Cherry Creek/Upper
Tuolumne Information Cherry Creek/Upper
Tuolumne Information
General
River Trip Information Class
V Safety Techniques and Fitness Guidelines Getting There Area Map Local Map Getting Ready What to
Bring Lodging Camping Restaurants Campfires Weather Other AttractionsWelcome to Class V, the ultimate challenge in white water rafting! Having pioneered commercial Class V river trips on Cherry Creek/Upper Tuolumne, we at Sierra Mac are excited to share these thrilling adventures with you. It is important to realize that these trips are intense and demanding passenger participation experiences, particularly on the paddle boats, and that a successful Class V run depends on you and your boat team. Have a look at our Cherry Creek Video to get an idea of what to expect.
GETTING THERE
We meet our Cherry Creek / Upper Tuolumne trips at 6 or 7 am at La Casa Loma Store, 7 miles east of Groveland on Highway 120. Turn left on Ferretti Road, drive one block, turn left again on the frontage road, and park to the left of the road. The shuttle bus will meet you there, providing transportation to and from the river.
Driving time to Groveland from the Bay Area is about 3 1/2 hours; from Manteca, about 1 1/2 hours; from Los Angeles, about 7 hours. We can arrange local airport pickups.
Meeting Place and Time
La Casa Loma Store, 24000 Casa Loma Road; Groveland, CA 95312
We meet at 7 or 6 am depending on upstrem flow releases. Please confirm with our office the specific time for your trip.
Some map websites (such as MapQuest) mistakenly have travelers from the south diverting east from Fresno through Yosemite National Park. Although very scenic, it is a much slower route.
If you will not be available by phone before your trip, please phone our office within 48 hours of meeting time to reconfirm logistics. Last minute flow changes may result in a change in trip logistics.
Please be on time! If you are delayed, notify us by phoning our office at (209) 962-0367.
Each trip begins with an energy breakfast, followed by wet suit, helmet and floatation vest fitting and an extensive two-hour white water seminar which includes training in swiftwater swimming, navigation and safety techniques. If, in our opinion, you are not ready for this rigorous experience following the training seminar, you will be asked to return to the shuttle van. (In this case you will receive a 50% refund.)Sierra Mac provides helmets in addition to white water flotation vests for Class V passengers. Wet suits will be provided by Sierra Mac. High energy snacks and drinks are provided during the trip with a delicious dinner at trip's end.
- Wet suit (mandatory)
- Shorts and/or swimsuit under wet suit
- T-shirt
- Tennis shoes (sandals do not protect your feet)
- Ball cap
- Sunglasses (with tie-on)
Cool Weather River Attire
- Wool, silk or synthetic layer under wet suit
- Rubber splash jacket (provided by SMRT)
- Wool or neoprene socks
- Wool hat or ball cap
For overnight trips, pack light and compactly. Each person will receive a 3.8 cubic foot dry bag for storing his or her belongings-about the size of a 30-gallon plastic trash bag.
Camping Gear (rentals available)
- Sleeping bag
- Air or foam mattress
- Tarp
- Tent or tube tent (optional)
- Personal Gear
- Comfortable clothing
- Nylon shell jacket
- Underwear
- Extra tennis shoes or sandals
- Socks
- Sweater and/or jacket
- Towel
- Toiletries, Kleenex, etc.
- Flashlight (one for each person)
- Flashlight batteries (packed separately)
- Extra plastic bags
- Day Bag (Ziploc plastic)
- Camera & film
- Sun block
- Lip ointment
- Plastic water bottle or canteen
Optional
- Rain jacket and pants
- Fishing license and gear (hard shell case)
- Snorkel & face mask
- Reading material
- Journal & pen
- Cards or games
- Extra beer, wine, soft drinks or favorite evening libations (no glass except wine; we'll pack these for you. SMRT provides some beer, wine and juice.)
We recommend the following locations for lodging and camping on our Tuolumne River trips:
Berkshire Inn Bed & Breakfast
new, deluxe888-225-2064 Century 21 Pleasant View Properties
condo and home rentals866-350-7372 Evergreen Lodge
rustic lodge, restaurant, bar800-935-6343 Groveland Hotel
historic inn, restaurant, bar800-273-3314 Hotel Charlotte
small, historic, restaurant800-961-7799 Remax Loreen Borup
condo and home rentals877-962-7180 Yosemite Ridge Resort
cabins for 4 to 8 people, restaurant800-706-3009 Yosemite Rose
bed and breakfast866-962-6548 Yosemite Westgate Lodge
new motel, restaurant, pool800-253-9673
Yosemite Pines RV Park: Facilities available at RV Park include RV rental, camping, pool, phone and showers. Reservations are available by phoning (209) 962-5042
Pine Mountain Lake Campground: RV park & camping, showers. (209) 962-8615
US Forest Service campgrounds: East of Groveland, on Highway 120 in the Buck Meadows area near the meeting place, are US Forest Service campgrounds Pines, Lost Claim and Sweetwater. They do not take reservations. Information is available from the US Forest Service office in Groveland at (209) 962-7825.
Groveland Hotel
Fresh seasonal California cuisine209-962-4000 Hotel Charlotte, Groveland 209-962-6455 Iron Door Bar & Grill, Groveland 209-962-6244 Coffee Express, Groveland 209-962-7393 Smoke Cafe, Jamestown
Mexican & Southwestern209-984-3733
Primitive rest rooms are available at the meeting place as well as at the embarkation point. At camp, we provide portable toilets and request that everyone use them. Our guides will describe appropriate hygiene procedures that minimize our impact on the river environment.
You are welcome to sit around and enjoy the fires built in the commissary area. Fires elsewhere are prohibited, and extreme caution with matches is imperative.
During the summer you can expect hot days and warm nights. Spring and fall weather is generally mild. Rain showers can occur at any time: bring suitable rain gear (see What to Bring). Feel free to phone us for last-minute local weather projection information.
Columbia State Historic Park • Railtown State Historic Park, Jamestown • Sonora Pass on Highway 108 • Tioga Pass on Highway 120 • Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Reservations: 209-252-4848
Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau: 209-533-4420An up-to-date calendar of events and news from Tuolumne County is available online from the Sonora Union Democrat newspaper.
About Sierra Mac Guides School
Events Information Reservations Request Information
Sierra Mac River Rafting Trips
Marty McDonnell - OutfitterP.O. Box 264 • Groveland, CA 95321
Reservations 800.457.2580
E-mail catalog@sierramac.com
