Back in the Lower 48

Well after I was on a Middle Fork Salmon trip it was straight to the north for me. That started a couple weeks of no computer days for me. Which was great, but I got a little behind on sharing some photos. So I figured better late than never.

On June 16^th this year we had great water levels for some good high water boating. After a below average winter for precipitation, a wet spring kept water levels higher than expected. Which was awesome from a whitewater point of view. Velvet Falls, Rubber, Cove Creek, and Pistol rapids all provided for some great excitement and whitewater fun. The paddle boat was a highlight for some while others enjoyed the cruiser oar boats as a boat of choice through the bigger rapids. Loon Creek hot springs was a welcomed treat for everyone to get in a nice soak in the natural hot waters. The hike up to Veil Cave was also a definite highlight for Sam, who was the only one who when for the shower under the falls (probably because it was a cool day and she was one of the only people wearing a drysuit). Well I hope you enjoy some of the photos. If you would like to check out more of my photos from this trip, check out the Flickr gallery.

The bottom two photos are from a big expedition in the north. Check back later for more photos and details of this custom adventure…

Well it’s off to the Main Salmon for me this week. I am looking forward to the sandy beaches and warm water where the livin is easy.

Hope you are having a great day!

Seth Tonsmeire

Back from Big Sky Country!

The summer season is underway, and WRO trips are spread out between Canada, Montana, and Idaho. Just back from a great trip on the Middle Fork of the Flathead, I thought I'd share a few photos of the Big Sky Montana is famous for. I didn't get any pics of the close encounters we had with moose, eagles, mountain goats, lots of fish, and even a grizzly bear, and no pictures either of the great whitewater, good food, and great company...but a guide can only do so much! Thanks to the gang, Bruce, Clodagh, Eilish, Nosh, and Greg--they made it a super trip.

Well it's off to the Main Salmon for me now!

Henry Munter

Spring in the Air

Camas Creek photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Well just when you think spring is here it snows another six inches in the mountains. But we can’t complain about precipitation, because every bit helps to add more water for us to float on this summer. Even with these occasional snowstorms, spring is definitely here. All the aspen and cottonwood trees have finally leafed out. The hillsides around central Idaho are very green with grass and dotted with many different varieties of wildflowers. It is great to have many of the birds back as well. I have been seeing Mountain Bluebirds by the hundreds, which is the state bird of the great state of Idaho. I even have a pair nesting in the bird box I put up outside my house. Also Western Tanagers are starting to show up which are always great to see.

Mountain Bluebirds photo: Seth Tonsmeire

This spring has been a little slow for WRO. As I have realized there are some benefits to not being busy with work. I have been able to do more spring kayaking trips than usual! Of course there is the obvious downside of not making any money, but what can you do except get out there and enjoy some time off. A recent kayaking trip that I was able to put together with some friends was Camas Creek into the Middle Fork Salmon. I have hiked up Camas on many different river trips and it always looked like it would be a great kayak run. So last week, me and some friends loaded up the truck and drove into Myers Cove. This is the headwaters of Camas, and with our loaded kayaks we started our adventure. With average gradient of 100 ft/mile, there was no lack of excitement for sure. There were many logs and some rapids that needed to be portaged. I definitely left some plastic of my kayak on the trail while dragging around several different portages. We were able to run many great drops, which was awesome. The hillsides of Camas were yellow with arrow-leaf balsam root in full bloom. Mountain bluebells and shooting star flowers also added some great color as well. I have included some photos from our trip down Camas, as well a couple fire shots that turned out pretty good from our one night on Camas. The second afternoon, we rendezvoused with our friends that came down the Middle Fork for one last night and a great float out on the Middle Fork. The Middle Fork was around 4.5ft at Middle Fork Lodge, which made for some great rapids. Rubber is in its prime at this level, and we all enjoyed a great hit in our kayaks in that rapid for sure. Well I hope you enjoy some of the photos from our adventure. Also, check out a video on youtube or at the bottom of the page for a shot from one of rapids I got with the GoPro camera that I had along. I have also built a sweet raft mount for the GoPro this summer, so look forward to some great rafting video this summer!

Camas Creek photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Camas Falls photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Waterfall Creek, Middle Fork Salmon photo: Seth Tonsmeire

We are having our annual guide meeting this coming weekend, which will be fun to get everyone together again. This year we decided to incorporate a swiftwater rescue class into our guide meeting. Usually you don’t need these skills that often, but it is good to practice and be prepared just in case. Maybe I will share some photos of some of us swimming in the waters of Idaho in May.

Camas Campfire photo: Seth Tonsmeire

Well that's all for now. Stay tuned for more stories and pictures of adventure!

Seth Tonsmeire

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