Guide Profile: Matt Adkisson

Matt joined our team in the Spring of 2009. He hails from Wimberley Texas and received a MBA from Sam Houston State University in August of 2008. In addition to memorizing countless business texts, Matt was also on his school’s track team specializing in pole vaulting. He has demonstrated the highest level of guiding skills and is one of our top Class V guides. His expertise guiding rafts is enjoyed by all who are lucky enough to paddle for him. This past winter, Matt traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia with fellow guide Bridget Murphy and has many stories of his adventures to share. We hope Matt stays out of an office and on the river for many more seasons to come. We’ll do our best to keep him on the water for as long as we are able to keep him firmly placed in the captain’s seat of his paddle boat.

2011 Rafting Season Unfurled

The Kern River Outfitters Flag was raised today to signify the opening of the 2011 rafting season. We've been running trips for over two weeks, however, today it seemed appropriated to raise the flag in honor of what promises to be an outstanding year on the Kern River. The flag will great us every morning as we make preparations to run the day's trips. We'll keep it up until the last trip runs sometime in mid to late September this year. If you have a hankering to run the Upper, Lower, or Forks of the Kern this year, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-323-4234 for more information. Don't miss out on one of the most best years the Kern River has recorded in recent memory.

Outstanding Lower Kern Flows Continue

The Lower Kern continues to offer outstanding water flows as we approach mid-August and head into September. The photo above is of guide Bridget Murphy and her crew as they rounded the bend and took aim at Horseshoe Falls rapid on the Lower a few days ago. With flows expected to exceed 2000cfs (cubic feet per second) tomorrow, the Lower Kern will provide whitewater enthusiasts the best rafting conditions of any river in California.

Our plush camp on the Lower Kern is the perfect place to spend the evening under the stars in anticipation of your next day on the water. If you can't join us for an overnight trip, we may be able to get you on either the first or second day of this spectacular run. Take a look at our Lower Kern map for some photos of the rapids and popular landmarks.

If you would like information on rafting the Lower Kern, feel free to give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234.

Clear Skies Return To The Kern River Valley

Photo by Brett Duxbury:

The "Bull Fire" that raged through the Upper Kern Canyon only a couple of days ago has moved away from the Kern Valley. This photograph, taken a few hours ago, clearly shows the area north of Kernville scarred by the blaze.

Contrary to recent reports, the sky above is crystal clear and beautiful. Although this fire is still burning in the back country, the Kern River Valley's picture perfect blue sky has returned. Nature's recovery efforts are already in full swing and our trips on the Lower Kern River are running uninhibited by the recent event. Still flowing at levels around 2,000cfs, the Lower Kern is the perfect place to spend a couple of days with friends and family. The water's great, the air is clear, and the scenery is fabulous. Call 1-800-323-4234 to check for availability and reserve your seat in our whitewater playground.

Kern Valley's "Bull Fire" Moving North; Rafting Trips Unaffected by Fire

The "Bull Fire" that started just over 48 hours ago in the Bull Run Creek drainage adjacent to the Upper Kern River has moved north and away from the towns of Kernville and Riverkern. Although the residents of these two communities seem to be safe from the immediate threat, the community of Fairview is now in the cross hairs of the fire. With a little luck, and a lot of hard work from the men and women fighting the fire, Fairview will be spared.

Although this fire has caused some logistical changes, it hasn't caused any problems for folks running our Lower Kern trips. The water is better than ever on the Lower Kern and folks are having a blast on the river. The smoke caused by the first day of the fire has already cleared from the Kern Valley.

Here are some photographs of the amazing men, women and machines that offer lightening quick response when fire threatens. Our hats are off to all of them.

Line up of fire trucks in Kernville

"Sky Crane" helicopter scoping the scene

Water Bomber pulling up after a drop

Helicopter making the drop

Bridget and crew having a great time today on the Lower Kern River

Guide Profile: Bridget Murphy

Bridget joined our team after graduating from our guide training in April of 2009. She hails from New York City and attended the University of Rhode Island in Kingston. She received a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics in the spring of 2008. In addition to her academic pursuits, Bridget was a scholarship athlete for the University of Rhode Island's NCCA Division One Varsity Gymnastics team.

Bridget has flourished in her second year on the Kern. Her guiding skills are second to none and she is a frequent request by guests running our Lower Kern Two Day trips. In addition to her outstanding guiding skills, Bridget has made a name for herself by demonstrating perfect handstands at camp and headstands on her raft in the calm sections of the river. We're happy to announce that Bridget is going to be guiding trips through the first part of September this year. If you would like to request Bridget, give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234 and we will make every effort to schedule her on your trip.

Forks of the Kern: July 10th, 11th, 12th

Pictured above is master guide Darby Vreven exiting from the "Thing" (the last hole in Carson Falls Rapid on the Forks). Darby is rowing a fully loaded gear boat on day three of the trip that came off the water last Sunday. It was absolutely glorious out there.

This season has seen almost unprecedented conditions on the Forks. With flows hovering around 2000cfs, the water conditions are as close to perfect as you will ever see, especially in July.

Chocked full of world class whitewater, Forks of the Kern is one of the nation's premier rafting trips. We have a trip slated to leave on Saturday, July 10th at 8:00am. This trip is one of our "Priority Dates" and features a reduced rate. Take a look at our interactive Forks of the Kern Map and get a tantalizing view of some of the scenery and rapids on this epic run.

If you would like more information, or would like to make a reservation for this trip of a lifetime, give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234 and we'll arrange your trip on this Wild and Scenic whitewater adventure.

The Thunder Run

The Thunder Run is an exceptional Class Five 0ne-day trip on the Upper Kern. We ran one today and yesterday. The conditions are perfect: beautiful weather and exceptional water flows. Pictured above is our guide Scooter Carling and his raft of eager paddlers having the time of their lives dropping into Fender Bender Rapid. They were having as much fun as you could possibly fit into one day.

Here are a couple more shots taken of the proud crew as they exited the rapid:


The conditions for Class Five adventures on the Thunder Run and the Forks of the Kern could not be better. The melting 2010 snow pack will allow us to run many more of these trips over the next few weeks. We currently have six spaces available for our Thunder Run departing tomorrow morning at 8:30am. If you'd like to join us on one of these great trips, give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234 and we'll have you paddling before you know it.

Dwight and Ernie

These unassuming hombres are the cornerstones of our transportation division here at Kern River Outfitters. Pictured here waiting for their guests to get suited up for their trips this morning, Dwight and Ernie (and Bob and Mike who are not in the photo) are responsible for safely transporting our guests, guides, and equipment to and from the river each and every day during the spring and summer months. They are not only great drivers, they're great guys too. We all feel lucky to have these fellas on board. Join us on the Upper, Lower, or Forks of the Kern this year and you'll get the added bonus of meeting these guys as well as the rest of our talented staff here at Kern River Outfitters.

Rafting Center 2010: A Work in Progress

Kern River Outfitters' new and improved Rafting Center is under construction and expected to be completed this summer. It will feature a more comfortable check in and retail area, large outdoor patio, and improved "Photo Wall" that will allow you to see the pictures taken of your adventures on the water. Here are a couple photos of the project:



Our temporary Rafting Center is located in our warehouse lot across the street at 6643 Wofford Blvd. (at the intersection of Wofford Blvd and Woodland Drive). Although quite a bit smaller than we're used to, it offers all of the amenities our old (soon to be new and improved) Rafting Center offered and even has a room dedicated to reviewing your photographs. Trudy, Heidi and the gang have worked hard to make this facility warm and convenient and will be ready with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate upon your arrival for your Upper, Lower, or Forks of the Kern rafting trip.

Here's a couple of photos of the temporary Rafting Center:





We are all looking forward to the completion of the new and improved Rafting Center. In the meantime, we'll look forward to meeting all of you at the temporary location.

Ben's First Run on the Lickety Split

After completing our 2010 Guideschool, and being checked off to run this portion of the Upper Kern, Ben Woodruff is seen guiding the first Lickety Split trip of his career. It's not every guide who gets his first trip immortalized in digital pixels. Ben's hitting the wave at Ewings straight and everyone is in the boat. Good job Ben, There's nothing quite like having your first year as a guide be a Big Water year. Go Ben. It's going to be a great year on the Kern. Ben's a lucky guy. . . and so is everyone else fortunate enough to get on the water this summer.

After The Storm

The recent spate of storms have left us wondering where spring went, but we can't help but be excited about the still growing snow pack. At over 109% of normal, we are looking forward to a long, fun Upper, Forks, and Lower Kern season ahead of us. Yesterday, the Kern River Valley was hammered by yet another big winter storm, but this morning, the glory of the Spring of 2010 was evident everywhere. An epic season is in the wings.

The Resurrection of the Rafting Center

Those of you who rafted with us the afternoon of July 23rd, 2009 might remember this harrowing site. While all of you were out playing on the river, the Rafting Center was experiencing it's own little adventure via a motorhome, a vehicle in tow, and a set of defective brakes. Although causing quite an obstacle to overcome for the balance of the 2009 season, the good news is that no one was injured and it provided an undeniable motivation to remodel the building for the upcoming rafting season. Plans are being finalized as we type for a new and improved Kern Rafting Center to accompany the big water we expect this summer.


Stay tuned for details of our new and improved Rafting Center. With the promise of a bountiful snow pack, the 2010 season is sure to be one of the best years for running the Kern River with Kern River Outfitters, Southern California rafting at it's finest.

National Geographic Adventure Magazine Dubs the Kern a Must Do Rafting Trip

National Geographic Adventure Magazine just listed Kern River Outfitters and our Upper Kern River as a must-do rafting trip. The August/September edition highlights the Class Five Thunder Run stretch on the Upper Kern in this list of six Wild and Scenic river trips that should not be missed.

Our sister companies, Rogue River Journeys and Idaho River Journeys, round out the list offering trips on the Rogue River in Oregon and the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.

We feel lucky to be able to offer trips on three of the six Wild and Scenic Rivers listed in this piece. If you would like further information on any of these fantastic trips, feel free to give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234. We would be happy to help you organize your visit to any one of these fabulous rivers.

Upper Kern River Clean Up Day

Kern River Outfitters is proud to team with the Sequoia National Forest, California Land Management and other great sponsors in this years Upper Kern River Clean Up Day slated for Saturday, June 13th. If you are interested in lending a hand to help keep the Upper Kern River corridor litter free, feel free to join us at the Corral Creek Day Use Area at 9:00am on the 13th.

Trash bags and a hearty lunch will be supplied. For more information, contact Cheryl Bauer with the Forest Service at 760-376-3781 ext. 630 or Debbie Campbell with the CLM at 760-376 1815 for more information.

Let us all pitch in to keep the Kern River the pristine Southern California Rafting destination for everyone to enjoy.

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 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.

2008 Guide School and Job Opportunities

Here is our flier for this years guide school. Check it out! (Click to enlarge):