SOMETIMES ALL YOU NEED ARE A FEW PIECES OF GEAR AND A RUGGED LANDSCAPE TO ESCAPE and sometimes all you need is a sea kayak on the open water. Some of the most beautiful places on Earth are best seen from the quiet solitude of a kayak.
Cari Morgan is a freelance writer and founder of Evoke PR. She currently lives and plays in the Sierra Foothills.
Wyoming’s Wilderness Never Fails to SurpriseIt only took ten minutes. Just out of Jackson, a moose and her calf graze at their breakfast, barely registering our presence as the van sped past toward Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, A.K.A. "American's Serengeti." The game, it seems, is afoot. Let the wild life begin.
Cynthia Barnes has trekked to Timbuktu and Tibet, writing for National Geographic, Slate, Endless Vacation and other newspapers and magazines. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia and former resident of Bangkok, she now names Wyoming as her new favorite place.
There is perhaps no better way to experience the breathtaking scenery, abundant wildlife and geothermal wonders of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks than from the cockpit of a one- or two-person sea kayak. Even with no prior experience, this low-impact, non-technical, self-propelled craft requires only mild exertion and is perfectly suitable for first-time paddlers. The techniques are relatively simple and easy to learn and the sea kayak offers a welcome reprieve for hikers with weary knees. Sea kayaks also allow visitors to reach areas that would be otherwise inaccessible and serves as an excellent and unobtrusive platform for wildlife viewing.
The first light of the rising sun creeps over the Eastern mountain range. A silhouette of a moose swimming across the lake can be seen. The water is so calm that it barely leaves a ripple. A mating pair of Sandhill Cranes flies low on the horizon. Dawn is stirring.
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Those of you who have traveled with O.A.R.S. on previous rafting or multi-sport adventures are undoubtedly familiar with the efforts we take to create a comfortable camping experience for all our travelers. However, for those who have yet to experience the art of camping with O.A.R.S., allow us to share a few examples of what you should expect on a multi-day adventure:
First off, our guides are experts at finding the best camp spots away from other groups. You may often feel as though you are the only ones on the river. Camp may be at a still, sandy alcove on the water’s edge, or a sunny, green clearing among mammoth cedars and towering cliff faces. There are trailheads, fishing hideaways and swimming holes just a few moments away.
Upon arrival at camp, your guides will set up comfortable camp chairs, drinking water, a “loo with a view” (placed at a discrete location away from camp generally with a scenic vista), a hand-wash station, and a full-scale kitchen.
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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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