Clackamas River

Trip Summary
Difficulty	Moderate (Class 3-4)
Length	Half Day Full Day	6 miles 13 miles
Price	Half Day Full Day	$45 $72.50
Season	November-Labor Day

The Clackamas River begins in the Olallie Lake Scenic Area south of Mt. Hood and north of Mt. Jefferson. From its headwaters, the Clackamas River carves its way through an impressive, heavily forested river canyon. Trees along the river reach ages of 300+ years old and 36' around! Because of it's high quality scenery, geology, fishery, and water quality, the Clackamas River was designated as a Federal Wild and Scenic River in 1968. The river is home to chinook and coho salmon, steelhead, cutthroat, rainbow, brook and the endangered bull trout. The surrounding forest is home to elk, deer, bear, cougars, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, endangered spotted owls, ospreys and a host of other birds and animals.

The Clackams River receives over 600 inches of rain and snow every year. In the spring and summer, numerous springs and lakes release water into the river, providing ample water for rafting all summer long. The water clarity is amazing. In some spots you can see 20' below the water surface. In addition to rafting, the Upper Clackamas is a popular area for hiking, camping, biking, fishing and swimming.

Itinerary

Half-day trips
Half-day trips meet at 9:30 or 1:30.

Full-day trips
Full-day trips meet at 10:00.

All Clackamas River trips meet near where we finish our river trip. Look for a Blue Sky Rafting van. Everyone will change here and leave dry clothes in their vehicle. Once done changing, everyone will travel upstream in a Blue Sky Rafting van to the launch area.

At the launch area, everyone will be outfitted with a life jacket and guides will provide a safety talk as well as explain how to ride and paddle in the raft. We generally start down the river 30-45 minutes after meeting.

Half-day trips
Our half-day trip starts with a bang as Hole in the Wall rapid is about a 1/4 mile from the launch. There are many fun rapids below Hole in the Wall as well as some great swimming spots and places to surf the raft. Trips generally take 2-2.5 hours depending on water level and guest preferences. At the take-out guests are very close to their cars where they can change clothes and view pictures from the day.

Full-day trips
The morning portion of the trip includes many fun rapids, some great swimming areas, and some of the best scenery on the whole river. We generally stop for lunch sometime between 12:00 and 1:00. All Clackamas River trips include a great sirloin steak and chicken bar-b-que which is served alongside the river. Lunch generally lasts a half hour to an hour.

After lunch we board the rafts again and continue running fun rapids and playing our way down the river. We usually reach the take-out between 3:00 and 4:00 depending on water levels and guest preferences. At the take-out guests are very close to their cars where they can change clothes and view pictures from the day.

Inflatable Kayak trips
Our inflatable kayak trips have the same itinerary as our rafting trips. The difference is each person will command their own kayak. Before launching, our guides will give everyone a chance to get used to their kayak and give instruction about paddling and manuevering the kayak. Whether kayakers are following a guide in a kayak or raft, they will receive a verbal description of the major rapids and options for safely negotiating each rapid.

What we provide
All Clackamas River trips include:

• A minimum of 2 of our professional guide staff.
• Professional quality self-bailing rafts, Coast Guard approved life jackets, safety gear, and splash jackets.
• All-you-can-eat sirloin steak and chicken bar-b-que on full-day trips. Our guides prepare lunch with all the fixings including drinks, fruit, potato salad, cookies and other fresh ingredients. We can accomodate a range of dietary needs.
• Transportation from the meeting area and back to your car at the end of the trip.
• Dry bags to carry extra clothes or small items on the rafts.

Photos
On all Clackamas River trips one of our guides will take digital pictures at 2-3 rapids along the trip. These high-quality photos are available for viewing and purchase at the take-out. If you choose to buy pictures we can make copies in just a few minutes and you can take them with you immediately after your trip. You can veiw some of the photos from previous trips here.

What to Wear

Spring Trips

Because weather is quite variable in the spring and water is generally cold, we recommend wearing a wetsuit. Wetsuits are available for rent from Blue Sky Rafting for $5. They fit comfortably over a swimsuit. We recommend wearing something on your feet in order to give some protection while walking on shore. Options include sneakers, aqua-socks, river sandals or wetsuit booties. Wetsuit booties provide extra insulation and can be rented directly from Blue Sky Rafting for $3. We also have drytops available for rent for $5. These tops keep your upper body dry and can be worn over a wetsuit or other clothing. We also provide splash jackets which can be worn over a wetsuit for a little extra insulation. These won't keep your upper body dry but can cut down on some wetness. These jackets are free of charge. A wool or synthetic fleece sweater can be layered underneath the splash jacket to provide even more insulation.

Summer Trips

Generally the weather is warm and sunny during summer trips. Most people choose to wear shorts or a bathing suit. A t-shirt is a good choice for sun protection.

Gear List

• Swimsuit, shorts and/or a t-shirt
• Shoes (wetsuit booties, river sandals, aqua socks, etc.)
• Hat for sun protection
• Sunscreen
• Water
• Strap or string for prescription glasses or expensive sunglasses

Directions to the Clackamas River

Once we confirm a reservation we will send specific directions to the meeting area.

PO Box 1671 Estacada, OR 97023

Toll Free: 800.898.6398
Local: 503.630.3163
email: info@blueskyrafting.com

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