About Zephyr

Since 1973, Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions has been offering the best of California’s Rivers to those lucky ones who were willing to take the challenge – and the lucky ones have been many – from the seven year old who will forever have great memories of her family’s whitewater outing to the 75 year old grandfather who claimed that his rafting trip was one of the highlights of his life.

Zephyr has changed a lot since 1973. We now use state of the art self-bailing rafts designed for whitewater rafting instead of military surplus “bucket boats”; our guides wear Teva river sandals and hi-tech river shorts instead of cut-off Levi’s (which never seemed to dry) and bare feet; our busses are painted, inspected annually by the California Highway Patrol and our food is “river gourmet”!

Over the years we have grown to become the largest rafting outfitter in the Yosemite region of California offering trips on the Merced and Tuolumne rivers, and 1 of only 3 outfitters permitted to operate trips on the Kings river near Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park.

Our philosophy, however, has not changed at all. Our reason for being in this business is the same as it has always been…we get great joy in seeing our guests experience magic. We also take great pleasure in being able to experience that magic ourselves.

The Furgeson Family

So join us, open yourself to adventure. For those of you who have been before, we invite you to reaffirm that special feeling which you know so well. For first timers, get out of that old routine, if only for a day, and experience the extraordinary.

Sincerely,
Bob, Jane, Nathan & Adam Ferguson

Work at Zephyr

Employment opportunities at Zephyr are numerous. From river guides, to seasonal office staff, to food buyers and warehouse workers, to auto mechanics and marketing professionals. If you are interested in any of the above categories, or have any particular skills that you think we should know about, please e-mail us or call our office and let us know.

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS are available for:

  1. Head Chef/Food Buyer for our Kings River operation. Duties include purchasing food, organizing our outdoor kitchen, supervising our guides (who do most of the cooking in tandem with the chef) and cooking for our rafting clients  at our 5 acre base camp right on the banks of the Kings River. Tent lodging and all meals included.  This is a great job with flexibility and the opportunity to go on some of our rafting trips at no charge.
  2. Bus drivers. We need a full time driver for our Kings river operation near Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park due east of the Fresno area in central California. Must have CDL with passenger and air brake endorsements. If you are already a trained river guide with a CDL, we will pay you handsomely. If you are a school bus driver in the Fresno area and are looking for summer work, please give us a call.
  3. Whitewater Guides. If you are interested in becoming a river guide, then check out our fun and rigorous Whitewater Guide School. If you are already an experienced guide, send us an e-mail with your river experience or give us a call and let us know you’re interested in joining the Zephyr team.

Job includes good pay, all meals, free river trips, wonderful camping on the banks of the Kings river, and a fantastic group of people to work with. For further information, please call Bob Ferguson at (209) 532-6249

Agency Partnerships

US Forest Service

Zephyr is a permitted Recreation Service Partner with the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation. Trips on the Kings river are permitted by the Sierra and Sequoia National Forests, on the Tuolumne by the Stanislaus National Forest, and on the Merced by the Bureau of Land Management, Folsom district office. Zephyr does not discriminate.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service is a diverse organization committed to equal opportunity in employment and program delivery. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Dept. of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

To file a complaint of discrimination: write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Bldg, 1400 Independence Ave, SW, Washington D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Here to Help

We’re here to help!

Our friendly office staff are ready to answer any questions and help you book your next adventure!

209-532-6249