Nita asked about rating whitewater rafting rapids (say that 3 times). She wants to know what level 7, 8, 9 rapids are like and how often people spill out of rafts when on rapids this size.
Wall Arch, located along the popular Devils Garden Trail in Arches National Park, collapsed over the weekend. The arch was 71 feet tall and 33-1/2 feet wide. There’s a story about it in the Salt Lake Tribune.
If you are at all curious to see the gaping hole left by gravity… O.A.R.S. is offering a new trip itinerary in 2009 to Arches National Park. (shameless segue, I know) “The Grand Staircase: Earth, Wind & Water on the Colorado Plateau” spends the first four days whitewater rafting on the Colorado River as it passes from Canyonlands National Park to Grand Canyon National Park. Next up is a pass through Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Guides will lead interpretive hikes through Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Grand Canyon and Zion national parks. The trip begins and ends in Salt Lake. Detailed information will be made available in the coming months.
O.A.R.S. has been guiding whitewater rafting trips on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon for 39 years. That’s just shy of four decades to fully understand the river’s nuances, properly pamper guests, discover all the worthy side canyons and creeks and, well… just do it right. Don’t take our word for it. MSNBC placed the O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon trip at the top of their Ultimate Adventures bucket list saying, “There’s nothing as galvanizing, humbling, and deeply spine-tingling as bucking and bobbing down the tourmaline-green Colorado River, the water whooshing a few inches from your backside and 5,000-foot-high walls towering over your head.” You’ll find the full story here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25890516/
The “Tuolumne Wine on the River Trip” was given NBC’s Golden Grape Award as their “Best Wine Adventure for 2007." Joining the 2½ -day, August 24 departure are wine experts, Kate and Craig MacDonald, who will present a selection of wines hand-picked from some of their favorite wineries in California and abroad.
Ironstone Wineries President and whitewater enthusiast, Stephen Kautz, will present his award-winning wines on an August 27, six-day trip on the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Considered by many to be North America’s premier alpine river experience, the Middle Fork boasts non-stop, Class III-IV whitewater, natural hot springs and excellent fishing.
Hells Canyon of the Snake River, the deepest gorge in North America, is home to O.A.R.S. September 14 wine on the river 5-day adventure. Robert Wolfe, president of Oregon Pinot Noir Club, and former editor of Food & Wine magazine, will present a hand-selected assortment of outstanding Oregon Pinot Noir and other high-end Northwest wines. Also joining the trip is Adam Bernstein, owner of Adam’s Place Restaurant in Eugene, Oregon, which according to Frommer’s is, "One of the most elegant dining establishments in the city."
NEW to the O.A.R.S. itinerary for 2008 is their 2-Day Wine & Raft on the South Fork American River. These trips began in June and will run through the end of the August, running each week on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Wednesdays are spent being touring El Dorado County Wine Country with a knowledgeable O.A.R.S. driver/escort. Thursdays are spent whitewater rafting on the Class III South Fork of the American River. The combination of wine and whitewater includes visits to several El Dorado wineries of your choice, including Venezio Vineyards, Auriga Wine Cellars, Lava Cap, Boeger, Sierra Vista and Holly’s Hill Vineyards complemented by a comfortable evening at the historic American River Inn in Georgetown.
"Full containment expected on August 4, 2008." That’s today folks! The Telegraph Fire near Yosemite National Park is expected to be fully contained - minus a “significant event.” We’ve had beautiful blue (and I mean b-l-u-e) skies the past few days here in Northern California. Thanks to Capt. Mike at the Firefighter Blog for his wonderful, detailed updates. If you want to know what life’s been like around these parts lately, check out the great slideshow he uploaded recently by Al Golub.
I spotted 11 fire engines and two O.A.R.S. vehicles heading toward Groveland this morning on my way into work. The O.A.R.S. vehicles were shuttling gear for today’s scheduled Tuolumne River whitewater rafting trip . I assume the fire engines were heading to Kassebaum Meadow, which is located between Groveland and Casa Loma (the meeting point for Tuolumne River rafters) to their new temporary camp. (I find it incredibly comforting to have an entire camp of firefighters within a few miles of my home!)
The Telegraph fire is not affecting ‘T’ trips (nor any other regularly scheduled California rafting trips). If you are interested in following news about the Telegraph Fire, there is a great blog located here.
All roads leading to Yosemite National Park are open; however, folks traveling on Hwy 140 may experience intermittent closures and one-way escorts due to fire support operations such as helicopter water drops.
The Telegraph Fire, which began Friday near the Merced River, has burned close to 30,000 acres and is still approximately 10% contained. A CAL FIRE Incident Report states that as of 11:30 pm Monday, 25 residences and 27 outbuildings have been destroyed. The fire is burning in the Merced River Drainage, on both sides of the river. The fire is burning with a rapid rate of spread in multiple directions. It is causing partial and complete closures of Hwy 140 leading to the El Portal/Arch Rock entrance to Yosemite National Park. For the latest highway conditions visit Caltrans.
Yosemite National Park is still open. If you are planning a visit to the park from the West, you can still access the park via the northern entrance, Highway 120, or via the southern route, Highway 41 from Fresno. Power is still out in most parts of Yosemite Valley, though many places of business are still open.
Fire information in Mariposa County: (209) 966-4784 or (209) 966-4785
Evacuation Hotline: (209) 966-1133 (recorded)
If you happen to have access to Google Earth, there’s a great detailed map of the fire, and it’s movement, here. Click on the link at the bottom for the latest MODIS fire detection data and incident information.
A fire started burning in a steep, rocky stretch of the Merced River canyon on Friday afternoon.(The O.A.R.S.Merced River whitewater rafting season wrapped up about a month ago - the Merced River water flow is dependent on Sierra snow melt – so no O.A.R.S. trips are affected.) Roads into Yosemite remain open at this time.
Residents of Midpines, a community located about 12 miles from Yosemite National Park, have been evacuated. Evacuation warnings are in place for residences in the immediate area of the fire – Mariposa, Coulterville and Greeley Hill. Approximately 26,000 acres have burned as of Monday morning, and the fire may only be 10% contained
Here are some links to get the most current information about the “Telegraph Fire:
Target shooters are being blamed for starting the fire.
The following agencies are cooperating in their battle to control the fire: CAL FIRE, Mariposa County Fire, Mariposa Sheriffs Department, BLM, USFS, National Park Service, OES, CCC, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Involved in the Telegraph Fire operation are a total of 2,543 personnel and 268 fire engines, 46 hand crews, 39 dozers, 30 watertenders, 12 airtankers and 12 helicopters.
WOW – check out these airfares! Horizon Air began nonstop service to Flagstaff/Grand Canyon on June 23 and will be adding additional Northern Arizona service on September 8, 2008, to Prescott (a short drive to the Grand Canyon - however, Prescott is not the meeting place for O.A.R.S. Grand Canyon raft or dory trips) .
Los Angeles – Flagstaff/Grand Canyon = $89
Flagstaff/Grand Canyon - San Francisco = $123
For a limited time you can earn double miles when flying between Los Angeles and Flagstaff or Prescott, Arizona. Flagstaff double miles ends on August 31, 2008, and Prescott on November 23, 2008.
