Pioneers of California Rafting The sport of whitewater rafting was in its infant stages in 1962. That spring George Armstrong placed a small raft into the Stanislaus River near Yosemite National Park and ventured into the unknown. He lived to tell about it and fell in love with rivers and rafting. Soon he and his family were sharing their new found love with others. A lot has been learned since those early days of rafting, but the same joy and excitement initially experienced on the river has only grown. And so has the All-Outdoors family. Now, 60 years later, three generations of Armstrongs and the All-Outdoors staff welcome more than 10,000 guests on river trips throughout California each year!