Jackson Hole Summer Travel & River Trip Blog

Whitewater Independence: Four Veterans on The Fourth of July

How do you say thank you to men who have put themselves on the line so that you can go about your daily life? That may have not been the actual task at hand during a whitewater trip almost a month ago, but it was something that the Dave Hansen Whitewater guides on said trip wanted to do.

On June 18^th Bud Chatham, owner of Dave Hansen Whitewater & Scenic, took a group of four veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars down the mighty Snake River. He brought along a handful of trusty Dave Hansen employees, and I was luckily allowed to come along for the ride.

And what a ride it was. Not only did I get more water up my nose then I thought possible, but the trip became a bit of an emotional ride for me as well.

To be honest, I didn’t think the vets would want to talk about their time fighting. However, they were very open about their experiences, and obligingly answered our questions. As we got to know each other, I realized that individuals who have been through more than I’ll ever understand surrounded me. Most of the men had joined the army as soon as they turned eighteen. While they spent their summer after high school going through basic training and shipping off to a foreign place to fight for our country, I was worried about the bad tan lines I was getting from my summer job. Between them there was an artificial lung, and injured back, a titanium jaw, and most were partially def because of their time spent fighting- the night before I had been complaining about a bruised knee. To say the least, it put my life into perspective.

But our river trip wasn’t about the past. It was about being glad for the present moment, for what we all had, which at that moment included the majesty of the natural world and good company. As we rowed down the river, Bud’s commands were met with unmatched precision- true to Army form. We had an amazing time looking for osprey, spinning the boat, and listening to T-Bone crush it on the harmonica- and I think Bud had an especially amazing time watching his commands preformed with perfection.

Our trip ended far too quickly. I wanted more time to talk to these heroes, to hear their stories, to tell them how grateful I was for the sacrifices they have made. But our boat was nearing the take out, and our time was up. As I racked my brain for some way to express my appreciation, one of our guides, Kyle, spoke up. He said, “Thank you for making this all possible”.

It was a simple statement, but one that was filled with meaning and truth.

On the Fourth of July I am again reminded of this trip almost a month ago, and of the inspiring strength, kindness, and joie de vivre that those veterans exhibited.

So, as simple and small as one person’s thanks may be, I just want to steal a bit of this blog space to say thank you to all veterans on this day of independence.

Thank you for making this all possible.

 

However, our two o’clock crew had a different approach.  They came out of our dressing rooms like a bunch of dancers taking the stage at a Beyonce concert shakin’ their tushes and posing in their saucy booties.

 

And let me tell you something- I have never seen wetsuits look so good. 

 

They worked those tight spandex-ed unforgiving pieces of rubber like Tyra (Banks) had just placed them in Jackson for an ANTM* photo shoot. (*For those of you who aren’t as obsessed with the CW as I am, I’m speaking of America’s Next Top Model- a show that tugs at my heartstrings and makes me want to practice my runway walk.)

 

After crushing it in an impromptu photo shoot in front of the Dave Hansen Bus, the crew loaded up and took off on an excellent whitewater adventure.

 

2pm trip- I like yo style.

It’s hard not to feel incredibly lucky living alongside the Snake River.  I love Jackson and will always consider it a second home.  But meeting our guests from all over the world, has got me up and wanting to travel again.  Call it the Burnworth wanderlust, but I’m always jazzed about hearing new places to travel to.  Today was no exception.  An awesome group from Washington state came in to talk about their Jackson Hole Whitewater Trip (Yowzers Lunch Counter is huge right now! :)  ) and they thought I was a girl they served on the Peace Corps with.

 

Turns out they worked in education and wrote proposals to help build the technology and general maintenance of the schools in South Africa.  Pretty cool.  Coincidentally the girl they knew was named Emmy.  (Mine name is Emily.)  No such luck, I was not Emmy.  And, I have not been in the Peace Corps or lived in South Africa.  Though check in a few years and maybe I will be.

 

We had quite the morning here at Dave Hansen…eleven brave souls dove into our giant blue Caddies for a scenic tour down the snake under cover of cloud and threat of rain.  And rain it did.  
 
True to Jackson Pioneer fashion, everyone braved the elements with admirably high spirits- and loads of ponchos and blankets.  I myself felt a little like a pioneer- because a.)  I’m a dork and b.)  I am still obsessed with Oregon Trail.  “Caulk the Wagons and Float” we did as we took on the Snake and everything she had to offer us.
 
And, let me tell you- she had quite a bit to offer.  From rushing water to misty clouds to giant floating trees there was quite a bit of excellent action this morning.  Aside from the action, we also found the trip to be quite educational.  For example, we learned that Bald Eagles dig the rain- there were three checking us out as we floated under them.  Pelicans, on the other hand prefer to just chill in bunches, bow their heads, and look miserable. 
 
They could take some lessons in enjoying the moment from our guests! 
 
After sliding out of the boats, peeling off life jackets, and getting a cup of steaming hot chocolate, everyone was still smiling. 
 
Sticking it out in the elements and enjoying the surrounding beauty? 
Now that is some Jackson Spirit!
 
Well done Becker, Fox, Cook and Wolff families!  We’d put you in our covered wagon any day.

We could not have asked for a better May in Jackson Hole!  When the weather can traditionally range from 1 foot of snow (jeans and t-shirt weather for locals) to 80 degrees (time work on your Teva tan weather), we have been very lucky this spring to have crisp spring like morning with blue sky and afternoons that warm up in the 70s.   The Dave Hansen Crew has had some unbelievable scenic trips, with the highlights being a herd of 30 elk crossing 25 feet in front of the rafts and seeing a cow moose with her newborn calf who could not have been much more than 2 or 3 days old (she was still trying to figure out how to use those long legs on the river rocks).

The whitewater tripshave been spectacular.  The warm weather during the day and the cool nights have started a gradual snow melt and the river level has been inching up, giving our guides new waves to play with everyday.  We took down a great group of family and friends yesterday.  All styled out in wetsuits and splash gear, Pradeep and his crew crashed through the waves at Station Creek, S-Turns, Cutbanks, and skirted around 3-Oar Deal (Class VI hydraulic…definitely one you want to skirt).  And this was just the first half of the trip!  “You mean they get bigger!” Everyone said with a laugh floating through gauging straights as Kyle was giving everyone ready for the second half of the trip.   They blasted through Lunch Counter and Ropes.  Went down the slide at Champagne and finished off strong in the playground of waves through the 3/4 mile stretch of Cottonwoods.

The water this season is going to be ideal.  The snow melt has been steady and the weather level is going to stay up at some fun levels that we typically do not get a chance to see for a long time.  It will then settle down into its great normal level all the way through September.  We are looking forward to having a great season getting people soaked!

OK…is it fair that Dave Hansen Whitewater’s first big group of the year on the whitewater section could also be our best group of the year?  Not only was the average age of this group 68 years old.  Not only did this group of adventurous seniors want to go on a whitewater trip rather than a scenic float trip.  But they wanted to go on a whitewater trip that left town at 8am…when the temperature in the morning was 32 degrees and the high for the day was going to be 42 degrees!   We were half expecting a call at 7:15 from the group leader after they stepped out of their hotel that they had decided to switch to a scenic trip. 

 

But no, this group was ready to go on a whitewater trip down the Snake River.  We picked them up at their hotel at 7:15 and took them to our office to get outfitted with wetsuits and booties.  Our guides had donated all of their extra fleece to this group and they were ready to go to the river. 

Though there were flurries of snow throughout the trip, this group had a great time laughing and paddling through the waves.  One of the adventurous rafters, Patty (age 72) even declared after getting soaked by a big wave at lunch counter and laughing it up with her other mates, “I think this is the most I have ever laughed in my life.”  Our guide Matt Lynn, said it was one of the most memorable trips that he has ever been on.  It definitely make us feel lucky to be apart of a company that allows us to interact with spirited people like this. 

 

That’s right folks, if you bring your kids down the Snake River with us they could be granted the position of a Jr. Guide! All the guides at Dave Hansen Whitewater love the energy that kids can bring to a river trip, and also recognize the fact that not all kids want to sit still and be quiet through an entire 2 hour river trip. We have come up with some ways to engage your children, while educating them about guiding rivers and about the wildlife that we might see.  Kids on a scenic river trip will receive an activity booklet with a word search, a wildlife bingo card, and a tally sheet for animals spotted.  They will be taught how to spot eagles, and as our official eagle counters they will tally how many eagles we see on a trip (last year’s record was 23 eagles in one trip!).  And then, as if all that is not exciting enough, kids will be encouraged to have a go on the oars, with the guide’s help of course.  And for the more adventurous kids who are going on a whitewater trip, they will get a chance on the oars on the mellow mile and will learn a lot about safety on whitewater rafting trips.  At the end of the trip, the guide will award those who participated a Dave Hansen Whitewater Jr. Guide patch that the kids will get to bring home as a memento of their river trip. Kids of all ages and abilities, come join us!

 

One of the highlights of last week for the Dave Hansen Whitewater and Scenic Crew was bringing a group of competitive ballroom dancers down the Snake with us!  They were in Jackson Hole for the week and on Monday we took them down on a beautiful scenic float trip with the Tetons in the background.  They all had a great time…although we think they had a hard time going a couple hours without practicing any of there dance moves.

We are so lucky to have the chance to work with so many great groups throughout the season who are just ready to laugh and have fun.  We really do appreciate and understand how lucky we are too be working with people like this on a daily basis that come to Jackson Hole and end up going on a river trip with us!  We say this and every year, there is always one or two groups that especially stands out.  It could be because they are extra spirited or because they came from a really long ways.  This past season, there was one group in particular that really stood out.  They were affectionately known as “The KarenandJosh” group.  We had started to talk to Karen and Josh way back in April in 2007 when they told us they were planning their wedding in Jackson Hole.  They wanted to do a river trip a few days before the wedding and it grew from what they thought would be about 30 people to about 100 people.  The office staff had calls from the “KarenandJosh” wedding all summer long with people signing up and asking for info.  All of the people in the party were so nice and had such great things to say about Karen and Josh and all of our office staff kept saying, “I cannot wait to meet Karen and Josh!”   When the time rolled around for the whitewater trip over labor day weekend, Jackson Hole was buzzing, everyone from DHWW wanted to work and be in the office to meet all of the people that they had been talking to all summer along.  The weather was beautiful and everyone got soaked and had a great time, with party hats and all.  The guides pulled out all the stops, including giving Josh and Karen a signed toaster for everyone at DHWW…which is a tradition that we carry on today with all weddings we work with.

We love floating weddings…especially since Kelly and I did the same thing for our wedding here in Jackson Hole almost seven years ago.  Getting everyone to do a river trip together, whether it be whitewater or scenic, is such a great way for everyone to see each other and meet up before the actual wedding.  This one was a lot of fun.