Have something to add? Send us your feedback!
I did not want to miss the opportunity to compliment you and your staff on your well-run program. We could see that you were not the only outfitter in town but we felt safe in your hands. Your guides were knowledgeable and responsible (plus funny and charming!) and your equipment was in good condition. If anyone ever asks me for an outfitter in your area, I will definitely recommend you.—
As event planners, we are well-versed in the art of hospitality. It is our collective opinion that your company’s mastery of organization and hospitality is one of the finest we’ve ever encountered. Your commitment to creating a safe, memorable adventure is apparent in every aspect of your operation.—
You made our company trip wilder than anyone could have ever imagined. Everyone has been talking non-stop about how much fun they had, what a cool group of guides you are, how yummy the food was, and how we have to do it again. Rafting fever!—
Thanks for a fantastic float down the Middle Fork. Our bachelor told me that he had an amazing, fantastic time which he will never forget.—
Michael and I REALLY enjoyed our trip, and wanted to let you know that our guides, Scott and Sara, were incredible. They did a lot more than simply ‘take us down the river.’ They gave us a really awesome adventure with lots of ‘extras,’ like picking us blackberries on the banks, making us a great and thoughtful lunch, and telling us stories about what we saw along the route. Jim was a great driver and we really enjoyed talking with him (he’s a hoot!). Of course, Sara and Scott’s ability with the boats was amazing and we felt safe, even as we were thrilled through the rapids. I especially appreciated how Scott told us what to expect before each big rapid (we were in Scott’s boat the whole adventure). It allowed me to know what to do to help the boat and enjoy the ride. You’ll see us again. Thanks for the memories, and our best to Scott, Sara, Jim and whole crew at Mother Lode.—
Thank you! We had a great time! Your guides were wonderful, and the food was great. Couldn’t have asked for anything more! We will definitely be back again in the future—either as a family or as a scout troop!—
I wanted to thank you again for the fantastic weekend at Mother Lode! Awesome tents, facilities, food and crew!!! Everyone in our group had a blast, and I promise you, we’ll be back very soon!—
Your staff went above and beyond the call of duty to deliver an overall outstanding rafting performance. Everyone in our group shared this sentiment.—
Writing to express my appreciation for the wonderful guide we had on our first trip on the Middle Fork American. Our discussion of local history and river ecology really added to the trip. We’ll be back.—
Thirteen friends and I had the pleasure of rafting with your outfit last weekend. Many of our group are event planners and well-versed in the art of hospitality. Your company is one of the finest.—
Our guide was confident, knowledgeable and very nice. We had a blast and he was fun to be around. It made our trip that much better. Thanks!—
Your guides were very capable and took their responsibilities seriously. We were able to enjoy the beauty and thrill of the river without fear of unsafe conditions with our two kids on board.—
Thank you for ensuring that we all had a wonderful trip down the American and a fabulous weekend! It has created a lasting memory. We feel “alive” again and in accord with nature.—
I slept a lot better next to the river, knowing that the hot showers were solar, the vehicles were waste oil-powered, and the salad was organic. Way to go Mother Lode!—
Your camp is gorgeous, the tents and fire ring are perfectly placed … the sounds and smells of the river … this is something I’ll share with my friends. Thank you.—
Your services are always extraordinary. We come every year because we know you love having children there and will treat them well. The river guides are excellent; very calm and professional.—
The staff for both the rafting trip and the ropes course made our two days better than we could ever imagine…—
I want to thank you for many excellent rafting trips over the years. We will be back again!—
Thank you for ensuring that we had a wonderful trip down the American and a fabulous weekend! It has created a lasting memory, we feel ‘alive’ again and in accord with nature.—
The facility was great —the most luxurious “camping” I’ve ever done.—
We are writing to express our gratitude and complete satisfaction with the rafting trip we booked with your company. Everyone in our group shares this sentiment. We firmly believe that your staff went above and beyond the call of duty to deliver an overall outstanding rafting performance!—
My son and I joined some of our family on a two-day trip with your company. It was one of the best times we ever had! Next August we shall bring the entire family and friends.—
Dear family at Mother Lode,—
Can I just say, for the record, that you are all awesome! You made our company trip wilder than anyone could have imagined. Everyone here has been talking non-stop about how much fun they had, what a cool group of guides you are, how yummy the food was, and how we have to do it again! I’ve gotten many requests for a two-day next year. I’ve been passing around your brochure to friends and co-workers who want to tell their friends about you guys. Rafting fever! Just one question: what kind of spices did you put in that veggie stir-fry to make it taste so good?
Take it easy!Love,
We are still in awe of the rafting experience we had on the South Fork of the American River. Previously we were ignorant of this side of Mother Nature, and this gave us a glimpse of the powerful energy water can demonstrate.—
Our guides did an awesome job for our two boats on the Middle Fork–we all had a great time! You’ve got a great set-up and good people working there from top to bottom. Great job!—
Hi Mother Lode Rafting! Just a short note to let you know we had a great time. Our whole family had a blast. Your guides were great and the food was more than we could imagined.—
I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful time we had at Mother Lode. It was my first experience on the American River. I came up with three children ages twelve and fourteen. My niece from Texas said “the hospitality here is great,” and I have to agree with her! Our guide was very informative, funny and enthusiastic about nature. His conversation during the trip was very appropriate and we found that we had a lot in common with him. A very nice young man. The photographer that came along the river with us was a very nice addition- also a very interesting fellow. We have already called several of our friends and family to tell them about your beautiful property and to share the experience with them. I am sure that you will be getting several visitors from our time spent up there. Thanks again and we hope to get up there again before summer ends and school starts!—
Hi folks! Thanks again for such a great time last week! I truly enjoyed myself and realize that I’m “hooked and in the boat.” I appreciate the high degree of professionalism and the down-home amiability of all the staff I met. This is great stuff indeed! I intend to book for the North Fork in the spring. Hope to see you all soon—
Dear Malode,—
Today was our second trip with MaLode and it was absolutely fantastic! We did the Middle Fork, last year we did the South Fork, another great trip! Next year we plan to do the North Fork. Keep up the good work!
Dear MaLode,—
I am writing to express my appreciation for the wonderful guide we had on our first trip on the Middle Fork of the American. Kelly is very skilled at guiding, and our discussion of the history, river ecology and conservation in general as well as his extensive international travel was very informative and added to the enjoyment of the trip… we will be returning for more trips and we feel comfortable recommending your company to our friends.
Thanks so much for the great day! We had an exciting river rafting experience and the students really liked the guides.—
“Dear Mother Lode,—
On behalf of the entire group from University of San Francisco who took part in the rafting weekend, thank you all for a wonderful experience. The weather, rafting, food and guides were all incredible and the University of San Francisco Outdoor Adventures Program are satisfied customers and will be in the future.
Dear Mother Lode River Center Staff,—
Our experience at Mother Lode was fantastic. From the moment we got off the bus, to the last wave goodbye, our stay was all about us. The staff was kind and helpful
Mother Lode was the grand finale of our two week quest. We can honestly say that it was the highlight for most of our 12 campers on a trip that included canoeing on Mono Lake, spelunking into Moaning Caverns and backpacking in Yosemite. Our guides, Scotty, Lulu, and Aaron were all first class and made us feel completely safe while having an awesome time. Thank you!—
My daughter and I enjoyed a rafting experience yesterday with Lindsey as our guide, and we wanted you to be aware of the great customer service he gave us. His attitude along with eagerness to please his customers was top notch. We had a great time, he is very knowledgeable and professional not to mention a very experienced guide/rafter. We had an excellent time and we will come back as a repeat customer due to his customer service—
Once again, five years running, you are all awesome!! We love your personable staff. See you next year!—
Hi There!—
Just wanted to drop a note about how great of an experience we all had yesterday (Paul, Cindy, Duane, Vicki and Lisa) with Mike as our guide! None of us had ever experienced white water rafting before – and we’re all in our late 40′s and early 50′s. Mike did a wonderful job from start to finish with the safety course, and explaining the various techniques of controlling the raft. He didn’t just guide the raft safely down the river, but guided all of us through a wonderful adventure. The water was perfect, as was the weather, and although we can’t give Mike credit for that, we would if we could. We understand that we were his final trip for the season, so we were honored to be his “swan song” trip! The food was perfect, too, and we appreciated it’s simplicity and healthfulness. We truly enjoyed the experience, and all of us came away asking just one question: “When are we going to do it again???” I’m glad we chose Mother Lode for this great event in our lives! Thank you!
Hi there, can you tell Scotty and Lindsey we had a great time, and you might have a few new rafters for next year. Also tell Scotty and Jim thanks for the cupcakes. It was a fun trip!—
Thanks again for a great rafting trip and overnight! Our girls from Germany really enjoyed it and will remember it for a long time! My daughter said this was one of her favorite rafting trips cuz she went for an “involuntary swim” at Satan’s Cesspool…scared the heck out of me at the time, but she said afterwards it was fun, so ok!—And Sarah was SO good about getting her back into the boat quickly and making it a very positive experience for Gabi. It could have been a really scary moment for Gabi too, (and I think it started out that way!), but Sarah quickly took the positive route, encouraged her, and made her feel special for doing such a good job swimming the rapids, instead of letting her dwell on the scary aspect of it. Kudos to Sarah! Thanks again,
Hello, just wanted to say thanks for a wonderful time last Saturday, June 25th. My kids and some friends and myself braved the Middle Fork, and it was awesome! Our guide Brandon (Bubba) was the best. His knowledge of the river and his rafting skills were better than I have ever experienced (this is my fourth rafting trip). We felt very confident with behind us, and he proved to be a very all around cool individual. His love of rafting and the river definitely showed throughout the day. Also a kudo to Penny from your office for the great accommodations during our camping stay on Friday night. Due to a misunderstanding between the person who organized the trip and myself regarding the accommodations, I was not prepared to camp out in the open without the proper equipment. After talking with Penny and explaining my situation we arrived to find three tents already set up for us, with a place to build a campfire. What a welcome site it was! We had received some bad news earlier that day regarding the death of a family member, and it was very peaceful to be able to sit and relax next to the river by the fire and regroup after such a long drive. You guys are the best. We are already looking forward to coming back again next year and making rafting a tradition. Thanks!—
Just wanted to send a quick e-mail telling you what a wonderful time my family and I had rafting. Our guide, Scotty, was great!!!! He kept a close eye on us and ensured we felt safe the entire way while not missing out on any of the action! Thanks again to Penny for all your help over the past few weeks setting this up while we are on the road to our new home in Hawaii. We are already planning on a trip next year! Thanks again!—
I was on a Middle Fork trip, and I just wanted to say on behalf of the rest of my party, that our guide Brandon (‘Bubba’) was really great. He was confident, knowledgeable, and very nice. We had a blast, and he was fun to be around. It made our trip that much better. So thanks, and if you could let him know how much fun we had and let him know we said thank you, that would be great.—
Hi, I just wanted to say that we were lucky enough to have Ben as a guide on a river raft trip on the So. Fork of the American River last week, even though we were taking our trip with another company. Apparently they didn’t have enough guides that day, so had asked Mother Lode if there was someone they could “borrow!” Ben is an excellent guide, he made us all feel quite confident! He has outstanding people skills, and I must say he made the whole journey down the river extremely fun!!!!! So I just wanted you to know what an excellent guide you have in Ben. Thanks for loaning him out!!!!!!!—
Dear Mother Lode,—
I want to thank you for the PARC Middle Fork benefit trip. We were able to fill three rafts and had a great time with your guides Lindsey, Mike, and Austin, all of whom were fabulous. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to raise over $600 to support PARC’s conservation work on the North and Middle Forks of the American River.
Dear Mother Lode,—
I want to thank you for the PARC Middle Fork benefit trip. We were able to fill three rafts and had a great time with your guides Lindsey, Mike, and Austin, all of whom were fabulous. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to raise over $600 to support PARC’s conservation work on the North and Middle Forks of the American River.
Over the weekend I was there with the living social trip. I wanted to let you guys know that i had a great time and how wonder full the staff was the was working with us. Its refreshing to see people that are happy dealing with people and enjoy what they were doing. They were upbeat and very encouraging with the roping climbing course. I had Willie as our rafting guide, and he really made the rafting trip fun and enjoyable. He really knew the river and knew how to make it fun for everybody on the raft. Also his knowledge of the area and the history was great. He was really good at getting everybody on the raft to trust him. So if you can pass this on to the right people that would be great. Once again Thank you for a great weekend!!!!!—
Hi Mother Lode!More obvious, than not- I loved the rafting! The campground and the facilities were much better than I expected. I would definitely come again with friends and youth members as we occasionally take rafting trips on the Sacramento River. Everyone was super enthusiastic and humorous. My guide happened to be Christie, so a shout out to my girl! Overall, most accommodating and warm. Thanks so much again! —
Hey MaLode,—
Saw the pics, still living the dream of the river, waking up thinking of Hospital Bar and Surprise Rapid and the Rope Toss I earned by swimming out of the eddy! I really was impressed with how you handled the family I brought out to you – EVERYONE of us had an amazing time and felt very comfortable – some apprehension on the part of some people prior to the trip – for good reasons – but after it was all said and done there were no doubters at all – everyone loved the river and the experience – so memorable on so many parts – the paddling, the team building, the adventure, the swimming and the laughing. Every detail covered by you guys, every moment carefully overseen by you guys and the ride home to the city had us all laughing and talking about the trip down the gorge. I will be back of course with Charles Armstrong but I will also be back with friends and family for more and more and more – I am hooked and will be your top salesman yet!
Penny – you are the best
Scotty – you rock in every way
Austin – thanks for the help and laughs on the river – see you in September with our students
Mother Lode,—
I can’t begin to say what a great time my wife and I had this past week with you guys. I can’t think of anything negative about our trip. Well unless you count me losing a shoe to the river. Eva, Courtney, and Lydia were amazing guides. All were very knowledgeable and fun to be around. I would definitely recommend you guys to anyone who asks. Being a first time rafter I have to admit I was a little anxious. We never felt in danger while in your guides hands. The campground and the food were also very good. I can’t wait till my next trip with the Mother Lode. Thanks again.
Hey Mother Lode Crew,—
Thanks again for an amazing weekend. I had a great time and am looking
forward to getting my kayak and gear out here. I will be giving shout out’s everywhere possible, for I think everyone should explore that river. Coming from a PA, mountain boy slash GA river rat.
Take care,
We had a blast and we got so lucky getting Sarah as our guide, she was OUTSTANDING!! We have told everyone of the great time we had. It was a great value!—
Thanks again!
Thank you Mother Lode! We had a great time and your customer service was fantastic. Thank you for taking care of my crew of 4. It was my cousins and girlfriends first time white water rafting and they had such a good time.Thank you again for taking care of us. We will definitely be coming back to raft with you guys. Mother Lode gets nothing but high marks from us and we will spread the word to let them know how awesome you guys are!! Willie and Scott were terrific guides and please tell them we appreciated their customer service as well. They are good dudes.—
Warmly,
Hi Heather and the fantastic team at Mother Lode!—
Yes, amazing is absolutely how I think about the past weekend trip with you guys, in the river, playing the games, enjoying the convenience of having tent all set up at the end of a day, or having the deliciously prepared
food. Who would have thought you sports fanatics as chefs?! I certainly did not and it was a nice surprise, I am sure, for everyone! Such a well organized trip by the wonderful crews at Living Social and Mother Lode! I truly appreciate all the efforts by everyone, including my own for refusing to fall into the river (:-))! Heather, you are a great teacher! I will definitely tell everyone how wonderful this trip was. And I will definitely come back for more!
Cheers,
Hi Everyone at Mother Lode!—
Just wanted to say thanks again for such an awesome trip. Heather, Sarah, Takoda, Frank and Scotty were amazing guides and people.. we had so much fun thanks to you guys! We wanted to let you know that the video Takoda took of the class 5 rapids didn’t record… he pressed the button to start recording but actually stopped the recording. =( Please relay this message to him. We still have lots of amazing footage that we will edit and send to you! We will be sure to write an excellent review for your company on Yelp and will definitely be recommending your rafting company to all our friends and family. Thanks again and happy rafting!
Hi everyone!—
Ruben and I had such a great time!! We are ready to kick it up to a level 4 run I think, and of course we want to do it with your company. If you have some package info and can email it to us, that would be great. I also wanted to mention how great the food selection was. I don’t eat meat (or dairy) and my husband eats all of it! So it was nice to have selections that left us both satisfied. Thanks again to everyone (especially Eva, our trusty guide!) for a fantastic time!
Hi MaLode!!!
Thanks for an amazing trip down the river. The crew had a great time and we are trying to figure out when we can go again. You guys rock!Cheers, —
Fantastic adventure. Having rafted the American before, with a different company, I found that the personnel at Mother Lode went out of their way,( far out) to be the best they could be. Our guide, Heather was everything, great raft guide, instructor, and then cook and bottle washer, then nurse, all combined. Some of us on this trip will come again, I’m sure.— , San Diego
The folks at Mother Lode were all attentive and made sure we had a good time. Our rafting guide obviously knew the river and let us know when to get to work paddling and when we could just have some rowdy fun. Good ambiance in the camp, lots of natural beauty. It was hot but the river water ( we got soaked!!!) kept us cool. Had a great rafting trip! Looking forward to next time.— , Santa Rosa
Mother Lode River Center has provided a great experience for our group. We started out with the long zipline, which was nice and quick. Then we met with our incredible guide, Eva, and started our rafting adventure. It was fun and really relaxing for the most part for our South Fork level III trip. Eva made the most of our experience and really wanted to show us a great time. I love Evas surprise right before the end!! I love thrills so I will definitely be looking into doing a level IIII or V trip. Hopefully Eva can guide us by next year!
Great time on my 2 day, 2 night business Mastermind retreat at Mother Lode. What an awesome way to mix business and pleasure. Staff, food, riverside (and shaded) setting, customer service and more – all great. Really a friendly experienced team. We even threw in a Zip line and small ropes course for excitement and diversity. What I most appreciate about Mother Lode is the beautiful shaded grounds that are huge and well kept. Lots of private zones for camping, hanging out at river, quiet and solitude.—
If you want an awesome quick get-away for business, family fun and just yourself with friends, you are in good hands with Mother Lode.
Just got back from a great trip with Mother Lode River Center. Willy was our guide for the day and what a great day we had. We started on the ropes course where he was fun and encouraging when we needed it (Leap of Faith) with our fears of heights. Then a fabulous lunch and on to the river for a spectacular river ride. Willy was fun and engaging with stories and jokes, our whole family had such a wonderful time we will be back for sure.Thanks so much for everything.— , La Granada CA
We spent a day at the River Center with a large group of people with a wide range of prior experiences. The staff were great in making all feel safe while helping us push up against our comfort-zone boundaries. We spent the morning on the ropes course and the afternoon on the River. Nice lunch in between and delicious dinner that night. Relaxing evening and full breakfast before sending us on our way the next morning. Very professional but also paid a lot of attention to making sure all had a good time. Many thanks! We’ll be back!
“Mother Lode Rafting = The Best” If you are looking for a super fun, exhilarating, entertaining, adventuresome, educational, safe for kids, filled with incredible memories and tons of laughter, rafting with Mother Lode is for YOU!!! We went on the Gorge Run with guide Scotty. We had 3 adults and one 13 yo boy and a 12 yo girl. Everyone had a blast. We had tons of fun, and feel like we had the best guide ever. Scotty not only guided us though a ton of super rapids he also showed us where we could swim in a cool warm water creek, get carried up and down river in a giant eddy (swimming), swim a rapid, and told us lots of history and infromation about the river and its varied wildlife. He was the best, super friendly, and enthusiastic. We felt totally safe during the trip while still having some intense thrills! Clearly he loves what he does and knows what he is doing. Penny did a great job making our reservations and giving us lots of great suggestions on places to stay and eat in town. Do yourself a favor and raft with Mother Lode!!—
“All round fantastic day out” A friend and I had a half day trip with Mother Lode and were given Aaron as a guide. The whole outfit were friendly, adaptable and professional. Aaron was amazing – he was so knowledgeable about the whole region, nature, gold prospecting, history – anything you could ask about he knew about! He was also very skilled on the river which meant that we not only felt very safe, but he could try out different things and be adaptable depending upon our skill and excitement boundaries. This is what made the day out such good fun – we weren’t just given a prescription day that is planned out by a big company, it was adapted to what was going to be the most enjoyable for us on the day. If you’ve done rafting before and want to make this river more exciting, then Mother Lode are the people to get you the most out of it. Well, Aaron is at least!! Oh and the lunch was fantastic
“Amazing Adventure!!!”My wife and I decided to go on an adventure for our 8 year anniversary and Mother Lode was definitely the right choice. We started the day with a fun and challenging ropes course led by one of our fantastic guides Austin. After giving a very detailed safety presentation we were off to walk across a balance beam suspended 20+ feet in the air, tackle the climbing wall with varying levels of difficulty and last the two person obstacle. My wife and I had to balance on a cable while trying to get across the apparatus with only each other and a pole every to grab onto every 10 feet. The difficult part is the poles get farther apart the further down the obstacle you go. It was an exhilarating and very rewarding experience. Just when we thought the ropes course couldn’t get any more fun, we were introduced to the zip line. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of flying through the air between trees with dozens of people watching from underneath.The second half of our day was white water rafting with another of Mother Lode’s amazing guides Lulu. She did an excellent job of giving us a thorough safety debrief that was both informative and humorous. This was our first time to go white water rafting but it will definitely not be our last. Lulu did an excellent job of steering the raft so that we would approach every rapid just right to enjoy the thrill without jeopardizing the safety of the paddlers. Lulu was also a great source of entertainment during the time between the rapids. Overall my wife and I could not think of a better way to celebrate our 8 year anniversary than with Mother Lode and we will definitely be back in the future.— , Fort Worth, TX
“Exciting Whitewater Rafting, Fantastic Ropes Course, Amazing Guides” I went to Mother Lode as part of a company trip. We were signed up for the Whitewater Rafting and Ropes course. One of our guides, Lulu, started things off by giving a hilariously witty and informative safety orientation. After that, our group of 50 was split into 8 rafts, each with a guide to read the waters and help us get through the Class 2 waters and 3 rapids. Our guide, Christy, was awesome. She helped us safely navigate through all the twists and turns. We did get caught in an eddy once when the current forced us to the side. After some futile paddling, Christy had us carefully get off the raft and onto the shore before pulling the raft further upriver, which allowed us to escape back into the river’s current. Problem solved. It was such a fun bonding experience! The next day was the Team building/Ropes course segment of the trip. The morning was devoted to various fun team building activities as our head guide Austin helped us stretch our comfort zones. It was loud. It was ridiculous. It was fun! After that, we formed smaller groups and completed various team building exercises at different stations, including balancing on a giant teeter-totter and swinging on a rope to escape. After lunch, we the guides manned several ropes course stations for us to test our prowess and overcome our fears. There was a rock climbing wall, a 30 foot long balance beam, a zip line, a team tightrope and the one and only “leap of faith,” which is a 40 foot climb up a tree to a tiny wooden platform, from which you leap to try and catch hold of a trapeze suspended before you. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s definitely exhilarating and satisfying when you make the jump. Overall, I had a wonderful experience at Mother Lode River Center. By and far the best part were the amazing guides. They really made an effort to make the experience as personable as possible. You could definitely tell they were willing to go that extra mile to make sure everyone had a good time. Thanks to Christy, Lulu, Austin, Eva, Sarah, Kayla, Lydia and everyone else for making our trip unforgettable. I can’t wait until we go back next year!— , San Francisco CA
“Super family fun time”We just came back and we are all still charged. The river was perfect, the lodging was wonderfully simple, the food was great and our River Guide for two days, Austin, was the highlight of the trip. He had expert skills on the stern of the raft. I would trust him with my grandma.— , Corte Madera
“What an awesome day!”— , Rockford
My wife, my two girls (10 and 13) and I went on the South fork of the American River and zip lining yesterday at the Mother Lode River Center and we are still coming down from the excitement. This was one of the crown jewels of a three week road trip, and brother, I am here to tell you it did not disappoint. Austin was our guide down the river and he and the rest of the staff were courteous and patient (with us and with others on the river), explaining things but never talking down to us or being patronizing.
(This cannot be said about some of the other companies that shared the river. Had I been on one particular tour, the tour guide would have had a paddle upside his head.)
Austin was knowledgeable about the flora and fauna in the area around the river, which I always find particularly interesting. And the zip lining was fun..My only complaint is that somehow time seemed to go by to fast on the trip…we started at 11 and before we knew it is was 5 PM and time to go home.We would certainly recommend this company to others planing on going rafting in the Coloma area.
Kudos to you, Mother Lode River Center. Well Done!
“Great raft trip”— , Auburn
Three days later and we’re still smiling. We had an awesome trip. Eva was a great guide. The kids loved it and would go again in a heartbeat. We did the easier South Fork American River and it was plenty exciting for us. It’s nice that Mother Lode practices good river etiquette too, as other raft companies and guides do not.
“Awesome Day Trip”— , Auburn
Great day rafting trip for novice, mild thrill seekers and younger children! Our guide Eva was fantastic in the departments of Safety, Directions and Fun!
We all had an amazing day- adults and eight year olds alike! Thank you Mother Lode River Center!
“What an Amazing Week!”I just got back from a week of Guide Training at Mother Lode. Although this review applies to Guide Training, I am quite sure my incredibly fun experience would apply to someone taking a one-day recreational trip.— , San Francisco CA
I am not planning on being a professional guide as I have another career, but I am planning on doing some volunteer work and I needed the guide training.
My week with Mother Lode was fantastic from start to finish. It started with the fact that I had to take the train, and Scotty, (Mother Lode’s manager) had no problem picking me up from the train station 30 minutes away.
From then on it was perfect. I worked with 3 key training guides throughout the week. There was Aaron who is truly a Zen Guide – I think he guides mostly with his mind; Courtney who is incredible about finding things you are doing right (while you are still making stupid mistakes) and then building on those successes; and Austin, who is a good ol’ boy from the South and through osmosis teaches you how to remain calm in even the most terrifying rapids.
The food during the week was tasty! I have never eaten so much and still lost weight. (Might have been the 5000 calories a day I was burning during rafting.) Every meal was delectable, particularly the specialty they make known as “The Destroyer” a, enchilada dish made in a dutch oven.
I was also very impressed on how the handled the different ages, levels and career aspirations of the class of 10. There were 17 year olds with little rafting experience who wanted eventual summer jobs, to old guys like me with rafting experience, looking for a bit more adventure. In each case, they tailored the training to insure needs were met.
Finally, I liked how training not only included rafting, but also the history of the region as well as environmental issues. One evening, the owner’s daughter, who had just finished her PhD, came and spoke to us about water issues, something near and dear to the heart of the company.
If you want to have a great time rafting, I highly recommend Mother Lode!
Mother Lode: Super friendly people who ran a great show from beginning to end. The staff that led the rafting trips were the same people who guided the ropes courses (zip lining, pipe line, leap of faith, rock wall and one other I can’t remember.) Everyone had positive and friendly vibes who knew what to say and do to calm your nerves or encourage your own. On the water, all the guides looked out for one another’s boat staying behind to assist if people fell out and I really enjoyed seeing and feeling that sense of camaraderie.— , San Jose
My friend and I just had such an amazing experience last weekend! Worth every penny!— , San Luis Obispo
We started off with the high ropes course, each of us trying the zipline and rock wall. Both were awesome.. The staff was walking around offering snacks and water the whole time. Our guide was really helpful and super fun! It was my first time rafting and he made me feel very comfortable. We got back to camp to play some games, rinse off in their solar-heated showers, and then enjoy a delicious feast for dinner. It was seriously better than most restaurants. That night, we stayed up playing catch phrase and watching the Perseid meteor shower. The staff had already set up our tents for us so we just passed out. The guides make the whole deal worthwhile – they are so friendly, knowledgeable, down-to-earth, and amazing cooks! All in all, it was an incredible experience and I met a lot of really cool people.
Our overnight class 3 white water rafting trip was AMAZING! Everything that you hate about camping was handled by the great staff. They set up our tents, cooked our meals, and made sure everyone was having fun. Our rafting guide was amazing, I always felt safe with him and trusted him completely. His 6 years of experience really shows, and he is extremely professional and very funny. We would definitely do this again, and I highly recommend this company to anyone looking for a little rafting adventure.— , San Jose
Mother Lode is a terrific whitewater outfitter. I’ve taken a number of trips with them down the South Fork and the Middle Fork of the American. Their guides are highly qualified! They’re great at listening to their clients and making the trip fun and exciting. They also provide really great food!— , Sacramento
My best friend and I just returned from an amazing adventure with the Mother Lode Rive Center staff. We arrived and had fun on the ropes course. The zip line is prefect for beginners. Lunch was yummy, dinner was plentiful, and the coffee at breakfast was good and strong. Christy our river guide was fun, professional, and skilled. She made our trip adventurous and safe. The added additional thoughtful touches like snacks, availability for questions, and all around cheerfulness added to the pleasantness of the trip.— , Castro Valley
What an amazing time rafting. I’ve done quite a few white water adventures with various companies, but Mother Load gets highest marks and my 100% personal recommendation! Start to finish, everything on this 2 day river rafting adventure and ropes course challenges was perfect. Well done Mother Load!— , Cloverdale
Awesome day rafting! Big thanks to everyone at Mother Lode and to Austin, our awesome guide. Tons of fun, got super wet, and hilarious and professional staff. Highly recommended!— , San Francisco, CA
The guides with Mother Lode are super amazing. Some of the most down to earth, laid back and fun guides I’ve had the pleasure to lead me on my many adventures. Super knowledgeable and definitely experts at what they do. You could tell they really enjoyed what they did. I had a blast on both trips and would without a doubt recommend the company to anyone looking to spend a day or two down the American river. Definitely an experience worth having!— , Oakland CA
This was the most fun I’ve had in such a long time!Very friendly, helpful staff, the instructions were clear, and our guide, Aaron, was a BLAST!! The river and surrounding area are beautiful. Our boat mates happened to be some of the most outrageous, funny people – we rowed, we sang, we learned a LOT about one another and no one fell out of the boat! This was my first river rafting experience and I just want to go again and again. And when I do go again, I will go with Mother Lode!— , Rancho Cordova
We just completed a two day rafting trip on the middle fork of the American river with Mother Lode. It was an awesome experience. The base camp is well cared for with nice cabin tents and fire rings near the river. In our opinion, we had the best crew on the river. In my boat, our guide was Aaron. I was so impressed with his skill and passion for what he calls “his life’s work.” The other boat in our group was guided by Austin who was a great guide and not to be forgotten was the third guide, Courtney, who piloted the gear raft and definitely set the mood for the trip with her cheerful, up-beat attitude. The meals were awesome too. We’ll be back soon!— , Oceanside, CA
We had a great time at the Mother Lode center. After half a day of rafting, we came back to for a really pleasant evening and dinner with our guide and rest of the highly spirited and courteous staff at the camp. On the whole it was a memorable experience. I would highly recommend this place – It is definitely as good as it can get.— , San Jose
Just spent a fantastic weekend at Mother Lode! We had a fantastic time at the site and an even better time on the river with Austin as our guide! All of the guides knew the river really well and made everyone feel at ease throughout the day. Great trip and I would recommend it highly–I know we’re planning on coming back!-— , Redwood City
Wow!!! Mother lode is truly the best white water rafting company!! Super friendly staff and experienced guides make this possible!! Thank you Aaron and Courtney!!! You made us feel like we’re part of your family…. Your professional Experience and knowledge made us feel secure and confident in running our first class 4 rapids!!! We will be back. Kellie M. Live Oak— , Live Oak
Just finished a trip with Scotty down the American and it was FANTASTIC! We had 3 adults & two young teens. He’s very knowledgeable about local wildlife & the ecosystem. We had a great time rafting & swimming. Highly recommend this outfitter!! Not only was the trip exciting, the lunch was delicious!— , Naperville, IL
Always a pleasure to participate in MaLode activities. Professional staff, excellent facilities, safe, and welcoming. Recommend to everyone wanting an outstanding outdoor experience.—
My company took a bunch of us here for a night of camping followed by a half day or rafting. This is not your average campground; this is glamping at its finest. All the campsites are practically on the river, partially shaded and mostly grassy. There are hot SHOWERS using solar heaters on the site and plenty of centrally-located bathrooms. Loved that the campsites are pretty far away from each other and there were also tent cabins spread around the campgrounds, with cots. This was my first time rafting, Super fun, can’t wait to go back! Sara E. SF
My family and I just spent 4 days 3 nights at Mother Lode. This is what you call the Ritz of Camping. The staff is very excited about white water rafting and they are the kindest, most friendly fun loving people I have ever met. Courtney guided us down the middle fork, I felt very safe with her. I just can’t say enough about all the staff at Mother Lode.
I have never been camping in this kind of environment. All our meals were prepared to perfection and while we waited for our dinner to be prepared we were served absolutely wonderful appetizers on our deck. I felt like I was at a 5 star camping resort. We were so impressed by everything and everyone. We are definitely going to make this an annual event. I can’t wait to go back again next year. We might even stay a little longer next time.— , Los Alamitos, CA
There are many superlatives that can be written following a Mother Lode River Trip – and I am certain that they have all been used many many times. What I can add to all the reviews is that Mother Lode made our trip a trip of a lifetime. And they did it with style, grace, ease, personality, warmth and concern and attention to details. From the scheduling and business side of things with Penny in the office who handled the calls and emails and arrival with good cheer, smiles and a hug, all the way to Scotty – The Grand Queso, who briefed us, coached us, safety prepped us and then fearlessly led us through the lower gorge with all its splendor and glory, with confidence, experience, humor, flexibility, patience and knowledge, the trip was unforgettable. We met other guides along the way who were also very friendly and helpful and having a great time with the members of their rafts. We swam, paddled, cheered, high-fived, laughed and panicked together. We bonded as a family, realized the significance of the trip, soaked up all the grandeur the river and gorge had to offer and we each took a step out of our comfort zones to stretch and experience and grab a piece of our own and our collective adventure. The adventure swim – jumping into the rapid and letting it carry you down stream and then feeling the power of the eddy as the water spun you toward the shoreline and then carried you back upstream was a highlight for everyone. There was nothing ordinary about the trip except us…the seven city folk – four from SF and three from Florida – rocking and rolling, swimming and paddling, flipping and floating down the American River…..with Scotty and a blue Mother Lode Raft. Making memories for a lifetime and gaining deeper appreciation for an organization striving to be and do the best they can for anyone who wants to climb aboard their rafts. Mother Lode River Center Wins Gold! In all categories they come out on top – they are professional, safe, thorough, and they operate with the higher purpose of bringing people to the river to raise awareness of nature, riparian law, water rights, water safety and the important issues surrounding the politics of rivers. Keep the rivers clean! Keep the rivers flowing! And Keep Mother Lode River Center in your speed dial, address bar, bookmarks, e-mail address book and your heart! We will be be back, I will be back, my students will be back, and I hope my videos and photos motivate my friends to book passage with you too. Thank you Mother Lode for a very special adventure.— , San Francisco
We took a half-day rafting trip this weekend. It was a last minute decision; I wanted to take my niece who was only in town for the weekend. I booked it on Friday, and we went on Saturday. They were able to find us a guide and set up a trip to accommodate our rushed schedule. The trip was amazing. Eva was our guide, and she was terrific. My eight-year-old twin daughters LOVED the trip. (Better than “Splash Mountain” (Disneyland) was how they rated it, which translates roughly into more stars than you can count.— , Davis, CA
