Through Drought and Loss, Letchworth Rafting Returns to Raging Genesee

CASTILE – After a dried-up summer and the loss of one of their most loved guides, this weekend’s rainfall swelled the Genesee River and made rafting trips available right at the end of the season.

The drought shut down Adventure Calls Outfitters, for the summer, but heavy rain has restored water levels just in time for rafting trips next weekend. Reservations are now open.

“Our last trips of the year will be next weekend,” said Kevin Kretschmer of Adventure Calls Outfitters. “More rain is forecast this week so we are expecting decent flows to continue.”

The drought was tough, but Adventure Calls Outfitters, like the river, would inevitably recover. Good and bad seasons will come and go. After a log summer with very little rain, Kevin Williams, Director of Meteorology for our news partners, News10NBC, said that Livingston County received 3 to 4 inches over the weekend.

This week’s return to the water means even more to Adventure Calls Outfitters following the loss of guide Chuck Evingham Jr. to cancer.

“The drought this summer certainly impacted our business adversely, resulting in a financial loss of approximately $150K in gross revenues, roughly half of what we average annually,” said Kretschmer. “To be honest however, my staff and I have been hardest hit by the recent death of one of the guides, Chuck Evingham Jr., to cancer. He was beloved by all. The fact that we are back on the water now has been a blessing in that everyone has been able to find some peace as a group in the place he loved so much. I am most thankful for that.”

Trips are Saturday Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Sunday Oct. 30 at 2 p.m.

“Reservations are encouraged and we will definitely be using wetsuits,” says Adventure Calls Outfitters on their website. To make a reservation you can call 1 (888) 270-2410.