July 17, 2010 Trip Report

Here is a movie from the last trip, enjoy:

100717 Rocky Mtn. River Tours from Aaron Beck on Vimeo.

Trip Report: July 1, 2010

There is something really great about the July 1st launch date. Maybe it is that the flowers are in bloom, salmon are on their way to spawning beds, plenty of sunshine on our faces, consistent water flows, or the fact that we move from a 9-day turn around to an 8-day schedule, but for some reason once July rolls around it feels like the summer is finally underway.

We were lucky enough to start the July 1st trip with a walk to Dagger Falls to watch wild, native Chinook Salmon driving headlong up the falls on their way to the Middle Fork's headwaters (Bear Valley and Marsh Creeks) and to their spawning beds.

What an incredible show:

The crew at the Dagger Falls observation deck.

Even though high water is a few weeks behind us, Mother Nature threw us a curve ball right out of the gates. Just below TeePee Hole a log blocked the river early on day-1. Thanks to Jon Green and other sweep boat drivers on the river a portion of the log was cut out and we were able to squeak down the left shore.

Big Jim and friends making the tight squeeze.

Besides celebrating Idaho's birthday on July 3rd and our national holiday on the the 4th of July, we celebrated a birthday and a 10 year wedding anniversary on night two at Marble Right Camp.
Mari entered her 21st year on July 2nd and we celebrated with a double layer Camel Gulch Carrott cake. I wonder what she wished for when she blew out her candles?
We don't think that Chris and Nicole could have picked a better place to celebrate 10 years together. Congratulations.

Night 3, River-rita night at White Creek Camp.

With swift flows and short mileage we packed a sack lunch and spent day 4 up Loon Creek enjoying the canyon narrows, the cool creek water, and the springs.

Mari and her father Rob enjoy lunch at the Loon Creek hot springs after returning from the Loon Creek "narrows."

Swallowtail Butterflies feed on the mineral rich sands of Loon Creek hot springs and a young Rocky Mountain Bighorn Ram just below Tappen III rapid.

After a stop at the Shark Fin pictograph panel Jon Green drives the his boat through Aparejo Rapid and Emily Beck and gang enjoy calm waters below the same rapid.

Keri Knudson slides along the canyon wall at Lower Cliffside Rapid (above) and the paddle boat and duckies are dwarfed against the high water mark at the base of the same rapid (below).

No audio this week, but here is a short video segment with Keri Knudsen at Loon Creek hot springs, a pictograph interp session with Jon Green and Emily Beck pushing through Lower Cliffside Rapid.

July 1st, 2010 Rocky Mtn. River Tours from Aaron Beck on Vimeo.

The summer is finally in full swing. YeeYaaaaa!

More images.

Trip Report: June 22, 2009

The June 22, 2009 launch lived up to many a boatman's expectations with some of the more consistent and predictable water levels. With a week of sun shine in the forecast and the Middle Fork dropping to the 4' mark, we shined up the Sweep Boat, and busted out the fly rods.

It was great fun to see so many familiar faces step off the bus at Boundary Creek. Kevin Learned was back with another great group of friends for his 10th Rocky trip and Harold, Mary, and Margaret's repeat of their June 22, 2008 trip got all the guides hopes up that the three have started a June tradition.

After a warm spring, the first two days of summer delivered a surprising popsicle punch - we actually had snow fall during lunch at Sulphur Slide Rapid on Day-1! Luckily this is Idaho, and the coldest day of the 2009 season was immediately followed by the hottest day so far. By lunch on Day-2 everyone was down to t-shirt, shorts, and a hat.

Wool hats, and rain jackets for guides Jon Green, Big Jim Slaugh, and Emily Beck, on rig-day.

After poking around Joe Bump's cabin early on Day-2 and lunching below Pistol Creek rapid we floated under Idaho blue sky to sunflower hot-springs and enjoyed the first back rub of the season from the hot-spring "shower."

Emily and Ernie spend some right-side-up boat time together in the Sunflower shower eddy, and Jim Slaugh heads to camp at Stateland Left.

Day-3 was a relatively short day on the water which gave everyone plenty of options for the day. Two oar boats took their time and fished every rip, seam, and eddy line. Both crews landed plenty of native Cutthroat Trout. From White Creek camp Sparky and Jon lead a group to the Loon Creek hot springs and a smaller group explored the White Creek drainage directly across from camp. Kevin and Amy returned with three of the many Wolf specimens they encountered on their White Creek hike, and after dinner Birddog explained the difference between wolf and mountain lion sign and their respective hunting styles.

It was fun having Idaho Statesman environmental reporter Rocky Barker along, not only for his telling of "The Wild Bus Ride" story, but also for his insight and perspective on many of his more contemporary stories which center around the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area. Check out Rocky's July 6th Idaho Statesman article about his experience with us last week.

On day-4 we stopped at the Flying B and leafed through their photo album from the 2000 fire season. Rocky was the first reporter to see the Middle Fork after the massive fire season, and he filled us in on all the details that the pictures left out.

On the morning of day-5 Rocky was kind enough to tag-team the Pacific Northwest Salmon story with Birddog. Rocky's recent research and writings center around global warming. Rocky noted that global warming makes saving wild Idaho salmon even more important than before. As global atmospheric and river temperatures rise, the highly resilient and adaptive strains of Idaho salmon stock might be some of the only genetic strains capable of surviving global warming - but only if we give them the opportunity to do so.

Day-5 was exciting and action packed. We explored Waterfall creek, fished Big Creek, and before observing the Sheepeater pictographs at Tombstone wall - well you might just have to ask Emily for a run down on why Ernie's smile is so big and why he kept her cup full of Bloody Marys all evening. Welcome to the Middle Fork Swim team gang.

Mark Wetherington brings more wine and puts the smiles on the faces of Mitch, Rocky, Kent, and Trucker.

Thank you for another great trip. We can't wait to float with everyone again.

Trip Report: June 4, 2009

The Rocky Crew loaded up the trailer and drove through Stanley town on June 3 for the first trip of the 2009 season.  A gallery of the entire trip.

The crew was excited to be back at Boundary Creek, sliding boats down the ramp, and securing gear for a four day Middle Fork trip.

After rigging, the crew wandered up to Dagger Falls. Rocky guide Brian Chaffin checks out Dagger Falls from the fish ladder gang planks:

Todd Jackson building an evening camp-fire.

The sunset at Boundary Creek.

With the water level just under six feet at the Middle Fork Lodge the upper 25 miles were a blur. Everyone had great lines in all the big rapids, Powerhouse, the Chutes, Velvet Falls, and a pushy, boil-filled Pistol Creek. After picking up our permit at Indian Creek guard station we spent our first night at Pungo Cr. camp.

Western Tanangers migrate through the Middle Fork corridor in massive numbers during June, and we saw dozens flitting between Doug Fir branches and Service Berry bushes.

We camped at the mouth of Loon Creek on night two arriving with plenty of time to hike up and soak in the springs.

Telly lining out Kamen on fly-casting basics.

We all appreciated Jim and Dan's exciting Everest stories - especially with the creature comforts of a river trip - you know a fire pan, good weather, shelter, and a cup of coffee.

The grounds at the Loon Creek ranch are green and looking great.

We spent our final night at one of our favorite camp-sites, Elk Bar. High water was still depositing sand for the beach, but as always the downstream view was spectacular.

We kicked off the 2009 season with a great crew: