{"id":7662,"date":"2016-08-03T16:47:39","date_gmt":"2016-08-03T23:47:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/?p=7662"},"modified":"2024-06-06T19:03:23","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T02:03:23","slug":"how-to-prepare-for-whitewater-rafting-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/how-to-prepare-for-whitewater-rafting-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Rafting in Northern California"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Heading to the Sierra Nevada foothills for a summer rafting trip can be a blast, but there are a few things to know before packing your bags. Your guides will handle safety and instruction on the river, but especially for overnight trips, these tips from the author of Moon Northern California<\/a> will make sure things stay memorable and fun.<\/p>\n

What to bring<\/strong>
\nDon’t forget sunscreen. Even if you’re just spending a half-day on the river, count on being in the sun for at least a few hours. Think about bringing a hat\u2014helmets aren\u2019t required on the South Fork of the American River, so a visor or hat with a brim will provide some welcome shade for your face.\u00a0For overnight trips, make sure to bring a headlamp and some mosquito repellent.<\/p>\n

At the end of your trip, don\u2019t forget to leave a change of dry clothing for the ride home in your vehicle, especially if a long drive is ahead of you.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

What not to bring<\/strong>
\nLooking forward to a selfie with some gnarly rapids in the background? Leave your smartphone and other valuables at home or in the car. They’ll either bounce out of the raft or get soaked. All-Outdoors does provide dry bags during rafting trips, but they aren’t completely waterproof and won’t protect breakables.<\/p>\n

Local photography companies are sometimes on hand to document the trip\u2014look for photos from Hotshot Imaging<\/a>\u00a0for trips on all three forks of the American River or Rapid Shooter<\/a>\u00a0for excursions on the Merced<\/a>, Tuolumne<\/a>, and Cherry Creek<\/a> rivers. Keep in mind that these companies aren\u2019t guaranteed to be around, so bring a GoPro or other waterproof camera if snapping Uncle Larry falling into the rapids is high on your bucket list.<\/p>\n

Check ahead if you\u2019re taking an overnight trip. Some of these multi-day excursions take you way out into the wilderness<\/a>. Others provide access to vehicles, where you can leave bags, towels, jackets, and anything bulky. Check with All-Outdoors\u00a0ahead of time so you can pack accordingly.<\/p>\n

What to wear<\/strong>
\nMake sure to wear waterproof or quick-drying clothing when you\u2019re on the raft. For footwear, All-Outdoors recommends wearing closed-toe shoes like athletic shoes or other shoes that protect the top of your feet (as long you as you don\u2019t mind getting them wet).<\/p>\n

Bring a warm hoodie if you’re taking an overnight trip. Evenings near the water can cool down quickly in the foothills, even on hot days. And it wouldn’t hurt to bring a clothesline to let wet clothing drip-dry after the day’s rafting.<\/p>\n

What not to wear<\/strong>
\nDon’t bring flip-flops or slip-on river shoes\u2014they won’t stay on your feet for long. Avoid bringing heavy cotton clothing, like cargo pants or polo shirts, that can chafe when wet.<\/p>\n

\"Moon<\/a><\/p>\n

Christopher Arns<\/a> is a river-loving California local, fly-fisher, and the co-author of Moon Northern California<\/a>. For ideas on what to see and do in California\u2019s Gold Country when you\u2019re not on the water with All-Outdoors, check out his book.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Heading to the Sierra Nevada foothills for a summer rafting trip can be a blast, but there are a few things to know before packing your bags. Your guides will handle safety and instruction on the river, but especially for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9696,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-california-rivers","category-ao-rafting-university"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTips for Rafting in Northern California<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/how-to-prepare-for-whitewater-rafting-california\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tips for Rafting in Northern California\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Heading to the Sierra Nevada foothills for a summer rafting trip can be a blast, but there are a few things to know before packing your bags. 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