On the last day of the June 1, 2016 Rowing School, Tamie Stonke, one of our students, came up to me and exclaimed, “I have been rowing for 14 years, how come no one has ever taught me this stuff?” This is the third year I have been fortunate to be an instructor in the Northwest Rafting Company Class III Rowing School. Three years ago my wife Susan and I were talking to Zach Collier the owner of Northwest Rafting Company in his Hood River office.… Read More
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Last week we returned to the spectacularly beautiful Chetco River. This mighty river has it’s headwaters in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and flows 56 miles to the Pacific Ocean. We are lucky to outfit and guide a few intrepid groups down this river each year. Anyone who has been down the Chetco will talk about it’s amazingly clear water, jaw dropping scenery, and the hard work it takes to get there. Developing the techniques and equipment to run this style of trip has been a fun project… Read More
Earlier this month I attended the Upper Clackamas Whiteater Festival. If you for some crazy reason have never been, you should go next year. It has the relaxed friendly atmosphere of a county fair with lots of competitions on the water and a great community of dedicated boaters. One of the best features for rafters is the fleets of demo rafts and catarafts brought by the manufacturers. A supremely helpful crew of volunteers drive boats on flat bed trailers to a put-in upstream and then pick… Read More
Why is the Owyhee River geology cool? The geology of the Lower Owyhee River is unique for several reasons. First, the oldest rocks on the Owyhee are around 16 million years old (Ma). This may seem old; however, geologically speaking this is very young. To give some perspective, the youngest rocks in the Grand Canyon are 245 Ma and the oldest are about 1.8 billion years old; the Appalachian Mountains are around 250 Ma; and the Rocky Mountains started growing about 70 Ma. The oldest rocks… Read More
It’s almost rafting season again! I’m back in the office this week after being away for the winter, and as I start to answer the phones again, I realize I’m often asked the same questions. Here is a list of the most common ones! What should I wear? For most of our trips in the summer, the weather is typically warm and sunny. We recommend wearing synthetic-fabric shorts, sandals, and either a short-sleeve or long-sleeved quick-drying shirt. I personally like long-sleeves, as they keep my fair… Read More
The Rogue River is a southern Oregon gem, and classic multi-day river trip. The Rogue attracts many new boaters each year because of its Class II-III rapids, great weather, camps, and side hikes. There is so much to do while floating the Wild and Scenic Rogue River. Hiking opportunities are endless. Here are a handful of hints, helpful land marks, and things not to miss to get ready for your first Rogue adventure. Grave Creek Bridge This is a popular put-in location for many boaters with… Read More
As we say our goodbyes to winter, and cheer for snow in the mountains, it is time to greet spring with a river trip that hasn’t seen many people over the past few years. The past couple of years of low snowpack in much of the west, has left rivers like the Owyhee too low to raft. Well this year is different! The snowpack is looking good and many are headed to the Owyhee River for some spring rafting trips. The Owyhee Canyonlands are known for… Read More
The Rogue River captured my heart the first time I saw it. I will remember my first trip down very fondly. I had recently returned from a backpacking trip in India and was ready for a summer filled with sleeping outside, rafting, and sharing the outdoors with people. There was rain in the forecast but that wasn’t going to stop me from having fun. The water was high, my sleeping bag got a little wet, but it made a huge impact on my life. Here I… Read More
Since my first trip on the Chetco River I’ve been looking for a lightweight inflatable kayak for hiking into remote and challenging rivers. Last year AIRE introduced the BAKraft Hybrid, a 7 foot long boat constructed with a urethane bladder and protected by a Spectra outer layer. This was a step in the right direction, but not big enough to run difficult whitewater with overnight gear. Recently AIRE has been designing and prototyping a 10 foot, 10 pound version of the BAKraft called the “Expedition.” The… Read More
Located just to the south of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, Josephine Creek is a remote and stunning tributary to the Illinois River. Paddling this creek has been an alluring, yet challenging goal, pieced together over the last few years by several motivated individuals. I am fortunate to have been part of this story by enjoying a sunny first descent of the 2.6 miles above previously ran sections. Although Southern Oregon is home to several kayakers and whitewater enthusiasts, Josephine Creek remains a hidden piece of whitewater because of… Read More