On and off the water, these three destinations offer the best amenities out there.
LOWER KLAMATH RIVER Somes Bar, CA
With a sauna, hot tub and unforgettable cuisine, it might be hard to drag yourself away from Otter Bar Lodge (www.otterbar.com). But the warm waters of the nearby Klamath will draw you in while the crowds run the more popular Sierra rivers. The Klamath is dam-controlled with consistent flows well into the dry summer months. Ample one- or multi- day trip options between Happy Camp and Ishi-Pishi Falls offer plenty of great options for laid-back kayakers and rafters alike.
YOUR RIDE
Fluid Bang
SHUTTLE ROUTE
Take Highway 3 west out of Yreka from the I-5. Turn right onto Main St. at Etna, follow it until Forks of Salmon and turn right onto Salmon River Rd. You can’t miss the sign for Otter Bar Lodge.
MIDDLE GOLD RIVER Campbell River, BC
Check in at the Strathcona Park Lodge (www.strathcona.bc.ca) and settle into one of the plush waterfront, mountain-view cottages. Bring your own gear or let the lodge outfit you with top-of-the-line kit. Time your trip to the Gold with flows between 50 and 200 cms— usually from October to May. The Middle is friendlier than the Upper, but both can be run by intermediate paddlers. Enjoy canyons, old growth cedars and the creeky feel that’s synonymous with the rivers of Vancouver Island.
YOUR RIDE
Jackson Kayak Villain
SHUTTLE ROUTE
Take the Gold River highway out of Campbell River all the way to the lodge. Staff will provide shuttle directions to the multitude of day-trip options down the Gold.
TRUCKEE RIVER Reno, NV
With 11 drop-pools and two channels over a half-mile of river, freestylers can blunt, surf, loop or run slalom steps from downtown Reno’s hotels and casinos. After the removal of a dam in 2004, 7,000 tons of rock were dropped into the Truckee to create one of the biggest whitewater parks
in North America. Go big in front of the passers-by who will gather to watch and then walk the three blocks to the Eldorado Hotel to risk it all in their 80,000-square- foot casino.
YOUR RIDE
Wavesport Project X
SHUTTLE ROUTE
Take the Downtown Reno/ Virginia St. exit off of the I-80. Turn right onto N. Sierra St. Cross the river and take the first right on Island Ave. Continue until you arrive at Wingfield Park where you can park your car and walk to the water’s edge.
