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Rafting Rush! Get soaked on Kern River
| Monday, Jun 26 2006 10:31 PM
Last Updated: Tuesday, Jun 27 2006 1:47 PM
The commands ring out fast and furious from the back of the raft. “Forward two! Forward two strokes!” “Ok, stop!” Six oars pull up in unison. Just as quickly, six oars dig back into the frothing river at the next command:
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“Right side back! Left side forward! Right side back! Left side forward!”
“OK, dig it in! Dig it in!”
We’re spinning, rotating backward, then around to face downriver. Our guide Roland Stevenson uses a staccato rhythm of precise paddling directions to position the raft for a run down a roiling, boiling set of rapids named Powerhouse.
We have a few moments to brace our legs against the raft before our blue boat turns into a bucking water bronco.
It’s been nearly a decade since the Kern River roared down the river canyon like it is this summer. On hot days the rushing snowmelt pumps downriver at over 6,000 cubic feet per second, the biggest flows since 1998. That’s equivalent to more than 6,000 water-filled basketballs rushing past a single rock outcropping along the river every second.
As longtime Whitewater Voyages guide Stevenson puts it, “guides dream about the high-water years, and this is definitely one of them.”
The Kern River begins its serpentine run to the valley floor from a high Sierra Mountain drainage 30 miles north of Mt. Whitney and 12,800 feet above sea level. The Kern is considered one of the fastest-falling rivers in the United States, and this winter’s deep snowfall will provide above-average flows late into August.
Chuck Richards, who pioneered rafting on the Kern River 30 years ago, compares the daily flow rates to the stock market: one day it might be up, another day down.
But Richards leaves no doubt as to the quality of this season’s rafting.
“For those that would like a lot of big, pounding action, this is the year to come,” said Richards, who founded his namesake rafting company in 1975. “Before 2005, we had six years in a row of lackluster water. It’s here now, so come get at it and enjoy it, because we may have ho-hum for years to come.”
Rafting outfitters will work the upper sections of the Kern River into late July, then focus on the lower Kern below Isabella Dam in August.
The Kernville Chamber of Commerce estimates that tens of thousands of rafters and kayakers float the Kern every year, and two million people have been down the river over the past three decades.
High river flows this year have raised the risk of water accidents for people who venture into the Kern without taking proper safety precautions.
Booking a rafting trip led by professional guides, on the other hand, is one of the safest ways to get up close and personal with the Kern River because rafting outfitters put a premium on safety.
Before anyone sets foot in a raft, guides give a detailed, pre-run lecture on the do’s and don’ts should you suddenly find yourself, or your neighbor, bobbing alongside the raft. There are two things to remember if you do find yourself in the water — a likely possibility, and not an emergency, according to guides. The first is point your feet downstream, and the second is steer clear from the bank, where trees and plants can catch and hold you “like spaghetti in a strainer,” Richards said.
But the odds of being injured on a rafting trip are lower than twisting a knee while skiing, Richards said.
On this trip, the only drawback so far is a pair of soaked shorts.
Closing in on the rapids, our raft slips around a rock the size of a Volkswagen. The current ripples effortlessly past the rock, rising and falling like the powerful muscles on the back of a wild horse. The roaring of the river signals the start of our wild ride just ahead.
Stevenson’s commands ring out with an urgency that has us digging deep into the gray-green water.
As the roaring whitewater builds to a crescendo, we get our last command:
“Dig it in! Dig it in!”
The raft dives headfirst into a garage door-sized hole of swirling whitewater. It’s a roller coaster ride on water.
The nose of the boat pounds into the curling wall of green, and a blast of icy water washes over us.
It’s take-your-breath away cold, the kind of shock that leaves you gasping for breath.
Then the water hole, like a roller coaster looping out of a curl, spits us skyward.
We’re out of the rapids.
The raft immediately settles into a gentle bob. A hawk wings by overhead. We take deep breaths, smiles plastered wide across our faces.
Drifting toward the bank, we lift our paddles skyward for a celebratory high-five slap. We’ve made it down the Lickety Split run. And we’re ready for more white water.
Whitewater Wednesday
When: June 28
Times: Two-hour trips start at 9 a.m. and
go to 3 p.m.
Where: Riverside Park, Kernville
Trips: “Sequoia Splash Run,” on Class I-IV rapids on the upper Kern; $47 includes post-run barbecue lunch at Riverside Park
Or: Lower-key run down “Lickety Split” and Class II-III rapids; $27 for one run, or $47 for two runs
Info: Kernville Chamber of Commerce
Reservations are recommended, but walkups also welcome: 760-376-2629;
kernvillechamber.org
Rafting outfitters operating on the Kern River:
Chuck Richards Whitewater, 760-376-3776
www.chuckrichards.com
Whitewater Voyages, 800-400-7238
www.whitewatervoyages.com
Kern River Outfitters, 800-323-4234
www.kernrafting.com
Kern River Tours, 800-844-RAFT
www.kernrivertours.com
Mountain and River Adventures, 800-861-6553
www.mtnriver.com
Sierra South Mountain Sports, 800-457-2082
www.kernriver.com/index_tabs.htm
Eagle Rafting, 800-375-7395
www.eaglerafting.com
River's End Rafting & Adventure Company, 866-360-RAFT
www.kernriversend.com
If you go rafting
What to bring: Wear closed shoes and sunscreen, and don’t forget to put it on the tops of your legs; wear clothes that can handle getting wet, like a swimsuit or fast-drying shorts; hats and sunglasses with straps.
How much: Costs vary by outfitter and depend on trip length, rapid class, and day of the week. Half-day runs on Lickety-Split out of Kernville start at about $50; full-day trips including lunch are about $150; week-long, fully-supported trips go for about $900.
Where is it: Kernville is a 90 minute drive from Bakersfield.
Rapid categories
Class I: Easy. Fast moving water with riffles and small waves. Few obstructions, all obstacles are obvious and easily missed with very little training.
Class II: Novice. Straightforward rapids with wide, clear channels which are evident without scouting. Occasional maneuvering may be required. Rocks and medium sized waves are easily missed.
Class III: Intermediate. Rapids with moderate, irregular waves that may be difficult. Large waves may be present but are easily avoided. Strong eddies and powerful currents can be present.
Class IV: Advanced. Intense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling in turbulent water.
Class V: Expert. Extremely long, obstructed, or very violent rapids. Drops may contain large, unavoidable waves and holes or steep, congested chutes with complex, demanding routes.