Category Archive: rafting

1. Off Beat Interview Series with Mike Hipsher 

   May 26, 2026 11:06 pm Comments Off on Off Beat Interview Series with Mike Hipsher 

   Tell us a little about yourself! Where did you grow up?

   Mostly in the midwest, I was born in Michigan, spent a year in Mexico, Missouri then moved to the Chicago suburbs through high school. Where I really grew up , though, was working in southern Utah on the river and on a cattle ranch that later became part of Canyonlands National Park.

   How did you find your way to the river?

   I got into the connection through a friend early in my college time at the Univ of Utah working summers on the river. I spent 20 years in the east at the Nantahala Outdoor Center learning day tripping – canoes, kayaks and rafts. I took up wildwater racing and traveled the world doing it. After helping with the ‘96 Olympics race site construction I came back west to float in Idaho, Utah’s Canyonlands and the Grand Canyon in the northern hemisphere spring/summer/fall and worked on the Bio Bio and the Futaleufu in the Chilean summers.

   If you could be a river super hero, what would you be?

   I’d be a teacher of natural history, outdoor environment, and just seeing and experiencing things we find on the river.

   What is your favorite dress up theme?

   flannel shirt and a pair of jeans, I’m not much of a dress-up person

   What is your ‘go to’ crazy hat night creation?

   I have a really fun rubber ConeHead hat that is hot as blazes to wear but fun.

   What brought you to Canyons?

   I worked with Les and Susan at NOC. When it came time to expand my world to Idaho I looked them up.

   How many years have you worked here?

   Since 1997, so almost 30 years.

   What is your favorite thing about Canyons?

   Les and Susan created this company in the model of their family, everyone included and nurtured. Greg has done a great job adding his signature to the company bringing others into his management team. The staff is just like a family, taking care of each other and the folks who choose to share their vacation with us

   If you could describe Canyons in 3 words?

   Sharing experiences together

   When you hear the word Idaho, what comes to mind?

   The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area

   What are your top three favorite camps?

   Shelf – good access to a kayak surfing wave and hot springs, Survey – some stately Ponderosas, Blackadar on the Main – named after an Idaho whitewater pioneer and a great beach above the waterlevel with more Ponderosas

   Your favorite hike?

   Shelf to Loon Creek hot springs

   Top three favorite rapids?

   No real solid ones, just the ones the next day on the trip.

   Currently what is your nemesis rapid?

   Pinball,  since the Upper Middle Fork changes in 2024. I usually read the rapids as I go but that one needs a few key turns that don’t make any sense to me until I miss them

   What river do you want to run that you haven’t yet?

   Selway, the permits are pretty limited, one launch per day and it is given by a lottery that if one is not lucky, one may never win.

   What do you consider a ‘real’ job?

   One I could pay the bills with and get to travel the world with cool people – running rivers

   If you could only have one kayak in your quiver, what would it be and why?

   LiquidLogic RMX 76, It’s a great flat-spinning surfing boat ready to go anywhere, I can take my lunch in it and some spare clothes and a rescue kit. A great piece of equipment for a day of adventure

   What is your favorite thing to cook on the river?

   Lasagna, its a flurry of activity then it’s just sit down for a beer ‘til it’s done.

   If you could take a musician or band down the river today, who would it be?

   A blue grass group. Nobody notable, just some players having a good time together.

   What is your most memorable swim in a river?

   I got stuck in a corner pocket eddy upside down in Lava Rapid in the Grand Canyon. My shoulder wasn’t working very well in the roll attempts, so I got a new titanium/teflon one.

   What is one of your river rituals or superstitions?

   Shave and put on clean clothes before a big rapid day.

   What is your most valued non river related item that you bring with you on every trip?

   My coffee cup, I know where it has been and the liquid gets me going in the morning.

   What is your favorite groover spot?

   The down-the-beach rock enclosure at Alder Creek on the Main. It’s a bit away from the camping and a nice lookout to the river listening to the rapid coming up surrounded by Idaho Granite.

2. Off Beat Interview Series with Faye

   January 21, 2026 6:01 pm Comments Off on Off Beat Interview Series with Faye

   Tell us a little about yourself! Where did you grow up?

   Daylesford, Australia. Small country town where our father’s were farmers, loggers, factory workers or shopkeepers. Our mothers were mothers, and sometimes textile mill workers too. In 2024 Daylesford was rated (by 309 million reviewers) as the fourth most welcoming tourist destination in the WORLD.

   How did you find your way to the river?

   Walked downhill to Lake Daylesford and its outlet stream. Threw sticks in the stream and ran alongside as they negotiated miniature waves, drops and holes

   If you could be a river super hero, what would you be?

   The one that can wave a wand and preserve all streams and forests in a healthy state forevermore. All over the world.

   What is your favorite dress up theme?

   Don’t have favorites.

   What is your ‘go to’ crazy hat night creation?

   Whatever Whizzy constructs.

   What brought you to Canyons?

   Meeting Laura Bechdel, a broken thumb and a potentially hungover guide

   How many years have you worked here?

   Since 2014?? Not really sure. Missed 3 years due to Covid. Hightailed it back to Australia to ride out the Covid storm with my husband and Aboriginal people in a remote community

   What is your favorite thing about Canyons?

   The vibrant people and the places we go together

   If you could describe Canyons in 3 words?

   Let’s go baby.

   When you hear the word Idaho, what comes to mind?

   Elk

   What are your top three favorite camps?

   Main Salmon.. Alder, California, Swimming Hole (In season- not too hot but hot enough to jump and swim).

   Your favorite hike?

   Any off-piste ridge hike

   Top three favorite rapids?

   I really don’t like to discriminate. Different every trip.

   Currently what is your nemesis rapid?

   We will see in 2026!!!

   What river do you want to run that you haven’t yet?

   Kongakuk River in Arctic Alaska.

   What do you consider a ‘real’ job?

   Every job is a real job. Can’t have your Michelin meal without the dishwasher.

   If you could only have one kayak in your quiver, what would it be and why?

   Necky Jive because that’s what I have. Timeless craft!

   What is your favorite thing to cook on the river?

   Risotto style rice on the last night because of my Swiss-Italian heritage. My grandmother used to cook it on her wood stovetop. My aunt still cooks on the same stove. …

   If you could take a musician or band down the river today, who would it be?

   Bruce Springsteen. Deliver him to Central Idaho please

   What is your most memorable swim in a river?

   Kawaura River, NZ. A long swim with a Class 5/6 waterfall looming just downstream

   What is one of your river rituals or superstitions?

   Make sure I have spare contact lenses in life jacket right side pocket

   What is your most valued non river related item that you bring with you on every trip?

   Contact lenses.

3. Off Beat Interview Series with Avery

   February 11, 2025 5:28 pm Comments Off on Off Beat Interview Series with Avery

   Riverbeat Questions

   Tell us a little about yourself! Where did you grow up?

   I grew up in Berkeley, California (yes, I’m one of the awful Californians coming to Idaho)! I moved to Western Massachusetts for school, and now I’m bouncing around the Mountain West. When I’m not guiding I love running, kayaking, hiking, skiing, writing, and sewing.

   How did you find your way to the river?

   I started as a guest! I’ve always loved water and rivers and was lucky enough to go on a trip down Grand Canyon in high school, where I fell in love with rafting. I looked at the guides on that trip and thought, dang these people are so cool, I’d love to do that someday! At that point, though guiding didn’t seem attainable for me—I had no real river experience, and had never seen a trans person working as a river guide. Then, in college, my family went on a Canyons trip, where I met Auri East and learned that there ARE trans guides out there! I also fell in love with the Salmon River and the Frank Church on that trip. I learned as much as I could from the Canyons guides, and at the end of the trip, they told me to ask Greg for a job. So I did! Greg took a chance and hired me as a trainee, and I’m so thankful that I was able to make Canyons my river home.

   If you could be a river super hero, what would you be?

   Hmmm…  does Whizzy count?

   Otherwise, a cool superpower would be polarized sunglasses built into my eyes. No more glare!

   What is your favorite dress up theme?

   Pirates are always fun!

   What is your ‘go to’ crazy hat night creation?

   I can crochet a sweet headpiece with a throw bag and a coffee strainer!

   What brought you to Canyons?

   I think I answered this above.

   How many years have you worked here?

   I’ve worked at Canyons for three years!

   What is your favorite thing about Canyons?

   I love that canyons is committed to getting everybody out on the river! It’s special to see an outfitter who cares about bringing diversity to outdoor spaces. Also, I love all my friends at Canyons 🙂

   If you could describe Canyons in 3 words?

   Small-crafts, Flair, Love

   When you hear the word Idaho, what comes to mind?

   Mountains! Until I found the Salmon, I would have said “potatoes and intolerance”. But I’m so glad to have learned that there’s much more to Idaho!

   What are your top three favorite camps?

   Cradle Creek, Wilson Creek, and Rhett Creek! I love a creek to soak in and the cliff view and whitewater noise at Cradle have a special place in my heart.

   Your favorite hike?

   I love Johnson Point!

   Top three favorite rapids?

   Big Mallard, Tappan Falls, and Pistol Creek!

   Currently what is your nemesis rapid?

   Cove Creek! Some weeks I grease it and some weeks I hit every possible rock ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

   What river do you want to run that you haven’t yet?

   So many rivers! But I’m excited to get on the Lochsa this spring.

   What do you consider a ‘real’ job?

   Oof, no idea. But also, I don’t care if my job is ‘real!’

   If you could only have one kayak in your quiver, what would it be and why?

   I feel like my answer should be a creek boat, but the truth is I love my Dagger Rewind so much that has to be it. It keeps me on my toes but it’s fast and fun!

   What is your favorite thing to cook on the river?

   I love to make the polenta! There’s so much room to play with spices and make it extra delicious.

   If you could take a musician or band down the river today, who would it be?

   Hmm… I think a trip with Allison Russell would be sweet!

   What is your most memorable swim in a river?

   I’ll always remember my first big swim! I fell out of a paddleboat in Lava Falls and went pretty deep, couldn’t tell which way was up for a while. But then I popped out!

   What is one of your river rituals or superstitions?

   I like to dip in the river or a creek every night before bed. If it’s really cold I might just splash my face, but a moment with the water at night helps me settle and remember why I’m here.

   What is your most valued non river related item that you bring with you on every trip?

   I bring so many books! They make my bags pretty heavy, but I want to have reference books and fiction options when I need them!

   What is your favorite groover spot?

   Cliffside camp! Such a view.

4. Do You Know What Watershed You Live in?

   January 22, 2025 6:50 pm Comments Off on Do You Know What Watershed You Live in?

   Let’s start by defining what a watershed is: it’s the land area that channels rainfall and snowmelt

   into creeks, streams, and rivers, eventually flowing into larger bodies of water like reservoirs,

   bays, or the ocean. In essence, a watershed is the land that collects water from precipitation

   and funnels it to a body of water.

   While we may be familiar with bodies of water that are around us, we still may not know what

   watershed we’re connected to. We don’t have to travel far to connect with nature and the water

   that sustains us— in fact, we can look to our backyards.

   Connecting to Your Watershed

   Find out what watershed you live in!

   The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers a tool called “How’s My Waterway”,

   which helps you find your watershed, check water quality, and learn about local

   restoration efforts. Just enter your address or city, and the tool will highlight the water

   sources your area relies on.

   Spend time in your watershed

   Take time to explore the streams, creeks, rivers, lakes, and ponds around you. Notice

   how they change through the seasons—you might discover a new swimming spot, a

   gentle cascade, or a view that takes your breath away. This simple connection can

   deepen your appreciation for your watershed.

   Discover your local watershed organizations

   There are many organizations that aim to protect the waterways in your area. Take time

   to find out who they are and the projects they’re working on! Oftentimes there are

   opportunities to volunteer with these organizations that will allow you to contribute to the

   health of your watershed.

   Participate in a river cleanup

   As you explore your watershed, take a few moments to pick up any trash you see. Or,

   consider organizing a cleanup event! Make it fun—see who can find the most unique

   item or collect the most trash. Every little bit helps keep our waters clean.

   Incorporate creativity

   Creative expression is a powerful way to connect with your watershed. Find a spot that

   inspires you to draw, paint, or sketch. You might write a poem or a song about this

   waterway. Photography, jewelry-making, or collage are also beautiful ways to channel

   the spirit of the place. Let creativity be a bridge to connecting with your watershed, even

   if it’s your first time.

   Learn about local flora and fauna

   Each watershed supports a unique ecosystem of plants, animals, and insects. Spend

   time learning about the species that rely on your local water sources. Understanding

   which trees, wildflowers, fish, birds, and even insects are native can enhance your

   appreciation for the biodiversity around you. Join a guided nature walk, look up local

   wildlife guides, or visit your library for resources.

5. My Favorite Tree, The Ponderosa

   July 16, 2024 6:23 pm Comments Off on My Favorite Tree, The Ponderosa

   One of the most spectacular trees we encounter in the river corridors of the Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers is the Ponderosa Pine, Pinus ponderosa. Ponderosa is a gymnosperm, meaning “naked seed,” and includes all cone bearing plants. The most familiar members are the fir and pine trees. Gymnospermae is a very ancient clade (grouping) of plants, originating in the Carboniferous, about 295 to 360 million years ago (mya). The Carboniferous is famous for the great explosion of plant life on the Earth which took place, leading to extensive deposits of Carbon (dead plant material and this period’s namesake) and thus the vast beds of coal humidity has been mining for hundreds of years. The evolutionary history of the Gymnospermae, and thus P. ponderosa is long and rich, giving us the great stands we see today in Idaho.

   Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) is a familiar sight in the landscape of the American West. Its range stretches from British Columbia all the way to New Mexico. Both Spokane, Washington and the state of Montana claim it as their featured tree. Most of the Mogollon Rim of northern Arizona is covered by vast forests of Ponderosa; it is the largest contiguous forest of them in the world. The Ponderosa has the widest distribution of any pine in North America. An Oregon botanist measured one tree that stood 235 feet tall and boasted a circumference of 27 feet! Their beauty and sheer size make the Ponderosa Pine one of the most recognizable trees in Idaho’s rugged river canyons.

   These big trees are particularly well adapted to the sunny, semi arid, fire adapted ecology of central Idaho. Ponderosa pines respond best to fires occurring every 5 to 10 years. At this frequency, forest fuels never have a chance to accumulate, resulting in lower intensity burns that don’t reach the upper canopy of the forest. Ponderosa can easily withstand these lower intensity fires. Its beautiful bark, a mosaic of small jigsaw puzzle shaped pieces, protects the tree in two ways. First of all, it is thick and retardant to flames. Second and most fascinating, these individual puzzle pieces of bark “jump” from the tree when ignited, helping to prevent the spread of flames. Smaller, frequent fires keep underbrush from growing thick thus allowing more sunlight to reach seedings and helping the forest stay healthy.

   Beside the obvious use of Ponderosa for firewood and building material, the inner bark, or cambium, was consumed by indigenous people of the Salmon River. During lean times, the thick outer bark would be removed to reveal the calorie rich tissue underneath. These “peel trees” are a common sight on benches above the high water mark. Living peel trees are a direct connection to the Sheep Eater people that inhabited the canyons of the Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers.

   From the cool shade Ponderosa Pines provide on a hot summer day to their fascinating and ancient evolutionary roots, these trees are something to behold. Their immense size and age, as well as their graceful beauty, will captivate any river runner’s imagination. Next time you find yourself around these majestic trees, take a moment to appreciate their incredible story.

   Spencer Roth
   June 2024

6. Blue Moon Yurt… RIVER TRIP MAGIC in Winter!

   March 11, 2024 9:43 pm Comments Off on Blue Moon Yurt… RIVER TRIP MAGIC in Winter!

   Blue Moon Yurt Magic

   by Kelli O’Keefe.

   If you’ve been on a river trip with Canyons, chances are you know Whizzy! Lisa “Whizzy” Whisnant is one of our lead guides and has been around Canyons for a very long time. Legend. She is full of knowledge, charisma, compassion, and has a contagious and positive attitude that makes you want to surround yourself by her all of the time!

   Not only is Whizzy a fantastic river guide, but she is also the owner and chef of the Blue Moon Yurt based in McCall, ID. The Blue Moon Yurt first opened in 1996, and is an off the grid restaurant that combines winter adventures (Snowshoe and Nordic Skiing) with a five course gourmet meal that will rock your flavor zone! Each night at the Blue Moon Yurt provides a unique culinary experience for all those who dine at the Yurt.
   The Blue Moon Yurt is completely off the grid, and there is no power or electricity. Each day all of the food, gear, and water is packed into a jumbo sled and pulled behind a snowmobile to the yurt. Once at the yurt, the prep crew lights the stoves, builds a fire, turns on some “soft Jazz” and dinner is prepped inside the cozy yurt hours before the guests arrive.

   The evening starts in the parking lot at Jug Mountain Ranch where guests will gear up with the snowshoes and nordic skis and follow a trail lit by tiki torches. The trail winds thru the forest about ¾ a mile to the Blue Moon Yurt which is nestled under the pines. Guests will find their way inside the candlelit yurt, to one of three long tables where they are greeted with a cup of Whizzy’s homemade cider served off the wood burning stove.
   After a toast by Whizzy, there is a quick round of introductions, and a brief overview of the fantastic five course meal everyone is about to share.
   Whizzy welcomes everyone to the magic of the Blue Moon Yurt and encourages guests to get up and meet people from other tables. She believes that food is a catalyst for conversation, and typically there are lots of new friendships that are formed throughout the dinner.
   As the evening unfolds, guests will enjoy a multi course meal of global delights which include two tasty appetizers, a delicious salad, a fabulous entre’ and a decadent dessert! Guests always leave happy and full, and with clean plate awards!

   When Whizzy first came up with the idea to start the Blue Moon Yurt, She wanted to create a river trip style experience in one night. She has definitely achieved that, and each night at the Yurt truly resembles a magical night on the Salmon River. Even when we are in the middle of winter, we can dream of summer and think of the amazing times we get to share on the river!

   
   Whizzy has recruited a great staff this winter and has many Canyons Guides working for her including Tessa, Jamie, Avery and myself. We are all stoked to be a part of the Blue Moon Yurt Magic, and can’t stay away!
   If you find yourself in McCall this winter, be sure to give Whizzy a call and make a reservation for a night your tastebuds will never forget! And if you want to try some of her incredible food creations on the river, come be our guest on Team Canyons’ Annual Wine and Culinary Trip!

   Here is a link to the Blue Moon Yurt Website

   Follow along on Instagram

7. Come Wine and Dine with Team Canyons!

   February 22, 2024 7:43 pm Comments Off on Come Wine and Dine with Team Canyons!

   As a Canyons Guide,  every year I look forward to our annual Wine and Culinary Trip. This is a specialty trip that takes place towards the end of every season on the Mighty Main Salmon.

   Everyone’s favorite river guide and chef extraordinaire, Lisa “Whizzy” Whisnant prepares the menu with delicious meals inspired by her “Off-the-Grid Restaurant” in which she runs during the Winter called the Blue Moon Yurt! All of Whizzy’s fabulous food is paired with Old and New World Wine from around the Pacific Northwest. We are lucky enough to be joined by some fantastic sommeliers that will help educate and explore your wine palate!

   It truly is a magical trip! Delicious food, paired with incredible wine, and 6 days on the Main Salmon River?! Heck Ya! What could be better?

   I have been lucky enough to work this trip year after year, and have gotten to help prepare so many of Whizzy’s amazing food creations. Whizzy is incredibly talented and creative, and comes up with a lot of her menu ideas in her dreams!
   One of the reasons I love working this trip is getting to step outside our comfort zone in the kitchen. Whizzy is a great teacher, and has an incredible vision for putting such amazing flavors together and creating a “party” In your mouth with each and every bite! She is patient with having a bunch of river guides asking her questions, always has the best attitude, and teaches us to taste what we are cooking. The food that we prepare on this trip is absolutely fantastic and made entirely from scratch.
   My favorite meal we have prepared on the Wine and Culinary trip is her “Portobello Kiss” which is a grilled portobello mushroom, topped with her poblano pesto sauce, grilled peppers and onions, manchego cheese and pesto all wrapped in filo dough and baked in a dutch oven. When baked, the portobello looks like a Hershey’s Kiss! The portobello is then placed directly in the middle of two separate sauces: garlic basil sauce and green chile. Also served with this meal is sauteed brussel sprout leaves with chorizo. I love everything about this meal, and it tastes unlike anything I have ever eaten before! Can you say, best meal ever?
   The is a Six Day River Trip that ends at Mackay Bar Ranch. We will spend four nights and five days sleeping on the banks of the Salmon River and dining in Paradise. The last night will be spent at Mackay Bar Lodge where the trip will end and guests will fly out the next morning!

   Come see the Magic of Our Wine and Culinary Trip for yourself! We would love to have you join us! Just know that you will need to book early for 2025, as this trip sells out every year!

   Stay tuned for the next blog post where I’ll talk about the Magic of the Blue Moon Yurt.

   Kelli O’Keefe, Canyons Guide

8. The Gift of a River Trip for Dad.

   January 29, 2024 8:34 pm Comments Off on The Gift of a River Trip for Dad.

   The Gift of a River Trip

   August 2023
   This old button-down has ‘DAD’ written all over it: drawings of fly fishing flies labeled with their unique names like ‘wooly bugger’ and ‘caddis pupa’ pattern the frayed flannel. I’m checking off items from the Canyons Packing List as Dad sorts through his clothes. He offered me his beloved Orvis flannel, saying it had shrunk in the wash and I could keep it if I liked.
   Greg, the owner of Canyons, offers full-time guides an incredible benefit of bringing a family member or friend on a Canyons trip. As a Christmas gift, I invited Dad on a September, Main Salmon River Trip. So we are going over the packing list again and I’m triple checking his flights and travel plans. I am prepared. Prepared to keep him comfortable on the bumpy bus ride and whitewater roller coasters. Prepared to help him hike the steep mountains, catch a trout in the river, stay warm through the crisp fall nights, break the ice in conversations with the other guests… I have magnesium if the groover doesn’t call, a cot if he’s uncomfortable sleeping on the ground, a chair to support his back as he rides in the rafts… I am prepared.

   Sept 2023 – Day 2 of the trip
   I am not prepared for my dad to have an absolute blast.
   This morning I tried to pry Dad away from an engaging conversation with a new friend and fellow guest on the trip so he wouldn’t miss breakfast. After yesterday, I realized that my dad and I haven’t spent that much time together as adults separate from family gatherings or reunions. I forgot that Dad is a social butterfly. He is so drawn to the Canyons ‘social circle’ that he hasn’t even cast a fly!

   Sept 2023 – Day 4
   Dad is my guest, but also my dad out here. Sweat rolled down my neck as I roasted the New York Strip and Dad kept a fan on me! Tonight he ‘filmed a cooking show’ as I layered the lasagna and we partnered for an impromptu act in the Talent Show. We’ve had a couple of times where it’s just been us in the raft; he’s listened to my human history and geology talks…as well as some grumbles about the headwind. I’ve watched him engage with every guest on the trip and eventually, catch a trout (with a little help).

   Sept 2023 – Day 5
   Launching on a new moon, we bundled up each night to watch the shooting stars together. He hiked a steep scramble to a ridgeline, smiled through the whitewater, and slept deeply each night, tuckered out from the pace and excitement of the river trip. It warmed my heart to see my fellow guides take care of Dad: Colin crafted a special ‘anatomical heart-shaped pancake’ (Dad is a cardiologist) and Greg reserved a seat in the dory for the big whitewater day.
   I spent all my energy preparing for the logistics of this river trip–not realizing that the experience will speak for itself. Dad surprised me on all fronts. I’ve watched guests enjoy the Salmon River with their family and now I truly understand how special it is to share a river trip with my dad.

9. Meet Velvet, A Dory on the Salmon!

   January 23, 2024 1:35 am Comments Off on Meet Velvet, A Dory on the Salmon!

   Welcome to the Team, Velvet!

   “Is that…a dory?!” Folks at the boat ramp crane their necks to get a better view of the elegant wooden boat. Only 13’ 6” long, she’s one of three ‘Double Chubble’ dories ever built. She’s the perfect size for both big water and low technical flows which characterize the free-flowing Salmon River. Greg, owner of Canyons River Company, strokes the little boat gently and then fluffs the pillows that adorn her benches. He welcomes the onlookers to admire the fine craftsmanship of Fretwater Boatworks.

   Greg is good friends with Brad Dimock, owner of Fretwater Boatworks. One of Greg’s dreams was to row a lavender dory on the Salmon River, so Brad and his co-worker, Cricket, brought this dream to life by building Velvet.

   Working both in the Grand Canyon and on Salmon River, Greg quickly learned of dory-lore. He had the opportunity to row a friend’s dory named Thunder River down the Grand and it was love at first stroke. Greg describes the allure of captaining this special craft: “It feels like you’re kayaking…but you can take friends in your boat!”

   Velvet Falls is the first significant drop on the Middle Fork of the Salmon. Back in 1995 when Greg was a young river guide, Velvet Falls stood out to him as a “beautiful rapid” and since then it has “always held a special spot”. It just so happened that after Velvet was built, named, and christened in the Salmon River, the rapid of Velvet Falls changed forever from a massive landslide.

   Landslides in the Salmon River corridor often occur after forest fires. A fire cycle is natural and healthy in this ecosystem; however, a history of poor environmental decisions have had detrimental consequences. Downstream dams preventing the keystone species of salmon returning to the ecosystem and forest mis-management are two major human impacts that have contributed to the recent catastrophic fires.

   Dories are often named to memorialize the earth’s natural wonders that have been badly injured by human activities; some historic dories are Marble Canyon, Hidden Passage, and Quartz Creek. Martin Litton, a devoted dory pioneer and environmentalist, began this tradition as a way to inspire river activism. He believed that if you got people down to rivers, it would inspire them to take care of these places. Unintentionally, Velvet followed tradition and became a living memory of her namesake.

   Velvet has navigated the mighty Main Salmon and Lower Salmon. In 2024, Greg says “she’ll be making her way upstream to the Middle Fork, just like a little salmon returning home”.

   We hope you’ll have the chance to ride in her. “She’s a spunky little filly, always ready to ride!”

   written by Canyons guide, Jessie Longe