Quick Details
Paddle the Wild Waters on a Rafting Trip on the North Fork American River in CA!
River: North Fork of the American River
Section: Chamberlain Falls Run
Duration: Full Day Experience (13 River Miles, Approximately 4.5 Hours on the River)
Minimum Age: 13
Arrival Times: Monday/ Friday (Meet at 8:30 am) Weekend TBD-
Meals: Yes, We provide everyone with a riverside sandwich buffet-style lunch
Price: $145.00 per person (Includes Everything: Transportation, gear, guided trip, and lunch (River use fees not included)
Whitewater Class: Class IV+ (Intermediate/Advanced)
Raft Sizes: 13’ & 14’ rafts, accommodating up to 6 guests + a guide
Guided Tours: Professional River Guide in each raft giving instructions throughout the journey
Accessibility: Easily accessed from North Lake Tahoe, Auburn, Sacramento, San Francisco, and the Bay Area
Trip Highlights:
Where We Meet:
About The Trip:
Frequently Asked Questions:
What To Expect:
After Making a Reservation:
Day of the Tour – Arriving at our Meeting Location:
What to expect on the North Fork American River Chamberlain Falls Run:
Availability:
Why Choose Tahoe Whitewater Tours?
Embark on an Unforgettable Adventure on the North Fork American River:
Journey into the heart of untamed waters on the North Fork of the American River, where every moment promises exhilarating excitement and unparalleled natural beauty. This isn’t just a rafting trip – it’s an invitation to immerse yourself in an adrenaline-fueled escapade that will leave you breathless and longing for more. Conveniently accessible from North Lake Tahoe, Auburn, Sacramento, San Francisco, and the Bay Area, this is your ticket to an extraordinary adventure that transcends the ordinary.
Imagine yourself amidst the majestic beauty of a river, set free by the thaw of winter’s embrace. As spring breathes life into the landscape, the North Fork of the American River comes alive, carving its way through a breathtaking granite canyon adorned with lush, jungle-like foliage. It’s a fleeting spectacle, available only for a short window of time when the snowpack melts, making each journey a rare and precious opportunity to witness nature’s grandeur at its finest. Thrills Await Around Every Bend:
Prepare to be swept away by the pulse-pounding excitement that awaits as you navigate the river’s twists and turns. From the thunderous entrance of class III+ rapids to the jaw-dropping descent of “Chamberlain Falls,” each moment is an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride that will ignite your sense of adventure like never before. With names like “Slaughters Sluice,” “Zig Zag,” and “Bogus Thunder,” these rapids are not just challenges – they’re badges of honor for those brave enough to conquer them.
At Tahoe Whitewater Tours, we don’t just guide rafts; we craft experiences that push the boundaries of excitement. Our seasoned river guides are more than just navigators – they’re stewards of thrill, committed to delivering the wildest ride the North Fork has to offer. With a focus on safety and guest satisfaction, you can trust that you’re in good hands every step of the way. So, whether you’re a seasoned rafter or a first-time adventurer, join us as we embark on a journey filled with heart-pounding thrills, unforgettable moments, and memories that will last a lifetime.
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Type of Trip: Intermediate/ Advanced Whitewater
This section is Class IV+ Meaning Intermediate/ Advanced Rapids, Big Drops, Fast Currents, and Lots of Class II and Class III rapids with intermittent Class IV+ whitewater action. Perfect for river rafters looking for a memorable day with exciting moments.
We recommend for all of our Class IV whitewater rafting trips that guests have been rafting before, know how to swim, and are above age 13.
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Guided Whitewater Rafting Tour
All of our tours are guided by a river guide in the back of the raft, who will guide you and your group throughout the day. The guide will show you how to sit in the raft, hold the paddle, and teach you proper paddling techniques. The guide will give paddling commands and interact with paddle strokes while navigating the raft through the river and turbulent sections.
Our goal is to have professional and customer-oriented guides trained to give you a wonderful river experience.
If you guide did a wonderful job and you had a fun experience tipping gratuities are an acceptable form of showing appreciation to your guide at the end of the tour.
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13’ and 14’ self-bailing river rafts are used
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Trip Timeline:
Arrival at the meeting location, transportation to the river site, gear ourselves up with rafting gear, safety talk/ river instruction, hop into rafts for the day, stop along river shoreline for lunch, load back into vehicles, drive back to the meeting location. Say farewell.
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Monday through Thursday Arrival Time– Check in for the trip between 8:15 am- 8:30 am
Friday, Saturday, Sunday Arrival Time– Check in for trip TBDWe ask ours guest be available to check in for the tour between the above time frames. It is important to arrive on time as our tours need to follow a strict time frame. The bus will leave the meeting location roughly 15 minutes after check in time for specific trip to keep the days schedule.
On the weekends we are given a specific put-in start time due to weekends being much busier than any other day. The specific meet time allows all the rafting companies to efficiently use the access locations without feeling cluttered. Please refer to weekend calendar dates for specific meeting time.
Make sure before leaving home to double check drive time and directions to ensure arrival on time. Road construction and slow traffic are common in Lake Tahoe during the summer months and can affect road conditions.
Notify the office if you believe you are behind schedule for the trip.
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13384 Lincoln Way Auburn, CA 94603.
Our North Fork American River trip meets in the back parking lot behind the Raleys Grocery Store at above address. There is a very large parking area which is a common meeting location for whitewater rafting trips.
There is plenty of parking available in this lot for everyone’s vehicle. If needing any last-minute items, the Raleys grocery store will have many of the following items: sunscreen, water shoes, hats, and much more. This is the perfect place to start your adventure.
Rough Drive Times to meeting location:
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13 years old
Due to the nature of a class IV+ section of river we ask that kids are age 13 years old or above. Advanced Class IV whitewater has higher consequences and possibilities of unintentional swims than lower class sections of whitewater. It is important that all guests are able to be aware of their surroundings and be able to listen to directions in case swims and river rescues need to take place. Whitewater rafting, like any outdoor adventure activity, has inherent risks involved. Unintentional swimming can be common in any type of rafting experience. We ask that all participants be able to listen and understand instructions and directions given by river guides and staff. For this reason we have our minimum age for Class IV whitewater is 13.
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- “Trip Details PDF” will be attached to the confirmation email, which contains driving directions, pack list, itinerary as well as other pertinent information for your tour. Reference the Trip Details PDF for information on getting ready for your river rafting day with us.
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What to wear
Getting ready for a whitewater rafting trip is similar to getting ready for a day at the beach. Everything that goes on the river will get wet so dress in clothing that you’d be comfortable swimming.
Quick List:
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- Shoes are required that will not come off, such as strap-on sandals, water shoes, booties, and old tennis shoes.
Flip flops or Slip on type shoes are discouraged and not allowed for rafting. The reason being if you go for an unintentional swim you will loose your flip flops immediately. If you end up on shore or in a random place you need to have good footwear to get back to the rafts or to be able to walk along the shoreline.
For a more detailed packing list of items to consider wearing and packing for the trip: Click here for our Trip Details PDF, which includes a detailed packing list
Things to Leave at Home:
While on the river, Everything gets wet, has the possibility to fall out of pockets and be lost in the river. We ask everyone to leave cellphones, wallets, Car keys and valuables home, at our office location or locked away.
Gear and Equipment we provide
On every one of our whitewater rafting adventures, we pass out the following equipment to each guest:
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During spring and cold weather trips, we also provide at no additional cost:
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Arriving at the river:
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We begin our whitewater day just outside of Colfax, CA, where we drive down to the North Fork American River- Chamberlain Falls Run. The North Fork of the American River drops steeply out of the High Sierra Nevada Mountains and is known by many to be a true classic California river trip. The exciting Chamberlain Falls section of whitewater is a classic, for it flows through a steep, luscious canyon providing Incredible scenery above and beautiful granite river banks below. The river excitingly flows through house-sized granite boulders, narrow chutes, and steep, fun, technical rapids. The river cuts through one of the most scenic canyons in the American River drainage, so be ready for an extraordinary experience. Class IV rapids begin immediately downstream from our launch point with the fun rapids such as “Slaughters
Sluice”, “Chamberlain Falls”, “Zig Zag,” and many more! Rapids continue one after another. around each bend, challenging the best whitewater boaters. Be ready to paddle as your guides navigate through the turbulent waters, culminating at the most challenging rapid of the day, the challenging Class IV+ “Bogus Thunder”. Once successfully through, A break for lunch gives you the opportunity to relax and enjoy the beauty of this naturally flowing river, for the North Fork American River is uninhibited by upstream dams, creating a wild river experience. Since there are no upstream dams, this run is only available during spring snowmelt and high water seasons, so it’s important to plan ahead. Come join us on an adrenaline-filled day. This trip will sure to give you an amazing experience not available elsewhere.
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Every day during peak run-off (usually April to June)
The North Fork of the American River Chamberlain Falls section is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The North Fork American River is uninhibited by upstream dams, creating a wild river experience. Since there are no upstream dams, this run is only available during spring snowmelt and high water seasons, so it’s important to plan ahead. Come join us on an adrenaline-filled day. This trip will sure to give you an amazing experience not available elsewhere.
We operate one trip a day, usually in April, May, and June. River flows will drop below runnable levels after peak snowmelt and the mid-summer months arrive.
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Water that feeds the North Fork American River originates from the Sierra Crest located near Truckee, California. The headwaters of the North Fork American River can be found from various peaks between Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort (formerly Squaw Valley). As little streams converge and drop steeply, impressive canyons are formed. The North Fork cuts steeply, forming canyons such as the “Royal Gorge”, “Generation Gap,” and “ Giant Gap,” collecting tributaries as the river works its way towards the Sacramento Valley.
The North Fork of the American River is a naturally flowing river with no dams or obstructions up steam from the commercial rafting section. Rain events and atmospheric river-type storms can easily raise the river to 10x its normal flow in impressive flood events. Because of these events, the rocks are polished and gorgeous along the river’s edge. Water Quality is amongst the cleanest and clearest on all of the American Rivers since it is all snowmelt from the previous day
Don’t miss out on a Spring rafting adventure on the North Fork of the American River as it is a true treat!
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Our River Guides
Our guides are the best in the business, focusing on safety and guest service as a top priority. All are extremely knowledgeable about the area’s geology, ecology, and history and just love being on the river. Many with experience on rivers all over the country and across the globe, we’ll know you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do and each will certainly help to make your day on the river the best possible.
Tahoe Whitewater river guides are committed to showing the our guests the wildest ride available on the North Fork of the American River. So be ready to get wet! This High Adventure Trips require a team effort; guests will be expected to exert high physical energy. If you are afraid to get wet, this is not the adventure for you.