An Appetite for Adventure American River rafting guides share a passion for the wild

By Laura Petersen — Photos courtesy of Tributary Whitewater

TheAmerican River, with its churning rapids and deep pools, is considered “the most popular whitewater-rafting river in the West,” according to visitcalifornia.com.

Each year, tens of thousands of outdoor adventurers converge on it seeking an adrenaline rush, and with one operator, a craving for good chow along the way.

Guides from Tributary Whitewater Tours based out of Lotus (near the town of Coloma) on Highway 49 have been successfully leading California tours since 1978 and Oregon tours since 2021. They offer day rafting trips for all levels — from beginners as young as four, up to challenging multi-day trips for the seasoned expert thrilled by the scare factor.

The rugged beauty, accessibility and proximity to the Interstate 80 corridor and populated metropolitan centers like the Bay Area, Sacramento and Tahoe make whitewater rafting big business in Placer and El Dorado Counties. The river’s drainage covers 1,900-square miles of the Tahoe and El Dorado National Forests, including Granite Chief Wilderness and Desolation Wilderness.

“There’s something on the American for everyone,” says river guide Jeremiah Copper, who is among 80 guides at Tributary Whitewater who have a passion for getting upwards of 1015,000 people out and sharing a special place in nature every year.

“We love our rivers and we love being out there,” says Jeremiah. He and fellow boater and marketing manager Jenny Ward have a soft spot for the narrow rocky gorges and granite rocks of the wild North Fork in spring, where deep blue water flows freely without dams.

“You have to hit it when the snow melts,” says Jenny.

The class IV whitewater of Chamberlain Falls from Iowa Hill to Lake Clementine is Jeremiah’s favorite. At 4.9 miles, it is a short run stacked with rapids from December to June.

“You get spectacular views,” of the narrow canyon, he says. Later in the spring, guided tours start ramping up when the river canyons come alive with colorful poppies; then during the scorching summer months the Middle and South Forks run more lazily through canyons of dry golden hills.

Besides the beauty found on the trips, another big selling point is the food. Nourishment is important for fueling long days and a welcome treat for guides and clients alike.

Day trips are typically simple fare that require no-cook meals like sandwiches and salads. Multi-day rafting trips of 30, 40, even 50 miles over the course of 3-5 days turn into campouts that require some creative planning to lug huge coolers loaded with ingredients for making big meals like fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Some trips have become foodie collabs with wine pairings and gourmet meals with guest chefs and tastings with craft brewers from Crooked Lane Brewing Company. They even offer options to upgrade to glamping tents.

“The food is a super critical point to our trips. We prepare some pretty amazing food out in the middle of nowhere,” says Jeremiah.

Learn more about how you can take the trip of a lifetime at whitewatertours.com