Looking for a summer job?  Would you like to learn more about river safety and technique?  Join us at  the Adventure Whitewater guide school this year!  Click on the training tab on this site for more info and join us May 23-24.  (If this date doesn't work, there are also ways to become a guide without coming to this event...contact us!)

Many of friends of AWW have been asking about Kelly. (Paradise Point caretaker)  Unfortunately, Kelly got really sick this winter and had to be hospitalized several times.  He has rebounded pretty well, but still needs to be on oxygen most of the time.  This oxygen (and power) requirement doesn't allow him to be at Paradise where is heart definitely is.  He is currently living in Happy Camp near the Indian Creek put-in and is usually up for visitors if you want to say hi.

We get a lot of questions about how a big winter, like the one we just had,  affects our local rivers.  Well, here are some answers (spoiler alert...its awesome).
We did have an above average year for snow in the mountains.  Below is the snow survey for several sites in the Marble Mountains (which drain into the Klamath). 

May 1st 2017 Snow Survey Results
  Snow CourseHeight of SnowSnow Water Equivalent
MeasuredHistoric Average% of Historic AverageMeasuredHistoric Average% of Historic Average
Middle Boulder 1
(Elevation 6600’) height of snow 76.0" percent of historic average 146%
Middle Boulder 3
(Elevation 6200’) height of snow 61.0" percent of historic average 154%
Scott Mountain
(Elevation 5900’) height of snow 45.0" percent of historic average 111%

This snow will melt and release water into the river for most of the summer allowing for generally higher water.  On the Klamath this means rapids such as Ferry Point and Rattlesnake are MUCH more fun and it also means less paddling through the flat stretches!  A few rapids such as dragons tooth and rock garden get slightly easier with more water (but still fun).  The tributaries of the Klamath are already flowing better than they have in years.  Our guides that have only been with us for three to four years are now training on Clear Creek and the Salmon)

In addition to better whitewater, the wet winter is really healthy for the river.  Salmon need the cooler water, cleaned out gravel and access to streams higher up in the mountains.  There will be fewer algae blooms and farmers in the upper part of the river will have more water.  Beaches will be bigger and cleaned off throughout the river and there should be a lower risk of wildfire.  
We are all smiles on the Klamath and hope to see you soon.



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​I may have an argument for being part of the ultimate ‘crew’ for a wilderness adventure.  Lying on a couch, nursing a broken femur sustained with aforementioned crew, while watching Meru and Shakelton is giving me some second thoughts, but…our crew is pretty epic.
 
I have paddled, skied, fly-fished, cliff jumped, traveled, white dolphined and adventured with Todd, Joe and John for over twenty-five years.  Our passion for the outdoors and hanging out has not wavered despite the onward march of kids, slower metabolisms, and jobs that are not ‘river guiding.’  While we all once dreamed of remaining river guides our entire lives, Todd became an Orthopedic Surgeon, John an ER Doctor and Joe, a writer for Outside Magazine.  I have never been more thankful that I was the only one who remained as an outfitter after our latest venture.
 
This past week we rallied for a day of rafting and kayaking the class IV-V Scott River in Northern California.  We were technically ‘training’ for a raft race at the end of the month.  Sixteen years ago we were on the USA whitewater rafting team and thought we might be able to relive past glory.  Our wives had given us the day, so we were planning on doing two laps, one rafting and one kayaking, down the eight-mile stretch of river.  
After launching the raft, it became immediately apparent that our same Sotar raft we used in the USA Rafting Championships, was not holding air the same way.  We were also just plain rusty.  But, as we felt like we were in our twenties again, we kept racing down the class IV rapids.
 
About 30 minutes in, we arrived at one of the bigger drops on the run.  ‘Straight shot’ requires lining up between two massive boulders and dropping down a ten foot ramp of water into a giant hole.  Well, we flipped in said giant hole.  In a typical pool drop rapid, we would have gathered ourselves and wounded pride in the pool below, however this rapid is a bit different.  After the big drop, the river remains shallow and fast.  If a person is in the boat, it is not noticeable, but as the boat slowly flipped, I found myself unable to protect myself from this shallow shelf.  In my numerous swims over three decades of whitewater, I can count the number of times I have hit a rock hard on one hand, so it was incredibly shocking to slam my upper thigh into a rock so hard it stopped all of my momentum.
 
Initially I thought I simply had a horrific ‘dead leg’.  I came up near the raft and was able to grab the sideline.  As I tried to swim the raft to the side before the next rapid, I quickly realized I couldn’t swim at all with my legs.  I yelled to our friend Cole (Cole was along kayaking and was key late addition to my dream crew) that I was hurt and I needed an assist. I grabbed the back of his kayak and he towed me straight to the nearest eddy, where Todd was already waiting.  John followed us swimming the raft into the eddy as well.
 
As I gripped the rocks on the side of the river the pain started to increase and I simply could not get that leg to move to climb out of the river.  The ‘real’ pain had not started, presumably because my body weight was still completely in the river.  Todd and John flipped the raft back and proceeded to gently pull me into the raft to get me out of the forty-degree water and assess my situation.  This is when the full reality and pain of a fractured femur set in.  I could do nothing but primordially scream as my leg slinked over the side of the raft in an angle that was not straight.  Apparently femur fractures are one of the most painful injuries a person can sustain and I’m not sure I could stay conscious through anything worse.
 
This is where the dream crew kicked in.  Todd immediately yelled to Joe on the other side of the river to hike up to the road, get to a phone and call 911.  Joe marked our spot with paddles on the road, flagged down a vehicle and got the EMS notified within 10 minutes.
 
Todd and John set to work about stabilizing my leg in the floor of the raft with throw bags and lifejackets and rigging a traction splint out of a paddle and several NRS straps.  This relieved some pain, however I could feel every vibration of the boat as if Sasquatch himself was jumping on my leg.
 
As we were on the opposite side of the river, the next goal was to get me across the river for when EMS arrived.  While the EMS team that showed up was outstanding, I trusted my team to ferry me across more than anyone.  The ferry went off without incident and by the time we got across the California Highway Patrol was already on scene.
 
Fort Jones Volunteer fire showed up next and began rigging a low angle rope system to extract me up the 100ft + bank.  I’m not making this up, but the first firefighter to respond to me was a lady I later found out was the 8th place women Olympia physique competition.
 
EMS was not allowed to give me any serious pain medications without approval from a doctor at the hospital, which would require getting into cell range (30 minutes away).  Dream crewmember John just so happened to know the ambulance crew from visits to his ER and was able to sign off on the morphine.  This allowed the pain level to drop a little from Sasquatch levels.
 
After getting up the hill and enduring a heinous ride on a mountain road we arrived at the Yreka ER where John works.  After some x-rays, the break was deemed complicated enough to send me up to Medford Oregon for Surgery.  This happens to be where dream crewmember Todd works and I gladly gave him my blessing to do my surgery.  Two hours and some titanium later, Todd informed me all went well.  My best friends had just taken care of me in the ER and performed surgery on me.   
 
What makes a crew great, however, goes beyond the objective skills of the collective group.  Shared experience is the ‘it’ factor for any team.  It allowed our crew to work seamlessly and have no pride wrapped up in decisions.  It allowed the trust to paddle me across the river above another class IV and cut me open to install hardware on the operating table.  Perhaps most importantly, shared experience allows the joy that comes with being in the wilderness with a group of people you want to be there with.  I can’t wait to get off the couch and get back out there with these guys. 

Learn to be a guide or improve your river skills at a spectacular river-side camp in Northern California!  We will spend time working on skills in camp as well as on the Klamath and Salmon rivers.

Topics and skills covered include:  

• Paddle boat captaining and rowing.
• River safety, hand signals, rescue techniques.
• Equipment choice and maintenance.
• Rigging and packing 
• Cooking
  

Cost: $165  Returning AWW guides are free.  Meals included (starting with dinner the first day)

Arrive by noon on Friday.  We will finish by 3pm on Sunday (you are welcome to stay at Paradise the night before)

Space is limited! email ryan@awwrafting.com to reserve your spot.  Adventure Whitewater will be hiring several new guides this year, but attendance at guide school does not guarantee a spot.  

Over the past few years we have been doing more and more wilderness education trips out of Paradise Point.  Learning medical skills, fly-fishing and river safety in an outdoor classroom has been valuable and fun!  The Wilderness First Responder (NOLS) course this past fall filled and we will offer another one this May.  Below are a list of courses that will be based at Paradise.  Join us!

Wilderness First Responder Course - May 4 -13, 2015
 
Join us at Paradise Point for an incredible week of medical training on the river!  Enjoy a spectacular wilderness camp (hot showers, huge beach, river front camping), incredible meals and optional rafting while getting certified as a Wilderness First Responder.  

The WFR course is designed to provide you with the tools to make critical medical and evacuation decisions in remote locations. Classroom lectures and demonstrations are combined with realistic scenarios where mock patients will challenge you to integrate your learning.  If you are in 

Learning takes place both in our covered classroom and in outdoor settings regardless of weather conditions. Come prepared for wet, muddy, cold or hot environments.  However, the weather in this area is typically spectacular in early September. (80's and sunny).  Paradise Point is literally surrounded by Wilderness Areas, so bring your kayak, fly-rod, SUP, mountain bike, hammock or a good book.  

There is an old sign as you enter into Happy Camp that says "Steelhead Capital of the World."  By many accounts, before the mining, dams, logging, fishing of the twentieth century, it was the third most productive salmon and steelhead river in all of North America!
Well, the fish seem to be making a comeback and the past few fall seasons on the Klamath have been incredible.  After we put the rafts away in late August, we pull out the drift boats and fly-fish for these ocean run treasures.  Below is a gallery from this season.  Join us next year!

Where?  Paradise Point (near Happy Camp, CA)

When?  August 30th and 31st 

Cost?  $50 Per Person (kids under 12 are free)

What? A fun filled weekend with whitewater rafting, BBQ, great beverages (Caldera, Etna Brewery and others) camping, volleyball, live auction, and live music. Paradise Point lives up to its name, located on the Klamath River with plenty of camping for everyone! 

A couple details about this year:

Saturday: 
-Raft, kayak and SUP races! No prior experience required...all skill levels welcomed! Even if you don't have a team put together you can still participate! EVERYONE is encouraged to participate. See below for more details.
- Live music The Dairy Kings www.facebook.com/TheDairyKings
- Live and Silent auction with incredible items
- Great Beer and Food
Sunday: 
- Huge Breakfast
-Class II-III float down the Klamath from Paradise Pt.  Bring your own craft (Kayak, SUP, Pool Toy) or we will guide you in rafts. 

-The proceeds go to support the Northwest Spinal Cord Recovery Fund in honor of Matt Thomas. And, this year a part of the proceeds will also go towards providing recreational opportunities for people with disabilities in the great state of Jefferson!

-The more the merrier! Invite your friends...and their friends, all ages are welcome! 

Kelly (our beloved caretaker) has successfully made it through neck surgery and is back at resting at Paradise Point.  Several of the discs in his spine had deteriorated to the point that they were pinching his spinal cord and causing him severe pain and numbness.  He is very excited that he already has a lot more movement in his shoulders just two days after surgery!
Kelly's first response when being woken up after a three hour surgery...double bird to the nurse.  Epic.