Sunday, May 25, 2008

Westwater Canyon

Westwater Canyon on Colorado River
Westwater is a great one day river trip beginning almost at the Colorado boarder. It drops 20 feet per mile and is a 17 mile stretch. It is a great place to learn how to row and quick! It has a stiff learning curve...row, T-up to the rapids, or get flipped! The canyon is great because it is made of the metamorphic rock called vishnu's schist which is a black, really hard rock. Little chunks of rock get caught in the side walls and spin around with the water to make this amazing fluted look. You have to come check it out; I think it looks like a Henri Moore sculpture. Nice!

There were some trainers on this trip who were not with us on Desolation. They are Tex, Mark, Joselyn, Josh, and Tony. It is great to get feedback from them and get to know them.
We were lucky enough to go down this canyon 7 times. I got to row it twice and I felt like I learned SO MUCH both times down the river. Westwater canyon it is very technical and I love it! Definitely

The Daily



This stretch of the river is the most popular white water in Utah. It is the Moab Daily on the Colorado. We learned how to guide the paddle boats and will probably be spending a good chunk of time on this stretch over the summer.

One nice thing about this year is that we don't make lunch for our people, we take them to the Red Cliff's Lodge and they eat at the buffet.

The rapids are great this year running at really high water...you should come and go down the river with me!

Swift Water Rescue

Swift Water Rescue training began the day after we got back from Deso. We got to learn some of the latest philosophies and techniques of rescue type situations. We got to have a little fun in there too.

We swam the rapids, practiced coiling throw bags and learned how to set up a "z" drag for a mechanical advantage if a boat gets stuck in the river. It was a great experience!

Desolation Canyon

Here at Western River Expeditions, the month of May is set apart for training new guides. There are 15 of us. It is amazing how close you can get to these great people in this outdoor setting (ok, we are together 7 days a week, basically 24 hours a day, so that helps too), but it has been fun to get to know such great people. Along with the 15 new "trainees" and 2 Moab Adventure Staff, there were six trainers, each of which are inspiring and amazing people.
The trainers were Dina Merrill (left) and Brian Merrill (middle) have been running rivers since their youth. This trip marks Dina's 104th trip down Desolation Canyon and she is full of insight and likes to playfully hit the crashing whitewater just right. Brian is the all-around package. He is witty and easy going, skilled and thoughtful. These two make everyone be better people out here in the river.
Kelly Mcgettigan (spinning poi fire) is someone that I felt an automatic connections with from the beginning. She is real. She is really happy and nice all the time, yet super skilled and a great conversationalist. I'm happy to get to know her better! Below is a video of the last night when she is spinning fire poi balls. As you can tell by my commentary, I thought it was pretty neat.

Scottt Marshall, Carly Castle, and Carrie Lineback are all returning guides who have been in our shoes the last 2-3 years, so their insight was based on more recent personal experience.
Each of them had great insight into rowing and life on the river. They are all such talented and interesting people. I'm glad to be surrounded by such good company! Hurrah!

The Canyon is located about 40 miles south of the thriving metropolis of Duchane, Utah. The section of the Green that we rowed begins at Sandwash and goes 86 miles south through Desolation and Gray canyon ending near Green River, Utah. It is aptly named as it looks untouched by the civilized world. Powell's first expedition was in 1869 when he took 9 men and 4 wooden boats down the canyon.

We unloaded our gear the first night and set off rowing thirty miles of flat water the next day. We got to ride with different trainers who showed us their patented moves and power strokes. I really like rowing. It is neat because it is a full body exercise, rhythmic and can be almost a spiritual exercise. I feel like I have a long way to go yet, but it is amazing how quickly you can go from very awkward chicken elbows to improved long fluid strokes. Days 2, 3, and 4 were all full of great rapids, hurrah!


We took side tours of natural arches and petroglyph's done by the Fremont Indians. They were great. We got to stop and see many of the abandoned homes/habitats from the people who made their lives on the river and people who sold the fruit to Butch Cassidy when he made his "moonshine" elixir. It was fun to learn a little bit more about the geology, hydrology, and the human history of the area.


The nights in camp are especially fun. They are spent cooking meals, building campfires, singing, talking, playing games, and if you're lucky sleeping.
So, I've decided that a good river guide has to be pretty versatile. Good river guides have people skills, master chef skills, understanding of hydrology, first aid, geology, human history, and entertainers. I feel like I have a lot to improve about myself and hope that in time I can make a good one.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Moved to Moab

To keep in better touch this summer I have decided to start a blog. On April 24th, I finished my last academic semester for my undergraduate degree at BYU. I had a great semester doing Therapeutic Recreation research and doing working at the MTC. I now have a great opportunity to work in the great outdoors of Moab this summer river guiding for Western River Expeditions. I hope to document some of these adventures.