First Days in the Owyhee Canyonlands

First Camp

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Spring is in the air here in Idaho, trees are budding and water levels are rising. For me that puts a smile on my face. River running is in my near future. The Owyhee River is located in Southern Idaho and Eastern Oregon and usually one of the first things to run around here. Watching the gauge, it seemed like it was time to pack my bags, load my kayak, and get down there.

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Myself and the other four friends/guides in the group decided that the Lower Owyhee (Rome to Birch Creek) was our best option with the water that we had. We put on late in the afternoon, which put us just into the first canyon section about camp time. We found a small camp that fit us to perfection. The next morning when I woke up to the songs of canyon wrens instead of my barking blackberry alarm, I knew things were on the up and up. We spent the next 4 days just soaking up the canyon. There were many fun rapids and surf waves that I took full advantage of in my kayak. We all got our daily dose of hiking and exploring after some mellow days on the river. That combined with some great food and some beers around the campfire made for a great start to the spring boating season.

Indian Hunting Blind Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Talking to some of the local ranchers around the Owyhee, last week was the first week that really felt like spring down there. The arrowleaf-balsm root are just starting to bloom on the lower end, which means in the next couple weeks the hill sides with be covered with yellow flowers. Canadian geese, several varieties of ducks, and other mating pairs of birds filled in canyon. The Owyhee River is also home to many different birds of prey.

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Guide Shane Moser in his private rig. Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Hope you enjoyed some of the photos, and if you want for check out more photos of this latest trip visit my new photo albums on the WRO facebook page (you don’t need to be on facebook to look at the pictures). Check back for reports on more adventures in the near future. Hope your having a great day!

Seth Tonsmeire

A Taste of Spring Time In Idaho With a Side of Powder Skiing

Snow is still falling in the mountains in March, which we need to help our snow-pack in the Salmon River basin. Snow accumulation on Lost Trail pass last week were over 12 inches. Which I must say made for some great March powder skiing!

Photo: Matt Westfall

Down deep in the river canyons there are different stories being told. There is spring green up starting to happen. Which means wildlife cover the river corridor feeding on the sprouting grasses. Guide Shane Moser and a couple friends were getting river fever and decided to put on a Main Salmon trip last week. The report was steelhead are biting and the river canyon was full of wildlife. Elk numbers were estimated to be over the 1,000 count, 60 or more Bighorn Sheep (including many rams), a couple hundred deer also added to the big game count, a group of otters were spotted, and large numbers of bald eagles also add to the list. With fishing being the main focus of their trip, fourteen steelhead were landed on the 6-day trip. Also over the 6 day trip the boys just had one snow day and one day of rain, which isn’t bad for Idaho river tripping in early March.

Photo: Shane Moser

Photo: Shane Moser

Photo: Shane Moser

With April just around the corner, I am getting all the river gear ready for the water. We will be heading to the Idaho desert before long to get some of that great Idaho spring whitewater. Check back for more pictures and reports from the desert over the next month or so.

Photo: Shane Moser

Hope you are having a fantastic day!

Seth Tonsmeire

THE PULSE OF IDAHO'S DESERT CANYONS

photo: Seth Tonsmeire

After spending every summer on rivers in Idaho, Montana, Alaska & Canada for as long as I can remember, my most intimate experience with the wild has been in my own backyard, the Idaho desert.

I was 17 and it was my first time rowing a boat down the Jarbidge/Bruneau River with its headwaters just a few hours south of downtown Boise. This red-walled canyon has been described as one of the prettiest desert rivers in the country, and it strikes me as one of the Grand Canyons reclusive daughters (Colorado). Bighorn sheep, antelope, elk, mountain lions, beaver and a musically diverse list of song-birds all call the canyon home. The view from the rim is always mesmerizing and the rapid sections are exhilarating. You'd never imagine a place teeming with such energy in the middle of a desert.

It was the morning of our fourth day and I had allowed myself to fall back a few river bends behind the rest of our rafts. I liked doing this sometimes as I then could imagine I was out here alone, selfishly absorbing it all myself. This morning, the sun was emerging from the clouds and shooting down warm rays into the tall golden grasses lining the banks. The red-wing black birds were singing from every corner and I was just "blissing out" allowing my oar to make only a few drips as it slipped through the surface. Completely reclined. My eye drifted to a large chunk of drift wood mid-river just 150 feet downstream. I couldn't quite make out the shape, but the rate at which I was approaching had me clamoring back to attention. Whatever it was, it was now alive and swimming for the opposite bank. I blinked and squinted not believing. I don't remember breathing at all. Compulsively, I pulled back a few strokes. What was climbing out of the river just ahead of me was the most powerful example of the wildness that encompasses the Idaho desert. The desert cat. I'd seen mountain lions from a distance, but nothing like this. This cats soaking hair was slicked down as it pulled itself up the muddy bank. The muscles gleamed in the sun revealing the severe definition rippling through its entire body. I was frozen. Are these cats supposed to be this big? The thick tail and massive paws seemed out of place, astonishing. I was sure it had me by at least 20 lbs. No one told me this was some kind of safari adventure. The cat froze mid-stride and looked at me. The eyes were big, yellow and a little wild with surprise, like mine. That second was 10 seconds. Then it was gone.

photo: Seth Tonsmeire

I have never felt luckier, more full of respect and truly immersed in the beauty and wildness of Idaho. For the last 5 years I've returned each spring to this canyon. I haven't seen a cat again like that but each trip brings a new adventure and feeling of freedom and peace one way or another. I got lucky and was introduced by my parents to these river canyons but I can't help but think about all the people that haven't had the opportunity to experience this part of our backyard. Idaho in its element. So this is it. I'm sharing this experience for all of you and hoping it is the encouragement you need to find yourself drifting on the quiet pools or gazing from the rim at these slivers of desert perfection.

Recently (March,25,2009), the Owyhee Canyonlands Initiative has been passed designating 517,000 acres as Wilderness, establishing 316 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers. and developing a plan and infrastructure to properly manage these areas. This area of newly protected river corridor includes the North, South and East Fork of the Owyhee, the Jarbidge and the Bruneau Canyons as well as key tributaries for each. Both the East Fork and South Fork of the Owyhee, the Jarbidge and the Bruneau are run by commercial rafting companies.

photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Spring is the perfect time for a trip through the desert. You can travel by trail or river, but to really get to know the canyon, I recommend taking to the water. The river is the life-blood of these canyons and being propelled along by its current is your perfect guide to the most vibrant corners of this desert. Floating these desert rivers require a spring journey to take advantage of water run-off from the surrounding mountains. Late April, May and June are ideal. You travel in comfort, eat well for days on end and spend your time doing exactly what you want. Lose yourself in it, spend a week or just 3 days, and get to know our Idaho desert canyons. You can thank me later.

Amy Tonsmeire

For more information and photos;
www.liskgallery.com/canyonlands/index.html
www.wildernessriver.com/owyhee.htm

Mountain Goats

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Mountain Goats are a large-hoofed mammal only found in North America. Goats are a very sure-footed animal, and are often seen climbing around on rock cliffs. They are the only large mammals found at such elevations of 13,000 ft or more. Throughout most of the year goats stay above tree line, but will migrate to lower elevations seasonally. Goats spend most of their time grazing on grasses, herbs, sedges, ferns, moss, lichen, twigs and leaves on low-growing shrubs and conifers. Mountain Goats usually live between twelve and fifteen years, often being determined be the condition of their teeth. Goats have two coats of hair. The inner coat is a thick dense layer of wool. The outer coat is made up of long and shaggy hollow hair that provides great insulation for surviving in the climates that they do. (Wikipedia) We often see mountain goats on both the Middle Fork of the Flathead at natural salt licks and on Goatherd Mountain on the Alsek River in Canada.

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

The mountain goat in this picture calls the North Fork of the Salmon River home, near Lost Trail Pass. I was lucky enough to get some photos the other day. This goat will lose the shaggy coat in the spring time. Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Seth Tonsmeire

Top 10 White-Water Rafting Trips in the World by National Geographic

Upper Alsek #1 ranked river in the World.

photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Alsek and Tatshenshini Rivers ranked #1 for Top 10 white-water rafting adventures in the World by National Geographic. We will be running an Upper Alsek trip on July 12th-23rd, followed by a Tatshenshini trip on July 30th-August 9th. The Middle Fork of the Salmon was ranked #3. We will be running Middle Fork trips throughout the summer. Check out www.wildernessriver.com for dates and prices for next summer.

Fisher Glacier Camp - Upper Alsek

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Check out more Alsek photos on a WRO facebook gallery.

Beachview Camp - Upper Alsek

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Middle Fork Salmon ranked #3

Photo: Veronica Herdon

Middle Fork Salmon - Veil Cave

Photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Check out more Middle Fork photos on a WRO facebook gallery.

Hope your having a great day!

Seth Tonsmeire