Pool raft no match for dangerous American River rapids, sheriff's office says
Two people found themselves needing to be rescued after their inflatable vessel hit dangerous rapids along the South Fork of the American River over the weekend.
The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office says rescue crews were called out to the notorious "Meatgrinder" rapid area of the river on Sunday.
Two friends were reported to have been stranded after their vessel, a swimming pool raft, had hit several rocks on the rapids and started deflating. The people were visiting from out of the area, deputies say.
On Sunday, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office received a call for assistance from two subjects who were stranded on...
Posted by El Dorado County Sheriff's Office on Monday, June 9, 2025
Deputies, a Cal Fire crew, and county parks river patrol units all responded to help in the rescue. After giving the friends some safety gear, the pair was taken to safety.
The Meatgrinder stretch of the South Fork of the American River is rated as a Class III+ rapid, an intermediate difficulty level that requires a craft specifically designed for whitewater rafting.