whitewater excitement

We recently made a month long road trip around CA, NV, UT and AZ and now we can look back and review everything we have decided that this half day gorge run was the highlight of our 'activities'.Finding the entrance to their location is a little challenging and we needed some local guidance and then when we arrived we were somewhat concerned as there was no-one around to welcome us. No-one, for ages! This despite their instruction to be at the camp at a set time - a shame they can't follow their own instruction...On the river we were comfortable with our coxswain and we interacted with another family who shared our boat. The run progresses from about a mile or two of calm river at the beginning into a build up of rapids until you get to the 'lollipop tree' when you are in the gorge and all heck breaks loose. Prepare to be submerged several times as you negotiate the grade 3+ rapids. It's a real BLAST!Finally, you get a ride back to the start point in a rickety old bus and you get to listen to some very cheesy jokes - the whole deal from start to finish is rustic in the extreme, but it has a charm of it's own and anyway you will most probably be buzzing until dusk.We didn't score a 5 as we were disappointed about the photo situation. We asked if photos were available and we were told that they would be taken at two spots in the rapids. What we were not told is that this is done by a 3rd party company and you have to mortgage your first born in order to buy them. The cost was outrageous (close to $100) and so we walked away. That left a very sour taste in our mouths and we would urge WWE to consider what negative effect this might be having on their business?Overall - A cracking adventure, but buy a waterproof camera before you arrive.

Our family did the all-day Gorge Run. My husband and I have been rafting before but our 9 and 11 year olds had not. We all had an absolute blast! Jenna was our guide and she was fantastic. She was knowledgeable, skilled and made us feel safe and comfortable throughout the trip. We couldn't have felt like we were in better hands. The rapids were exhilarating and the scenery was beautiful. We shared a raft with another family and felt like we bonded and made new friends. This was definitely the highlight of a very fun weeklong vacation. I highly recommend Whitewater Excitement!

Nine of us ages 11-65 took the two day south fork trip again! 7/23-25. We were happy to see so much water! The people there are all friendly and happy and there to please! We had a B-L-A-S-T with our guides TJ & Ethan. We stayed in the platformed tents with cots and pad they provide and slept great! The provided food was delicious.We will be back!

I spent the Fourth of July on the south fork with guide Flash. What a ride! We had a great time and hope to go back again soon. We had a two day trip and stayed at the campground. Camp host Phil gave us a warm welcome and showed us around. Our camp site was right on the river, perfect for an evening swim. Camp cook Judy outdid herself with all our meals, what a treat to sit down to wonderful home cooked food! Can't say enough good things about our guide, Flash. He has tons of experience and kept us safe, cool, and entertained for two fun-filled days. Everything about the trip was perfect - from transportation to staff to accommodations. We love it and will come back!

Camped in the Whitewater Excitement camp for 5 nites with a church youth group. The camp ground was very nice with public bathrooms and showers. Camp site was perfect for 18 kids and adults - we had our own private space - right on the river with rushing water sounds to put you to sleep each nite. Rafted two days which included breakfast, lunch on both and also included dinner on one. Food was excellent and high quality. All staff members were really nice and accommodating. We were there in July and the blackberry vines all around the camp were bursting with ripe berries. We made 2 blackberry cobblers over the campfire in a cast iron dutch oven - kids loved it! The rafting trips were very fun - just enough excitement plus some relaxing floating and swimming - and scenery was beautiful. High recommend this outfit for rafting and camping.

My husband booked a one day trip down the Gorge run on the lower section of the South Fork of the American River (Class III). This was the first time for myself and our 8 and 10 year old sons. Charlie was a great guide. He gave very good instructions, and checked everyone's gear to make sure we were prepared. On the water, he had lots of jokes, but still kept us at the ready for each challenge. We battled other boats with splashing fights and our sons even rode down a short while with their bodies in the water. Charlie was very focused during the Class III sections. He guided our boat over and around rocks with great skill. At the end of the run, the whole Whitewater Excitement team was very organized and timely getting us out of the water with the boats and gear packed. They even provided us with a snack and beverages as we got on the bus. We did not choose to camp this year, but was pleased with the campgrounds and amenities. Many of the families we met were camping, and said it was a great experience. The lunch they provided was fresh and more than enough for my vegan needs and my growing boys appetite. We are all ready to hit the rapids with Charlie and Whitewater Excitement next year. Thanks for the ride!!!

We did the Gorge trip and loved it, fine for our kids (13 and 8) with about right balance of floating with occasional excitement of class 3 rapids. Jake was very good guide, and lunch very nice. Overall great trip and recommended.

I've taken three trips with Whitewater Excitement - two almost 20 years ago, and another more recently with my family, including my two kids, ages 11 and 14. It was so amazing to receive the same amazing service after all this time – if anything, things have only gotten better. Everyone at their organization, from the lady who answered my phone calls and questions, to the camp host who checked us in, to the guides and cooks, obviously placed a high importance on taking care of the customer. We stayed in one of the new tent cabins, which had reasonably comfortable cots and an unbeatable view, right on the river. The campground itself is very spacious, which makes for a peaceful setting. We added on a breakfast and dinner (usually only available with a two-day trip, but we got lucky) and both meals were delicious and plentiful.Our guides are well trained and personable - even when faced with frustrating situations, they responded with humor and professionalism. And of course, the river was fabulous. On my first two trips (pre-family) I was able to do both the South and Middle forks, but on the most recent trip, we could only do the South fork because of the ages of our kids. While the Middle fork has more heart-pounding thrills, the South fork was still lots of fun for everyone. We’re already trying to arrange a larger, extended family trip in the near future!

What a great time our group of all ages had. Guides were competent, knowledgable and fun. We had a ball and felt safe too. Best equipment on the river as well. Fun from start to finish.

Along with my two daughters (11 and 13) met several families and camped for the two day excursion. The staff and guides were all top notch. The facilities are beautiful and super clean. The food was the best ever and the river rafting was amazing. Our guide "Flash" was super cool and an excellent guide. We will be back next year for sure to do the middle fork. The manager "Pete" is like your personal assistant... providing you anything from ice to trash cans. I can't say enough good things about this place.

My husband and I with our two daughters, ages 12 & 13, had a great time on this trip. We camped at the Whitewater facilities on the river and had warm showers. We purchased a package with meals included and they were delicious homemade meals. Our guide Mike was knowledgeable & personable. The rafting was exhilarting and we felt completely safe with him. We can't wait to go back.

My sister and I did a full day, full South Fork (Chili Bar & Gorge) run. We went mid-week after school had already started for the year, so there was only one other WWE raft for the upper & two for the lower. The raft guides (Mikey in our boat, Philip in the other boat) were very personable and knew a great deal about the river and the surrounding areas. Mikey even let us decide which way to go down the various rapids (i.e. backwards, spinning, forwards, etc.) and told riddles during the calmer parts of the Chili Bar run. The lunch was deli sandwiches, which was fine with us since we didn't want anything heavy. We would definitely take another rafting trip with Whitewater Excitement.One thing to note (unrelated to Whitewater Excitement), is the rafting photos that the photo companies take are very expensive, so if you want that type of souvenir (we did) plan on spending $50+ dollars.

We took a two day trip down the South Fork of the American River with nine people 9-63 years old. Everyone loved it and we will be doing it again. Every staff member went out of their way to be friendly and helpful. The food they provided was excellent and home made. I felt like we were visiting friends. The camp sites were nicely laid-out along the river so everyone had a river view. We went during the week and the camps sites were not at all crowded. It was nice to go to a camp site where cars were parked just far enough away to make it feel like you were really camping instead of parking. They also staggered the meals and start times so everyone doesn't eat at once.The time spent on the river was unforgettable and so much fun! Anna our guide went out of her way to make sure we all had a good time and she kept safe. She was professional and fun. We asked to go down a run backwards and she did it! While there we visited some other camp grounds/rafting to compare. We were glad we picked Whitewater Excitement and we will be coming back.

There are many companies rafting the American River. What makes Whitewater Excitement the best is their staff and their location. We did the Middle Fork class IV, with Dylan S. as our guide. He made the day exceptional! He was professional and knowledgeable but he also knew how to have fun! If you're going to do a class IV river like this you need to have confidence in your guide. All of the guides I saw at W.E. are top-notch! They are customer focused.W.E. has an excellent camp ground on a serene section of the river. The food is great all everyone makes you feel welcome. You will not be disappointed!

We took the "Sunset Cruise" that starts at 5pm. We had three adults and four children. We brought our timid and cautious 5 & 6 year olds, and they loved it. It was just as described "a float down river with a few splashy" areas. It was relaxing to take in the scenery and look for birds as well as our guide, Anne, was very knowledgable about the local history. Our 11 year old and 14 year old got the "splashy parts" and there is time to swim along the way. It is a perfect fit for a family who likes to be safe and be outdoors for activities. Whitewater made all of us feel welcomed from the first minute to the very last minute. I would rate their service and attention to safety and detail as 5*. We HIGHLY recommend thus activity to everyone. It ended at 8 and one of our kids was a little cold so the guide gave our daughter her jacket! The guide kindly took lictures if us along the way too! Wear water shoes, maybe a windbreaker jacket. You are not really asked to do too much physically so just sit back and enjoy!