How do you know there's a raft guide in the bar...

For the last couple days I obviously partied with everyone from work. Justin likes to talk when he's loaded but this time it was sraight from the heart when he said that its human nature to overcome the obstacles that are placed before them. If you keep shit going and put yourself in new circumstances you'll not only learn but overcome, succeed, and become a better person for doing it. Me n Bman quickly looked over at each other because our drunk buisness idea's are definatly possible...All you gotta do say's Justin is "keep your sticks in the fire" whatever hammered lingo that happends to mean. As I ran out of days Norma, myself, and Bryant went over to two medicine and took a free boat tour across the lake. From there is a hike about 3 miles to two medicine lake and upper two medicine. It was good fun we chilled half way up a water fall in a hot tub looking pool although it was only a wopping 50 degrees. As we hiked we kept tryin to figure out what time it was because the last ferry left at 5:30 which meant if we missed it we'd have to hike an additional 4 miles back to the car. So we did our groove thang and took pictures you know the whole shabang. The whole time I was in Montana "things are gonna be alright" is a quote that stuck tight. Turns out the ferry had so many people on it that it had to take two trips. Making us perfectly late an hour for the last shuttle to the mainland.

From there Wild River had an end of the year party at the Whitefish Lake State Park. First off, we're raft guides we arn't meant for a family orientated park that has quiet hour at 10. If you can add all those things up, go ahead and picture what happend....Wild Boat Adventure according to them is now banned indefinatly from the park. Their bad, sorry for partying. The plan for the way out was to run the river early in the am which never happend because I don't and most people who live in tents don't operate early much less before 9am. It was a super sad goodbye and definatly didn't hit me until now sitting in my room here in Eau Claire. The drive went phenomenal and we cranked out 12 hours the first day to a rest stop in North Dakota. The next I made it home here by 6:30pm we were straight crusing on the way home. I jammed to this sick band outa Canada called Shred Kelly. I found their cd from the last night we were in West Glacier. Guess I bought it at some epic point in the night.



Golden Fields of Montana and North Dakota



Killed it, Hands down

Now that the summer is officially done it was probably the greatest thing I've done in life to date. It expanded the world view and made things that once felt distant come completly full circle. Learned alot about what I want to do and things that I definatly don't want to do. What ever you choose to do, bring the stoke and everything will be alright. It's the life, culture, work, people, friends, hobbies, environment, and epicocity for life that keeps us rockin. Living in tents, with dirty clothes, no shower, hoping that the guide fridge is full or it's Wednesday, and still being stoked is why if you wonder if there's ever a raft guide in the bar, no need to worry he'll tell you.

As the days wind down

The fact that the summer is coming to an end has been becoming more apparent. With that in mind we've been trying to do as much as possible in our day. Maybe like 5 days ago Bryant and myself drove to the top of Desert Mountain which is about 6200ft and a perfect gravel road leads you to very top. Although the sun was winding down we got an awesome view of the Flathead River Valley.

Overlooking Lake Five

Three separate fires along the mountainside

 Not the next day but the following we got ambitious once again, decided to drive up to Logans Pass and climb Mt. Oberlin. It's a monsterous peak to the right looking at Logans Pass with an elevation of 8300ft. It was myself, Bryant, and Norma so we got geared up packed in some food and PBR's for the top. We set off and the ascent looked a little more reasonable from this side compared to the 5000ft dropoff on the backside. It was easy climbing until we got to what are called scree fields (spelling?). Scree fields are basically large area's just littered in 5 inch shale rocks that tend to move when you step on them. So you go maybe 2 feet up and a half a foot down each time you step. That was the most exhausting part of the climb but we all manned up and got er done. As we reach the peak sure enough Spanke and Kenny are already up there hanging out. I was like wtf are the chances that not only do we all have the day off but that we run into two people we work with at the top of an 8000 some foot peak. Crazy stuff,  and again only in Montana. We hung out at the top, ate some food, and celebrated the most spectacular views with an ice cold pbr. More pictures to come but I'm off to work.









Norma making her way down



The visitors center dwarfed by the surrounding mountains



Sliding down snow fields in a giant game of chutes and latters



Mt. Reynolds in the background





The Wild River crew at the top of Mt. Oberlin

As I get back from a full day following our climb I got asked if I wanted to do a 3 day gear boat for Derby's fishing trip. I was a little apprehensive at first because from what I've heard Derby trips are quite tiring. But the though of only being here for a few more days did me in and I agreed n started to pack. Since I was gear boating the entire time all I did was set up camp which is pretty intense when your by yourself. I got over ambitious between Lewis n Clark, a ice cold pbr, and the majestic river scenery that I would have lunch set up by the time they rolled in as well as camp completely set up including the goob tent. Turns out we had a cardiovascular doctor and his wife who works in the cancer division, from Chico, California. They were awesome and interesting people. We straight up killed the trip and ended up getting the fattest tip of my life. Add that to the epicness that's been happening and I still wonder why I'm leaving for Wisco. I had plenty of time to myself when you gear boat all day so I took plenty of pictures. To top everything off today Bryant and myself get to finally get paid to kayak. We're "mother duckying" an inflatable kayak trip with about 8 people. That means we get to take our own kayaks down and basically play safety for the goobs who tend to get trashed in the rapids.

Professional porch sitting



Camp two with perfect vistas





Red Lick Camp....the one I mistakinly missed



All that I need right where I want it

What used to be a room of doom

Sums up my trip 

Midnight Float

About two nights ago we went on a midnight float. The day started with a half day trip, a fun run in kayaks, then we got on the water for the midnight around 12:30. There was a solid full moon out but we we're in the canyon so it was still extremely dark. The odd thing was that although the water seems really cold during the day it was suprising warm which made a wild run. We didn't end up getting back until 3am which made for an interesting and boring 10:30 trip ha sorry goobs but you were lame too. Glad we got to go before I head out for the summer which is winding down mighty quick. Speaking of which the buisness is dying down by the day. No 9:30 scenic, 10:30, or 12:30 half days. You know the summer's winding down when its already beginning to get cold up here. The nights are getting around 45 at night. My air matress is also offically dead and only holds air until about 1am. I'm getting fairly far into the Lewis and Clark book Meghan and bought me. That along side the rafting book its been keeping me away from the bar. The more and more I got to the bar the more I feel it is completly useless to get hammered, spend money, and wake up feeling like shit. As far as winter boating goes I hear Costa Rica has alot of rivers to run and it's been in the back of my mind to try and get a month long job down there for something to do during winter break.  Time keeps chuggin along, I'm off to a 4:00 half day with 4 goobs. Riggin a stern frame, the paddles are just for showwww.

Our outpost on Highway Two



The grass is most definatly greener on the other side.

Oh how I never want to leave this place. It's been gettin a little crazy here at Wild River the trips are pumpin out about 35 people per trip with full days and dinners on a regular. Peoples spirits are up because everyone seems to be gettin work. I've been starting to finally figure out when I leave gods country and it's looking to be around the 27th. I already have no ambition to sit in a class room and get lectured about shit. Hawaii seems to be the next adventure for the field study class I signed up for. Thats all a month away still. The river is at a perfect big water kayaking level so a bunch of us from work have been hittin that up on the daily after work. Started testing out a new AT paddle which I instantly fell in love with. It's nice to have a giant playground 15 min. away from "home". Since the water is dropping alot more boulders are starting to show their teeth, meaning the rapids are becoming alot more technical to get through. Hence why diamond dave rammed his 16 footer sideways into a rapid called jaws. He pinned for about 5 min before getting through the center slot and slicing a solid 5 inch gash in the side of his boat. After 3 swimmers in the morning and 2 in the afternoon he was def. havin a rough day. Nothing like beer can't fix so we drank it off and so did the boss man. I can't stop lovin on this place. Def. gonna mark it up on a place I could eventually call home. The search for a stand up paddle board is slowly diminishing because the more I look the more expensive they start becoming. Might have to wait till home but the Chip def needs to be boarded. On deck for a full day that most likely won't happen. So I'm out and back to bed.

Overnighter: Bear Creek to Blankenship (52 miles)

The overnighter kicked off with 10 people instead of the original 9. It ended up being a solo dude, a young couple, old couple, group of 3, and a grandma with her granddaughter. Arnie convinced the boss man to let us put in at Bear Creek which is the furthest put in we have on the Middle Fork. It is by far the most beautiful stretch of river we got. 90 degree banks with goats and canyon walls. I planned on gear boating the first day, and Arnie had packed the gear boat super loaded on both ends so I couldn't even see over the bow. The boat also weighed in at about 3000 lbs fully packed up. Gear boating is just plain fun, your in the boat by yourself all day which was about 16 miles to Muir Camp. We rolled in at about 4:00 in the afternoon with plenty of time to set up camp. People milled around until we started cookin up the Hawaii chicken. I ended up making my cobbler for dessert and the goobs loved every bit of it. The second day was Arnie's gear boat day and we had pushed off around 11 heading for Moccasin Camp in the Nyyak Flats. The weather wasn't looking to great but by the time we stopped for lunch in the Flats it was clear skies and 85. Arnie pushed ahead and we took our time at lunch so he could have camp set up by the time we got there. Rolled into camp around 4 again without even looking at a watch. Little more relaxing of a day the goobs swam, we went on a hike to a little side creek, and spotted a bunch of wolf, moose, and elk tracks. Grilled up some bacon wrapped steak, potatoes, with dutch oven brownies for dessert. It started to rain on the second night and we woke up in the rain as well. We pushed off for the whitewater and Bryant ended up rowin bonecrusher in a celebratory naked gear boat. After the whitewater the gear boat took out at West Glacier and the guests wanted to keep goin on a 8 mile trek to Blankenship through the scenic section. About a mile into the section I yelled to Arnie to keep a heads up for a yellow kayak because of our earlier incident at the beginning of summer. As we're rounding the island Arnie went river right and I went left. Just as we come around my goobs go there's a yellow boat in that log jam! I instantly didn't believe them but as Arnie comes into view he spots the thing too. Bryants boat as Arnie recovered it was stuck about 10 feet deep in a solid log jam. Smelling like shit and filled with silt, rocks, and sticks he dragged it out to the gravel bar. Sure enough the drybox, throwbag, and water bottle were all still attached with beaners to the seat. I crack open the drybox like it were a treasure chest to see that not only is it completely dry with mold all over it but my camera came to life. About an hour later I plugged the croded phone in and that too sprang to life. EPIC overnight trip followed by a freakin miracle find. Only in Montana are things gonna be alright. We said farewell to our goobs collected our bookoo tip and started off the night. The day we lost the boat we said it will call for a party if we ever find the damn thing. So we unpacked the trip drinkin cold pbr then headed er to Glacier Grill for pizza and the start of our night.




Muir Camp



Muir Camp Kitchen

 

My tent site at Moccasin Camp





Moccasin Camp



Far away in Northwestern Montana, hidden from view by clustering mountain peaks, lies an unmapped corner - the Crown of the Continent

I've been slightly lacking on the whole blog idea. There's been alot going on and it's better to run through it all by pictures. The Going to the Sun road has been open for about a week and a half. Meghan, Bryant, and myself drove it on a beautiful day although there's still 12 foot snow drifts up at Logans Pass

There was also the yearly disco party over at the South Fork Saloon. Wild River represented by dressing in fashion and dancing our faces off for 4 hours

Sarah, Me, Sara, Bryant, Norma

Bryant, Sarah, and myself also climbed Apgar which you can see Wild River from an aerial perspective.

Meghan also had to go back to Eau Claire, she had tried getting a job at the local gift shop but that fell through and her Sheels job wanted her back by the first. It was an awesome time and I feel she loved every second of it. Me, Bryant, and Arnie have a 3 day two night overnighter coming up. It's my first which I am completely jacked for. We packed today and with 9 goobs we're gonna have alot of shit to bring. Below is the pile of stoves, food, groover, goob, bags, tables etc. We head out Sunday from what we considered rustic camping here to go off on the river with about 45 miles to run.

Many of things

Many things have happened since last. First off we went ziplining through Big Sky Mountain in Whitefish. We got hooked up through work and it was unreal check out the video below. Trips are up and I've been doing lots of food trips. Meghan and her friends drove up here about 3 days ago on a whim and she loved it so much she decided to stay. Crazy stuff. Basically its been busy and its getting hard to write about daily things because I'm always off doing things. Had an awesome family from Indiana today in my boat and they offered to feed Dave, his gf, Meghan and myself a steak dinner with apple cobbler for dessert.   Probably one of the best meals I've had since getting out here. The grandpa of their group, Glen just put up his name on the number one spot for Jon's swimmer list because he popped out at Jaws. Knarly line but he fell out because he paddled air and went head over heels. Bryant and myself are also gaining a little more respect in our managers eyes because we're now up on the board for solos, trip leaders, and plenty of dinner trips. Still lovin on life right now and finally making money in the process.