Forks of the Kern Guide Trip Summary

Kern River Outfitters completed its annual guide training trip on the Forks of the Kern this past week. The trip had its usual mixture of beauty and adrenaline and many lessons were well received by all of our guide staff. The trip is a great refresher for our Forks guides and also an excellent learning tool for training Forks guides or just any of our guides who want to see big water.

Oops. Catching some air on class V Carson Falls, Forks of the Kern:




The Forks season will be short this year, but we hope to get up there at least a couple of times before we switch our focus to the Lower Kern for the duration of the summer. So... if you want to do a Forks trip reserve your spot ASAP!

-Posted by Luth

It's beginning to feel a lot like... rafting season!

We are just a week away from our season-opening trip on the class V Forks of the Kern and we are just itching to get on the water. Our guides are starting to filter back into Kernville to get ready for the upcoming season. Like a kid before Christmas, everyone at Kern River Outfitters is just trying to fill the time with productive chores: checking equipment, buying rolls of duct tape (a guide's best friend), and, of course, telling each other river stories from seasons in the past.

Below: Dropping into class V Carson Falls on the Forks of the Kern

Now is a great time to book a "Forks" trip with KRO. Our first Forks trip launches May 6 and from then on we launch every five days. On May 16th, May 31st, June 5th and June 15th our prices have been reduced to $798. Call us at 1-800-323-4234 to book your Forks trip today. We all hope you can join us for another exciting season on the Kern.

Kern Trips featured in LA Family Magazine

Check out the great article by Mark Smith that ran last week in the Los Angeles Family Magazine. Mark joined us last summer on a Lower Kern River trip. His article can be read here.

With recent storms, the Kern River snow pack is improving daily and we're looking forward to another fun season of rafting on the jewel of the Sierra, the Kern River. Visit our website at KernRafting.com for information about all of our trips.

See you on the river.
The Staff at Kern River Outfitters

Kern River Wildlife Refuge

When you come up to enjoy your Kern River rafting trip this summer, try to include a visit to the Kern Wildlife Refuge in your plans. On the South Fork of Kern River drainage, I always try to enjoy a hike through the refuge when I'm in the area visiting. The amount of wildlife, especially bird life, is amazing. Early in the morning is the best time to visit the refuge. The Kern River is a remarkable resource and we like to share all that it has to offer with our guests.
Jim Ritter

We have a Winner

It is official. Kern River Outfitters has selected Firestone Walker Fine Ales to team up with for this years Pub and Grub trip. Firestone Walker has produced some of the most highly decorated beers in the country.

Our vast expertise at running outstanding whitewater trips coupled with an ability to produce a world class feast will most certainly make for the perfect match of fine quality, icy cold beverages and a Lower Kern trip.

We launch on Thursday, July 12. Check out the Firestone website at www.firestonewalker.com, wet your cyber palate, and call 1-800-323-4234 to reserve your spot on this classic Two Day Lower Kern adventure.

BTW. Recent intelligence has identified the Beer Cave in Wofford Heights as a source for Firestone Walker's fine libations.

Lost and Found

Treasure Found at Lower Camp. If any of our guests or guides lost a gold ring at Lower Camp last year, we have good news. We found it. You can call our reservations office at 800-323-4234 to describe and claim it.

It seems that we end up with a lot of lost and found items by the end of the season. This year we will post them here, and invite the rest of you to do the same. Although the local thrift stores will be missing out, we would like to see belongings returned to their rightful owners. After all, gear aint cheap.

KernRafting.com Rafting Center renovation plans

For those of you who have been rafting with us on the Kern River, you've enjoyed our comfortable Rafting Center in Wofford Heights, CA. The center serves as our base of operations and meeting place for our guests, for all of our Kern River trips. At the conclusion of our 2007 season, we plan to renovate and update our Rafting Center for your comfort. If you have any ideas about what improvements we should make during this renovation, please let me know. Post your suggestions here at our blog, or send me an email to: Jim@RogueRiverTrips.com Thanks very much. Jim Ritter