sierra south mountain sports

An all-around amazing starting point for exploring everything the Kern River has to offer. The guides and staff are extremely knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and focused on creating a world-class experience for any type of group.Nothing negative to say about this company - a must-do when visiting Kernville!

All the staff for the river trips are extensively trainer, only the best are employed. Your safety is number one for this company. The river rafting trips are the most fun around. They also sell and stand behind their products with staff that is knowledgeable about the lake and river, and can set you up with a guide or instructor for anything water related. Enjoy! This is a must when visiting the area.

Early booking via email. Very flexible in terms of giving us credit for glasses and shorts required for the trip. Staff and instructor were very patient and friendly. Next year is predicted to yield a lot of water so go then.

Proceed at your own risk! I went to Sierra South on the weekend of June 28th with a group of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. About 15 of us rented tubes. Although we were issued helmets and life vests, we were told we didn't need the helmets for tubing. We were taken on a bus for about 20 minutes upriver and set loose without any explanations of anything to do with tubing, what to expect, etc. We all went in, and floated down river. When I got to a waterfall, my tube flipped over and I was pinned under some very large rocks. My water shoes came off and I struggled for about a minute to free myself. When I finally got out from under the water, I was covered with scratches and bruises. Although I was relieved to be alive, I found myself trapped in the river with no one around to help me. After about 15 minutes another rafter gave me a tube to ride the rest of the way. I struggled to get back in the tube and after being dumped out several more times and nearly drowning, I eventually made it to the end of the "trail" where Sierra South was there to retrieve their tube. Several kayakers from other companies offered to assist me and others in my group that had been ejected from their tubes. No one from Sierra South ever appeared anywhere along the river. When I finally got out, Sierra South’s reaction to my injuries was pretty much just a shoulder shrug. I had to walk across a 100 degree hot asphalt area to get near their store to find the rest of my party. One sympathetic employee brought me a pair of water shoes to replace the ones that had been swept down the river and offered a first aid kid. She was the only person that said a word to me about the horrifying event. Besides nearly drowning several times, I suffered numerous abrasions and cuts, and a broken toe.Use this terrible company at your own risk. Out of our party of 15, 11 of them had a nice trip. Four had to be rescued, including one who fought to make his way to the shore and whose family had to go find him.

Really enjoyed ourselves, first time rafting. Staff was great, price reasonable. We will be backto Sierra South next trip to the Kern.

I am the only one in my family who has white water rafted. I read the descriptions of the Lickety Blaster and it seemed like a good intro for my husband, kids ages 7 and 5, and parents, ages 66 and 67. I was right. We had SUCH A GOOD TIME. The river was pretty low due to low snow pack, but it was still a great ride. Brandon was our guide and he was funny, knowledgeable, patient with the kids and a nervous grandmother. Awesome. Totally worth the time and money.

I am a middle aged woman who had never rafted before. I was a bit apprehensive but the entire staff worked in a friendly manner to calm my fears. The entire experience was a positive one from the time I started inquiring about rafting trips to the time I turned my life vest and paddle back in. I highly recommend this company for rafting the kern!!Thanks to all of the staff at Sierra South, I am no longer afraid to raft and look forward to the next time I can go!!

Whitewater river rafting on the upper Kern in the Southern Sierra. Choose your level - having just done their Class IV water, I think I'm more of a III gal myself, but this was definitely a thrill. You are well prepared and supervised by your guides: lifevests and helmets and what to do when. We took a practice run in Kernville, then up to the Johnsondale Bridge to run a more difficult stretch two times. (Not all of the river is runnable, so specific stretches are selected).Your guides take great care of you - plenty of cold water, snacks, and corny schtick on the bus rides. They are young, fit, and unflappable. All of them constantly supervise the flotilla of about 4 rafts with 6 to 4 passengers each. I did go flying out of the raft in one rapid - wow is that river powerful! I was plucked out promptly - all the guides have an eye on everyone and a whistle to communicate.Thrilling and absolutely beautiful. The weather was hot and river was cold, so it felt great to get splashed in the white water. What to bring: water shoes, non-cotton clothing and cheap sunglasses with a tether. They will keep your other things while you raft. A couple rafters brought their cameras inside hardened water-proof cases, securely tethered. I wish now we'd asked for a picture - none were taken by Sierra South, although they had a set-up so they might on the week-ends. It would be great if they had a camera set up, like they do on rollercoasters, to catch the action. But the river is very changeable as the snowmelt varies so it might not be practical. This is a seasonal attraction, spring through summer. This year is predicted to be long, with record-high flows.