Rafting the Klamath River and Lower Sacramento River

I took advantage of the recent heat wave to raft the local waters of the Klamath River and the lower Sacramento River. A different way of moving through the wilderness, this time powered by my arms with the gravity assist of the river currents.

Klamath River Rafting: Tree of Heaven

We put in at 6 p.m. last Friday at Tree of Heaven on the Klamath River, a few miles west (downstream) of the intersection of Highway 96 and Interstate 5. My friend Mike was kind enough to let me take the oars and give me instruction on navigating the raft, including passage through a few modest class 2 rapids. Got a little wet: I should have brought clothes more suitable to rafting. We reached our take-out point just before dark and then repaired to Casa Ramos in Yreka for margaritas and delicous Mexican fare.

Lower Sacramento River Rafting: Anderson

Three days later Rick Ramos and I put our smaller rafts on the lower Sacramento River just below the Deschutes Road bridge in Anderson. Things started fine, but we soon faced a 30 mph headwind from the south. We took out just past the mouth of Battle Creek.

Here’s hoping you have fun in nature during these last days of summer. Rick and I launched just below the cottonwood tree in the photo.