Restaurants
Summer rafting on the Truckee River
Dana Turvey, aka The Mountain Mutt *
It’s summertime, and high thermostats draw scores of wilting Lake Tahoe and Reno visitors to the cooling water. And yes, lakes are everywhere in the Sierra - but consider the rivers, too. Rafting various sections of the Truckee River is a fun change, and choices range from a leisurely float to heart-racing rapids.
The Truckee River exits Lake Tahoe at Tahoe City, flowing northerly before aiming east along I-80 into and beyond Reno. The most low-key section is at the Tahoe City start, with a five-mile stretch that winds down to the River Ranch restaurant, where you can enjoy a post-float lunch or cocktails on the deck. Rather than raging rapids, plan on bringing a cooler, pulling onto a sandbar and enjoying a slow, relaxing float on crisp water.
It’s a perfect outing for families with smaller children, and the river is wading-depth in many places. Plan on wearing swimsuits, water shorts and some sort of sandals, and remember lots of sunscreen. Since the trip can take anywhere from 2-4 hours (depending on your fun meter), some sort of brimmed hat is also highly recommended.
Two raft companies rent gear at the ‘Y,’ which is where Highways 89 & 28 intersect. Truckee River Rafting is at (530)583-7238 or www.truckeeriverrafting.com; and Truckee River Raft Co. can be reached at (530)583-0123 or found at www.truckeeriverraft.com. Each offers an online discount coupon that can be printed and brought in, and kids 5 and under go for free. Both rent good quality, multi-person rafts, along with paddles, life jackets and free shuttle service back to your car. If you have your own rafting gear, you can bypass the rental fee, but need to plan your own car shuttle or organize a short taxi ride.
Just north of the River Ranch, at the turn-off to Alpine Meadows ski resort, is Tahoe Whitewater Tours at (800)442-7238 or www.gowhitewater.com. They specialize in the faster waters that move along the interstate toward Reno. The entire I-80 river canyon is tree-lined and lush, with no hint of the nearby highway.
The most popular run is Boca to Floriston, which will last half-day and course through Class II and III rapids (the scale is from I to VI, with I being a lake and VI being a waterfall). Here, your group will always have an experienced guide, along with top-notch equipment. While simple flip-flops may have been fine on the Tahoe City run, here you’ll need sandals that can’t leave your feet. You will get wet ... As with the mellower sections of the river, you can bring your own rafts or kayaks - but it will again entail a two-car system.
The company also offers a couple of spring-only runs that travel closer to Reno, and they operate a satellite office in downtown Reno at (775)787-5000. Here, adjacent to the Whitewater Park, the more adventurous may book a river tour using inflatable kayaks. They also have an internet coupon discount. While the downtown whitewater park is more specific to kayaking, on a warm day it’s fun to cruise along on your own raft or even an inner tube.
Gear for the Reno fun can be rented at Sierra Adventures One-Stop Adventure Shop, located directly on the north side of the water park in downtown. Here, you can also purchase new equipment and book kayak lessons for any skill level. They offer a rafting trip that starts with a free shuttle service, picking up directly at local hotels, then driving upstream before launching an afternoon float back to the downtown.
Owner Jim Bell advises that while the water beyond the downtown park can be quite a good run at certain times of the year, it can also be quite dangerous, so it’s best to book a guide for this stretch. Call them at (866)323-8928 or get loads of information at www.wildsierra.com.
For any of these fun trips, it’s wise to remember these hints:
• leave the fancy cameras at home; opt for waterproof disposables
• clothing should be made of fast-dry fabric, and denim is a no-no
• a $5 strap can make sure you still own those $100 sunglasses at the end of the tour
The Truckee River rafting season typically lasts from mid-May through September, so reservations can still be made. And while neighboring rivers bottom out after spring, the Truckee is fed by water released from Lake Tahoe, and flows well through the entire summer. With the recent hot temperatures, rafting may just be the most refreshing thing you can do this summer.
* Who are the Mountain Mutts?
This week's Mutt is Dana Turvey: she enjoys moonlight serenades and long walks on the beach...but since that rarely happens, she writes about sports in the Lake Tahoe area. Personal favorites are cycling, paddling and snow skiing, and her articles have landed in Ski Racing, Montana, Tahoe Quarterly and Ski Lake Tahoe magazines.
The Truckee River exits Lake Tahoe at Tahoe City, flowing northerly before aiming east along I-80 into and beyond Reno. The most low-key section is at the Tahoe City start, with a five-mile stretch that winds down to the River Ranch restaurant, where you can enjoy a post-float lunch or cocktails on the deck. Rather than raging rapids, plan on bringing a cooler, pulling onto a sandbar and enjoying a slow, relaxing float on crisp water.
It’s a perfect outing for families with smaller children, and the river is wading-depth in many places. Plan on wearing swimsuits, water shorts and some sort of sandals, and remember lots of sunscreen. Since the trip can take anywhere from 2-4 hours (depending on your fun meter), some sort of brimmed hat is also highly recommended.
Two raft companies rent gear at the ‘Y,’ which is where Highways 89 & 28 intersect. Truckee River Rafting is at (530)583-7238 or www.truckeeriverrafting.com; and Truckee River Raft Co. can be reached at (530)583-0123 or found at www.truckeeriverraft.com. Each offers an online discount coupon that can be printed and brought in, and kids 5 and under go for free. Both rent good quality, multi-person rafts, along with paddles, life jackets and free shuttle service back to your car. If you have your own rafting gear, you can bypass the rental fee, but need to plan your own car shuttle or organize a short taxi ride.
Just north of the River Ranch, at the turn-off to Alpine Meadows ski resort, is Tahoe Whitewater Tours at (800)442-7238 or www.gowhitewater.com. They specialize in the faster waters that move along the interstate toward Reno. The entire I-80 river canyon is tree-lined and lush, with no hint of the nearby highway.
The most popular run is Boca to Floriston, which will last half-day and course through Class II and III rapids (the scale is from I to VI, with I being a lake and VI being a waterfall). Here, your group will always have an experienced guide, along with top-notch equipment. While simple flip-flops may have been fine on the Tahoe City run, here you’ll need sandals that can’t leave your feet. You will get wet ... As with the mellower sections of the river, you can bring your own rafts or kayaks - but it will again entail a two-car system.
The company also offers a couple of spring-only runs that travel closer to Reno, and they operate a satellite office in downtown Reno at (775)787-5000. Here, adjacent to the Whitewater Park, the more adventurous may book a river tour using inflatable kayaks. They also have an internet coupon discount. While the downtown whitewater park is more specific to kayaking, on a warm day it’s fun to cruise along on your own raft or even an inner tube.
Gear for the Reno fun can be rented at Sierra Adventures One-Stop Adventure Shop, located directly on the north side of the water park in downtown. Here, you can also purchase new equipment and book kayak lessons for any skill level. They offer a rafting trip that starts with a free shuttle service, picking up directly at local hotels, then driving upstream before launching an afternoon float back to the downtown.
Owner Jim Bell advises that while the water beyond the downtown park can be quite a good run at certain times of the year, it can also be quite dangerous, so it’s best to book a guide for this stretch. Call them at (866)323-8928 or get loads of information at www.wildsierra.com.
For any of these fun trips, it’s wise to remember these hints:
• leave the fancy cameras at home; opt for waterproof disposables
• clothing should be made of fast-dry fabric, and denim is a no-no
• a $5 strap can make sure you still own those $100 sunglasses at the end of the tour
The Truckee River rafting season typically lasts from mid-May through September, so reservations can still be made. And while neighboring rivers bottom out after spring, the Truckee is fed by water released from Lake Tahoe, and flows well through the entire summer. With the recent hot temperatures, rafting may just be the most refreshing thing you can do this summer.
* Who are the Mountain Mutts?
This week's Mutt is Dana Turvey: she enjoys moonlight serenades and long walks on the beach...but since that rarely happens, she writes about sports in the Lake Tahoe area. Personal favorites are cycling, paddling and snow skiing, and her articles have landed in Ski Racing, Montana, Tahoe Quarterly and Ski Lake Tahoe magazines.
