ADVENTURE AWAITS AT CACHE CREEK

By Aaron Geerts

Northern California is a veritable gold mine of outdoor adventures. From its beautiful beaches on the coastline to the awe-inspiring mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe and the lush valley in between, there’s no shortage of fun to be had. Now with warmer weather on the horizon, Cache Canyon River Trips is an ideal adrenaline rush that’ll cool one off with white water while stoking the fires of one’s adventurous spirit.

Cache Canyon River Trips first was first started in 1973 by founder Sam Fortner. As humble as beginnings can possibly be, it was simply Fortner and some friends making their way down the creek with store-bought rafts. Inspired to extend the fun to others, Fortner bought more rafts and expanded the business.

Unfortunately, there was a drought in 1976-1977 — much like the drought California had recently experienced in the past couple of years — and there wasn’t enough water to keep the business flowing. Thanks to Mother Nature yielding some rain — and an article by Sunset Magazine — the business took off and officially became incorporated in 1978.

“My husband Mark and I grew up in this area and worked on the river when we were in college in the ‘90s and we purchased Cache Canyon River Trips in 2019. The business has persevered through droughts and the COVID pandemic, always being family owned and operated,” said co-owner Brandy Burns. “We own the company and run it with our two sons, Justin and Garrett. It’s also the first rafting outfitter on Cache Creek and the longest running.”

One might be trepidatious about embarking on a whitewater rafting tour. Danger levels, however, remain at a minimum with the largest rapids on the trip only reaching Class III. Burns maintains that Cache Canyon River Trips hosts many first-timers ranging in age from 12 to 75, who not only loved their experience, but had no problem navigating the water. This is Mother Nature’s domain, of course, and isn’t without varying levels of risk when facing natural obstacles which only adds to the fun.

“If you enjoy the outdoors and enjoy the water, this is a great way to experience parts of the Berryessa Snow Mountain Wilderness Area. It can be anything you make it — a nice day or two where you let the water carry you down the river while you enjoy the sunshine, the wildlife and some thrills in between,” Burns said. “Or, it can be a fun group event where you can bring your water canons, challenge each other to see who handles the rapids the best, hang out along the banks, find a swimming hole and have a party on the water ending with an amazing riverside dinner and blissful sleep under the stars. It is a great combination of adventure and relaxation. There are no phones and no wi-fi and no distractions — a perfect day or weekend getaway. And unlike the American River, which is filled with freezing cold snow runoff, our water comes from reservoirs above and is much warmer.”

Much more than a riverrafting excursion, Cache Canyon River Trips features a beautiful riverside campground in their one- or two-day packages. In this natural environment, one may very well see some locals, including bald eagles, deer, tule elk, black bears, turtles, river otters, beavers, and a variety of birds and other wildlife. With so much wildlife and beauty, one might discover that disconnecting from technology is the best way to reconnect with nature as well as themselves.

“We just love being outdoors and sharing the beauty of our local area,” Burns said. “We also love meeting new people from so many diverse backgrounds and getting to see old friends who return each year. Our whole job is about creating a good time — it’s kind of a good time!”

To book an unforgettable experience with Cache Canyon River Trips, one can visit their website at cachecanyon.com or call at 530-796-3091. The meeting location of their oneday trip package is at Camp Haswell at 1999 Highway 16 in Rumsey, CA 95679 while the meeting location of their twoday trip package is at Cache Creek Canyon National Park — Lower Site at County Road 40 Rumsey, CA 95697.

For more information on what to bring for camping (trailers and RV’s are also welcome), accommodations, directions and all other inquiries, one can also go to cachecanyon.com.

One can also follow this family-owned business on social media by searching Cache Canyon River Trips on Facebook and @cachecanyonrivertrips on Instagram. There, you’ll find an abundance of smiles on the faces of those who answered a more adventurous call of nature.