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SIX OR TWELVE DAY RIVER ADVENTURES

MIDDLE FORK AND MAIN SALMON RIVERS, IDAHO

Category Archive: rafting

  1. Offbeat Interview Series with Hatcher

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    Growing up in Nederland, Colorado, 18-year-old Hatcher fell in love with the big forests and cold rivers of the Rocky Mountains. He thrived in a family who valued spending as much time outside as they could, and inspired him to go on adventures like rafting on the Río Baker in Chilé and spending time as an intern ranger in Denali National Park, Alaska. 

    His mom, an Idaho Native, and his dad, an experienced raft guide, fed his desire for adventure in amazing places like the Main and Middle Fork of the Salmon River. The clear waters and beautiful ambiance of the River of No Return drew Hatcher in and he knew he had to spend as much time as possible on its magnificent waters. Greg McFadden and Hatcher’s parents have been close friends for years, and now that Hatcher is old enough, Greg has offered to take him on as an aspiring guide for the 2021 season. 

    Hatcher loves kayaking, skiing, and mountain biking in the endless playground of the Rocky Mountains, and if he isn’t boofing a wave or hitting a jump, you can find him reading everything from the Greek classics to John Kennedy Toole, or planning his next outdoor adventure with his Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Boone, by his side.

    The Interview

    In your guiding career (on or off river), what has been your most memorable “uhoh!” moment? 

    That would have to be 2 summers ago on the Middle Fork of the Salmon. It was a low-water trip, and a group member pinned his boat beneath a HUGE log jam. After two hours of trying to unstick his raft, we decided to leave it, for the safety of the group. Walking the owner around Pistol Rapid, I learned that slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and that working together as a team is the best way to make a bad situation better.

    What is your favorite dress-up theme? 

    I am a newcomer at Canyons, but I can’t wait to see the costume box my parents have told me about.

    What intrigues you about working for Canyons? 

    Between doing a swiftwater rescue course with several Canyons guides and attending Alzar School, where other Canyons guides teach, I’ve come to know the awesome spirit of inclusiveness and positivity that Greg and the team radiate in all situations. I can’t wait to learn the ins and outs of guiding from a company known for as much for its professionalism as its goofiness.

    What are three words that describe you? 

    Witty, introspective, and STOKED!

    What is your favorite thing about the Middle Fork or Main Salmon? 

    Having done both on private trips with my family, I love different things about each. The Middle Fork is a Pandora’s Box enticing you with its beauty into a crazy trip no matter the water level, and the Main is an almost dream-like world with lower consequences and more chances to slow down and immerse yourself in the beauty of the wilderness surrounding it.

    If you could be a river creature, which one and why? 

    If I could be a river creature, I would be a sandhill crane. I love their laid back attitude, and how graceful they are when they fly.

    If you could bring anyone on a river trip, who would it be and why? 

    Hands down, Edward Abbey. He might be a hassle in camp, but he ran the Grand Canyon on a two-man expedition in a fossil of a raft, which tells me that he would make light out of any situation – and a cool story out of it, too!

    What is one of your river rituals or superstitions? 

    After seeing the number of scorpions that come out at sundown on the San Juan River, you’ll rarely find me without my sandals in camp. Is that a ritual?

    What are your personal top 3 MUST HAVES on a river trip? 

    A good book (reading and rivers go hand in hand for me), good people (especially ones with a rowdy sense of humor), and an extra paddle (hand paddling isn’t as fun as it looks!).

    Where is your favorite groover spot? 

    My favorite groover spot is at the Pistol Creek camp, the sound of the massive rapid you ran to get to this camp, plus the scenery, make for an awesome spot to relax! I actually wished I had to use it more than I did…

    What is the most important lesson the river has taught you so far?

    Understanding how rare it is that you get to spend a week totally cut off of everything outside of the 24 people you spend that week with. Something about getting out of the norm and being in a super unique world. If you understand how important it is, you come away as a new person — refreshed and renewed appreciation for nature.

  2. Offbeat Interview Series with Jamie

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    Jamie grew up in heart of Idaho, spending much of his youth pursuing his first passion: soccer. After playing at the collegiate level, he moved to London to coach for Arsenal’s community soccer program, which brought him coaching stints in Israel, the Philippines, and Greece. Once he finished his time abroad, he returned to McCall without an inkling of what his next step would be. 

    Then he found the river! Despite having grown up around the amazing rivers in Idaho, Jamie had never spent much time exploring the water. That all changed in 2016 when he began guiding in Hells Canyon and on the Lower Salmon. He immediately fell in love and tries his best to spend as much time as he can on the water. When Jamie isn’t floating down a river, you’ll find him skiing, reading, playing old school video games, and hiking with his two girls: Aspen the border collie and Nellie the golden retriever.

    The Interview

     

    In your guiding career (on or off river), what has been your favorite “woohoo!” moment?

    While not technically a guided trip, it did occur during my guiding career… which was rafting the Clarence River in New Zealand. Four of my friends and myself rented some boats from an outfitter in Clarence, hopped in a shuttle to the put in, and embarked on a 6 day, 120+ mile journey from source to sea. We were given 5 different map segments shoved in a 3 foot long pvc pipe. Each segment unfurled measured 2X3 feet. Trying to pull the correct map segment out in order see which camps were coming up or to identify any upcoming rapids was comical and often times we were way off the mark. The whole experience, right up to rafting into the ocean, was one big woohoo moment. 

     

    In your guiding career (on or off river), what has been your most memorable “uhoh!” moment?

    My first year guiding was riddled with uhoh moments. The most memorable was asking my boat on my first commercially guided trip, whether they wanted to go big or not. They did. And we did. Total yard sale. Fortunately, one of the guests grabbed the beer cooler before it floated off to be someone else’s river booty.

     

    What is your favorite dress-up theme?

    I’m pretty partial to onesies, but can get down with almost any costume.

     

    What intrigues you about working for Canyons?

    The culture of community and family that Canyons embodies. I experienced a trip with them several years ago and walked away feeling like Canyons was a family and one that I wanted to be apart of!

     

    What are three words that describe you?

    Hairy, assiduous, optimistic 

     

    What is your favorite thing about the Middle Fork or Main Salmon?

    That free flowin livin. It’s pretty special these days to have such long stretches of water without dams or other man made impediments!

     

    If you could be a river creature, which one and why?

    Beaver. Because the beaver is nature’s water architect and is the only creature thus far that has figured out how to build dams that benefit the environment, not destroy it. 

     

    If you could bring anyone on a river trip, who would it be and why?

    My grandma! She’s the best. I think her energy would match nicely with the rivers and she’d be a fun time!

     

    What is one of your river rituals or superstitions?

    If I scout a rapid and it looks intense, I have to throw some water in my face and put my sunglasses in my pfd.  

     

    What are your personal top 3 MUST HAVES on a river trip?

    TOOTHBRUSH, camera, and a good attitude… and sunglasses

     

    Where is your favorite groover spot?

    That’s a tough one. I suppose out of the spots I’ve experienced thus far, Saddle Creek in Hells Canyon is up there for me. It’s feels like a 10 hour hike to the spot, but the view is worth it. I look forward to expanding my horizons this season and enjoying all the new groover spots.  

     

    What is the most important lesson the river has taught you so far?

    So so many important lessons have been learned during my time on the water. It’s hard to break it down to the most important one, but if I were to take a stab it’d probably be somewhere along the lines of “be humble in success.” Every day the river throws new challenges, new moments at you. If you find yourself being successful, enjoy it, but don’t revel it. It can be ephemeral— one minute you’ve greased a line in a tough rapid, the next you’re pulling a swimmer out of the water. One meal you’ve grilled the most tender steak, the next you’re watching the Cornish game hens disappear behind a curtain of flames only to reappear as indistinguishable, black mounds. It’s important to have perspective and to work for success all the days and to be humble if you happen to find it. 

  3. Offbeat Interview Series with Anneke

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    Anneke is playful and adventurous, and brings her whole heart to all she does! She grew up car camping near any water her family could find in the surprisingly diverse landscapes of Arizona, but didn’t experience whitewater until a family summer vacation in Idaho brought her down the Salmon River through Riggins. She immediately knew, that deep gut knowing, that she wanted the job of those fun, competent, earthy guides who laughed freely and fully. After a college career at UC Berkeley studying Geography and Social Welfare, and much travel – to Ghana, Italy, Honduras, the Caribbean – Anneke returned home to Phoenix to work for a therapeutic arts non-profit. There, attempting to embark on a career path where her desire to serve might be fulfilled, Anneke grew itchy in front of a computer screen. She remembered her teenage dream of becoming a raft guide, and that deep gut knowing returned. Six years and several rivers later, Anneke delightedly joined the Canyons team. Her adult life has meandered and explored many fields, including outdoor education, adaptive rafting, youth leadership, yoga teaching, construction, yurt cookin’, ski bumming, and much more! She greets each day newly and enthusiastically, for life is like the river, with a new adventure around every bend.

    The Interview

    In your guiding career (on or off river ), what has been your favorite “woohoo!” moment?

    When I was guiding on Hells Canyon in 2017, some members of my adventurous family came as guests on a trip with me. My 8, 12, and 14 year old cousins and their dad were in my boat, and above Granite Creek Rapid (IV, high water), I was nervous! The GoPro was running. We entered the rapid perfectly though, and after a stomach-tingling 20 foot drop, we found ourselves in the infamous”Green Room,” with smooth green water on all sides and a huge wave train to ride the rest of the way, hooting and cheering!

    In your guiding career (on or off river), what has been your most memorable “uhoh!” moment?

    Instructing a leadership course for teens, the night before we were to launch on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River, my co-instructor and I passed the students the reigns to the kitchen to cook up a special pupusa birthday meal for one of the teens. Thirty minutes after the delicious meal was finished, and while a massive dish session was underway, all the cooks threw up! It turns out that eating raw masa dough can give you food poisoning. Uh-oh! Luckily our crew recovered enough for an early morning launch!

    What is your favorite dress-up theme?

    I like goading the shy people on a trip into dressing up by tossing them something just barely outside their comfort zone – a wonky hat or sparkly accessory – just enough to crack their shell and bring out their feisty side! I think this sort of “start with one piece and then keep putting on more and more things” theme is my favorite. How weird can your layers get?

    What intrigues you about working for Canyons?

    I love that there’s a queer-friendly company on the river! The culture of acceptance and familial support seems pretty special to me and I’m eager to be a part of it and see what kind of magic it can create for guests and guides alike!

    What are three words that describe you?

    Childlike, compassionate, bold

    What is your favorite thing about the Middle Fork or Main Salmon?

    That they are free-flowing. There are great teachings and magic in an undammed river.

    If you could be a river creature, which one and why?

    A river otter. See poem below to answer why!

     

    Almost a Conversation – By Mary Oliver
    I have not really, not yet, talked with otter about his life.
    He has so many teeth, he has trouble
    with vowels.
    Wherefore our understanding 
    is all body expression –
    He swims like the sleekest fish,
    he dives and exhales and lifts a trail of bubbles.
    Little by little he trusts my eyes
    and my curious body sitting on the shore.
    Sometimes he comes close.
    I admire his whiskers 
    and his dark fur which I would rather die than
    wear.
    He has no words, still what he tells about his life 
    is clear.
    He does not own a computer.
    He imagines the river will last forever.
    He does not envy the dry house I live in.
    He does not wonder who or what it is that I worship.
    He wonders, morning and morning, that the river 
    is so cold and fresh and alive, and still
    I don’t jump in.

    If you could bring anyone on a river trip, who would it be and why?

    My mama. She is so present and so full of wonder in each moment. I think it would be beautiful to experience this magical place with this superpower of hers along for the ride. Also, I just love her so much.

    What is one of your river rituals or superstitions?

    I wash my face with river water every morning – it helps me feel connected and grounded to another day together.

    What are your personal top 3 MUST HAVES on a river trip?

    coconut oil chapstick – sarong – a journal

    Where is your favorite groover spot?

    I like a spot with a view where I can wave at boats going by.

    What is the most important lesson the river has taught you so far?

    Like a river, life is always changing, but the patterns of how it moves and flows can be learned if you pay close enough attention.

  4. Offbeat Interview Series with Ren

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    Hi! My name is Kathryn (Ren) Egnew, and I was born and raised right here in McCall, Idaho. I grew up skiing, kayaking, rafting, and mountain biking, but soccer and horseback riding were my main focus until college. After a (very) short stint as a college athlete I moved to Moab to be a river guide for Sheri Griffith River Expeditions. After a summer in the desert I relocated to Bozeman MT to go back to school for GIS and Snow Science. Five years in Bozeman taught me to love the outdoors more, took me all over the world to ski and kayak, and helped me find my passion at the crossroads of guiding and backcountry awareness and stewardship.

    I was living abroad when the pandemic began, so I bailed back to the States and landed in McCall. What was supposed to be a couple months “reset period” turned into a year and a refound love of Idaho. I am currently spending my time working towards my AIARE teaching and guiding certifications in the winter, and playing on the river and tending to my garden in the summer. Happy to be home!

    In your guiding career (on or off river), what has been your favorite “woohoo!” moment?

    Rowing the Big Drops in Cataract Canyon for the first time.

    In your guiding career (on or off river), what has been your most memorable “uhoh!” moment?

    Going left at Bedrock Rapid in the Grand Canyon…it wasn’t technically a guided trip, but no one in my boat knew much about rivers and it was certainly a spicy line!

    What is your favorite dress-up theme?

    Anything leopard print!

    What intrigues you about working for Canyons?

    I have always been drawn to the sense of camaraderie and family at Canyons. It is this unwavering sense of place and unconditional love that has made me want to be a part of Team Canyons for a very long time.

    What are three words that describe you?

    Adaptable, bold, creative.

    What is your favorite thing about the Middle Fork or Main Salmon?

    The beautiful clear water and the hot springs!

    If you could be a river creature, which one and why?

    I would be a river otter because they are so good at playing and napping with equal voracity.

    If you could bring anyone on a river trip, who would it be and why?

    Beyonce.

    What is one of your river rituals or superstitions?

    Never talk about the Big W! (wind)

    What are your personal top 3 MUST HAVES on a river trip?

    A sketchbook, coffee/cocktail mug, and a good river dress.

    Where is your favorite groover spot?

    Any spot overlooking a big rapid. It helps move things along and gives you another chance to scout!

    What is the most important lesson the river has taught you so far?

    I know this is extra cheesy, but the river really has taught me to go with the flow and to be comfortable working with what I have at the moment.

  5. Offbeat Interview Emily

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    Meet Canyon’s Social Media Diva, Emily Sedgwick! Maybe you have delighted in our Facebook feed or re-lived your Salmon River adventure through the pictures and video on our Twitter posts and on Instagram. If so, then you have been touched by the work of Emily, Founder and Principal of Em and Em Marketing. In the dynamic world of social media, Emily is a wellspring of experience, ingenuity and creativity.  Pairing her graphic design and marketing expertise, she creates posts that are joyful, positive and uplifting, with the hope of spreading kindness to all of our followers, guests and interested parties. Through Emily’s endless hustle and results driven leadership, Canyons won the prestigious Thrive Award for Social Media at the America Outdoors Conference this year! All hail Canyons Social Media Diva!

    When you meet Emily in person, you are immediately drawn to her vivacious personality, up-for-anything energy and 1,000 watt smile. As competitive skier and division one soccer captain, Emily knows a thing or two about focus, motivation and drive. Emily had been working in hospitality, advertising and marketing field when Canyons owner/guide Greg noticed she had a gift for seeing the beauty in things and creatively translating that beauty into social media content that underscores the values that Team Canyons lives by. Canyons strives to create community through offering deeply meaningful river trips and employing guides who are experts in their field (and experts in FUN). We recognize the value of the wilderness experience and strive to create community on our trips and back in town through honest and authentic engagement.  Emily drives our social media content to reflect these core values and add beauty and substance to the world.

    As our principal marketing advisor, Emily has joined Team Canyons on many trips. Her delightful personality has earned her the titles of: river sommelier, Canyon’s Guide-In-Training-For-Life (by Canyons guide Chris Madden), official raft sunbather, hot springs activist, side canyon explorer, dishline dancer, campfire closer and rescue ducky-ing delight!

    If you want more from Emily and Team Canyons, sign up and sign in on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram!

  6. Yoga and Whitewater Adventure on the Middle Fork of the Salmon

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    Join Jenny and Sami, avid outdoors women and passionate yoga teachers on a six day yoga and whitewater adventure on the wildly pristine Middle Fork of the Salmon River!

    Explore the beauty of the Earth and how deeply we are connected to ourselves, each other and the planet. Well seasoned yogis and those brand new to the practice will enjoy this retreat. A variety of yogic practices will be shared including creative asana, breath work, meditation, and nidra.

    The trip includes 2-3 yoga practices daily, three gourmet meals daily, two drinks a day (beer or wine), wild white water rafting, hot springs, hikes, opportunities to kayak and fun connection activities. Evenings we will gather around the campfire and connect. Sign up here!

    A highlight will be a heart opening cacao ceremony and a dress up dance party.

    Take this time to be wild and free in the Frank Church wilderness on the Yoga and Whitewater Adventure. It will be life changing!

    Please contact Jenny at 208.410.1238 or email at [email protected].


    ——


    Sami Ruggles, RYT 200, is a seeker. She is always looking for meaning, symbols, and secrets hidden in the natural world around her. She knew that it was possible to live an authentically, happy life but she never knew the profound impact that yoga would make on one’s ability to do so.
    Her first yoga class took place 9 years ago, and she’s never looked back. Under the guidance of skillful teachers and the lens of her own devoted curiosity to the art of yoga her practice has evolved and unfolded. She teaches powerful yoga experiences and is a firm believer that yoga can give everyone the power to be the most authentic version of themselves.


    Jenny Greenough Hanson, ERYT 500, is passionate about yoga, connection and authenticity. She believes yoga is the best tool to create these both individually and as a collective. She is convinced if anything can save the hearts and minds of people and the planet, it’s yoga. It brings her great joy to share it. She is grateful to be a part of the global yoga community whether teaching in a studio or on retreat in some beautiful corner of the world. Always curious and astonished at the journey of yoga she hopes to share and study it as a lifetime pursuit. She is trained in vinyasa, yin, restorative, nidra, and Buti yoga. Retreats are her great joy to share.

  7. Cheers to A Semi “Normal” 2021!

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    Oh 2020. You’ve certainly made the history books and I don’t know about you, but I look forward to closing this chapter (maybe even slamming it, just for effect)! So much has happened this year and there is no need to recount it here. It’s been a wild and sobering season at Canyons but as 2020 draws to a close, the Team is feeling invigorated by the prospect of a vaccine and optimistic about next season. Cheers to a semi-“Normal” 2021!

    Staying positive seems to be one of the great challenges of this year. If ever there were a year to work on your gratitude practice, this has been it! We are feeling grateful that our work is creating extraordinary experiences in a wild land that is worthy of every opportunity we can create to save it. We feel fortunate that we can offer folks the chance to get back to their true selves and create moments of deep peace. Our 2021 season looks to draw in almost 500 guests we look forward to connecting with, learning from and inspiring.

    In high school, I had to take Calculus II / Trigonometry with Ms. Duncan. It was beyond challenging for me. In fact, it was like being thrown into Advanced Placement Mandarin without ever having taken the beginners course. It was rigorous, defeating, shocking, inexplicable and maddening. Now, several decades later, I still get a physical reaction when thinking of that class. My heart rate increases, my breathing becomes ragged and I could swear I’m breaking out in hives. I suspect remembering 2020 will incur the same reaction for years to come. But, however hard Ms. Duncan was, however hard that class was, I learned some very, very hard won lessons that made tiny victories ever sweeter (like the relief and exhilaration of receiving a C instead of the alternative!). And I’d like to think I’m the better for it.

    So here’s to 2020. May we take in the lessons we need to from it, appreciate whatever gains were made no matter how seemingly insignificant or mediocre, and walk out of that classroom into the fresh air of a new year!

    Cheers everyone to 2021! Never has a return to “normal” ever felt so needed or hoped for!

  8. Offbeat Interview Series with JP

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    JP  Bevilaqua

    I grew up in the Southeastern US and began kayaking around the age of 10. The Ocoee, Chattooga, and Nantahala were my home rivers and are places I still love to visit. After graduating from CU-Boulder in 2003 I worked for five years as a professional kayak instructor and raft guide for the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center on the Arkansas River in Colorado. In 2008, I was drawn back to the south by the accessibility of whitewater kayaking and to train as a member of the US Kayaking Team.

    I made Asheville, NC my home for over a decade, during which time I worked as an outdoor educator for the Nantahala Outdoor Center, Camp Merrie-Woode, the Asheville School Mountaineering Program, and Warren Wilson College. In 2018, I relocated to the Pacific Northwest where I now spend winter and spring ski patrolling on Mt. Hood and summers guiding on the Salmon River in Idaho.

    The Interview

    If you could be a river superhero, what would you be?   I’ve often looked at small streams and tiny creeks and thought, “That would be an awesome stretch of whitewater if I was like a foot tall!” So, my river superpower would be the ability to “Smurf myself” so that I could paddle tiny creeks. Maybe not the most altruistic superpower.   

    What is your favorite dress up theme?   Admittedly, I am not the most creative in the costume department. I tend to wait for the costume bag to get dumped out and then let other guides or guests pick out a few things for me to wear for the evening. It’s kind of fun actually. I am always amused at what people think would be a good costume for me.

    What is your ‘go-to’ crazy hat night creation?   I am still working on this one as well. 

    What brought you to Canyons?   When I was 21 years old, I was a guest on a Canyons trip in 2001. The Middle fork obviously has a tendency to make an impression on the folks who paddle it. From that point forward I always had the Salmon in my mind as a place I wanted to work someday. Greg was actually a guide on that trip, as was then owner Les Bechdel. I spent almost a decade managing an adventure program in western North Carolina that has a longstanding relationship with Canyons and had kept up with Greg here and there as he took over the company. So, when I found myself living in the Pacific Northwest, I knew I had to reach out to Greg to see if he was willing to take me on.

    How many years have you worked here?   2020 will be my second season with Canyons.     

    What is your favorite thing about Canyons?   I love the enthusiasm and excitement that the guests bring to their experience of being on the Salmon. Being around that kind of energy really makes the experience of guiding out there a special one. 

    If you could describe Canyons in 3 words?   Old School Fun 

    When you hear the word Idaho, what comes to mind?   I think of remote wilderness, amazing whitewater, and enormous potential for adventures of all kinds. I love the rawness of Idaho. It really sets it apart, even from other states in the mountain west. I like it when the outdoor adventure in a particular landscape requires a bit of problem-solving, grit, and a healthy dose of the unknown. 

    What are your top three favorite camps?   Marble Left (MF), Lower Grouse (MF), and Groundhog (MN) are among my current favorites. But there are still many I have not yet gotten to know. So we’ll see if that changes I continue to get to know the river.

    Your favorite hike?   Johnson Point for sure. I love that it’s a bit strenuous. Wakes up the legs. And the views are stunning.

    Top three favorite rapids?   This is a tough one because it’s so level dependent. But Haystack (MF), Lower Cliffside (MF), and Elkhorn (MN) are up there. 

    Currently, what is your nemesis rapid?    I got really stuck in Tappan IV on my last trip of 2019. So, I need to get some redemption there. 

    What river do you want to run that you haven’t yet?   There are just too many to name. The Zambezi is at the top of the list. 

    What do you consider a ‘real’ job?   Any job that challenges and inspires you.   

    If you could only have one kayak in your quiver, what would it be and why?   I’d say the Liquid Logic Party Braaap is about as close to a one-boat quiver as it gets these days. It handles well in fast, big water, and equally well in tight, technical lines. It front surfs like a dream and has a super playful stern that is great fun on eddy lines.   

    What is your favorite thing to cook on the river?   Are margaritas an acceptable answer?

    If you could take a musician or band down the river today, who would it be?   I’ve been a fan of the band Widespread Panic for a very long time. After having been a guest of theirs many times, I’d love to return the favor.   

    What is your most memorable swim in a river?   My most recent swim was on the Middle Fork. I was guiding our smallest raft known as the Colt through Weber Rapid at 6.5ft. on our first trip of 2019. We all ended in the water after a fairly dramatic dump truck, made all the more exciting because Greg was also on the boat. Yep, I swam our owner/outfitter on the first trip of the year!

    What is one of your river rituals or superstitions?   I try to remain as objective as possible on the river and not fall into the traps of mojo or superstition. That said when I am in whitewater that is hard for me I tend to quietly sing familiar song lyrics. I find it helps me remain relaxed and controls my breathing.

    What is your most valued non-river-related item that you bring with you on every trip?   A good pillow. I’ve put my time in making pillows our of fleece and stuff sacks. These days I take the real thing whenever possible.  

    What is your favorite groover spot?   The jury is still out on this one. Any groover spot that has a view of the river and is free of poison ivy is fine with me.

  9. Offbeat Interview Series with Hattie

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    Hattie Tehan

     

    Hattie likes to consider herself an Oregonian through and through. Born and raised in the small town of Sisters, Oregon she grew up among mountains, wildflowers, animals, and a loving community. The Central Oregon community is still home and it is where you can find Hattie, her partner Syver (also a Canyons guide!) and their cat Mo in the offseason. When she’s not meandering down rivers with Canyons she is a teacher and an outdoor educator. Throughout the past 10 years, she has taught everything from basic backcountry living to advanced Spanish grammar. She has lived and worked throughout the West Coast, Southwest, as well as South America. Teaching has been an incredible journey for Hattie thus far and she hopes to continue working in educational settings for most of her days.

    When she’s not working with students or on the water with Canyons, Hattie fills her days with the things that make her happy. Not surprisingly, much of her free time is spent on rivers. Whether kayaking the neighboring Payette drainage, doing a multi-day paddleboard trip with her mom or joining her friends’ on their biannual “Soggy Bottom Babes” all women’s raft trip, Hattie loves the perspective that the river brings her. When she’s not on the water, she loves exploring new areas, playing hard outside, making art, and spending time with the people that she loves. Hattie figures that if teaching doesn’t work out for her in the long run, that a career sewing fanny packs and bell bottoms will be next on her list!

    The Interview

    If you could be a river superhero, what would you be?   A river superhero?! I would love the power to make any water hot. We get so spoiled on the Middle Fork and Main with the hot springs, I’d love to be able to take hot springs with me on all of my river adventures. 

    What is your favorite dress up theme?   The best costume party I have ever been to was when everyone had to dress (and act) as their adolescent self. It made for some big surprises and a lot of laughs at people’s teenage selves came out. 

    What is your ‘go-to’ crazy hat night creation?   I love making as big of a flower crown as possible! 

    What brought you to Canyons?   I’ve spent the past 10 years working in Outdoor Education and I was excited to explore the professional river scene in a new way. As a teacher during the year, teaching in the summer was a no-go and Canyons offers me the perfect break. Yes, the Canyons team works extremely hard, but most of the time it doesn’t feel like work and I go back to the school year feeling rejuvenated, strong, and inspired. 

    How many years have you worked here?   I’m a newbie! 2020 will be year two for me. 

    What is your favorite thing about Canyons?   I’m sure this isn’t a new one – the people. As I’ve worked for more and more companies and schools I have become fascinated with how we build community. Canyon’s does an amazing job of making you feel valued from the first email you receive in your inbox. I love working with such inspirational people who span eras and experiences but all have a common love for experiencing the river and doing it with our Canyons family. 

    If you could describe Canyons in 3 words?   Emojis, love, and really-big-boats. 

    When you hear the word Idaho, what comes to mind?   Currently, I think of home. I live right down the road from the Canyons warehouse in Cascade, Idaho!

    What are your top three favorite camps?   Gosh, I’m just starting to get to know all of the camps but my favorites thus far are Little Pine (MF), Cradle (MF), and of course Sunflower (MF). 

    Your favorite hike?   As of right now, I love the hike from Little Pine up to Johnson Point. 

    Top three favorite rapids?   Pistol (MF), Tapan Falls (MF), and Jack Creek (MF)

    Currently, what is your nemesis rapid?   Man, Arta Rock (this one has many names) kicked my butt last time!

    What river do you want to run that you haven’t yet?   A Jarbrdge Bruneau multi-day kayak trip is on my list for this spring! 

    What do you consider a ‘real’ job?   I’ve made money lots of ways throughout my life but right now my ‘real’ job is teaching high school leadership and Spanish and then splish-splashing around with Canyons in the summer! Not too bad of a combo! 

    If you could only have one kayak in your quiver, what would it be and why?   Some people will think I’m crazy but I have a soft spot for my pink Jackson 2Fun. 

    What is your favorite thing to cook on the river?   I love a good dutch oven lasagna. 

    If you could take a musician or band down the river today, who would it be?   Lake Street Dive, no questions asked. 

    What is your most memorable swim in a river?   My last one, on the canyon section of the River Paloma in Chile. My buddy and I were pretty surprised by some high water! 

    What is one of your river rituals or superstitions?   When I’m scared or nervous I sing a pump-up-self-worth chant to myself that a good friend of mine taught me. Ask me and I’ll teach it to you some time!

    What is your most valued non-river-related item that you bring with you on every trip?   I always bring my kindle with a few different books to read at night. 

    What is your favorite groover spot?   I don’t think I’ve found it yet, but in general, any spot where you get a mix of the river and trees and you feel like you’re hiding!