Rogue River Whitewater Rafting  2014

 

Our Rogue river trip consisted of 5 days on the river starting in Galinas at Alemeda Camp.  From there we rowed for 5 days and 41 miles to the take out at Foster Bar. Six day total.

 

Graves Creek is the start of the Wild & Scenic section — Two miles below Alemeda Bar Camp

Camped at Alemeda Bar Campground
Day 1 Whiskey Creek — 6 miles day 1
Day 2 Battle Bar — 8 miles
Visited Zane Gray Cabin
Day 3 Mule Creek Camp @ Rogue River Ranch — 8 miles
Day 4 Tate Creek Camp — 10 miles
Day 5 To take out at Foster Bar — 9 miles

 

Link to map: http://rogueriverraft.com/media/rogue_map.jpg

 

Whitewater river trips are a special kind of expedition.  As an adventurer and adrenaline seeker I have been an avid mt. bike adventurer traveler. mt. climber, rock climber, back packer, solo adventurer, and backyardadventuregirl on the Green River Gorge.

 

Whitewater river expeditions are different.  It is a social event as well as an adventure.  Most of us weren’t doing a first descent on the Rogue river in Oregon.  We were doing a trip that had been done many times before by our group and countless groups before us but…every trip is different.  Different people, different flows, different time of year, different motivations and different outcomes.

 

In 2009 David and I did my first decent down the Rogue with our permit holder Jake…. and Jessie, Bill, Brooke, David and his brother Larry and my 12 year old Alaskan Husky and David’s season river veteran Spirit, an 14 year old black lab.  I rowed the oar boat most of the way.  To prove to my husband that this rusty river guide could still navigate a boat.  Honestly I had been a paddle boat guide.  A commercial guide.  We are taught to read our crew and maximize the fun.  That means hit the holes.  Go big or go home.  Make the clients happy.  Running an oar boat loaded with gear takes a whole nother level of finese.  Plan ahead and don't overshoot!

 

Now in 2014 we were rafting the with a different group, some of the same rafters..Bill ( leader of the trip), Jessie, and David.  New to the trip for me was Masa, Clayton, and Greg.  Also our young White German Spepherd, Taz.  Our special guest was Greg from Florida.  He has gone from yachts and sea fishing off the coast of Florida to inflatable kayaking on some of the west's great rivers.

 

David, Bill, Jessie, and Masa were seasoned river guides and from Outdoors unlimited at the University of Berkely California.  David, my husband, ran the outdoor program at O.U.  Outdoors Unlimited not only taught people to be guides and leaders it also created a community that continues today.  River trips are about community and of course, adventure...and adrenaline!

 

This was Taz’s, David and My adventure companion, first river trip.  We wanted to see if he really liked being a river dog.  He had masted standing on a paddle board, running along a trail while we mt. bikied, Gone rock clmbing, and trail running.  We knew he loved water but did he like whitewater.

 

On river he was calm in the whitewater.  Balancing expertly on the top of his pack pad perch.  In the slow green slack water he was restless.  Restless like a young dog.  Not enough action for the adventure dog!  In camp he was tireless.  He chased the sticks we threw in the water.  He dug up rocks in the water and brought them up to the beach.  He followed anyone that looked like they were going on a walk or doing anything interesting.  He sat calmly on guard at night.  Never seeming to be fully asleep.

 

Enough about Taz.  Also on our expedition was our long time friends Bill, Jessie, and Masa along with a newcomer, Clayton, a friend of Masa’s son and a new river guide.  Bill was the trip leader.  He and his son Jessie went through guide training taught by David' group at O.U.  Clayton, had just finished up guide training and was interested in learning a few things from this veteran group of river rafters.  He rowed Masa’s boat for a lot of the trip.  In camp he always stepped up to help out and learn all he could about setting up camp and doing these types chores required these types of expeditions…and he fished.  The size of the fish he caught was…ask him (o;

 

See below for more descriptions of the trip.