{"id":9073,"date":"2021-01-12T15:17:19","date_gmt":"2021-01-12T23:17:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/?p=9073"},"modified":"2026-01-09T16:17:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T00:17:22","slug":"covid-19-update-looking-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aorafting.com\/blog\/covid-19-update-looking-ahead\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 Update: Looking Ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"
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To the All-Outdoors extended rafting family:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to 2021 – the year we all hope will be more \u201cnormal\u201d than what we have experienced in 2020. It has been a wild ride for many reasons (and still is), but an undeniable reality is that the pandemic has altered our lives. Even though the vaccine is giving needed hope, there is a distance to go before we are in the clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People are asking us about the coming rafting season because they want to plan something to look forward to that is away from home, outside, and with family and friends. We hope the following helps answer this important question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will there be a rafting season in 2021?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The answer is yes, but with a few caveats. While progress is being made to get on top of the pandemic, no one knows exactly how long it will take before we are at the point of moving around freely without Covid concerns. Until then, we at All-Outdoors will maintain our preventative practices to help slow down the spread of Covid and assure that we ourselves and those around us are healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This past season we began operations on July 1 by designing and executing COVID sensitive trips and practices to make sure our guests and our employees were as safe as possible. By doing so we were able to enjoy being outside and recreating on some of the most beautiful rivers in California. Thanks to everyone involved, including our guests, the season was a remarkable success as we all benefited from what rivers do for the body and soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Covid is still an issue, we will repeat the same type of trips and practices for the coming season. If conditions change for the better (and we certainly hope they do!) we will make adjustments. We will be evaluating the situation on a constant basis and abide by government mandates and practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing we have done to help with some of the uncertainty of Covid and the 2021 rafting season, is to revise our Cancellation Policy to give peace of mind and added flexibility to anyone planning to raft with us this season. Learn more below<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What did trips look like during the 2020 rafting season?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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    \r\n Before the 2020 season our guides got tested for COVID-19 and did mandatory training on our mitigation procedures. Guides passed a daily health screening before they were able to work.\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
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    \r\n In 2020 lunches were made-to-order by our food prep staff. We maintain clean surfaces and sanitation protocols, so you can be sure your food was made in a clean environment. \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n
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    \r\n Guests were greeted by their own guide upon arrival and were taken care of by this same guide all day long. He or she would take the guests\u2019 temperature and ask a few screening questions before the trip could start. \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\t
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    \r\n We added additional hand sanitizer stations at our property. We also limited bathroom capacity and arranged things on our property so people in different groups could gather in different places. \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\t
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    \r\n There were three things guests were asked to bring to their rafting trip: a face covering that goes around the neck (not just behind the ears), a water bottle, and hand sanitizer (all available for purchase on site as well).\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\t
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    \r\n Instead of being fitted with gear by a guide, guests fitted themselves with guide instructions. \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\t
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    \r\n Guests received a private pre-river orientation talk from their guide to prep them for the adventure.\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n\t
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    \r\n Different social groups on a trip did not mix but had their own guide and raft. To create more spacing, each raft also had less people and maintained a distance between other rafts on the same trip.\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\t
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    \r\n Made-to-order lunches were packed on individual rafts, and at lunch time groups were eating separately. On multi-day trips meals at camp were served by each group\u2019s guide.\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n\t
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    \r\n At least one thing was not any different; cruising along gentle currents or smashing through exciting rapids was still a whole lot of fun!\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\t
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    \r\n We reduced the number of people on shuttles to give each group their own space on the bus. We also asked everyone to apply hand sanitizer before getting on and to wear their face coverings during the ride.\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n\t
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    \r\n Back at the meet place guests sanitized their own gear by giving their life jacket a thorough dunking in a tub before hanging it up. Paddles were dropped into a barrel filled with sanitizing solution.\r\n\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n\t
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    \r\n After a great day on the river, last goodbyes were said and guests were on their way. \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n\t
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    \r\n Between each trip (and periodically throughout the day) we cleaned all our facilities. Bathrooms got cleaned and restocked and shuttle vehicles got sanitized so they were ready for the next groups\u2019 arrivals. \r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div> \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n Previous<\/span>\r\n <\/a>\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n Next<\/span>\r\n <\/a>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Private Rafts With Fewer People<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Following state and county guidelines for the 2020 rafting season, we were NOT mixing groups of guests unless they were from the same household or within the same \u201csocial bubble\u201d. Every group* got their own private raft(s). Each \u201cprivate\u201d raft on a trip did not mix with other \u201cprivate\u201d rafts on the same trip. To minimize the risk of COVID spread, we also lowered the number of guests per raft. With all these changes, rafting felt more like a private, intimate experience than ever!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    * Private rafts required a minimum number of paid spaces per reservation. (All Middle Fork American River itineraries: 4 spaces; all South Fork American River itineraries: 4 spaces midweek \/ 6 spaces weekend departures.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Before and During Your Trip<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    To help reduce the transmission of COVID-19, we made several adjustments to lower the chances of spread. Steps taken during the 2020 rafting season:<\/p>\n\n\n\n