1200 - 1700 CFS = Medium flows. Great for aggressive first timers and experienced rafters. Plenty of Class III & IV whitewater. Wetsuits required during cooler months. Usual minimum age: 14 years old.
1700 - 4000 CFS = Medium-high flows. Great for experienced rafters and a few aggressive first timers. Plenty of Class III & IV+whitewater. Wetsuits required during cooler months. Usual minimum age may be increased.
4000 - 8000 CFS = High flows. Challenging Class IV+ whitewater, exciting for experienced rafters. Big waves and swift moving water. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age will be increased.
Above 8000 CFS = Extreme high flows. Fast moving water, with powerful waves and long rapids. Experience is highly recommended. Trips at these levels are best for very aggressive people who are not afraid of falling into a very fast river with long rapids. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age will be increased.
The North Fork of the Stanislaus River acts like a free flowing river, even though Spicer Reservoir is located 14 miles upstream at an elevation of 6300 feet. Melting snow below the reservoir feed this beautiful river during spring. Once the "melt" is over, water is kept behind the dam and released during the evening for a hydro-power project downstream so we are unable to take advantage of the flows during the warm days of summer. We enjoyed some exciting trips in April and May, but the river has become too low for rafting during the daytime, and will not be available until next spring.
400 - 600 CFS = Medium flows. Very technical Class IV+ rafting through tight chutes, and over radical drops. At these flows the river resembles a trout stream at a high elevation complete with boulders, fallen trees and small pools. Wetsuits are required. Usual minimum age: 15 years old.
600 - 1200 CFS = Medium-high flows. Less boulders and more drops. The river becomes more powerful and rapids increase in length. Plenty of Class IV+ whitewater. Wetsuits required.
1200 - 1800 CFS = High flows. Rapids become longer and more powerful. The obstacles change from boulders to stomping hydraulics and holes. Oar-paddle raft option may be available. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age may be increased.
1800 - 3000 CFS = Extreme high flows. Rapids begin to “link” with one another and become very challenging. Calms between the rapids become shorter and some disappear. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age will be increased.
The Kaweah is a free-flowing river with no dams above the whitewater section. The snowpack in the Southern Sierra determines what flows will be like on this exciting river. This year California received a larger amount of snow in the southern part of the state which allowed many folks (including ourselves!) to enjoy this exciting river until late June. The river no longer has flows adequate to support good rafting.
900 - 1500 CFS = Medium flows. Challenging Class IV+ whitewater. These flows are most appropriate for aggressive and experienced rafters. The river is filled with big waves and long rapids with very short calms in between. Wetsuits often required.
1500 - 2500 CFS = High flows. Fast moving water with powerful waves and very long rapids. Wetsuits required. Possibility of falling out of the raft and swimming in a rapid is good. Usual minimum age may be increased.
2500 - 6000 CFS = Extreme high flows. Fast moving water with powerful waves and very long rapids. Wetsuits required. Oar-Paddle Combo rafts used most often. Only for aggressive, athletic people, who are not afraid of swimming in turbulent water. Usual minimum age will be increased.
The North Fork is a free flowing river and only runs in the spring when the winter snowpack begins to melt. It has a relatively low and small drainage so the season is shorter than other rivers. This year we began running trip in early April and continued into late May. The river no longer has flows adequate to support good rafting.
600 - 1200 CFS = Lower flows. Forgiving Class IV whitewater. Best for experienced rafters who like the challenge of difficult paddling and maneuvers. Wetsuits only required during cooler months. Usual minimum age: 15 years old.
1200 - 2000 CFS = Medium-high flows. Challenging Class IV+ whitewater, exciting for veterans. Previous experience preferred and helpful. Bigger waves and swift moving water. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age may be increased.
2000 - 3000 CFS = High flows. Challenging Class IV+ whitewater, fast moving water, with powerful waves and long rapids. Calms between rapids are short and swift. Participants should be athletic individuals with previous experience. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age may be increased
3000 - 4500 CFS = Extreme high flows. Very challenging Class IV+ whitewater with some Class V rapids. Very fast moving water, with powerful waves and rapids that “link” together. Participants should be very aggressive and athletic individuals with previous experience, and not afraid of falling into the river and swimming through very turbulent water. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age will be increased.
he Cal Salmon is a free-flowing river and only runs in the spring when the winter snow pack is melting. The river no longer is running high enough to support rafting..
1000 - 1200 CFS = Lower flows. Forgiving Class IV and some Class V whitewater. Best for experienced rafters who like the challenge of difficult paddling and maneuvers. Wetsuits only required during cooler months. Usual minimum age: 15 years old.
1200 - 2000 CFS = Medium flows. Challenging Class IV+ and Class V whitewater, exciting for veterans. Previous experience preferred and helpful. Bigger waves and swift moving water. Wetsuits required.
2000 - 3500 CFS = High flows. Challenging Class V whitewater, fast moving water, with powerful waves and long rapids. Calms between rapids are short and swift. Participants should be athletic individuals with previous experience. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age may be increased.
3500 - 5000 CFS = Extreme high flows. Very challenging Class V whitewater. Fast moving water, with powerful waves and rapids with large hydraulics and difficult maneuvers. Participants should be very aggressive and athletic individuals with previous experience, and should not be afraid of falling into the river and swimming through very turbulent water. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age will be increased.
Cherry Creek is an upper stretch of the Tuolumne River. Water is
normally too high to run on this stretch of river until the flow is
completely regulated by upstream reservoirs.. usually by mid-July. This
river was flowing well through Labor Day, September 1. Water flows have
now become too low for rafting and the Cherry Creek section will not be
available again until Summer of 2009.
1000 - 1500 CFS = Medium flows. Challenging Class V+ whitewater, exciting for veterans. Previous experience needed. Big drops over and around huge boulders mean quick maneuvering around powerful obstacles. Difficult and long swims are possible should someone fall out of the raft. Wetsuits required. Usual minimum age: 18 years old.
1500 - 2200 CFS = High flows. Very challenging Class V+ whitewater, with powerful and fast moving water. Rapids consist of big drops into giant holes with very turbulent water. Calms between rapids are short and swift. Participants should be very athletic and aggressive and have previous Class IV+ rafting experience. Wetsuits required.
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