Frequently Asked Questions
About the American River
I took a big swim two weeks ago and am wondering if you have giardia in the SF American.
Unfortunately, yes. All streams in the Sierra carry the giardia parasite. This doesn't mean you will be affected, but if you drank a lot of the river on your swim, be alert for symptoms. You may want to get tested just to ease your mind.
Whitewater Kayaking
We're kayakers from Washington state. Four of us will be in CA in mid-July to do some boating, preferably creeking class IV-V. Will we miss the season entirely?
The Tuolumne will still be running, and Cherry Creek is usually only runnable later in the season. Beyond that I can't help you much as I'm not a creeker myself. I suggest you post on the forums at Boof.com or DreamFlows.com, where you will catch a knowledgeable crowd.
Whitewater Rafting
Your site does not mention anything about prices, or any kind of activity package. I would like to take my family for an overnight trip. Please send me some more information on this.
The American River site does not offer trips. You can contact any of the outfitters in our Whitewater Outfitters directory and I'm sure they will be happy to talk about the options that are available.
We went whitewater rafting on the South Fork of the America River this weekend and there were photographers along the way, but we didn't stop at the shops on our way out of town to see the pictures. We figured we could find them online and order prints that way—but all the pages/sites that I find on my search are very out of date. Do you know if any of those photo businesses have websites?
Yes, see the Photographers listings in our Directory.
We're going on a commercial whitewater rafting trip. Are we expected to tip the guides? How much is appropriate?
Tipping is completely discretionary. That said, guides don't make a whole lot of money to begin with and your tip helps. Most guides work hard all summer just so they can get through their winters or pay for college. Your boating experience is only a small portion of their day. Something to consider is that your guide woke up at 5 a.m. to start preparing for your trip—loading up boats and life jackets, preparing food. And even though you're with them from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., their day doesn't end until 7 or 8 p.m.
The amount is up to you. If you and everyone in your boat had a good time, were treated well, and made it down the river safely, $10-20 per person is a nice way to say thanks to the person who was responsible for your safety. More or less is okay, too. Hope you have a great experience on the river!
