Join us for a historic float through the newly restored Kikacéki (Copco) Valley and Iron Gate sections of the Klamath River. This is a mellow class II trip perfect for families with young children and those who want to see the restored river without all the big whitewater.
We pick guests up at their hotel in Ashland between 8:30 and 9 in the morning and return between 4:30 and 5:30 – back in time for a shower and dinner before the plays. Besides the beautiful canyons the trip also includes a big lunch.
The trip begins where the ‘old’ Upper Klamath used to end and we begin the float through the class II Kikacéki Valley and the footprint of what was, until 2024, Copco Reservoir. The valley has significant cultural and spiritual significance to the Shasta people. This mellow and meandering morning stretch highlights how quickly the river corridor is coming back alive with already thriving riverside plant life and eagles and hawks keeping a sharp eye out for fish and critters.
Right before or after lunch (water level dependent) we will get out of the river, drive around the imposing whitewater of Kikacéki Canyon and begin the float through the Iron Gate stretch and through the footprint of what was Iron Gate Reservoir. The Iron Gate stretch is more remote feeling and the whitewater picks up just a little – with nicely spaced class II and II+ rapids. For those interested we can bring along a few inflatable kayaks for this stretch.
The trip ends by floating through the scenic red rock narrows that was once the massive Iron Gate Dam. We love whitewater, but many of us are as excited about this trip as for any of our new whitewater trips and it is an amazing way to experience the historic restoration of the Upper Klamath River.