Mountain Swimming Hole Adventure
Join MountainGeist on a family-friendly excursion exploring prestine mountain swimming holes! We have locations from the foothills to the High Sierra to accommodate the seasons.
You may also upgrade your adventure and combine a full day High Sierra hike while exploring several swimming holes along the way or simply choose to hang out alongside the mountain river for a more relaxing experience.
We also offer alpine lakes swimming adventures as well. Your expert guide will be knowledgeable of river safety as well as being a qualified lifeguard.
Depending on your level of challenge, some more adventurous holes require a more strenuous hike – it all depends on the experience you choose!
CALL TO BOOK NOW!
EXPERIENCE
Mountain Swimming Hole Adventure
ACTIVITY
Hiking & Swimming
DESTINATION
Stanislaus National Forest, High Sierra
SEASON
Summer
DURATION
4 - 6 Hours
CHALLENGE
Moderate
SOLITUDE
Less Traveled
PRICE
From $120 PP, lunch included
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Expert Outdoor Guide and Qualified Lifeguard
Guide will carry all necessary navigational tools (map, compass, GPS)
First Aid kit carried by guide trained in wilderness first aid
Water at trailhead (bottle/s)
Water filtration while on trail
Light trail snacks – may contain nuts
Bag Lunch (on full day experiences only)
USFS permits and guiding fees (does not include park entrance fees)
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
Guide Gratuities
Transportation to/from trailhead (we will caravan from a central meeting location)
Personal Park Entry Fees (where appropriate and driving separately)
Please call for equipment rental options for specialized gear (bikes, boats, paddleboards, etc.)
WHAT TO BRING
Highly Recommended
PFD (life preserver) for minors or anyone who is not a strong swimmer
Swimsuit and towel
Light day pack for personal belongings
Comfortable hiking shoes with grippy soles
Water or river shoes
Comfortable outdoor clothing – synthetic, non-cotton is recommended
Sunscreen (SPF 30+) and SPF rated lip balm
Sun hat
Additional top insulating layer of clothing (e.g microfleece or ‘puffy’)
Wind/Water resistant jacket (top shell)
Headlamp or small flashlight
WHAT TO BRING
Optional
Camera
Sunglasses
Personal water bottle or hydration pack (1-liter minimum recommended)
Additional trail snacks (especially those with dietary restrictions or allergies)
Walking poles
Personal medication
Bug spray
Nitty Gritty Details
Scheduled Days of Experience
Swimming Hole Adventures are offered on weekends and holidays throughout the summer and early fall as weather allows. Call to book. Private experiences may be booked during the week days with prior arrangement.
Meeting Time and Place
Upon booking, you will be provided an exact time and meeting location which will can be tailored up or down the highway 4 corridor to accommodate our guests.
Transportation
All transport to and from the trailhead will be in your personal vehicle. The group will caravan together from the meeting location to the trailhead.
Duration
The duration of the experience from leaving the trailhead is approximately 3-4 hours.
Challenge and Terrain
Easy to Moderate – We have swimming hole locations accessible to the entire family that only require a short hike on level ground with very little elevation gain to more adventurous options that require additional elevation gain and scrambling to access. The more challenging the approach, generally, the more solitude you will have. Trailhead elevations range from 1,500 feet in the Foothills to 8,000 feet in the High Sierra.
Solitude
Local Favorite to Less-Traveled – Again, depending on the location and length of approach, swimming holes range from local favorites where you will most likely encounter other small groups depending on the day to less-traveled locations where you may have the entire swimming hole to yourself.
Group Size
You may expect anywhere from three to eight other ‘adventurers’ on your shared experience. Private experiences are available.
Minimum Age
Generally, we encourage each participant to consider their ability in meeting the “challenge” level outlined in each experience rather than adhering to strict age limits. We recommend a minimum age of 8 on this experience. Please be aware that mountain rivers and streams can be dangerous and all minors need to be strictly accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Trip Packet
Shortly before the scheduled day of the experience, a trip packet will be sent to the contact email who booked the experience. You will be provided trip details, trailhead information, weather forecast update, and reminders on what to pack and what to expect. You will also receive a liability waiver and a few other items to fill out prior to the day of the experience which will be returned via email or delivered in person to the guide at the meeting location.
Security
As with parking in any remote location, we encourage you to leave any valuables at home and lock anything remaining of value in your trunk or out of site. Due to wildlife considerations, we discourage leaving food or scented items in your vehicle. There are generally no bear boxes at the trailheads where we will be parking, so leave what you don’t need on the ride at your home, hotel or rental.
Park Entry Fees
Some experiences may take place within parks or recreational areas that require a personal entry fee. When traveling in your separate personal vehicle following the guide, you will be responsible for any park entry fees where appropriate. Most trailheads in the Stanislaus National Forest do not require an entry fee or collect parking fees during non-winter seasons.
Lodging
Need recommendations for lodging before or after your experience? Don’t hesitate to call us and we can help provide information.
Pricing Details
This experience is open to the public and single participants will join a larger group.
Pricing per person (PP) based on number of people in booking party (not total group size).
Discounts provided to parties booking with 2 or more people.
“Solo” pricing option available on experiences that do not book multiple participants (it does not refer to a private experience).
Non-refundable deposit required upon booking. $25 per person for open trips or 20% of the total price for private trips.
Private group experience upgrade fee of $200 per group.
Full-Day and Multi-Sport Upgrades are available
Call for details about private groups, corporate events and custom experiences
Cancellation Policy
Refunds offered up to 48-hours in advance of all day or half-day trips (7-days in advance of all multi-day trips) less the non-refundable deposit unless cancelled by MountainGeist in which a full refund or credit will be offered.
Single-participant, non-private experiences (public experiences that only book a single participant), will have the option to either upgrade to a “solo” price experience or cancel 48-hours in advance with a full refund. The “solo” option may be designated at time of booking as well.
Pricing
SOLO OPTION
$170
1 PERSON
$95 / PP
2-3 PEOPLE
$85 / PP
4+ PEOPLE
$75 / PP
UNDER 12
15% Discount
TRIPS OFFERED: Mountain Swimming Hole Adventure
| HIGH SIERRA: Mokelumne Riverr - Hermit Valley downstream | TBD |
| ARNOLD AREA: Sour Grass - Stanislaus | TBD |
| ARNOLD AREA: McKays Dam - Stanislaus | TBD |
| MURPHYS AREA: Candy Rock | TBD |
| MURPHYS AREA: Blue Hole | TBD |
| MURPHYS AREA: Camp 9 - Stanislaus | TBD |
| BEAR VALLEY AREA: Spicer Dam downstream | TBD |
| BEAR VALLEY AREA: Highland Creek | TBD |
| BEAR VALLEY AREA: Union/Utica | TBD |