decision, and has repeatedly refused counseling.

The Flag Flies

This year, we unveiled our flag to signify the opening of the Kern River rafting season. The flag will fly proudly throughout the 2008 season, which this year should be through the weekend of August 23rd. Come join us on the river while the flag and the water are unfurled and running strong this year. The weather is beautiful and the water is simply outstanding!

Meet Our Guides

Rabbit (aka Shoeless Joe) – Lubbock, TX.  When his last job glazing hams didn’t turn out to be everything he thought it would be, Rabbit decided to make the Kern his home away from home.  In addition to his formidable river skills, he is a talented guitar player and enthusiastic outfielder.

Votex Rapid Changes with the Times

For the first time in well over 25 years, Vortex Rapid has altered its personality. And, we do not believe she has adopted a friendlier demeanor. . .

During the week of May 19th, under the onslaught of a flow in excess of 4,000cfs, the "slide rock" that so many guides have relied upon as a safe portal shifted dramatically to river right.

The enclosed photo is a panoramic that shows the entire rapid since the change (click on the image for a more impressive view). Most noticeable is the new position of the slide rock. The shift seams to have made the entrance far less palatable, to say the least. It appears the newly altered rapid has a much tougher second drop as well. Portage river left is an important option to consider as we all figure out the best way to negotiate this "new" rapid on the Forks of the Kern.

Enjoy.

The Wonders of the Moon

One of the greatest aspects of working for a river company is the amount of time you get to spend outside. Watching the night sky darken, counting shooting stars, gazing at the constellations, and looking at the moon in all its phases makes us curious to learn more about the sky. Camping under a full moon is always fun and when you are away from street lights and the ambient city glow, the moon and constellations are brighter and more distinct.

Ancient Astronomers believed that the dark lunar plains that give the moon it's "man in the moon" face were seas filled with water. That is why these vast solidified pools of ancient basaltic lava are called "maria" (Latin for sea). The majority of these lavas erupted or flowed into depressions that were formed by the collisions of meteors and comets on the moon's surface.

For those of us whose only compass in the outdoors is to find the river and go downstream, we would do just fine on the moon, as the moon has no global magnetic field. You cannot use a compass to find your direction.

This July 20th is the 39th anniversary of Neil Armstrong being the first person to set foot on the moon. On the Apollo 11 Mission, Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent 2.5 hours exploring the lunar surface. It was an amazing accomplishment. What is even more incredible to think about is that the computer that I am writing with contains hundreds of times the computing power used to land Armstrong and Aldrin on the moon.

Far too few places offer an environment pristine enough to see the moon and the stars in all their glory. Fortunately for all of us, the Kern River Valley is just one of those special places.

The Lower Kern is Running for the Summer

The Lower Kern is Up and Running.

One of the most anticipated weekends of the summer starts first thing tomorrow morning. The Watermaster has cranked up the water flow on the Lower Kern. The rafting season on the Kern River really gets underway when the Lower kicks in. Our two day trips on the Lower Kern are the best part of summer for families and groups of friends looking for the finest multi day river trip in California. If you’re looking for warm water, tons of great rapids, and smiles galore, Kern River Rafting on the Lower is the ticket. Give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234 and we will see if we can find an opening for you and your friends.

See you on the River!

Meet Our Guides

Chandra – Lake Isabella, CA.  Chandra has a degree in Kinesiology, but her previous work as a security guard and a bartender provided her with all of the training she needed to be a top-notch river guide.  Her hobbies include big game hunting and scrapbooking.

Meet Our Guides

Brownie – Lake Isabella, CA.  Brownie came to the Kern searching for new direction, and has yet to find any place he likes better.  Although somewhat elusive during the off-season, he is often sighted near local watering holes and soccer fields. 

Meet Our Guides

Darby (aka Captain Darbo) – Kernville, CA.  A veteran of  two Ironman triathlons, Darby is revered for his outstanding guiding skills, sage advice, and innate fashion sense. Darby holds a Masters Degree in Education and an honorary PHD in Boating.

La Vida Verde

The Green Life. This year, in addition to concentrating on running great river trips on the Forks, Upper, and Lower Kern, Kern River Outfitters is paying special attention to the environment and what we can do to improve it. We figure it is high time for all of us to help Mother Nature out a bit. so, for all of our guests this year, we have reserved a complementary green tote that we hope will remind you of all the little things you can do to help the environment as well. In addition to being a great place to store your wet clothes and goodies when rafting, we hope these totes will allow you to use fewer disposable bags when shopping and always be a reminder not only of a fabulous rafting trip, but of our collective responsibility to this wonderful place we call Earth. Kern River Rafting has never been more fun, and together, we can have a blast running the river and doing our part to care for the Earth.

Meet our Guides

Scooter – Ketchum, ID. Ever the entrepreneur, Scooter put himself through school at the University of Denver selling cosmetics to lonely housewives.  In the off-season, he manages a ski shop in Sun Valley with his constant companion, Betty Big Water.

Meet Our Guides

Kristen – Ventura, CA.  Kristen is a small town girl with a desire to travel the world.  Although she is currently pursuing a career in nursing, the lure of the Kern draws her back every summer for much needed stress release and a good adrenaline rush.

Meet Our Guides

Firestarter – Fontana, CA.  Starter has a degree in Economics and a love of the outdoors.  Having traded a lucrative teaching career for a life of zen on the Kern, he now enjoys charging through whitewater, relaxing in eddies, and howling at the moon.