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River Guiding In My Hometown

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Guiding in my Hometown

*Who am I?
I am a river lover! My name is Kassie Robbins, I am 38 years old. I am married and
have three young children. My two boys are ages 9 and 7, and my daughter is 4. I have
been a whitewater raft guide since I was about 20 years old. I started guiding in
southern Utah on the Colorado River and the Green River. My first experience with
seeing river guides was on the Green River Gates of Lodore at a very young age, maybe 11. We
were taking a private family river trip down that section of the Green River through the heart of Dinosaur National Monument. The Hatch
River Expeditions crew was camping at Jones Hole. I saw those boats and knew then
that I wanted to become a river guide. Coming from a family of river runners I had no
idea I would land here. I had intentions of making it into the Grand Canyon. However, I
find this place to be as serene and unique as any river I have traversed and that is why I
keep coming back.
*Why I choose to guide here?
I choose Dinosaur National Monument as a place to guide for several reasons. Not only is it one of the best places for white water rafting in Colorado or river rafting in Utah but it is my backyard. One of the biggest reasons of those being that I get to be home regularly with my kiddos. They get to see mom in
action which is really cool. I get to embrace the beauty that surrounds me year-round.
Being able to take advantage of the monument and the rivers flowing through it is such
a huge bonus to my work. Sharing my love for the area is something that is within me. I
grew up rafting these canyons from an early age. We would run through Split Mountain
(the last day of a multi-day for both the Yampa River and Gates of Lodore) camping at the takeout,
sitting around a campfire, laughing and roasting marshmallows and sleeping in a tent I
have fond memories of this place and I seriously love that I get to share it with so many
people, but especially MY little people.
*Why I love working for a locally owned company in my Hometown?
Can we all say the word connection? Relationships are built on connections. I build
relationships on my trips and some of them go on forever. I still connect with some
ladies I took down the river in my first few years of guiding. So, to say that building a
lasting relationship with the owners of Dinosaur River Expeditions is of value to me, is
an understatement. They are like family. They truly care about me, my family, the team
of guides that work for them. I have had many jobs and opportunities to work for
various employers and can honestly say that Jen and Tyler Callantine are literally some
of the best out there. They bring a level of professionalism and empathy to the
workplace. People work hard for people they respect. They have given me a gift of
being able to work part-time in between being a Mom. They understand the importance
of family! I also love the feeling of being able to give back to a small family owned and
operated company.
*What are some of the hidden gems of the area?
Being able to work in and around Vernal, UT, I have learned about many of the neat
places that exist. Some of the cool places to see are actually outside of the monument.
Being able to explore the area throughout the last 15 years and to find out I still have
more to see. It seems that if you are looking you can find a Gem just about anywhere if
you are willing to explore. Whether you like fishing, camping, hiking, sightseeing or
anything else that requires you to get outside, this place has a lot to offer an avid outdoors person. When you take the opportunity to come run a river trip with me and
the crew, we would love to share some of these places with you.

Water Is Life

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WATER IS LIFE

By: Kassie Robbins

My Water Story

My name is Kassie Robbins, I am 37 years old. My life has been filled with water adventures from a young age, particularly river adventures. My mother and father met in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah in some round about way this meeting and their eventual marriage has led to my love of rivers and river rafting.  

Water Is Life

 Parents

My mother was born in the heart of the river loving community of Vernal, Utah.  She grew up in the Vernal with the Hatch Family.  Her family rafted through the canyons close by. Her older brother Lory guided for Western River Expeditions for a couple summers. My father was thrown on a 28-foot pontoon boat and learned to row by fire on the Gates of Lodore with his new family.

My dad grew up in Ogden, Utah and is a rock guy. He studied geophysics in school. This landed him a job working with some cool folks, one of those being Robert Tubbs.  Robert and my father both decided to buy brand new orange Rogue bucket boats in the early 80’s.  It was an easy sell for both my parents.   Afterwards, my dad took his first trip down the Grand Canyon.  He was enamored by the gorgeous geology and became highly fascinated by the corridors of rivers throughout the world.  

Childhood

Fast forward to my parent’s union with the new raft and young family we were towed along for the ride.  My first river trip was at the age of 3 still wearing diapers. My parents were troopers with 4 kids ranging from 9 to infant.    My life has been nothing short of an adventure full of rivers and excitement.  My soul was called to the rivers.  

I feel so blessed to have had the experience of riding the waves of the Colorado River System.  I have had an opportunity to love nature in a very personal way.  My soul was drawn in and at 16 years old my dream of becoming a river guide was created after seeing a guided river trip on the Green River in Whirlpool Canyon.  The boats were lined up at Jones Hole river camp 1.  It was Don Hatch River Expeditions.  I thought to myself I want to do that for a job.  It has since been one of my greatest legacies I get to carry on to my children.  

River Guide

At 19 years old, I drove my little orange CJ7 Jeep to Moab, Utah in the summer of 2003 with hopes of figuring out housing or not and beginning my life as a guide.  I had no plan other than working at Adrift Adventures and hoping to see as much river time as possible. 

For two summers I ran through Westwater Canyon, Desolation-Gray Canyon, and Cataract Canyon, as well as the Moab Daily Section.  This is where I wanted to be!  This was the life!  I was boating, listening to good music, eating good food, and meeting some cool people. 

This opportunity helped me to understand the water issue and the drought of the desert and water scarcity and limitations.  I remember more seasoned guides talking about the low water we were experiencing and wondering what that meant to me and what I could do.  I figured that I needed to learn more.  

At one point I was running through Cataract Canyon and the walls of sediment we were traversing through were once under Lake Powell.  These embankments were being cut through with real time erosion as the river was making its way down the canyon.  The embankments were sediment deposits from the drying up low lake levels.  This was the first time I had seen this problem in real life.  The river was not putting in as much as we were using out of the Glen Canyon Dam.  It has only gotten worse since 2004. 


Water and Utah

Water shapes Utah and the geologic uplift creates the perfect opportunity for mountains and plateaus to be eroded.  I have spent the last 14 years guiding and personally rafting in Dinosaur National Monument.  I have worked with various companies and have found my home with Dinosaur River Expeditions. 

During this time, I have learned about the dams and the good and bad those bring.  Dams generate power and supply cities with drinking water, grow our food and factories make goods all while overuse and pollution of water by the same ones receiving it.  20% of the world’s electric power is generated by dams.  

I also wouldn’t have a job that gives me the most amazing office-space for the whole summer season without a dam.  It also breaks my heart to know we have covered so many amazing things, from ancient Indian dwellings and burials to beautiful canyons never to be explored in its natural state again, to collect water in these reservoirs.   

We can learn from our past and try to move forward being aware of the future Water needs.  Water conservation is a topic that many want to skirt around because of the political ramifications that come with it.  Water shortages are real and happening right before our eyes.  Utah is in the desert.  Less than half of Utah’s small amount 13 inches of annual precipitation falls as rain.  

“There are two ways to die in the desert – thirst and drowning.”

-Craig Childs – Author

 

In Utah, 82% of water goes to crops for agriculture and livestock, 8% to commercial use, 6% to residential outdoor use, and 4% to indoor residential use.  This means most of the water in Utah is for farming.  The first step in gaining understanding is finding a way to become aware of the water issues.  Then you can make good decisions on what you can do in your corner.  Utah is not the only place dealing with water issues and what to do.  

What Can We do?

If you are in Vernal, Utah before July 31, 2021, take a trip to the Uintah County Heritage Museum and go check out the FREE H20 Today Exhibit on loan from the Smithsonian.  There is a lot of great information where you can learn how water is tied into almost everything we do.  Did you know it takes 600 gallons of water to make 1 pound of cheese?

Water Is Life

I love highwater as a river runner for a couple reasons, one of those being big fun splashy rapids, and another because I know we have more water coming into the reservoirs because we are running on low low low levels for the needs of our growing populations and communities.  Let’s do our part and become educated and do our part to help conserve.  

 

My soul is at peace when I am on the river.  What kind of water story are you living and how has it influenced your life?

Heroes and Outlaws

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Heroes, Outlaws or Both 

By: Kassie Robbins

The Old West, in particular the eastern country of the three closely bordered states Wyoming, Colorado and Utah have a huge place in my heart. I grew up visiting these regions as a young impressionable girl. 

My mother was born and raised in the small rural town of Vernal, UT. This little town is where the love of white water river rafting on the Green River, hiking the canyons, and exploring Dinosaur National Monument came into my life. This was our second home at times of our lives as my father often traveled out of the country months at a time.  

My mother would bring us here to stay with our Grandmother, Alta Winward. Grandma Alta would unleash her love for the early history of the Uintah Basin with wonderful stories about the region and its colorful characters. 

She spent much of the time educating and sharing stories focused on the sisters, Josie and Anna Basset, as well as Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch. I have traversed a lot of  this rugged country of those western Heroes/Outlaws since I was a little messy haired tomboy wanting to climb every rock and swim in the Green River every chance I got. 

I personally looked up to the outlaws of that time and they are Heroes in my book. They lived in the rough country and survived off the land. These two sisters were born to Herb and Elizabeth Bassett. Josie was four years old when they relocated to Brown’s Hole from Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Anna was born four years later on May 12, 1878.  

Brown’s Hole now referred to as Brown’s Park was rugged and remote outlaw rough country.  

These girls grew up taking care of things around the Bassett Ranch. They learned how to handle horses, rope and wrangle cattle, and shooting to name a few. One day in 1886, they decided to go to a local nearby horse and cattle rustler, Charlie Crouse’s ranch. Charlie was holding horse races and the girls were curious about horse racing. Their young minds wanted to watch the horses and learn more. Both of these young ladies grew up to be very competent horse and cattle ranchers.  

12-year old Josie and 8-year old Ann were captivated for the first time by George Leroy Parker, later referred to with his alias as Butch Cassidy. He gallantly rode Charlie’s gelding in a race.  Though the girls were impressed with the gelding, the fetching blonde-haired young man caught their tween eyes.  

Josie recalled,

“I thought he was the most dashing and handsome man I had ever seen.  I was such a young thing, and giddy as most teenagers are.  I looked upon Butch as my knight in shining armor. He was more interested in his horse than he was of me, and I remember being very put out by that.  I went home after being snubbed by him and stamped my foot on the floor in frustration.”

Over time Butch Cassidy was often offered sheltered, resupplied as well as worked off and on at the Bassett Ranch. This country was great for hiding out since he and the Wild Bunch could easily evade the law crossing state lines.  Butch and Josie had a short-lived romance but between his wild ways always coming and going, her going to Catholic School in Salt Lake, it ended. Josie’s father denied that Butch was ever in such rubbish as robbing banks because he was a kind and hard worker.  

These folks are the heart of the west full of love and life and adventure. There was struggle but these were full of grit and they continued to wrestle the tough life of living in the rugged country of Brown’s park. Undeniably there is so much rich history to be had about them.

These historical heroes left an impression on me as a young girl and some of these trails of which they walked are some of my favorite memories with my Grandma.  

You can explore the vast history of this amazing area by enjoying a float down the Green River with Dinosaur River Expeditions.

These are the books I used:

Colorado’s Cattle Queen – Linda Womack

Growing Up with The Wild Bunch – Linda Womack

The Bassett Women – Grace McClure

Josie Basset– Jensen’s Remarkable Woman Rancher — Uintah County Heritage Museum

The Outlaw Trail Journal —Winter Pages from the Past 2020

Visit Utah Film Trip

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Each raft trip we guide along the Green and Yampa Rivers are unique and special in their own way. Whether this be the great people that you meet, the animals you see, scenery, rapids or any number of things along the way each trip is truly special. One trip that stood out for me during the 2019 summer season was a film trip with Visit Utah. Visit Utah is the state of Utah’s travel and tourism marketing department. Visit Utah reached out to us to help guide and host a film trip with the sole purpose of getting high quality video and photography to market Dinosaur National Monument and river rafting along the Green River Gates of Lodore. Visit Utah is promoting lesser known areas of Utah to tourists looking to see the spectacular sights we have here. They are also looking to promote local guide and outfitters in these lesser known areas. As Vernal, Utah’s only locally owned and operated outfitter we were the chosen company. The end results of this co op after six months of editing and refining the video and photos is nothing less than stunning and world class. Visit Utah and there team did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of Dinosaur Monument and what it maybe like to take a river rafting trip along the route of the Green River. This section of the Green River through the Gates of Lodore canyon begins its journey in Colorado’s Brown Park region. With that said most commercial rafting trips begin and end their adventures in Vernal, Utah.

The trip started out as usual with a pre trip meeting at our Vernal, Utah office meeting the guests and film crew, getting them oriented as to what to expect the next four days and providing them with dry bags for day gear and camp time gear. This meeting also provided us an opportunity to learn about what the KNHO film crew would need from us to successfully accomplish their vision while traversing the river canyon. We learned a lot at this meeting and were able to prepare with adequate dry boxes and storage systems for the multitude of cameras, laptops, chargers, solar panels and assorted gear that was required to obtain the high quality footage they took.

The guests were an incredible family that were full of life and excitement wanting to experience as much of the river trip as possible. Nushin (mom) and her three children Layla, Noah and Eesa were chosen from an online audition process to be the focus family in the final film. This family was a great choice, their sense of adventure lent itself perfectly to all the possibilities found on a multi day rafting trip. Each person was excited to hike, swim, try their hand at inflatable kayaks or stand up paddle boarding. Which all lined up perfectly with the story that the producer had envisioned for the films story line. Nushin followed up after the four day trip with a great write up of her and her families experience visiting Dinosaur National Monument and going on their first big river rafting excursion.

Check out her write up here. https://www.visitutah.com/articles/utah-family-rafting-dinosaur-national-monument/

Visit Utah Film Trip
4 day family guided rafting trip through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah. https://www.jeremiahwattphotography.com/

The film crew was a fun group of characters (in a good way, they all had awesome personalities) with some neat backgrounds in the film arts. Sandra Salvas was the trips producer and organized the components for the film crew. Mike Eldredge of KNHO was the films director and a camera man, Austin Balls was the second camera man and Tony Hagerdorn was the photographer. This crew like I mentioned before knew their stuff. The equipment they brought along was Hollywood quality filming gear, single lenses that cost upwards of $10,000.00, super powerful laptops to download each days footage, really cool solar powered generator from Utah’s own Goal Zero. We knew they were good, because we had the opportunity to view previous works on Utah adventures where they captured the essence of mountain biking the Bears Ear National Monument area, horse back riding in Monument Valley, snow skiing the Wasatch Mountain range. All of the film we viewed in advance was beautifully done.

As always, we the crew departed Vernal in the early dark am hours for Brown’s Park Colorado where we would start our four day journey. After a 2 hour drive we arrived at the Gates of Lodore put in where we unloaded the rig truck and trailer load of gear and began preparing the rafts for the guests and film crew to arrive. This process is not quick and can be quite laborious. It takes a lot of gear and the gear can be heavy, cumbersome to move around on a sandy beach and awkward. This part of the trip has to occur to make all the magic happen, without fully rigged rafts it is tough to take a rafting trip. When all the heavy lifting is done there is always a little downtime between having the rafts ready and when the guests arrive. This is guide time where they get to take care of themselves. Brushing teeth, putting on sunscreen, finishing coffee and breakfast the basics that keep them healthy and functioning well. Guide time becomes very valuable as the summer progresses and the wear and tear of sun, sand and water take their toll on a body.

Once the guests arrive everything goes fairly quick from loading the last bits of gear to securing life jackets and safety speech. You are off the van and on to a river adventure in a small whirlwind of time. This is where for me as a guide of 25 years, the trip took a turn and became really interesting. The interesting turn was the artistic aspect that was brought along by the film crew. As an artist and art teacher it was fascinating to work with the crew in setting up the perfect shots, finding the vantage point that really highlighted the scenery and wilderness found in Dinosaur National Monument. These guys are pro’s, their work is all over Hollywood, the internet, You Tube channels with millions of views. They knew what type of imagery they wanted and were meticulous in obtaining it. The film crew had their own boat that was able to leap frog the rafts and set up in advance to take video and photos. At times the film boat would be an hour or so ahead of us while the film crew would take hikes up above the canyon floor. Sometimes hiking 500 vertical feet or so above us to get some of the most incredible aerial views I have ever seen of Lodore Canyon. This process became rather quick and seamless as we all became a tight crew working on this film project together.

Throughout the filming process, Sandra and her crew amazed us constantly with high tech and low tech camera gear. All the while they were excellent at answering our layman questions as to what this equipment was and why they chose different cameras, lenses or apparatus for particular shots. The tools that really amazed me were all of the Go Pro sports camera accessories. I have several Go Pro cameras and dabble with taking video and photos with some success. The accessories they brought along were game changers in taking action footage. A camera mount you hold in your teeth, this one gets perfect point of view video. A camera housing that takes perfect video at the water level. This half round contraption allowed the camera to have clear focus under and above the water at the same time. All cool items that showed their use when the video was edited out and the awesome shots that they got using these cool tools.

Overall the filming trip had great weather, water levels were perfect, group dynamics were spot on and it was wonderful experience for all of us. The end results are beautiful photographs and extremely high quality video that is fun to watch. After six months of waiting patiently to see the end product we could not be more proud of the whole teams collaboration to create a wonderful artistic work. Thank you must go out to the entire Visit Utah team and Nushin and her family from the Dinosaur River Expeditions crew.

Nature Inspires Creativity

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Rhythm of the Wild

There’s a debate among linguists and musicians as to which came first: language or music. Without a time machine, it’s a hard problem to solve. But I side with the musicians. Any given day has a rhythm. To hear the music all you need to do is step outside. It is no wonder then that some of our best creative thinking comes from being outside. Often times this creativity blossoms on rafting trip, backpacking adventure, car camping in the southern Utah desert or a neighborhood evening walk.

The day has multiple rhythms, and the year has its own as well, they’re called seasons. But the rhythm I’m talking about has a decidedly musical quality. Birds call it out in the cool morning of day. Insect cries fill the heady heat of the afternoon. Crickets serenade the evening, and owls add their cry. In some places, the calls of animals are so consistent you can set your watch to them. See what I mean by rhythm?

It makes perfect sense then that before we could communicate a complex thought we could recognize the music of our world and riff on it. Of course this is all conjecture. But what’s more than conjecture is how beneficial getting outside is to creative thinking. Our cognitive ability is boosted in manifold ways when we get outside. In the most general sense, we get away from the noise of cities – the traffic, construction, and technological trappings. Once away from these distractions our minds can relax. As we relax we can notice the patterns around us; the fractal nature of leaves, the murmur of running water, how colors change in the Fall. To take it a step further (literally) taking a hike gets our blood circulating, stimulating our minds as well as our muscles. Indeed, studies have shown the benefits of cognizance that exercise has. It’s no wonder then that skiing, riding, or walking in the backcountry clear the mind. Not only that, but having an activity allows us to focus, on the thing we’re doing specifically, which is an important distinction than the many tasks that vie for our attention at home or in the office. Shedding distractions and focusing on one thing is good brain training, and can carry over to the problem solving practices we use in our everyday lives.

Our friends at the Freeflow Institute organize incredible multi-day rafting trips where like minded writers converge and build off of each other in a magnificent outdoor setting. Freeflow Institute is just one of many organized opportunities to get outside and build upon your artistic processes. It is fun to  seek out friends or a group that shares similar interests for your outdoor creative ventures. 

Looking for a great way to journal your outdoor creative experiences the great folks at REI have shared an excellent video on making your own journal. https://www.rei.com/blog/social/diy-how-to-make-an-adventure-journal

So I encourage you to get outside. And if you can get out for a long day. Are there some trees turning colors earlier than others? Take note of what you see: what kind of plant is growing by the creek? How do you imagine it’s different than others that grow further up the bank? Get out there. See if you can hear the rhythm. 

Vernal, Utah Rock Art Sites

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The Uinta Basin, bordered on the north by the Uinta mountains and on the west by the Wasatch mountains, attracts visitors from all over the country. It’s home to King’s Peak, the tallest mountain in Utah, standing at 13,528 feet. Creeks that flow south out of the Uinta mountains all eventually flow into the Green River. In its upper stretches, the Green River boasts blue ribbon trout fishing. Lower down, through the Gates of Lodore and Desolation canyons, the river houses spectacular white water and relics of human history spanning 2,000 years. In Vernal Utah, the largest community in the Uinta Basin, the relics of ancient peoples and pioneers can be found under nearly every cliff face and next to the clear flowing springs.

Where does one begin if they want to take in all these sights? From the town of Vernal you’re within 30 minutes of any number of petroglyphs and pictograph sites that are easily accessible. A quick note on the difference; a petroglyph is carved into the rock, while a pictograph is painted on. (Petroglyphs are ‘pecked’ and pictographs are ‘pictures’ is a handy way to remember). I suggest starting with McConkie Ranch. Head up Dry Fork north of Vernal. It’s an easy 20 minute drive on paved roads. McConkie ranch provides easy access to a number of large panels of Fremont petroglyphs. They are free to view, though donations are welcome. An easy uphill hike takes you within touching distance of the petroglyphs (but don’t touch!). It’s a one mile round trip hike to view all of them, and is an ideal trail for families with young children.

The Fremont people – named after the Fremont River – were nomadic peoples that lived in the area some 2,000 to 700 years ago. They are classified as archaic peoples and were gone before Europeans ever stepped foot on American soil. For this reason, we don’t know what they called themselves. The petroglyphs at McConkie ranch are emblematic of the Fremont style. Trapezoidal figures, with broad shoulders and narrow hips are adorned with headdresses and necklaces, standing in a line with many other figures done in a similar style.

The Fremont roamed around large swaths of present-day Utah leaving numerous petroglyph panels. Another can’t miss spot is Cub Creek north of Jensen, Utah. Again, the petroglyphs here boast trapezoidal figures in decorative garb. There are also pictures of bighorn sheep, lizards, and cryptic symbology whose meaning is anyone’s guess. In fact, no one knows why the Fremont left petroglyphs. They could have been done for religious purposes, or as a message board for other peoples, or even as an attempt to woo a lover.

Another great rock art site accessible by car is McKee Springs located on the Island Park road on the northern face of the iconic Split Mountain. Both Cub Creek and McKee springs are within Dinosaur National Monument, which takes its name from the impressive Dinosaur quarry located at the Jensen entrance to the monument. The monument itself is lousy with petroglyphs, pioneer relics, and fossils. If you find yourself in Vernal, it’s a must see, and has a little something for everyone; whether it be the anthropologist, the archaeologist, or the thrill seeker. Grab a map at the visitor center and take a step back in time for a day.

On our four- and five-day rafting trips through Dinosaur National Monument we encounter multiple rock art sites. Particularly along Colorado’s world-famous Yampa River. This stretch of river canyon was a perfect location for the native peoples to hunt, gather, farm and live a peaceful existence along the incredible canyon walls. A popular stop along this trip is Johnson Canyon where there are several well preserved pictographs tucked up underneath a ledge where they are well protected. Another perfect stop along the river is Jones Hole creek where a four-mile round trip hike leads you to the Deluge Shelter and a wall covered in petroglyphs and pictographs.

Whether you visit Dinosaurland by car or boat there are numerous areas where you will be able to view the beautiful scenery and wonderful rock art.

High Water River Rafting

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If you live anywhere around the mountain west, or you have been following the news then you’ve probably had your eye on the weather forecast this winter. Jackson Hole broke records this year for snowfall in February, Utah is breaking snowfall records in April. Ski enthusiast or not, the snowfall this year has been exciting. It’s some much needed drought relief for one and for those who aren’t the biggest fans of winter, it means a green spring and summer. Lots of snow becomes lots of water flow. Creeks will be swollen to bank full, rare stretches of river – like the Dolores – will have enough water to float down.

A big snow pack means a great rafting season. High water, depending on the stretch of river means big hits in big waves. Current will be strong as long as cfs (cubic feet per second) remain high. So how do you define “high” water? That’s entirely dependent on the stretch of river you’re looking at. Let’s take a look at the Yampa. The Yampa River is a good gauge of what high water looks like for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it is un-dammed. It’s not something we think of often, as most of the major dam building projects in this country happened in the 1950’s. However, there are some rivers that still flow wild and free. No dam means no one has their hand on the faucet, so to speak. This means spring runoff and snow melt run down the head waters and through the river unchecked by reservoirs. Typical high-water season on the Yampa River occurs mid-May to early June and is anywhere from 12,000 – 16,000 cfs through Dinosaur National Monument. After the spring peak, the flows steadily decrease until they hover anywhere from 600 to 12 cfs – too low to raft. This year the river basin that feeds the Yampa is reporting 119% of a thirty-year median. So, what does this mean? Typically, depending on how quickly things warm up as we move into spring and summer, the spring peak will come later and will be more sustained. A more sustained peak means a longer running season generally.

So why all the buzz? Other than the big hits in big white water, the additional water for irrigation and storage in the reservoirs downstream, it’s a huge boon for the environment at large. The native species of the Yampa and by extension the Green and Colorado rivers are dependent on high seasonal floods for spawning purposes. More water brings more nutrient and more sediment downstream, restoring the beaches we love to camp along and feeding the animals we love observing. And while the Yampa may be emblematic of what high water looks like, it is by no means the only river where the water will rage this summer. All across the west snow pack’s are well above their average. Even with dams, side creeks will swell and fill their mother rivers. And reservoirs can only get so full and that water must go somewhere and that somewhere is downstream.

Excited? Good, you should be. I would be remiss in my duties as a whitewater enthusiast if I didn’t urge a touch of caution. When looking to get on the water this year prepare yourself appropriately. This means selecting river runs that are suitable for your ability. Like checking the avalanche forecast, check flows before you go and what they are forecast to do. Make sure you and your team have the necessary equipment to enjoy the whitewater safely. And for any stretches you feel you can’t do on your own, there are experienced and reliable outfitters who are there to ferry you safe and sound down the river. Stay safe and stay excited! It’s our collective passion for these places that keeps them pristine for generations to come.

John Wesley Powell’s 150th Anniversary

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Explorer John Wesley Powell’s 150th Anniversary

When one thinks of Lake Powell, what images come to mind? Smooth sandstone in myriad shades of red and beige? Maybe a houseboat floating on still water, or a jet ski with a water skier in tow? But, do you realize what’s underneath all that water? Or, do you know who the lake was named for? The damn that formed Lake Powell was completed in 1963, and with that Glen Canyon began to recede beneath the mounting water of the Colorado river. However, almost a hundred years before that last bit of concrete was poured into the damn, John Wesley Powell floated through the now drowned canyon as part of a historical expedition.

In 1869 Powell set out from Green River Wyoming on what would be a 3 month journey through the canyons of Flaming Gorge, Lodore, Desolation, Cataract and of course the Grand Canyon. It was the first cartographic and geologic survey of these largely unexplored (to white settlers at least) areas of the desert Southwest. Powell’s party was ill-equipped for the water they encountered. They lost their first boat in Lodore canyon in a rapid that thereafter was named Disaster Falls. One of the party, Frank Goodman, left the expedition on July 6th. He eventually settled in Vernal, Utah, and their raised a family. Three more of Powell’s men left on August 30th, two days before the expedition’s end. Unfortunately these three were never heard from again. Of the ten men and four boats that began the journey, six men and three boats finished it.

Powell wasn’t just an intrepid explorer. He served in the Civil war, where he would eventually gain the rank of major and lose most of his right arm. He was also an accomplished geologist and a professor at Illinois Wesleyan University. On his expedition he was awestruck by the features he saw. How could a river cut straight through a mountain? he wondered. It went against everything we knew about geology at the time. But Powell’s interests weren’t purely geologic, but anthropologic as well. The evidence of the human history, the pottery shards, granaries, and habitations of the Native Americans did not escape his notice. So enamored was Powell by what he saw on that first expedition that in the winter of 1871 he retraced part of that expedition from Green River Wyoming to Kanab creek in the Grand Canyon. Powell saw in the rock the age of our world, how old it was, and how truly dynamic it was. He also saw, with a surprising amount of prescience for his time, that Westward expansion would be limited by access to water.

After his expeditions, Powell went on to educate the public about the things he had seen. In the time of Manifest Destiny, he had a surprising amount of prescience to see that Westward expansion would be limited by access to water. Unfortunately, his ideas and proposed policies on irrigation of the West were ignored due to corporate interests. Famously, Powell stated “you are piling up a heritage of conflict and litigation over water rights, for there is not sufficient water to supply the land.” These words would become manifest forty years later during the Dust Bowl. He would also eventually go on to become the director of the Bureau of Ethnology, a position he held until his death in 1902.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Powell’s expedition. While Flaming Gorge and Glen Canyon are now underwater, one can still experience many of the canyons of that 1869 expedition in the same way Powell did. Beginning on May 24th the John Wesley Powell River Festival will launch. Towns all along his route will be holding events and festivities to celebrate the man and the impact of his expedition.

Call us today 1-800-345-7238 for details about our 4 day Green River Gates of Lodore trip focused on celebrating the 150th anniversary of John Wesley Powell’s incredible journey along the course of the Green River and Colorado River.

History of Warm Springs Rapid

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Einstein discovered that water on a perfectly flat plane won’t trickle in a straight line, but rather snake its way down in a series of S turns. It’s something I always tell guests as you come into the goose necks on the Yampa River as we float through the heart of Dinosaur National Monument. For the next 20 miles until the confluence with the Green River, the Yampa is mostly flat water. As you wind your way downstream the water becomes tranquil. It’s an easy float under the grand overhangs the river has carved into the sandstone. It’s a peaceful change from the whitewater of Teepee rapid and Big Joe. The slow water gives way to flood plains like Laddies Park and Mantle’s Cave. These self same spits of tillable land played host to archaic peoples, Utes, pioneers, outlaws and boatman. The river here was easy to divert for irrigation; warm and calmer still in summer months. You may find yourself thinking – looking out at the calm clay water slipping by – that it’s truly smooth sailing through calm seas. Why then do the boatman seem tense? It must be that the canyon closes in once more, reasserting its undeniable presence. That must be it. Eventually though, the flat water is a sign of something else. It is the calm before the storm. A storm that has its roots in the summer of 1965.

On June 10, 1965 a storm that can aptly be described as biblical built in the northern sky. It ballooned over Starvation Canyon which empties into Warm Springs draw. The storm spilled its considerable guts on the draw. George Wendt, camped at Warm Springs on that day, took shelter in an outhouse as the earth around him turned into a raging slime, laden with boulders and the broken bones of trees. The storm moved 33 million pounds of debris into the Yampa river, damming it. When the river broke through, Warm Springs, once a minor wave train, was now one of the biggest pieces of white water in the West. At the time of its formation, Al Holland and Les Oldham were upstream guiding a group of boy scouts down river. Coming from Mantle cave, the river was even stiller than it is today. Les had taken off his life vest, for he knew the river well, and knew it was calm water until the confluence and Whirlpool canyon. But the lack of current must have seemed odd to someone who knew it so well. Les was sitting on his vest as they came to Warm Springs. Sadly, it would be his undoing. He was thrown overboard in the now turbulent rapid. Holland saw the passengers safely through but couldn’t find Les in the tumultuous water. His body was recovered 17 days later. News quickly went out to boaters, on and off the river, of the new rapid and the danger it presented. By the next year, the young rapid had shifted once again, this time into something far more manageable.

Warm Springs remains a major rapid today one of Colorado white water raftings top drops. However, the rapid that Al Holland encountered in the summer of 1965 has matured over the past 50 years. In that time, rocks from the cliff face on river left have fallen in and settled in various places within the rapid. While the rapid still has features capable of overturning boats, by now boatmen know the line through. Each summer hundreds of boaters successfully navigate this rapid. And for good reason. The Yampa River through Dinosaur National Monument has so much to offer. It is the last undammed tributary of the Green River and Colorado river systems. It is a crucial link to the ecological health of the native species that call these water ways home. The river and its canyons have sustained hunter-gatherers over 8,000 years. And, of course, the Yampa offers thrill seekers adventures on and off the water.

River History a Quick Glimpse

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Standing on the banks of the Green River staring at the rocks strewn throughout Disaster Falls rapid, one can’t help but think of the man who named it. Indeed, as your eye is drawn downstream to look at No Name island, you can practically see John Wesley Powell trying to salvage the wreck of his wooden boat of the same name. In the summer of 1869 Powell led an expedition down the Green and Colorado rivers in four Whitehall Boats. These were large wooden freight boats, excellent at speeding through the chop of a harbor, but the whitewater of Lodore Canyon demanded maneuverability. As you return to your rubber raft, you hope not to end up on that island or one of the numerous rocks that add to the difficulty of the rapid. Of course, bumping off one of the many boulders in the rapid is not as disastrous in a rubber boat. In fact, what was once a harrowing experience in Powell’s day is now undertaken as a thrilling ride.

White Water River Rafting Utah
John Wesley Powell banks of the Green River

When talking about the history of river running, it’s impossible not to talk about Bus Hatch. Bus was irreversibly drawn to river running when he met a man named Parley Galloway in 1929. Galloway, a prisoner at the time, had learned to build boats from his father – a legend in Vernal in his own right. Galloway’s father had pioneered a new river running technique in 1880’s. Instead of pulling on the oars, he faced forward and pushed a boat of his own design through the rapids. With some instruction from Galloway and a boat of his design, Bus and a company of three others set out from just below Flaming Gorge. Though their Galloway boat was of better design than Powell’s Whitehall’s, they still had their fair share of what the river community today would call “carnage”. Bus portaged Disaster Falls and chose to run Hell’s Half Mile. Unsuccessfully. Their boat capsized, and they lost a lot of their supplies. They managed to salvage an onion, some potatoes, and the boat. Four days later, a little hungry but no worse for wear, they finished the journey below Split Mountain, their adventure was over eighty miles. It was 1931 when Bus took that exploratory first trip. Over the next few years Bus took passengers for hire, and through successes and mishaps he never lost a client. In 1934, Bus ran his first trip through the Grand Canyon. By the 1960’s he had turned a humble undertaking into offices in Idaho, Utah, and Arizona. He continued running rivers until his death in 1967.

White Water River Rafting Utah
World famous river runner Bus Hatch of Vernal, Utah.

Certainly, though Bus wasn’t the only one to revolutionize river running. In 1945 Georgie White swam from Diamond Creek, a rapid at mile 226 in the Grand Canyon, down to Lake Mead, a distance of 60 miles. White would go on to be the first woman to row through Marble and the Grand Canyons in 1952. Using army surplus rubber rescue rafts, White lashed three together and began her own operation. Ever the eccentric, and with controversial practices, White nevertheless ran a successful operation for 45 years. Like Bus, Georgie ran rivers right up until the end of her life in 1992.

Georgie White colorado river rafting
GEORGIE WHITE TRIPLE RIG RAFT ON THE COLORADO RIVER.

Today river running is a global, multibillion-dollar industry. And not just for thrill seekers, more and more people are discovering what the river has to offer. A river trip is perfect for outdoorsmen of all kinds, from those who want to enjoy the tranquility of nature, wildlife fanatics, and adrenaline junkies alike. As long as there are rivers, rafting has a future.

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