CUSTOMERS
TESTIMONIALS

Mariah Wilderness Expeditions, one of California's premier California whitewater rafting companies, celebrates being a leader of safe, high quality whitewater rafting companies since 1982.

Below are testimonials from Mariah customers who have experienced this first hand, check them out for yourself.

South Fork American River, 2-Day Trips

I would recommend (and have) Mariah to anyone considering rafting. We appreciated Melinda’s (office) graciousness in setting up the wonderful accommodations. Our guide, Ryan, mixed a good amount of fun, leadership and concern for safety into the trip. I have been thinking of going rafting for a long time, and this trip made me wonder why I waited so long! The professional photography was a HUGE bonus. Many of our family members have viewed the slideshow and said they felt like they were there with us. This trip EXCEEDED our expectations!
The P. Family,  American River, Family Rafting w/Storyteller Trip, 8/6-7/09.

Matt was absolutely wonderful. I brought my two grandsons, and of course, was concerned for their safety. Matt was perfect. I never worried about them. He made me feel safe and he watched out for them. We had the time of our life. (We stayed in Falcon’s Nest). The trip EXCEEDED my expectations! We will be back!!! Fun, Fun, Fun!!
C.G., South Fork American River, 2DY trip, 8/2-4/09.

We had a great time (and camped in The Cove campsite), and we look forward to seeing you guys next year! Can’t remember my raft guide’s name, but he had the Amish look going. Fantastic guide! I think his name was Matt.
C.R., American River, Family Rafting w/Storyteller Trip, 6/25-26/09.

" My nieces liked our guide, Matt, so much that when they came back home and got a new bunny, they named him after Matt! The bunny's name is Max-a-Matt".
W.L., South Fork American River, Family Trip, 6/07

"I just spent the weekend at your camp with the TableforSix group. Just wanted to mention that I had a fantastic time! Great hospitality from the moment I arrived and walked to my tent, which was all set up and ready to go (too easy)!!! Also, I wanted to say that the meals were all excellent!!

Finally, I wanted to mention Morgan by name. I've probably done about 5 whitewater rafting trips over the years and on multiple continents, and Morgan was by far the best guide that I have ever had. Morgan was an excellent communicator and always stayed calm and composed, even when she dumped us out at Troublemaker (just kidding, not her fault, just a fluke). She always kept us at the exact right point in the river, speaking instructions like "one, two or three forward", "one or two backwards", or "left forward and right back", or my favorite...."Three forward...LIKE YOU MEAN IT!!!"   Again, thanks for the great weekend!!"
D.S., South Fork American River, 2-Days, 5/30/09

"I rate Mariah in the top 5% of all the companies I have dealt with in my life, not just rafting but all companies, and I am a customer expert who teaches customer service to companies who need it.  Your staff are professional in every way; they make you feel like you are rafting with friends instead of a company.  The food is very good, and the portions are.....well....if you leave the table hungry, it is your fault.  The campground is well-maintained and functional, while keeping the rustic setting. Please feel free to use this in all of your promotional materials."
D.H., South Fork American River, 2-Days, 5/23-24/09

"I wanted to send you a thank you note. My weekend at Mariah was phenomenal! I cannot tell you how much fun we had! Everything turned out perfect! All the food was good (banana pancakes, lobster, fresh fruit!), our guides were awesome! The first day we were on Mike's raft; he was knowledgeable about the area and told us a bit about the history of the area we were rafting through. The next day we were with Julie. She was fun, and explained how the water works and how to read it. Both guides were grade "A"! I still can't stop thinking about it, I didn't want to come home. I would say that this was an experience I will never forget; I just fell in love with everything and everyone."
D.M., South Fork American River, 2-Days, 5/06

"Melinda, had a great weekend courtesy of Mariah. Everyone on the trip had a fantastic time; the guides were great, and we really enjoyed the people we met. Please pass on our thanks to Donna and the rest of the Mariah team. Thanks again for a great time!"
J.P., South Fork American River, 2-Days

South Fork American River, 1-Day Entire River

We were a group of 12 and everyone had a great time; this was our first time and it was a great experience. Mariah, thank you so much for this trip. Overall rating: Value for the Money: 5 (out of 5). Overall Rating: 5 (out of 5).
A.K., South Fork American, Entire River, with extra camping and meals, 8/8/09
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Hi Donna, We had a GREAT time.  Thanks for recommending the breakfast; it made all the difference to get up and be cooked for. It was hot as a fax that day…but so great to be on the river, to be able to cool off throughout the day. I just want to say that the private photographer was really amazing. Kate (the photographer) told us that you have arranged her services for your clients. Let me just say that I think that is a SPLENDID service!!!  When we come back to the river we look forward to rafting with your company. We are ALL about more better, bigger rapids next time!  Thanks again for all your patience in the last-minute scheduling.
T.W.,  South Fork American, Entire River, with extra camping and meals, 6/28/09

South Fork American River, 1-Day Gorge Section

" Just wanted to let you know we had an awesome time with Mariah on Thursday. My son and his friend were very excited about the trip and your know guys...they don't always get as excited about things as us girls do.  Anyway, just wanted to let you know that Marc, who we rafted with, and Jason, were great!  They are definitely assets to your company. The pictures that were taken were awesome and it is great to have such great memories for my son and I, and his grandmother to share. You run a class act company, from reservations to the safety instructions, to lunch and especially the great ride down the rapids.  Keep up the great work. We will have to ride again, and not wait 25 years to do so.  Thank you again, I will recommend Mariah to all of my friends.
S.F., South Fork American River, 1-Day Gorge, 8/13/09

"...We put your rafting CD in the computer tonight, and we love it!  Thanks so much for the whole trip. We felt like special guests and loved every minute. We were so impressed with your whole operation. The pictures are a super, fabulous keepsake of the trip. You are awesome! Thanks!
B&C, South Fork American River, 1-Day Gorge, 7/30/09

South Fork American River, Raft Express (for kids as young as 4 years old)

Thanks for the rafting fun!  Matt was a great guide and made a perfect trip for the kids, including my 4-yr old!  Thanks again. A.S., South Fork American River, family Express trip, Marshall Gold Discovery State National Park to Mariah Camp, 3.5 miles,
3 hours, 7/30/09 8/10/09.

"Kenna was terrific! She was very personable and friendly. She quickly learned everyone's names and made us feel comfortable immediately. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and will definitely come back to raft with your company, and hopefully with Kenna as our guide."
K.E.,South Fork American River, Raft Express, 8/07.

American River, Youth Groups

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide Girl Scouts of Northern California with your Certificate of Insurance. Your facility will continue to be an Approved Vendor with Girl Scouts of Northern California! Your organization is now listed on our approved vendor list and we will provide your information to groups interested in hosting an event with a local rafting organization.  We look forward to working with you over the next year. Angela Hummingbird, Program Assistant, Girl Scouts of Northern California.
South Fork American River, Gorge Section, 8/29/09

Good morning, Melinda. We had a wonderful and successful experience with Mariah and are looking forward to next year. Hopefully, the feedback from your guides was positive and you will consider hosting our group again. (Of course we will)!!! The MOVE Program, as described in their website: www.pacificmove.org.  The Mountains, Ocean, Valley, Experience (M.O.V.E.) is a unique program designed to welcome new students to the Pacific Community by introducing them to the concept of responsible leadership through participation in a series of service projects in critical locations throughout Stockton and the Northern California Region.
W.S., Director MOVE Program, University of the Pacific (website: www.pacificmove.org). South Fork American River, Gorge Section, with extra camping and meals, 8/21/09

Hi Melinda, I just wanted to follow up with you about the trip this year. The staff said they really had a great time (the kids were ages 10-12yrs) and that the guides were great.
A.B., program Director, Kids’ Club/Summer Day Camps, Albany YMCA, South Fork American River, Gorge Section, 8/6/09.

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide Girl Scouts of Northern California with your Certificate of Insurance. Your facility will continue to be an Approved Vendor with Girl Scouts of Northern California! Your organization is now listed on our approved vendor list and we will provide your information to groups interested in hosting an event with a local rafting organization.  We look forward to working with you over the next year.
Angela Hummingbird, Program Assistant, Girl Scouts of Northern California. South Fork American River, Gorge Section, 8/29/09

"I just wanted to thank you and your team again for the great trip yesterday. We all had a fantastic time, and we appreciate the effort you and your team put into making each trip exhilerating, yet safe. Please relay my thanks to Melinda, Matt, and Donna B."
Troop 57, Orinda, South Fork, Whole River

South Fork American River, 1-Day Chili Bar Section

Melinda (office) was very helpful and accommodating! Because of our schedule, the available rafting days were inconvenient. She actually was able to OPEN A NEW TRIP for us on a more convenient day. Amazing! Fabulous! Excellent customer service.  Nikki is incredible—fun, interesting, informative, extremely competent, serious-and-on-task when necessary; she is very concerned with safety. You’re crazy to raft with anyone else! The scenery was beautiful! Trip was fun! Excellent lunch! And company was great.
C.B., South Fork American, Chili Bar Section, 8/8/09.

Whitewater rafting is exhilarating. The day was superb, from our arrival at base camp to our gear selection and fitting, the orientation instructions and floating down the river. Our guide was phenomenal! We had a kid with us who wanted to spend a lot of time in the water, and our guide was super-accommodating. It was the most fun that I’ve had on any rafting trip. Scenery, Facilities & Accommodations, Meals, Equipment, Itinerary, Value for the Money, Overall Rating: 5 (out of 5)!
N.B., South Fork American River, Chili Bar Section, 5/31/09.

"I've been river rafting nearly every year since I was 10 years old; I've rafted with Mariah 5+ times and it has always been such a pleasurable experience. Thank you for the fine customer service. When I go rafting, I go with Mariah, hands down."
B.L., South Fork American River, 2006

Middle Fork American River, 2-Day Trip

"What an absolutely perfect rafting experience!!! WOW!! The made-to-order beautiful weather, perfect number & combo of the rafters, the aawesome guides who were not only knowledgeable of the river and history, wonderfully friendly and fun, great cooks, excelling at managing the rafting abilities of each rafter to exceed our rafting experience (what an adrenaline rush). I LOVE THIS ORGANIZATION, from Donna to the staff, to every guide I have had the pleasure of rafting with!! There is no other company I would book a rafting trip with!! This is the ultimate rafting company!! MELISSA...you get my vote for "Best Guide of the Year!"  YOU ROCK!!!!"
L.W., Middle Fork 2-Day Trip, 8/13-14/09

I like the two-day trip. It has been many years that we had “roughed it”. It was worth it to experience the many stars at night and the quietness of the river.  Thanks for camping where there was a toilet, that was a plus. I would like to let you know I really enjoyed Melissa’s safety talk before the trip. She made the talk entertaining. We have heard many talks over the years, since 1980, hers was one of the best.  I enjoyed taking the two-day trip down the river to enjoy the side hikes to waterfalls and explore the mining history of the area. Thanks for bring the kayaks, they were fun. The guides are personable and professional. We were very lucky to have a small group with women our age and similar interests. I made friends on the trip that I hope will last a lifetime.
C.B., Middle Fork American River, 2-Day overnight, 8/13-14/09

Middle Fork American River, 1-Day Trip

"...the lovely chicken and steak dinner we had!! Everything was just perfect; we will be back next spring."
K.M., Middle Fork American River, 1-Day, 7/21/09

Thank you Mariah Wilderness Expeditions for a memorable trip. We had so much fun camping, swimming in the river, and of course, rafting with Dee!  Melinda made the reservation process so easy, answering all questions efficiently. We look forward to returning to more summer fun next season!  The trip EXCEEDED our expectations!
H.B., Middle Fork American River, 1-Day, 7/21/09

" Overall Rating..5 out of 5!" The office, and Melinda, was very helpful and thorough, despite the technical difficulties she was experiencing with her computer. However, she was still able to assist me. Our guide, Nikki, was absolutely outstanding.  Her expertise, instrucitons, and great spirit truly made our trip memorable. Marc was very helpful and cordial, as well.

      Our experience with Mariah was the first river rafting experience for all four of us. We all unanimously agreed that our guide, tour, and river run was better than we expected. Mariah will definitely be our host for our second river rafting trip, with a more challenging course.  Thank you to the staff of MWE for a great first river rafting trip. We look forward to seeing you all for our second run."
E.M., Middle Fork American River, 1-Day, 7/3/09

"The whole group had a blast and I did too. Thanks for having us! And I would definitely go through your company when I do it again."
E. M., Middle Fork American River, 1-Day, 5/08

I want to mention to you that we had a great time, in spite of the rain on Saturday. Everything you had set up for us went smoothly and I thank you for the tent, it really came in handy. Grady did an amazing job guiding us down the river, and we appreciate him coming out of retirement. The rest of the staff made it fun at camp and took care of everyone wonderfully. Next time we raft in California, we will definitely give Mariah a call."
Lloyd, Middle Fork American River, 1-Day, 5/08

"We had a great time! It was great to see Diane again and visit your part of the country. The canyon was beautiful and the rapids wild. The Tunnel Chute is definitely all it is made out to be. Next time we'll stay a little longer and hopefully, bring some friends with us."
Brian, Middle Fork American, 1-Day, 5/08

American River, Middle Fork-South Fork Combo

"Hi Melinda, We got back last week--meant to shoot you an email sooner but I've been paying my dues for being gone so long. Anyway, thanks for everything. It was 2 days of awesome rafting.  Daniel ws our guide the first day and Dee the second. Both were great; Dee is awesome. I also really appreciate you giving me your cell the night we were getting in late. We managed to get there by 8PM so all was good.  You get five stars for the total experience!"
D.K., South-Middle American River, Combo, 7/18-19/09.

Everything about the trip was great. The eclectic band (Dave’s Gang) was a nice touch, especially once they started playing music that everyone could sing along with. (DONNA, PUT LINK  HERE TO 2010). When the guides jumped behind the microphones, it was really great. Thanks for the memories.
S. & R. D, South-Middle American River Combo, 8/1-2/09.

Women's Whitewater Rafting and Adventure Travel

MIDDLE FORK AMERICAN RIVER - JUST FOR WOMEN

"What an absolutely perfect rafting experience!!! WOW!! The made-to-order beautiful weather, perfect number & combo of the rafters, the aawesome guides who were not only knowledgeable of the river and history, wonderfully friendly and fun, great cooks, excelling at managing the rafting abilities of each rafter to exceed our rafting experience (what an adrenaline rush). I LOVE THIS ORGANIZATION, from Donna to the staff, to every guide I have had the pleasure of rafting with!! There is no other company I would book a rafting trip with!! This is the ultimate rafting company!! MELISSA...you get my vote for "Best Guide of the Year!"  Amazing that such a tiny person could navigate all of us through such waters!  YOU ROCK!!!!  Overall rating 5++++ (on a scale of 1-5)
L.W., Middle Fork 2-Day Trip, 8/13-14/09.

I like the two-day trip. It has been many years that we had “roughed it”. It was worth it to experience the many stars at night and the quietness of the river.  Thanks for camping where there was a toilet, that was a plus. I would like to let you know I really enjoyed Melissa’s safety talk before the trip. She made the talk entertaining. We have heard many talks over the years, since 1980, hers was one of the best.  I enjoyed taking the two-day trip down the river to enjoy the side hikes to waterfalls and explore the mining history of the area. Thanks for bring the kayaks, they were fun. The guides are personable and professional. We were very lucky to have a small group with women our age and similar interests. I made friends on the trip that I hope will last a lifetime.
C.B., Middle Fork American River, 2-Day overnight, 8/13-14/09

The staff and guides were AWESOME!!! Our guides absolutely MADE the trip. They were all very attentive to the guests’ needs, the meals were incredible, considering we were camping. And the guides went above and beyond to make sure each of us was able to hike and be active with the group.  This may become an annual trip for myself and my partner. We were super impressed with the entire process and we felt very welcome and accepted by the guides. Again, the guides were a lot of fun and very knowledgeable and obviously very skilled. The meals were excellent-everything was fresh, the things that should be cold were cold, there were enough beverages for all the thirsty rafters. Overall, it was a great experience. This trip EXCEEDED my expectations.
H.G., Middle Fork American River, 2-Day overnight, 8/13-14/09

I can’t say enough times how much I enjoy coming back to Mariah year after year. You’ve set a very high standard, and over the past 19 years, I’ve always been taken care of perfectly, professionally, knowledgeably and with fantastic customer service….every time. I’ll always raft with Mariah.  I would do this trip (overnight) over and over again. It wasn’t long enough, it was so fun. What a great group cohesiveness that developed with our luxurious 2-day itinerary, and the guides’ attention to every little detail to make it special for us. It was as exciting as it was fun and relaxing. Please do this trip EVERY year.
L.S., Middle Fork American River, 2-Day overnight, 8/13-14/09

SOUTH FORK AMERICAN RIVER - JUST FOR WOMEN

"Just wanted to say thanks for a great time with the WOAR weekend crowd. The food was great and everything was seemingly organized. We plan to do it again next year. The staff were all fantastic. Thanks again,
I. and J., South Fork American River, 6/06

WOMEN'S COSTA RICA ACTIVE ADVENTURE VACATION - JUST FOR WOMEN

"This was an awesome trip! Everything was seamless. Mariah and all the guides make all their trips great experiences. I have never been disappointed. Would definitely recommend Mariah to anyone thinking of doing a trip. I will be doing more trips with Mariah in the future."
Costa Rica all-women trip

HOW TO MAKE A RESERVATION:  PLEASE CALL MARIAH'S OFFICE AT 1-800-462-7424, to check for availability and to make an initial reservation. We will send you lots more information about your trip, including equipment lists and places to stay in the area, and answer all your questions about your trip. Your deposit within ten days of the booking confirms your trip. Trip balance is due 45 days before your trip date.