Whitewater Rafting with Mother Lode
Weekly pictures and stories about whitewater rafting, challenge ropes courses, and environmental education here at the Mother Lode River Center. Please share your comments and experiences about your adventures with us here at Mother Lode!
Todd Stanley Productions located here in Coloma is very busy making a name for itself as a source of excellent ideas and quality video and editing. After winning an Emmy Award for their work on the Discovery Channel's series “The Deadliest Catch”, Todd and his wife Janice, Ben Zupo, Corey and their entire production team continue to produce new ideas.
“ Experience El Dorado” is one of their latest concepts, a series appearing one Sunday a month on ABC’s Channel 10 featuring the extraordinary variety of quality experiences available in El Dorado County. Their “Green” segment featured businesses that make a point of reducing their ecological impact.
The Mother Lode River Center was a natural choice for this segment and multiple aspects were featured on the program. These included American River whitewater rafting using the ECOBus (our 100% waste vegetable oil powered shuttle vehicle), food from the permaculture garden, solar heated water, solar generated electricity, and finally our Sustainable Practices educational programs for youth and adults which use the Solar Exploratorium.
The full footage is archived on Experience El Dorado's website. You can view Mother Lode’s segment on our home page. By the way, did you see yourself California whitewater rafting on the South Fork of the American River? If you did, give us call and win a prize! Labels: California Whitewater Rafting, Experience El Dorado, Green Recreation, Solar Power
 Don't forget that Motherlode does have a camp store! For all of you off river / on river needs and accessories. Forget some sunscreen or chums (aka those spiffy things that keep the river gods from obtaining your sunglasses)? Need a cap to keep that sun off your youthful, beautiful face? Fret no more! At the Motherlode camp store, we shall provide! So Next time you come to visit us, don't forget to ask our staff about our stylish hats and T-shirts that you want to obtain and show off in front of your friends and family. They are in fact, all the rage!  
How can we preserve the beauty of our county? How can we salvage our limping economy? How can we encourage responsible and creative stewardship of our natural resources? On July 15th, Mother Lode welcomed business owners, community planners and concerned citizens to discuss these questions in a workshop on geo-tourism. The workshop was facilitated by Peter Brumis of Geo Sierra and other experts on geo-tourism from the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce.
According to National Geographic, geo-tourism is tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place - its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and well-being of its residents. All over the world, unchecked tourism stimulates economies while overwhelming, polluting or otherwise compromising the integrity of locale after locale. Geo-tourism aims to buck this trend by incorporating stewardship of resources into the visitor’s experience. The income that tourism generates may then be re-invested into the preservation of the place and the sustenance of the community.
The workshop organizers praised Mother Lode as a prime example of a geo-tourism destination. Our vision for “healthy people, living in equitable and sustainable societies, in balance with the natural world” aligns with the principles of geo-tourism. Our sustainable practices – from our solar heating systems to our waste vegetable oil vehicles to our permaculture garden – not only reduce our guests’ environmental footprints while they are here, but also serve as models for them to replicate at home.
During the workshop, we all had a chance to brainstorm other geo-tourism assets of El Dorado County. On giant maps of the region, we pointed out our favorite wineries, swimming holes, nature centers, trails and climbing spots. The facilitators explained that we can nominate sites as geo-tourism assets to qualify them for promotion by the El Dorado Geo-Tourism Project. The project will assess the viability of each nominee, evaluating the potential benefits and drawbacks to promoting it as a tourist destination. Selected nominations will be eligible for grant money from the project.
To nominate your favorite geo-tourism destination in El Dorado County, go to geosierra.org
By: Amelia
 At the beginning of the week, some of us wouldn’t have known a wave train if it pulled into the station. Others could already j-stroke in their sleep. But all of us left guide school looking at the river differently. The dazzlingly skilled instructors let us learn a lot by keeping their mouths shut and (painful though it was) resisting the temptation to throw in strokes. The way I see it, every rock I get perched on is a rock I (probably) won’t get cozy with again. We practiced reading the water ahead of us, learning to recognize pour-overs, holes, pillows, standing waves, and - most elusive - the current. We all grew into our guide voices about as smoothly as thirteen year old boys shifting octaves. And, more importantly, we figured out how to muscle our way back into the boat after going for a little swim. Off the water, we tested our culinary mettle on such meals as “Marinated Tri-Tip” and “The Destroyer.” We rigged and de-rigged, safety-talked and boat-on-heads-walked. And deep in the night Austin fell off a rock. I still had a lot left to learn at the end of guide school – how to feel confident behind the stick, how to manage a crew of weaker paddlers, how not to run Double Trouble. Luckily, I’ve had plenty of time these past months and generous teachers at Ma Lode to help me work on all those things. What I did grab a hold of during that first week was a love for the river and for the folks that guide it. I don’t plan on letting go any time soon! By: Amelia
Motherlode just completed a week long guide school with 14 participants! Motherlode Guide school fully encompasses every detail on water and off water that a professional and competent River Guide needs to know. For on Water, the students got to spend 5 consecutive days on the river. Day 1 & 2 consisted of learning the basics on the individual Lower Gorge and then Chili Bar sections of the river. On day 3 our trainees got to experience the the difference between a class III and IV river as they set off on the Middlefork of the American. And day 5 & 6 the participants were put to the test with 2 days of full rivers (Both Chili Bar and Lower Gorge in one day) taking turns guiding the raft with little to no help at all from the experienced guides that had been training them all week. On the water, techniques such as reading water, boat handling, on water safety, and attentiveness to guests needs were highly emphasized. Off water is where a good amount of learning takes place as well. Off the water, our guides in training learn all about Preparation! Trip preparation, safety preparation, and meal preparation. They were all soon to find out that the majority of work being a professional riverguide takes place off of the water. After 5 days with the Motherlode staff, The trainees were turned over to Sierra Rescue to complete a 2 day Swift water Rescue course where they were able to learn and practice various river rescue techniques and further recognize the safety needs associated with being on moving water. For more information on future guide schools with Motherlode, Click Here. Labels: american river white water rafting, swiftwater rescue, Whitewater rafting guideschool
 Mother Lode staff recently visited the new Exhibit about Climate change in California and building green at the California Academy of Sciences.Mother Lode River Center currently is in the process of integrating a new curriculum on Sustainable Practices. This trip to the museum was a perfect way for our staff to get better insight and more learning tools.The Exhibit featured:-Calculating your own carbon footprint (from what you eat to how you live your day to day life)-The future effects of the change in climate on California (from carbon emissions)-Examples of building green-Techniques to harness green energy-And too much more for myself to explain, Go see it yourself!The California Academy of Sciences also includes a full aquarium, IMAX style Solarium, an Eco bubble that replicates Borneo and Madagascar rain forest zones, and the Living Green Rooftop!Labels: California Academy of Sciences, Sustainability Practices
Our Gold Rush History program has been quite an exciting one so far this summer! Schools visiting Motherlode not only get to enjoy a tour of the Coloma Gold Rush History Park, but also some fun and challenging adventures here at the Motherlode River Center.While at the Coloma State Park, we get to experience the past come to life! Our knowledgeable staff takes you on a tour from the native Nisenan Indians homes and grinding sites to the Gold Rush, visiting Sutter's Mill and sites like the original Chinese store! While touring around the park, we are also able to experience and learn in an actual working Blacksmiths shop, and are joined by park volunteers telling stories and reenacting the era! Back at camp, we have had authentic activities such as shelter building, dutch oven cooking, and gold panning! We also get to experience acorn grinding on site at Motherlode's very own authentic Grinding Rocks, created by the Nisenan thousands of years ago.
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Our riverside camping resort is on the South Fork American River between SF and Lake Tahoe, less than 1 h from midtown Sacramento.
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