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Summer Vacations with an Edge: Rafting Cherry Creek

May 29, 2008 at 9:50 AM | 2 Comments

Ever wonder what it would be like to shrink yourself and get inside your washing machine, but instead of your whites, it was full of huge granite boulders? We don't know who these masochists are, but if water, rock, adrenaline and a rubber boat filled with 10 of your buddies sounds appealing, then rafting on Cherry Creek--outside Yosemite National Park in California--is your gig. Cherry Creek is without question the most difficult whitewater run in the state and people argue whether it is the most difficult in the country.

There is only one commercial rafting operation on Cherry Creek and luckily All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting has been doing this for 46 years. What makes Cherry creek so pee-your-pants scary is that it is the steepest section of whitewater almost anywhere in the country.

From the minute you get in the water until you're safe at the campsite talking to the cutie in your boat about how you weren't praying to St. Christopher the whole time, you are confronted with nonstop Class V whitewater roiling over enormous granite formations protruding up like the devil's fists. This is the kind of trip that Dr. Leo Marvin would send Bob on, if Bob was hydrophobic.

The website requires that any and all participants have previous whitewater experience and are at least 17 years of age. They fail to require any kind of swimming test, but when you're paying $295 for a one day outing, hopefully the guides will have you covered if the dingy decides to dive.

Related Stories:
· All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting [Official Site]
· Rafting coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: erikmeldrum]

Where: CA, United States

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Author Photo: DanielR by DanielR

2 Comments

Return to » Summer Vacations with an Edge: Rafting Cherry Creek

  1. Riverguy

    Jaunted Member
    June 3, 2008 at 12:29 AM




    Other Outfitter on Cherry Creek

    There is another outfitter, Sierra Mac that runs cherry creek. In fact, over 80% of the people who raft cherry creek go with them. Get your facts straight.

  1. AOmalina

    Jaunted Member
    August 7, 2008 at 8:27 PM




    Right-o: Two Outfitters run Cherry Creek

    All-Outdoors does a lot of trips on Cherry Creek but Riverguy is correct that Sierra Mac is the only other outfitter there. We have both been there for many years. I work for AO and we never claim to be the only outfitter on CC!  But All-Outdoors or S. Mac--Cherry Creek is amazing.

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