By Ali McNabb

Our paddle across Jackson Lake on the first day of an early season trip this year was one to remember, an epic tale of man verses the forces of nature. The morning kicked off with classic blue skies, sunshine and a calm lake.  However, while we were beached on a little island for a picnic, the clouds grew and billowed over the peak of Mt. Moran.  Zac and I gave each other a look as if to indicate, “Look at that weather, we’d better start rolling,” so we did.  The sky above continued to shine, but the clouds were darkening as they grew closer.  We had half a mile before reaching camp on Grassy Island at the southern tip of Jackson Lake.  I thought we could make it, but the weather had other plans.  The wind picked up and within seconds it started to hail; it took all the energy we had to remain accurately pointed in our kayaks.  We were all flailing about, and now the storm was nearly on top of us.  We still had to get to camp, which I then noticed was conveniently located in the eye of the storm.  Zac came rushing over and started helping each guest as we hauled the boats out of the water and on to our JRig (also known as, “Fatty,” the support boat for our operational equipment here in Wyoming).  I remember struggling to communicate with folks in the water, paddling and talking while keeping an eye out behind me.  All I saw was the silhouette of Zac lifting gear out of someone’s kayak and onto the rig.  It was bright and shiny a half mile behind us, yet furious ahead and the lighting was remarkable.  Once we were all safe on the JRig, we were able to motor to camp. 

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Written by Ali McNabb

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By Natali Zollinger & Bruce Lavoie

The Yampa River was first explored by the Yampa Ute Indians several thousand years ago. They were nomadic, following several herds of mammoth and bison around the southwest while sheltering in caves and picking berries, seeds and nuts for protein. Their favorite plant for consumption was the root of the Yampa plant. It had several different purposes and uses. Its healing properties were to help detoxify the body and cleanse the organs. It works as a laxative as well as a diuretic. Scientists also figured out that it is high in carbohydrates and quickly converts food into energy. Additionally, it was used to waterproof a skin bag and to shine up arrowheads.

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Written by Natali Zollinger

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Ali McNabb is one of our adventurous Wyoming guides, a BBQ-loving gal originally from Austin, Texas. In addition to kayaking, she also enjoys bike riding, hiking and reading in her down time. McNabb worked previously at Trek American and has traveled abroad extensively in between seasons, mainly in Mexico, but also throughout South America, Turkey and Ethiopia. 

1.  How long have you been a guide?

I have been a guide for 5 years and been lucky in my guiding experience to have traveled throughout most of North America, exploring the most amazing National Parks and Provincial Parks imaginable.

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Written by Lauren de Remer

O.A.R.S.' Marketing Communications Coordinator & Waterblogged Editor

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There is no mistaking or denying Idaho’s rugged beauty.  It is a place of vast and magnificent wilderness.  It would be a rare thing for someone not to feel the strong call of nature here.  However, Idaho’s wilderness has a history and on-going record of the call of man and his influence on nature’s order.  There are several examples of this issue we continue to follow as we travel down Idaho’s vast waterways, asking ourselves when is it beneficial for man to manipulate the natural world, and when would it be better to let Mother Earth tend to her own? I don’t propose to have the answers, or even venture forth my opinions, but suffice it to say there is no lack of strong, relevant material to motivate our campfire talks here on the rivers of Idaho.

Reintroduction of the Gray Wolf

Wolf reintroduction occurs by repopulating a previously extirpated area with a group of wolves, with the hope that they will reestablish themselves in the area and ecosystem.  Although wolves are the most environmentally adaptable mammals next to man, they had been hunted out of all of the lower 48 states, with the exception of a few small packs in remote northeastern Minnesota.  Wolves were highly prevalent in North America until westward expansion occurred in the 1800’s – settlers hunted the wild bison, deer, elk and moose, forcing the wolves to then hunt domestic livestock (sheep and cattle).  When this occurred, bounties were issued for wolf kills, and continued as late as the 1960’s. 

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Written by Debbie Hausler

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As I recall my childhood with my father, there are a number of memories that stand out—getting our scuba diving certification in Monterey, photo-copying my hands on the copier at his office, backpacking trips to Yosemite, whale watching off the Farallon Islands, building a tree house together from scratch, and doing my general best to live up to everything that comes along with being daddy’s little girl.

In my mind, I’ve been fortunate to have the best parents in the world, and yet I don’t spend nearly as much time with them as I should. When I was in high school and college, hanging out with dad was at times an obligation—a constant reminder to push for success and prioritize the activities around me. These days, my dad and I are two of a kind, so annoyingly alike that we find ourselves debating just about everything, but learning from one another’s perspectives while respecting our subtle differences. Now, more than anything, I look forward to those encounters and relish our adult relationship.

This week, I’m driving up to southern Oregon with my dad to raft the Wild & Scenic Rogue River on a 4-day wine-tasting trip. What better way to celebrate the approach of Father’s Day than to disconnect in the outdoors? Since my dad is the owner of a software company specializing in big mainframe databases, I wanted to vacation somewhere that was free of the distractions of everyday life and would allow those responsibilities to flow furthest from his mind while offering us some good-old-fashioned quality father-daughter time. Since there’s no cell reception on the river or outlet to charge up a laptop, it’s the perfect setting to reconnect with each other.

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Written by Lauren de Remer

O.A.R.S.' Marketing Communications Coordinator & Waterblogged Editor

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When I first received the email about Climbing for Kids from my boisterously optimistic friend and colleague at O.A.R.S., Tyra Swanson, a couple years ago, I was excited, but quickly filed it under the long list of things that would be great to do…someday. Even then, the prospect of training for a climb up one of North America’s tallest mountains seemed daunting in and of itself, and the challenge of fundraising more than $5000 for charity seemed virtually insurmountable.

But this year, in the face of a turbulent economy, an endless list of projects at the office, an increasingly flabby physique and limited resources for leisure travel, I decided to rethink the way my life was heading. I needed to put something on the calendar and undertake a personal challenge that would help get me back in shape physically and mentally, while restoring some balance to my life. I thought back to the email I had received from Tyra a couple years earlier and realized there was really no better way to reach my goals than by raising money for underprivileged children in the Bay Area who have never had the chance to experience the wilderness the way many of us routinely do in our own lives.

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Written by Steve Markle

O.A.R.S. Marketing & Partnerships Director

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Dear Waterblogged Readers,

Taking over a blog is like adopting a half-written book. There’s no outline for what is to come or someone to hold your pen along the way. It’s a delicate honor, one that is equally challenging as it is promising. Perhaps it’s similar to what makes adventure travel, adventurous; it’s the realization of the unknown, the fact that tomorrow will never be the same as today, and permitting that consciousness to settle into words.

Some of you may know me already, most do not; either way, I hope to bridge that gap as the months progress. Having worked at O.A.R.S. now for more than a year as the California & Oregon Adventure Consultant, I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to transition into a new role with such a fantastic adventure travel company! My employment history includes a background in publishing and environmental philanthropy, with an interest in geotourism and eco-conscious exploration.

Also transitioning into a new role at O.A.R.S. is Stacey Scott—a valued employee of several seasons and Angels Camp local. We’re confident Stacey will quickly establish herself as an even greater asset to our team and a wonderful resource for our travelers as the new California & Oregon Adventure Consultant.

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Written by Lauren de Remer

O.A.R.S.' Marketing Communications Coordinator & Waterblogged Editor

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