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Outdoor Summer Guide, Part Two Joseph Vaile Wednesday Mar 22, 2017 at 12:01 AM By Joseph Vaile KS Wild This is the second in a three-part series to your outdoor summer guide. In this installment, we will look at some of the guided trips that outfitters offer in Southern Oregon and Northern California. Part one featured a sampler of the non-profits organizations that can get you out in nature. The third installment will feature my list of the top overnight backpacking trips in the region. It’s beginning to look a lot like spring. The wet weather has given us lush green hillsides, the creeks are brimming, and there’s water everywhere. Summer is right around the corner. As you think about your summer outdoor plans, sometimes it is easier to hire an outfitter rather than buying all the gear, getting out the map, and doing all the research needed to have a real outdoor adventure. Luckily, we have some of the best-guided trips anywhere on the West Coast right here in our region. People come from all over the world to float our rivers, hike our mountains and visit our parks and monuments. Here is a sampler of some of my favorite trips, with my favorite guide services. All of these outfitters also help protect the places where they work. Rafting: Several top-tier rafting outfitters are based in Southern Oregon and Northern California. They offer trips to explore what is likely the greatest concentration of wild rivers just about anywhere. A suite of rivers — the Smith, Illinois, Chetco, Rogue, Klamath, and Salmon — offer unimaginable opportunities for boating, fishing and outdoor adventure, all within a few hours of Ashland. ROW, Northwest Rafting, ARTA, Indigo Creek and Momentum River Expeditions are some of my favorites. Any one of these companies will you show you a good time out on the water. If you’re a novice and you’re looking for an easy half-day float with some excitement, Indigo Creek offers trips on the Rogue River down Nugget and Tilomikh Falls. This trip is close to Ashland and perfect for families with children. Learn more at indigocreekoutfitters.com If you are looking for a trip that is also a retreat, Northwest Rafting Co. offers yoga trips down the Wild and Scenic Rogue River. On this trip you can soak up in a wild river canyon, while enjoying yoga sessions in nature. See more at nwrafting.com Hiking: The easiest way to hike wild country is to have all your gear float down a wild river while you take in the beauty from the trail with a light daypack. Then, at the end the day, you get to stay at a wilderness lodge or camp under the stars. There are several companies, including ARTA, Momentum River Expeditions, Rogue Wilderness and Orange Torpedo that offer raft assisted hiking trips on the historic Rogue River Trail. The lower Rogue River was one of the first National Wild and Scenic Rivers, and the trail is filled with wildlife encounters, beautiful scenery and historic lore. Biking: Redwood Rides provides incredible trips in Redwood Country in and around Crescent City, California. They offer several biking trips, from easy out-and-backs to single-track back country trails or birding on bikes. The Old Redwood Highway is a relatively easy and affordable option along the 1930s era road that closed to car traffic long ago. A bike ride through coastal redwoods is a great way to take in stunning views of ancient trees and dramatic cliffs above the ocean while breathing in fresh coastal air of the temperate rain forest. Learn more at www.redwoodrides.com. Fishing: There are several outstanding fishing guides in our region. If you want to check out the amazing emerald waters of the Chetco and the stunning salmon and steelhead, Harvey Young is one of the best guides — reach him on Facebook at @FishawkRiverCo. For a Rogue River trip, head over to Roguespey.com If tying a fly and casting a line is how you relax and rejuvenate, there is no better company than Flywater Travel to arrange a trip. Multi-sport: Are you the type who can’t choose what you want to do because you are looking for a little bit of everything in your trip? Momentum River Expeditions offers a Safari Style trip on the Upper Klamath River with options for mountain biking, running, inflatable kayaking and flyfishing. But the real treat with this trip is the “glamping” (glamorous camping). No tent to pitch, no set-up — they take care of you. The Upper Klamath has big white water, but you also can get in some exercise, break out the bikes or the running shoes or just relax on the beach. — Joseph Vaile is executive director of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center (KS Wild, 541-488-5789, www.kswild.org). His Wild Side column appears every three weeks.