ARTA River Trips

It’s not easy deciding what to do for a bachelor party. The low hanging fruit (Vegas) wouldn’t do. So I thought a little out of the box and gave a ring to ARTA to see what they had to offer. The few folks I spoke with were very helpful in suggesting different trips and I ultimately settled on the Tuolumne 3 day, 2 night raft trip. I scheduled the trips about 6 – 7 months in advance and that was it. All we needed to was show up and have a good time.
The guides we had (Evan, Allie, Jenner, and Riley) were incredible. They were upbeat, crackin’ jokes, and really helped us have the best time possible. They’re also great cooks. We rafted mid-​August and the water level was low making the rafting not that difficult or scary. If you’r looking for more of a rush I would talk to the ARTA folks to see if booking a trip earlier in the season is better when the river has more water.
At the end of the trip everyone was absolutely stoked on rafting, camping, and the great outdoors. We actually had seen anyone on the river the whole time! I’m planning on coming out next year with a different group of friends because the Tuolumne and the ARTA crew are just too fun to be away from.

This was my first time white water rafting, and ARTA made it an experience to remember. Our guides, Tom and Lars, were absolutely amazing. They were friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole triple a blast. The two of them made each and everyone one the rafts feel comfortable and made the trip as excited as we wanted to make it.
The best part of the trip had to be finding the perfect jump rock to jump off of. We passed two spots before we found our rock. Tom and Lars lead the way and helped us rock climb to the spot before we jumped 30 feet down back to the water. I am truly glad ARTA was recommended to us and I look forward to using their services again.
Thank you Tom and Lars, keep doing what you’re doing, you guys rock!

This was one of three rafting trips this summer for me and again a great choice of outfitters for this river. We chose ARTA for their reputation and because they were hosting a beer & food trip. It was supposed to be Stone, but it was changed to 21^st Amendment Brewery at the last minute. (Both have excellent beers!) The food was some of the best that I have had, river or land, and the beer parings were excellent. The guides and the rafting were also flawless. Our guides Isaac, Allie, Jenner, Evan, Mickey and Rick were all fun, hard working and far more than competent to get us down the Tuolumne safely. The Tuolumne is a blast of a river and ARTA is an outfitter to look to for a great trip! And if you get Jenner Fox on your trip to get to enjoy his great music!

First time I did white water rafting and for sure not the last.
I took the two day river trip and I recommend that option.
Our lead guide, Isaac, was very experienced and knowledgable. As there were two escorting rafts on the trip, each with equipment and a single guide navigating it, it was clear that the guides don’t really need us in order to go down stream safely, but after Isaac got to know us on the first day, he was able to lead us into the more adventurous ways to go through the rapids, while maintaining safety.
Arta makes their trips a lot of fun, with hikes to side streams and pools and with a lot of very good food.
The tuolomne provides great white water and scenic views.
I’m going to take the family next time.
These trips are not cheap, but Arta’s priced it somewhat lower, and I did not feel there was anything I could have gotten in a more expensive trip.

Booked a two day trip down the Tuolumne river for my brother and each of our boys. Arta was very professional and assigned us three people, 2 in the gear raft and a guide on ours. Nolan, Kaitlyn, and Xander. What a fantastic trip. They were very friendly and good company. The food was absolutely fantastic. As good if not better than cooking at home. As soon as they recognized we were not afraid and good followers they made sure to take us down the best parts of every rapid … mostly 4s with a 5 thrown in. I totally recommend them and will definitely be booking other trips with them.

If you want to get wet and wild… laugh hysterically and get a tasty adrenaline buzz, without alcohol or other illicit substances, this is the compnay that can make it all happen. (Hint-​hint, Ms. Lohan!)
I’ve been on several excursions, shooting Class 3 and 4 rapids… and it’s a hoot and a half. The guides are all very cool, very environmentally conscious, and all passionate about the sport. Our guide, Mikey, is studying structural engineering with a green bent, and was just as amusing as he was informative.
The vibe is very group and family oriented; smaller parties are also very welcome and it is a fabulous team-​building, bonding experience. Family reunion? Work retreat? Third date? Want to liberate your mind and appreciate nature and have a great time? Call ARTA.
The price point is very modest… I felt like I got away for a vacation with even just a one day excursion. And I’m definitely feeling the workout that I got in my core and back and arms — but with a smile; I’m actually thinking about doing a trip once a month, because we had so much fun.
Mikey told us that the water is the same temperature year round… but that the breeze and ambient temperature make you «feel» like it’s colder/​warmer. The staff are attitude-​free, super-​helpful, and just glad to be on the river.
This is pretty early in the season, which is good because in the summer months, there are more rafts on the water, and sometimes you have to kind of hang back and wait a bit… which gives you time to look at the swallows skimming the water, and take in all of the gorgeous scenery.
ARTA furnished almost all of our gear: wetsuits, fleece, flotation devices and slickers — which kept us very comfortable. Sunglasses with retention cords and sunscreen are a must… if you forget, there’s a really nifty little shop at the meeting area if you need any last-​minute supplies. We purchased a reusable water-​proof [film] camera… so as soon as I get those developed, I’ll post them. But the company has a great website, so I suggest you check that out, first.
Yesterday, Caveman and I «chaperoned» several dozen Cadets and did the South Fork American trip… which is about 10 miles of river, and absolutely gorgeous. Definitely look at the website; they have trips available in multiple states… although the local rafting is very convenient for a quick «get away» experience.
The guides are great at navigating the rapids; some of which are pretty mellow, and others made me giddy with anticipation. At the outset of the trip, the guides cover safety basics and rowing maneuvers; we only had one party (not me!) in our raft join the South Fork Swim Club… and much to our amusement, it was when we bumped into a rock as we maneuvered through a rather mellow pass. It just caught him off guard, and he kind of… toppled into the water, and popped right back up.
When we got to the rapids that had a real «Oh, sh*t!» factor, we all stayed put. The experience is not unlike an amusement park experience, minus the $ 8.50 slices of pizza, $ 5.00 churro carts and hideous lines.
As soon as we on land again, Caveman and I immediately started talking about doing another trip… maybe even a two or three day. I can’t say enough about how professional and laid-​back the guides are — they’re very reassuring and extremely competent. I would encourage you to show your appreciation (as I did) by tipping your guide — they’re clearly not doing it for the money; they obviously love the sport. ARTA is a non-​profit organization, and it’s just good karma to thank the guides for showing you a good time!
Thanks for taking such good care of us, Mikey — and everybody at ARTA — we’ll definitely be back, soon!