As the ski resorts wind down operations, spring temperatures start to rise, and one of Tahoe’s largest snowpacks in 60 years begins to melt, it can only mean one thing — the start of the kayaking and rafting season. But this year, which saw over 700 inches of snow, will be no ordinary season on the river. The winter’s extraordinary snowfall brings both good and bad news for river sports — the bountiful amount of water promises an extended rafting and kayaking season on rivers throughout the West, and opens up normally unnavigable rivers. On the other hand, the copious amounts of runoff may make some rivers unrunnable. But it’s the Truckee River rafting companies, which are preparing for a late start, that may be most adversely affected by the record-setting snowfall.
Longer Season, Deeper Water
The normal rafting season for spring-melt rivers in Northern California is May and June. But Frank Wohlfahrt, who owns Truckee-based IRIE Rafting Company, said he is expecting to go through July this year, giving him an extra six weeks of rafting in places like the North Fork of the American River’s Generation Gap and Giant Gap. The high water levels will also make undammed rivers available for rafting; Wohlfahrt normally only schedules trips for dammed rivers.
Some of the runs that will open up this year to rafting due to abundant water include several sections of the North Fork of the American, Deer Creek outside Chico, and the Rubicon, a major tributary of the Middle Fork of the American River. The latter is dammed but is set to spill this year, an event that occurs every four to five years, according to Wohlfahrt.
The big winter has meant increased interest in river rafting. Wohlfahrt estimates his business is up by around 50 percent.
‘It’s hard to determine the exact reason, but part of it is the excitement over the snowpack,’ said Wohlfahrt, who started IRIE 16 years ago.
Kayakers are also raising their paddles in excitement.
‘It’s super exciting because we see rivers at huge levels we haven’t seen in 25 years,’ said Marc Goddard, a kayaking guide who owns Bio Bio Expeditions, an outdoor adventure company based in Truckee that does commercial river trips around the world. ‘It will be one of the best years of our generation.’
Goddard said he expects spring runs, which start in late March or mid-May, to last until midsummer. For experienced kayakers like himself, this means that multiday, self-supported trips that he normally does in March or April, when temperatures can dip down into the twenties, will be doable in June or July this year with 70-degree weather.
‘Pauley Creek and Lavezzola Creek outside Downieville are a mecca for springtime kayakers,’ Goddard said. ‘It will be exciting to do those in June, maybe even early July. It’s unheard of.’
The big melt-off also means rivers will have larger volumes of water. According to Goddard, California rivers normally run in the thousands of cubic feet, but could reach up to 10,000 cfs this year. The Truckee River through Floriston Canyon could get as high as 3,000 to 4,000 cfs, compared to 1,200 cfs last year.
‘It’s going to make for some really fun kayaking,’ Goddard said.
Goddard expects big flows on the North and South Yuba River and the South Fork of the American River.
Too Much of a Good Thing
But high flows can be a blessing and a curse. As the speed and intensity of rivers increases, it makes some rivers too dangerous for river sports. In worst-case scenarios, Wohlfahrt said he might have to transfer groups to different rivers or cancel trips altogether.
‘Most rivers are Class IV, but as water speed increases, the rapids become too big to safely navigate,’ he said.
Kayakers face the same problems. As the large snowpack melts off, it may render some rivers unrunnable. Goddard said that Highway 49 to Bridgeport, a classic run on the South Yuba, will be too high at some points this season. There is also the danger of inexperienced kayakers getting into a bind.
‘Some kayakers not used to seeing big volume could get into trouble,’ he said. ‘A little more water in steeper rivers makes for a big difference.’
Missing Fourth of July
While some rivers will be overflowing, the Truckee River outside of Tahoe City is not one of those. It’s currently running at 70 cfs, the minimum flow required by law in the summer. The Federal Watermaster in Reno is not allowed to make releases from Lake Tahoe unless needed to maintain the Floriston rate, which is 500 cfs. Measured at Farad, the Floriston rate (so called because it used to be measured there) is presently at 1,730 cfs.
‘If the natural flow is enough, we can’t make any releases,’ said Chad Blanchard, chief deputy watermaster. ‘In big years, there is usually enough water to meet the minimum flows until after July Fourth.’
This is not good news for Tahoe City commercial rafting companies, which need at least 180 to 200 cfs to operate. The two companies, Mountain Air Sports and Truckee River Raft Co., rely on the busy Fourth of July weekend for up to a quarter of their business.
‘The Fourth of July is equal to two weekends,’ said Truckee River Raft Co. owner Aaron Rudnick, noting that the holiday can draw up to 2,000 people a day to rafting. ‘It’s as big as it can get.’
Last year the two rafting companies missed the holiday weekend because a cold spring resulted in a late melt-off, keeping the Truckee at its minimum requirements until July 18.
When the commercial rafting companies are closed on big weekends, people tend to buy private rafts and float the river on their own. This negatively impacts the river, said Rudnick, since the rafts sold at grocery stores and gas stations are flimsy pool rafts that are easily shredded on the river bottom.
‘People pop it on the first rock they hit, and then say ‘screw it’ and throw it to the side,’ said Rudnick, who added his staff has picked up 30 torn rafts in one day. ‘With low water, they don’t stand a chance.’
The commercial rafting companies are the ones who put up the porta-potties and garbage cans, and go out three times a day to clean up garbage. When the river is low, however, these amenities don’t exist and the river and bike trail get trashed.
‘We hope we can be open because we can contain it a lot more,’ Rudnick said. ‘When there’s no commercial rafting, no one is responsible for it.’
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