We’re proud to be collaborating with our friends at KS Wild and Base Camp Brewing Co. on releasing the newest BCBC beer, the Chetco River Saison. Come join us at the release party on Thursday, June 5th for this celebratory event of wilderness conservation and brewing genius. When: Thursday, June 5th, 2014 from 6 – 9 PM Where: Base Camp Brewing Co., 930 SE Oak St, Portland, Ore. What: Happy Hour at 6 PM and short presentation at 7 PM The NWRC guides first explored the… Read More
Author: Zachary Collier
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“Self support” is a term kayakers use for overnight trips without the support of rafts. You can only bring the bare necessities, but the simplicity and freedom of these trips are rare and special. After taking a paddleboard down the Rogue River with raft support, I’ve been wanting to do a self-support trip on a SUP. At 284 miles, the John Day River (including the North Fork of the John Day) in Central Oregon is the Northwest’s longest free flowing stretch of river. The 70 mile… Read More
Whitewater stand up paddleboarding (SUP) is gradually becoming mainstream on Class II and III rivers around the world. This winter there were some great debates in the Whitewater SUP facebook group so I asked the experts to weigh in on the hottest topics. The experts: Ian Smith – SurfSUP Adventures (Pittsburg, PA) Dan Gavere – SUP Instruction (Hood River, OR) Corran Addison – Owner of Corran Addison Paddleboards (San Clemente, CA) Taylor Robertson – Werner Paddles Athlete (Chico, CA) Tim Thornton – River Drifters (Hood River,… Read More
When river guides banter around the campfire, conversation usually turns to the biggest rapids and the best river trips in the world. Although everyone has their favorites, the list of legendary rivers is almost always the same. 1. Middle Fork of the Salmon River (Idaho) In my opinion, the “Middle Fork” is the best river trip in the world due to its 100 miles of continuous Class III and IV whitewater, clean water, great camps, world class fishing, hot springs, and abundant wildlife. It ends in… Read More
Last spring while Dan Gavere was in Hood River he showed us the latest whitewater SUP moves and we’ve been practicing. I’m excited to share some photos and descriptions, but first I want to talk safety. 1. “SUP-ping is swimming” so you need to be a solid whitewater swimmer. Think about getting elbow pads, knee pads, and any other body armor you can find. When you fall off your board, you must keep your feet up to avoid a foot entrapments. This dangerous possibility happens when… Read More
I restock my first aid kit at the beginning of each trip and do a thorough restock at the beginning of each season. Since Spring is just two weeks away I recently pulled out my personal first aid list. On our multi-day expeditions and international trips we carry larger first aid kits full all kinds of goodies. Sample First Aid Kit Lists Medium First Aid Kit List (PDF) from Northwest Rafting Company Major First Aid Kit List (PDF) from Northwest Rafting Company Something that big isn’t… Read More
River runners (river guides, kayakers, rafters, catarafters, SUP-ers, riverboarders, etc.) always seem to have their next gear purchase and river trip in mind. With this in mind, here’s a list of suggested gifts for your friends and family who enjoy whitewater rafting and kayaking. 1. Swiftwater Rescue Training Safety first! Everyone can use more safety training and this is a great way to gift a useful experience. Sierra Rescue or the Swiftwater Safety Institute both offer quality training. Additionally, we are offering an advanced swiftwater rescue… Read More
Before we head to Bhutan, we made a pit stop in the Balkans to scout out a new trip offering for 2014! We began in Sarajevo and visited the Tara River in Montenegro before heading to Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the full name of the country we Americans refer to simply as “Bosnia”). The Stari Most (Old Bridge) located in Mostar is a Unesco World Heritage Site and perhaps the most iconic place in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was originally built over 400 years ago… Read More
As an Oregon river rafting outfitter, I would like to thank Senator Wyden for his ongoing support of public lands. In Oregon, direct consumer spending on outdoor recreation contributes $12.8 billion per year to our state’s economy and supports 141,200 jobs. Nationally, outdoor recreation contributes $646 billion to the U.S. economy. It’s important to us to safeguard Oregon’s outdoor playgrounds as our public lands and parks form the bedrock of our industry. They not only inspire us as well as visitors to Oregon, but they also… Read More
Here are a few good travel trips and reminders for our Rivers & Dzongs of Bhutan trip. 1. The Paro airport will immediately make you smile. Upon arrival you’ll quickly notice the crisp, clean mountain air and an airport that looks more like a temple. You’ll also notice happy people who are excited you’ve come to enjoy their country. 2. It’s easy to exchange money at the airport. I discourage exchanging all of it, but before leaving the airport, I usually change $100 into Ngultrum, Bhutan’s… Read More