The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is so well-known that it is simply referred to as the “Middle Fork.” It has jaw-dropping scenery, world-class fishing, hot springs, great camp sites, and wildlife. Whitewater kayakers appreciate the continuous whitewater punctuated with a few big rapids each day. There are also some great play spots and tons of catch-on-the-fly surf waves. What to Expect Beginning at the Boundary Creek Launch Site, the whitewater is continuous and challenging through Pistol Creek Rapid at mile 22. Below Pistol Creek… Read More
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One of the “Outstandingly Remarkable Values” that contributed to the designation of the Illinois River as a National Wild and Scenic River is botany. Some of the plants and wildflowers are common and others are rare adaptations to the serpentine geology. California Lady’s Slipper The California Lady’s Slipper is a rare orchid found in Northern California and Southern Oregon. Each stem can have up to 21 flowers that are fertilized by trapping insects in their pouch (or slipper). Tolmie’s Star Tulip These beautiful flowers are also… Read More
The Rogue River is one of the best multi-day river trips in the world. Here are the top 5 reasons we love paddling it in the spring. 1. Incredibly Green & Lush The canyon surrounding the Rogue River is always green, but in the spring it is so incredibly lush! The Rogue River is a wonderful river for day hikes and the vegetation in the spring makes it even more lovely. 2. Waterfalls The many side creeks that flow into the Rogue are gushing with rainwater… Read More
Tucked into the Northeast corner or Oregon, tumbling out of the Blue Mountains, is the Grande Ronde River. A gem for rafters and kayakers looking for multi-day trip with excellent camps, awesome wildlife, and spectacular big canyon views. This is a unique trip because it actually starts on the Wallowa River, enters the Grande Ronde 9 miles into the trip, and finishes at the confluence with the Wenaha River at Troy. All three are designated as National Wild and Scenic Rivers. With snowpack around parts of… Read More
A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity row a Creature Craft down California’s North Fork of the Smith River. These unique inflatable boats were inspired by an unflippable Russian whitewater boat known as the Bublik (Russian “bagel”). The Bublik has two large bagel shaped tubes separated by a wood frame that is typically crafted at put-in. This unflippable Russian boat design allows Russians explorers to run many of the large volume, continuous rivers found in Siberia. The Bublik has the ability to go into big… Read More
Most of the well known whitewater rivers flow through Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or National Park Service land and many are National Wild and Scenic Rivers. The land surrounding many of the the iconic multi-day river trips are additionally protected as Wilderness or National Monuments. As a user of these public lands it’s good to know a little about each designation. Most public lands are managed the United States Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Managment (BLM), or the National Park Service (NPS). National… Read More
Maybe you’ve heard the roar of Lava Falls echoing up the canyon or maybe you’ve just heard about it. Any trip down the Grand Canyon comes down to the climactic moment of rowing Lava. But there is plenty of time to practice before you get to Lava at Mile 179.7 and there are specific rowing techniques that are important to know for the Colorado River. A river with the longest and most storied whitewater rowing history in America. Quick History of Rowing the Grand Canyon John… Read More
Last year I was shown photos of the headwaters of the Mo Chhu (Female River) near Laya, Bhutan revealing a section of the river that could potentially be kayaked. I immediately began planning a recce. At home we call this a first descent while Bhutan it’s referred to a “recce,” a trip to see if a river is feasible for other groups. It is a unique experience to paddle a river that nobody has ever done. The pre-trip planning requires extensive map work as well as… Read More
1. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is 48 years old! President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act into law by on October 2, 1968. The act turns 50 in 2018. “We are establishing a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System which will complement our river development with a policy to preserve sections of selected rivers in their free-flowing conditions and to protect their water quality and other vital conservation values.” – President Lyndon B. Johnson 2. Wild and Scenic Rivers have… Read More
It is truly an honor to outfit trips on the Chetco River through the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. This extraordinary trip begins with a 10 mile hike (with a heavy pack) to the river followed by 20 miles of paddling Class III and IV rapids (and some portages) in an inflatable kayak. It’s a challenging journey but you are rewarded with absolute solitude and beauty. Last week a few hardy souls joined us to make this epic journey at a flow of 500 cfs. The Hike First of… Read More