Trip Details - Tuolumne River

ARTA provides the following:

You are responsible for:

Where to Stay:

The elegant Groveland Hotel, 209-962-4000 is in "downtown" Groveland, (near the historic Iron Door Saloon). Evergreen Lodge, 800-935-6343, a unique collection of cabins on Yosemite's doorstep, is 30 minutes east and is a great option for extending your stay in the area before or after your trip. Rustic camping is available at the Forest Service campground "The Pines" 1 mile east of La Casa Loma; reserved camping is available 10 minutes away at Pine Mountain Lake Campground, 209-962-8625 or at Yosemite Pines RV Park, 877-962-7690 and 1 hour away in Yosemite National Park, 209-372-0200.

How to Get There:

No public transportation is available to Groveland. United Express serves Modesto and Stockton from both San Francisco and Los Angeles. Airport rental cars are available with prior arrangement. Groveland is about 2 hours from Stockton, and 1½ hours from Modesto. Driving time from the Bay Area is about 3-4 hours, (through Livermore, Tracy, Manteca, and Oakdale); from Los Angeles it is about 6-7 hours,(through Merced, Snelling, La Grange, Coulterville, and Greeley Hill - you will bypass Groveland and join Highway 120, 1 mile west of La Casa Loma). A good map helps.

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Personal Equipment List

Equipment Information:

When you arrive at La Casa Loma, your lead guide will distribute waterproof dunnage bags into which you will pack your gear (2 and 3 day trips). The bags are 17" in diameter and about 22" long - ample space if you pack wisely. You will need to transfer all of your belongings, including your sleeping bag, into the bag. Because of the difficult nature of the Tuolumne, we ask you to limit the weight of your belongings to 25 pounds. The gear that you pack in the dunnage bags will not be accessible during the day. For small items that you wish to use during the day, we recommend a small day pack, (for items that can get wet such as sun screen, rainshell, etc.) or a surplus ammunition box, (for items you wish to keep dry such as cameras). ARTA will provide ammunition boxes on a shared basis or you may bring your own. Remember, comfort on a river trip is not determined by how much you bring, but rather by what types of things you bring. One polypropylene pile or fleece sweater that will keep you warm when wet is much better than five cotton sweatshirts which become worthless when wet. ARTA will provide a cup, plate and silverware for each guest; (we do not provide chairs on Tuolumne trips). PLEASE DO NOT BRING radios, cellular phones, expensive jewelry, guns, pets, or any irreplaceable items.

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Equipment Rentals:

ARTA has a limited supply of the following items available to rent. Please reserve well in advance using your Guest Information Sheet or by calling our office:

Sleep Kits - (30⁰ sleeping bag, liner, self-inflating pad, and tarp): $15 per person; 

Tents - (Sierra Designs Clip III two-person tents): $15 per trip.

Wetsuits - (3mm farmer-john with waterproof paddling jacket; bring your own fleece): $10 per day.

Additional Information:

About the River:

The Tuolumne River is born high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Yosemite National Park. From 13,000 foot Mount Lyell Glacier to its confluence with the San Joaquin, the river flows through some of the most primitive and scenic country in California. The Miwok Indians inhabited the canyon for nearly 1,500 years and the river derives its name from a tribe who lived in the region. In the mid 1800’s, the California Gold Rush brought a flood of miners into the canyon. As gold fever subsided, these rugged inhabitants moved on, leaving behind a decaying legacy of their short visit. A stone powerhouse, a stamp mill, abandoned cabins, and mine shafts still remain in the canyon as reminders of this period.

Our 1, 2 and 3 day trips begin at Meral’s Pool, a quiet spot in the river about 23 miles downstream from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and end at Ward’s Ferry Bridge 18 miles later. For the first six miles, from Rock Garden to Clavey Falls, the rapids come almost non-stop as the river winds and drops through numerous granite boulderfields. Clavey Falls, at mile 6, is a whitewater event which you will never forget. Below Clavey, the rapids continue but are separated by short pools which allow us a welcome opportunity to enjoy the scenery and solitude of the canyon. Camping is along the river at pristine, wilderness sites, often near a beautiful sidestream.

Itinerary and Water Levels:

High water conditions prevail from one to seven weeks each year, peaking in late May or early June. At high water levels, each guest should be physically and mentally ready for a demanding trip. Later in the summer, and in low water years, the flows are regulated and we raft on daily hydroelectric releases from upstream reservoirs. These flows are exciting and fun, but do not require the same physical qualifications. Due to the distance from the dams and the timing of the releases, the water levels often do not rise at our downstream campsites until after noon. There is a lot to do near camp, some great side creeks to explore, and our guides are wonderful entertainers, but a good book, snorkel and mask, fishing rod, camera, or other toy can be helpful in passing the time.

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Types of boats:

Because of the difficulty of the Tuolumne, ARTA uses self-bailing rafts configured as either paddle rafts or oar-paddle combination rafts, depending on the flow, paddler experience and interest.

OAR-PADDLE COMBINATION RAFTS are 16 ft long and are steered by a guide using two ten foot oars and assisted by paddlers, (2 or 4), riding in the front. All of the overnight gear for the trip is carried on these rafts.

PADDLE RAFTS, (for those with prior experience), are powered by 4 to 6 paddlers plus a guide. We will try to allow everyone to paddle as much as they like in the type of raft they prefer, however, it will occasionally be necessary to rotate paddlers.

Weather:

Springtime temperatures can range from the 60's to the 80's, with a chance of rain and clouds. If your trip is before June 15, come prepared for cool temperatures and cold water. Summer temperatures often reach the 90's, cooling off into the 60's at night. Fall trips normally have clear days in the 80's and cool crisp nights. It rarely rains in the summer and fall, but a waterproof rainshell and a small tent are advisable, just in case.

Travel Insurance:

We recommend that you purchase short-term travel insurance that provides trip cancellation and medical coverage for you and your family. Please request a Travel Insurance packet from ARTA if you have not already received one.

Gratuities:

We want you to feel like a guest in our home and tipping is never expected. It is certainly appreciated, however, and is accepted as recognition of an outstanding trip or exemplary service. Normal tips range from 5% to 10% of the trip cost and are usually given to the Lead Guide who splits them equally among the entire crew.

Whether and how much you tip should depend on your satisfaction with the guide service, your financial means, and your feelings about tipping in general.

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More Information

If there are any questions we haven't answered, please feel free to contact us. Our office staff enjoys telling folks about our trips, so don't hesitate to call 800-323-2782.