WATER REPORT PAINTS A BRIGHT PICTURE FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RAFTING

(EMAILWIRE.COM, March 11, 2009 ) WOFFORD HEIGHTS, CALIF. - Dark clouds and cold temperatures might keep you indoors for now, but if you are a whitewater rafting enthusiast, these weather features should Â“brightenÂ” your outlook for summer. Whitewater rafting outfitters are dependent on winter storms to produce enough snow and water to allow them to run trips all summer. YesterdayÂ’s water report from the California Department of Water Resources showed the Kern River basin snow pack to be larger than it was last year.

Â“We are exactly where we want to be at this point,Â” commented Keith Â“LutherÂ” Stephens, Stephens, General Manager for Kern River Outfitters. Stephens has worked on the Kern River for over 25 years and has seen high water, low water, and everything in between. He says that the snow pack Â“really is the life and blood of our operations. ItÂ’s a solid indicator of how long the rafting season will last.Â” This year, Stephens predicts trips on the Upper and Forks of the Kern will start in mid-April and will run through the second week of July. The Lower Kern is expected to run from the first week of June through the end of August Â– which makes for an exceptionally long rafting season.

John Stallone, owner of Mountain & River Adventures (MRA), another seasoned outfitter on the Kern, concurs. Â“With a solid snow pack forecast, MRA anticipates an exciting river season as southern Californians vacation closer to home. The Kern River is ideally located to accommodate more frequent outings for folks looking for affordable, active getaways,Â” says Stallone. Mountain & River Adventures also operates challenge courses and biking tours on the Sequoia National Forest as well as their main focus of river trips on the Forks, Upper and Lower Kern.

The Kern River is the primary rafting destination in Southern California. Outfitters offer trips ranging in rapid difficulty from Class III to Class V, and trip lengths from half day to three days. The numerous trip options make Kern River rafting trips suitable for nearly everyone, and the short driving distance from Southern CaliforniaÂ’s largest cities makes it a popular summer destination.

For additional information about rafting the Kern River, contact Kern River Outfitters: http://www.KernRafting.com, 800-323-4234 or Mountain & River Adventures: http://www.mtnriver.com, 800-861-6553.

Kern River Outfitters
Will Volpert
1-800-323-4234
Will@KernRafting.com