On the evening of August 2nd, 2023 heavy rains near the Boundary Creek Launch Site on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River triggered several landslides (aka “debris flows” or “blowouts”) that blocked the river. These landslides brought trees down to the river which floated down and created several river wide logjams. Debris flows are the result of intense microburst storms that occur over previous fire scars in steep terrain. Last August several of these landslides occurred at Ramshorn Creek and Spike Creek blocking the river… Read More
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This article contains terms we use in our whitewater rowing schools. Although some of this is specific to rowing oar rafts, the terminology is consistent with paddle rafts and kayaks. Ferries Ferry (or “ferrying”) is a general term that describes moving laterally across the current. This occurs when being positioned at an angle (“ferry angle”) to the current and moving at a different speed than the current. A Ferry Angle is the angle between your boat and the current that causes lateral movement across the… Read More
I look back at the 2022 season with so much pride. This was our 14th season, and I’m so proud that we were able to continue running authentic, professional, and memorable trips. This was our busiest year yet, with 62 trips on 10 different rivers. Here are some of the highlights: Rowing Classes in Hood River Our season began in February with private rowing courses here in Hood River. We ran these courses on the Hood, White Salmon, Klickitat, Wind, and Washougal rivers. One of the… Read More
All of our river trips include tents, sleeping bags, and pads. While you are welcome to bring your own gear if you like, we take pride in providing exceptional camping gear with no extra fee. While our gear may vary very slightly depending on available models when it comes time to replace, we try to keep it as similar as possible. This is what we currently bring on trips: Tent Length: 7 feet 6 in Width: 8 feet 6 in Height at the center: 5 feet… Read More
Big red canyon walls and miles of rolling river through remote south eastern Oregon puts the Owyhee on many river enthusiasts list. As you start planning your trip you quickly begin to learn the brutal nature of spring in the Owyhee Canyonlands. A truly fickle snowpack and river flow can go from perfect to nothing in a day or two, but back to great with a perfectly planned storm. Many keep their eye on the snow all winter only to be disappointed when it melts at… Read More
Traveling with dietary restrictions can be stressful–especially while on a backcountry rafting trip where someone else is preparing your food. At the end of the day, we don’t think that “meal anxiety” should stop anyone from joining river trips! For years, we have accommodated vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free (GF) diets as well as a variety of food-based allergies. Meals take time to plan and shop for, and our guides do their very best to accommodate preferences and restrictions. Still, we do need a little pre-trip… Read More
Introducing guests of any age to the rivers we call home is easily the best part of our job. Still, nothing really competes with watching the excitement of a kid who just conquered their very first rapid! Families make up a big bulk of our summer guests–especially on the Rogue River! While some of these families may be experienced rafters or campers, most of our guests are brand new to the experience. While we know you and your family will love our river trips, we understand… Read More
Whitewater rafting is a sport that has changed my life, so I am particularly interested in helping others work on their whitewater skills in a responsible manner. To facilitate learning, I created a rowing course and curriculum in 2006, which we originally called a “recreational guide school.” Since then, we’ve learned a ton about how people learn about and improve their whitewater rowing, river safety, and river rescue techniques. The following is a progression to consider while working on your all-around whitewater rafting skills. First, Learn… Read More
From clean drinking water to sustainable economies based on outdoor recreation, rivers provide far more than just a good vacation! Since people protect what they love, our guides work hard to educate guests on the importance of river ecosystems. Our collective goal is to inspire support for conservation efforts. With the holidays coming up, we want to share some of our favorite PNW river conservation groups and how they fight to preserve rivers for future generations. However you prefer to show support, we hope to spread… Read More
And that’s a wrap! September 27th marked the official end of our 2021 rafting season, a bittersweet moment as we enter the fall and winter months. Our warehouses are closed, our guides are off on their next adventures, and our phone line has grown much quieter. As we take this time to exhale after a busy year, it’s difficult not to reflect on the incredible season we pulled off! Our 2021 Response to COVID COVID created challenges for all river outfitters to overcome. We had to… Read More