Join IWA!! download the IWA_application.doc from here and send it in! 

First off – Glenda Newman (Bob’s wife) sent an e-mail asking where the mushrooms were in the “Wild Mushroom Pepper Steak” recipe?? So here’s the recipe WITH mushrooms:
Wild Mushroom Pepper Steak
By Bob Newman (2-5-03)
2 lbs  Beef - London Broil
2 lbs  Pork Loin
1 lb    Small mushrooms
3 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Chili powder
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Cracked peppercorns
1 tablespoon Salt
1 tablespoon Garlic salt
4 cloves Garlic (minced)
2 large  Onions - sliced in large pieces
2  Green bell peppers (seeded & sliced)
1    Red bell pepper (seeded & sliced)
4   Jalapeño peppers (seeded & sliced)
4 tablespoons     Butter or margarine.

Cut beef and pork into ¼" strips 3 to 4 inches long. Coat with oil in large dish. Add all dry ingredients and minced garlic. Mix well and marinate overnight. (This can be frozen and thawed when ready for use)
Brown the meat in a large Dutch Oven. Add the vegetables and cook until tender - about 30 to 40 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Finish by adding the butter or margarine. Serve as is or in tortilla shells with cheese.
 

I have a new lead on that “Better Than Sex Cake” too. Ron Abramovich said his wife is working on getting the recipe to me.

Snow Pack Fortune Telling and A Tale of Two Rivers -

Ron Abramovich and Ted Day (kibitzing from the back of the room at Ron’s urging) painted the snow pack picture we didn’t want to see but knew was coming. Seems we got the winter that The Farmers Almanac predicted – warm and wet. The wet part is fine but as Ron pointed out it was in the form of rain above 7000 feet (not good)! This moisture didn’t help the snow pack which would have given us a longer and higher stream flow this summer. Both Ron and Ted handed out lots of disparaging pamphlets and statistic sheets. I think Ted’s sheet gives a fair summary of what was said:

What a nail biter this winter has been! Huge storm, no snow no snow no snow, huge storm, no snow no snow, huge storm, no snow, etc etc! The bottom line is that the snow packs are looking pretty sucky. About the only bright spots are the Payette and Salmon basins, but they're only around 85 of normal. We need a huge March and a wet April! The first half of March looks real good so far. I'll update these predictions if conditions change a bunch. The timing of these predictions can vary a week or two in either direction pretty easy. Rain during May and June, or abnormally hot weather, can make for bigger peaks. Lets hope I'm wrong on a couple of these! There's going to be plenty of boating opportunity...but get the high water when you can! Here we go:

Selway: Current snow pack (3/04) is at 74%. Looks a lot like the drought years of 1998, 1994, 1992. The high water won't last much past May. I expect peaks in the 16000 to 18000 range (say 16500), probably early May. By first week of June should be down to the 7000 to 8000 range, 4000 to 5000 by mid June, and 2000-2500 by July 4 (~1.6 at Paradise). All these flows are at the Lowell gage.

Lochsa: Same story, different river. Flows should peak in the 10000-12000 range first half of May, and be around 6000 to 8000 over Memorial day...hey that’s a great flow! By July 4 it should be down around 2000...time to fish! Don't have a conversion to tie this to the bridge gage.

Salmon: Current snow pack is 88%. Looking an awful lot like last year. In fact, I hardly have to change my words from 2002. Middle Fork peak of about 5.5 - 6', typically peaks around mid to late May, but will bounce around like usual. Should be up to 3.5 or better by late April/early May, and be above 4.0 much of May, and back down to 4 just prior to mid-June. Predict it will be down to 2.6 to 2.9' by July 4, and 1.8 by August 1, eventually bottoming out between 1.5 to 1.7'. Main Salmon should peak between 42000 - 53000, centered around June 1 (at Whitebird gage). Flows should go over 30000 cfs by mid May. By July 4th, flows should be in the 10000 range, and down to about 4000 cfs by August and 3500 by Sept. The South Fork Salmon Krassel gage will go above 4' mid to late April, peak at 5.2 to 6.2' in May till early June, and be down to 2.8 to 3' over July 4.

Bruneau: snow pack at 65%. Forget it folks...I'm sorry. Or wipe that tear and break out an IK. Unless we have a wet spring, the snow is just not enough. I'm predicting the river will rarely get above 600 cfs (and maybe even lower). When/if it does, it will only be for brief little peaks. I'm thinking maybe 800 cfs short peak. But you'll have to camp out at the put-in to catch it. Rain will bump it higher, but would be flashy. Let’s hope for a big snow in March!

Owyhee: the most variable of all Idaho rivers. Same sob story as the Bruneau though, I'm afraid. There is just not enough snow where it counts...out in the Deep Creek/Mud Flat area. Current snow pack at 57%; it takes much more than that to have any chance at consistent flows. Even the early "flush" won't be much, if any at all. Some of these low snow years it struggles to even hit 1500! My guess for a peak is 1000 to 3500 in late March. With rain we might see a one or two day spike up to 5000 to 7000 but I really doubt it. Also doubtful the river will even be able to muster a 1000 cfs in April, let alone May. Pray for rain....wouldn't be the Owyhee without rain or snow and wind!

Payette: current snow pack at 85%. Snow's a bit better on the NF arm than the SF. Predictions are just about like last year. Nothing too spectacular for peaks, but should still see some nice medium flows with short higher peaks. SF Payette should peak around 3000-3400 cfs at Lowman and be great all of May and first half of June. Back down to 1000 by about early July. The Main should run in the 4000 to 7000 range most of late April to mid June, and peak about 8000 cfs, then 3000 to 3200 for the rest of the summer. Cascade releases will come up to 1100 during the first several weeks of April to move some salmon flush water, then will shut down till late May or early June. Don't expect any big spills this year. Summer flows will be like last year, which means GREAT. By mid-July flows should be 1500 to 1700 and probably higher flows (1800 - 2000) in August, and back to 1100 or less by mid September. Deadwood will likely have 600 to 800 in July to mid-Aug, and hopefully 1000 again in the second half of August thru Labor Day.

Southfork Boise: Should be another great year on the SF, but a bit slow to start. Probably looking at 600 cfs April-June, then 1600 cfs for the rest of the summer, maybe even to Labor Day! Too early to know the exact plan, will update to Vince's page when I know more.

Snake (Murtaugh/Milner): no way. At the most we may get lucky with a week or two of 1000 to 1500 cfs in June as some salmon water is trickled out, but even that is doubtful.

Hells Canyon: enough. Probably 10000 to 20000 most of the time.

See you on an Idaho river!! Ted

Those of you with crystal balls may want to participate in the Vince's Idaho Whitewater Page 5th Annual Middle Fork Salmon Peak Flow Contest 2003 if so, go to:
http://www.webpak.net/~rafter/03peak.htm
Read about last years winners, the prizes they won and what prizes you could win this year.

Ron said that overall it will be a lot like last year – keep your gear ready to go and watch the stream flow gages/pages. Surf’s Up! (Idaho natives will have to ask their Californian friends what that means).

At the start of John’s talk he dusted off our attitudes off by saying we can either see the glass as half full or as half empty! Don’t worry about not having PERFECT conditions – grab your gear and go have fun. I guess it’s like they say – A bad day on the river is still better than a good day at work.

John’s tail of the two rivers was great. He told us of his trips down the Middle Fork of the Salmon many years ago before there were river management programs. Fewer people but the river and beaches were littered with trash and human waste. Now you may have to wait three lifetimes to get a permit and haul some things on your boat that you would rather not have but once on the river it is truly a beautiful adventure. So whether we like it or not, all of the rules and regulations are helping our rivers to be what they once were.

The other real eye opener for a lot of us was John’s tale of the Boise River. Granted, there are not many class III rapids on it but there are play-waves for kayakers to practice their stuff and a chance for non-radical river enthusiasts to enjoy the river and more importantly the wildlife.

It reminds me of several years ago when my dad visited: he was amazed that he was standing in the middle of a city park, in the middle of the state capital watching eagles fly by as he caught rainbow trout! He shook his head and grinned – “Where else in the world could this ever happen?”

We who live here shrug our sholders and have a hard time understanding their amazement; we see all of this everyday and take it for granted. It is hard for us to comprehend the polluted ‘dead’ rivers that most cities have running through them.

John’s business provides us an opportunity to show our visiting friends and relatives, who have no intention of boating with us on the rivers we go on, a sample of river running and the abundant wildlife living IN our city. John said his youngest customer was only a few months old and the oldest was 93. So there is no sign that says, You have to be this tall to ride this ride!

Boise River Tours is busy; if you plan to treat your visitors – make your reservations early.
John’s web page:
http://www.boiserivertours.com/index.html

I would like to add a new – renewed section to the newsletter; in an effort to let our members know what we do at a board meeting. You’re not going to get the whole transcript of what was said but I will be printing the meeting agenda for each month – Here’s this months:

IDAHO WHITEWATER ASSOCIATION BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, March 11, 2003
Casa Mexico, 1605 13th Street – 333-8330
AGENDA
President’s Report – Jeri Rose
Treasurer’s Report – Mel Johnson
Secretary’s Report – Bronwyn Myers

Old Business:
1. Status of “Free Membership with Purchase Campaign” (IWA gives a one year membership to anyone purchasing $500 worth of whitewater gear/boats at participating whitewater merchants – IRS, Aire, Cascade, Army-Navy, Sportsman Warehouse, etc) Check with the store before you buy because the list changes from time to time. It’s a great way for us to pick up new members and an even better way for you to renew/extend your membership)!

2. Recap of March meeting.

3. Spring Meeting Schedule:
April 2:  Annual Meeting & Election of Officers
 April 12:  Safety Saturday
 May 3:  Used Equipment Sale

4. Fall Meeting Schedule:
 Oct 1:
 Nov 5:
 Dec 3: Christmas Party

New Business:
1. Election of Officers
2. License Plate
3. Salmon River Draft Environmental Impact Statement
4. Other
? Money to Payette Paddle Safety Group to help fund safety posters with IWA logo on them.
? Include minutes in newsletter
Next Board Meeting: April 8, 2003, 6:30 PM at Casa Mexico, 1605 13th Street – 333-8330

April 2nd – Election of New Officers:

7 PM at The Aire Factory 2021 East Wilson Lane, Meridian, ID 83642 (Near intersection of Fairview and Locust Grove, south side of Fairview behind D&B and Smokey Davis.) –

This is the ‘Mother-of-all’ meetings – The Annual IWA Meeting and Election of Officers. Remember – if you’re not there you could get elected to a position you didn’t want. Get there early The board said my position wasn’t open since I haven’t served a full year but I say, if someone wants to be the editor – go for it. Its lots of fun and you get to meet some real interesting people! That holds true for all of the board positions. It is amazing the variety of people we contact to get information out to and who contact us to give us information.

Give some serious thought to becoming a board member and/or being an officer (Pres, Vice Pres, Treas, Sec, or Editor). Most of the board officers have held their positions for a number of years and feel that they need a break. Plus we need a few more board members at large to meet once a month with us to throw some new light/insight on the items we discuss. Nominate yourself or pay a friend a couple of bucks to nominate you. However you do it, get your name on the ballot for a board position!

Be sure to get your raffle tickets too! There will be lots of prizes with the grand prize being an Aire IK. Remember, you must be a member in good standing to purchase raffle tickets.

Refreshments will be served and soft drinks will be on hand – If you want anything stronger than a Pepsi, feel free to BYOB.
For those who don’t know, here is the purpose statement from our bylaws:

The purpose of the Idaho Whitewater Association, Inc. shall be to promote the appreciation, understanding, and safe recreational use of the whitewater river resources within the State of Idaho among its members and the general public, and to inform the members of issues affecting whitewater rivers and their use.
It’s always good to remind ourselves of why we are a group. I think that for the most part we are pretty much on track.

And, speaking of safety . . .

There are too many dead bodies floating in the Payette River System!

If you have been paying attention the last few years (and I’m sure you have) you’ve heard of this person and that person not making it completely through the run they planned – or perhaps, failed to plan. Well it’s starting to get the attention of everyone – this isn’t just a local problem – the same sad stories are being told across the nation.

Locally – this is what is being done, a new group has been formed.

What doing wrong What to do:

In water too long (impacts judgment)
Hypothermia Swim like hell to get out/to shore.
Know what to do before you go.
Pre-trip safety plan:
     Group dynamics.
False confidence – desire for expertise, be hot – “Kodak Moment”. Things change quickly.
Visiting folks. Unfamiliar with local river risks. Locals know to move/work their way ‘up’ in difficulty levels.
Flush drowning. Have a PERSONAL plan for WHEN you fall out of the boat.
Group dynamics
Things change quickly
Pushy rivers due to gradient. Learn about self rescue. SAVE YOURSELF FIRST!
Alcohol use. Be practiced with safety gear.
Throw rope.
Z-drag.
Poor safety gear. Where do I get:
Planning
Training
Proper Equipment
Is equipment matched to river? YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
 What is your survival time.
 Assume ‘The Whitewater Swim Position”.
 
You will hear a lot more from this new group – The Payette Paddle Safety Group. Involved at this time are the Forest Service, BLM, State Parks & Rec., a Payette outfitters group, and an IWA representative (me). We reviewed the statistics and found that there were two types of people drowning in our local rivers; ‘transition folks’ who have tubed the Boise and want to step-up to bigger water and Class IV paddlers who made a poor decision.
In an effort to start somewhere but not bite off more than they could chew the group decided to focus on the South Fork and Main Payette rivers and on the first-timers. This is not a passing fancy where ‘the bureaucracy’ throws some mud at the wall and hopes some sticks; this is going to be a 5 to 10 year project and when something that works is found the campaign will spread to surrounding river basins.

The groups’ short term goals are to get safety posters and maps in all the shops which rent whitewater equipment. The map is being produced showing the put-ins, take-outs, run class rating, and the name, location, and class rating of all the major rapids of the SF and Main Payette. On the other side of the map will be river safety hints.
Again, I/we/the group requests any and all input from the IWA members or anyone who reads the newsletter. If you can help the group in their attempts to get the attention of ‘new’ river paddlers; please forward those ideas to me at: rpmyers@cableone.net. Who knows, your one idea may save someones life. Anyone out there have any good ideas on how to get new people to learn how to read the river and to get them to realize the tremendous force of river hydrqulics??? It’s the old problem of leading a horse to water . . . We can plaster the river with safety signs but how do you get the folks to read and heed all those messages??? Please send INPUT!!!

Here are a few of the notes from our first meeting:

Feelings:
It’s cool to be safe. Proper fear/respect for water.
Understand the technical challenges of local rivers.
 

IWA Safety Saturday – April 12th:

Here’s one way that IWA puts out the Safety Message: Safety Saturday. As we wind up the non-boating season we like to impress everyone with the proper attitude, help them learn or improve their safety skills, and encourage them mention safety short comings they see in others on the river – don’t act like a preacher or sheriff but don’t be afraid to tell someone that they do not have the proper equipment for the stretch of river they are putting in on.

It will be held at The Aire Factory from 10 AM till 4 PM (see directions and map at bottom of page 3). Hey; we could take this show on the road!!!!

We have a fantastic lineup of things going on.

There will be:
? Demonstrations of boat rigging for day and extended floats.
? Demonstrations of safety equipment and clothing.
? Medical Information.
? Z-drag and throw rope demonstrations.
? River Safety Presentation (Self Rescue).
? Boating Attitude discussions.
? Speakers/Presenters include:
o Les Bechdel
o Brock Loveland
o Doctors;
? Paul Collins
? Gregory Mondon
? Chip Sands

Booths by:
? Idaho Rivers United
? Idaho River Sports
? Cascade Raft Co.
? St. Alphonsus Life Flight
? Boise Fire Dept.
? Ada County Sheriff
? BSU Outdoor Recreation Center
? Idaho Dept. of Parks & Recreation
? US Forest Service
? BLM
? Idaho Dept. of Transportation
? Idaho Outfitters and Guides
? And we’re going to see if “The River” radio station would show up and broadcast for a while.

Lunch items will be for sale and prepared by four young people (3-guys & 1-girl) who have won the honor of attending the kayaking world championships in Austria this summer. We think it is awesome and are very proud of these young people; all four are from McCall. They need to generate $1000 each to get to Austria to participate in the championships. So if you’d like to spend $50 for a sandwich, they’d be grateful. These young folks will also be back down here to help out with the Used Equipment Sale. They will be working while one, some, or all of their parents will man a booth explaining the championships and accepting donations. Let’s all chip in and help these ‘kids’/young adults/champions go show the world how to kayak the right way; the way we do it in Idaho!

Raffle tickets will be available with drawings for prizes occuring throughout the day. Come on out for a fun and highly informative day. Meet with your paddling buddies or hook-up with some new ones. I have talked to several folks that want to start participating in whitewater and are looking for some of us to talk to. They are smart enough to realize that they need to learn about how to paddle right in a safe manner. It is our responsibility to help them. When you see a new face at one of our meetings; go say hi to them, introduce yourself, find out if they are a beginner, and offer any information you can. Or, point out someone else that has the type of boat they seem to be interested in.

Wilderness First Aid

The Boise State University Outdoor Program is now taking registrations for
the April 26 & 27, 2003 Wilderness First Aid Seminar. This 16-hour class,
taught by the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS, is the internationally
recognized standard in basic wilderness medicine and is the required
training for many organizations such as Outward Bound, search and rescue and
commercial guides and outfitters.

Whether you plan to work in the wilderness or just spend time in the
backcountry with your friends and family you need to be prepared for a
medical emergency.  This seminar will provide you with the training
necessary to safely enjoy wild Idaho.   Fast paced and hands-on, this two
day course covers a wide range of wilderness medicine topics for people who
travel, work, and play in the outdoors. This is the only opportunity this
year to get this level of training in southwest Idaho.  Sign up early as the
course will sell out.

WHEN: April 26-27, Sat. and Sun.
TIME: 8 AM to 5 PM
WHERE: Student Recreation Center
COST: Community $140 / BSU Student $125
REGISTRATION: Outdoor Program Office - Monday - Sunday 1:00 - 7:00 PM
              Located in the Student Recreation Center
INFO: 208-426-1946
 

DUES ARE DUE…..

2003 dues are now due. The cost is only $15.00. Be sure to pay by or at the Annual Meeting on April 2 to be able to participate in the raffle for a free Aire boat and to keep on getting your Newsletter.  Use the application on the back of the newsletter or if none of your info has changed, just put a check in the mail to IWA, P.O. Box 6135, Boise, ID 83707.

VOLUNTEERS – WE NEED YOUR ARTICLES, IDEAS FOR SPEAKERS, WANT ADS, HUMOR, HISTORY, ETC. If you would like to present a program at one of our meetings, let one of the board members know.

Calendar of Events:

April 2 – Annual Membership Meeting and Election of Officers – Aire Factory
Remember to pay your 2003 dues so you can participate in the raffle for the Aire boat.  We might even get to see the AMAZING self-healing tube again.
April 12th – Safety Saturday – Aire Factory

April 26 & 27
Wilderness First Aid

The Boise State University Outdoor Program is now taking registrations for
the April 26 & 27, 2003 Wilderness First Aid Seminar. This 16-hour class,
taught by the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS, is the internationally
recognized standard in basic wilderness medicine and is the required
training for many organizations such as Outward Bound, search and rescue and
commercial guides and outfitters.

Whether you plan to work in the wilderness or just spend time in the
backcountry with your friends and family you need to be prepared for a
medical emergency.  This seminar will provide you with the training
necessary to safely enjoy wild Idaho.   Fast paced and hands-on, this two
day course covers a wide range of wilderness medicine topics for people who
travel, work, and play in the outdoors. This is the only opportunity this
year to get this level of training in southwest Idaho.  Sign up early as the
course will sell out.

WHEN: April 26-27, Sat. and Sun.
TIME: 8 AM to 5 PM
WHERE: Student Recreation Center
COST: Community $140 / BSU Student $125
REGISTRATION: Outdoor Program Office - Monday - Sunday 1:00 - 7:00 PM
              Located in the Student Recreation Center
INFO: 208-426-1946
 

May 3:  Used Equipment Sale.
Eastman and 13th, next to IRS.
June 14th – Whitewater Rodeo Trials
July 19-20th – Whitewater Rodeo

Gear for Sale

  TRIED OF WEEKENDS SPENT WITH CARS FULL OF WET GEAR AND SOGGY CRACKERS EVERYWHERE? If so I have the deal for you.   Custom made trailer for the ultimate car camping experience.   Has multiple locking compartments for dry gear, wet gear and paddles.  Has fully insulated compartment for coolers.  Has "kitchen" compartment with drop door that works as a counter top.  Comes complete with Awning and highgrade tubes.  Proven to be fully bear proof.  Also carries boats.  Cost $4,800 to build, will sell for $2800. Bruce Bistline 345-3654.  Have photos (trailer is on lot in Caldwell).
bbistline@gordonlawoffices.com.

?EXTRASPORT BUDDY MODEL LIFEJACKETS CLASS V. $45 EACH COST NEW $110 ALL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION ASSORTED SIZES.
    CRAZYCREEK BRAND POWER LOUNGER BEACH CHAIRS. $10 EACH COST NEW $37 ALL IN GOOD CONDITION.
    JACK'S PLACTIC BRAND SMALL DRY BAGS $5 EACH COST NEW $35 VERY GOOD TO FIXABLE CONDITION.
    CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE THEM NEAR WARM SPRINGS GOLF COURSE: DAVE MILLS 208-345-2400

? Beautiful, Wilderness Systems Kevlar touring kayak. Sleek and lite – Wonderful EASTER present (we’ll even throw a stuffed bunny in). $500 OBO. Bronwyn @ 853-1728
 bronwynmyers@cableone.net

Let us know if you sold your stuff!

rpmyers@cableone.net

Some Parting Shots:

Disclaimer: The layout, content, and wording of the IWA newsletter is the sole responsibility of the newsletter editor (me-Ron Myers). If any of the content, wording, etc offends anyone PLEASE let me know and I will try my best not to do it again. You can e-mail me or if you prefer to remain anonymous you can send an unsigned letter/note to me at: 5133 N Liverpool Ave, Boise, ID 83714. So, if you’re unhappy about what’s in the newsletter, let me be the first to know. Thanks. Letters to the Editor/rebuttal are welcome – You know, everyone has at least one opinion; so if you’d like yours heard, please send it.

Keep these next two items in mind for the April 2nd meeting. We need to discuss and vote on them. An e-mail version of our newsletter instead of the printed version is now available. Please bear in mind that the newsletter files are getting larger as I keep adding pictures. For example, this newsletters file size is about 2 megabytes. So, if you have a fast modem or lots of time. . .  Or, you can get the ‘no picture version’ which brings it down to 3-400 kilobytes - Send me an e-mail to sign up for this feature.

One final item we have discussed in our board meetings is the sharing of the IWA membership list with other like-minded organizations in our area (i.e. IRU, IRS, local departments seeking opinions/comments, etc.). We have had requests in the past and have not released our list. The current board consensus is to make it an individual option to be indicated on one of those little check boxes at the bottom of your membership form. So . . . something else you’ll hear more about at the annual meeting. Keep this one in mind.

Has anyone noticed how crowded our rivers are getting??
I’m not talking about all the folks you have to dodge while running a rapid or trying to catch an eddy. I’m talking about nasty little aliens, not from outer space, but from New Zealand. Sounds like they’re invading by the millions and we need to watch for them. As we paddle one river basin one weekend then another the next we need to check our gear. Let’s make sure we don’t help them ‘beam’ from basin to basin.
This article was submitted by Dave Hopper an Ecologist with US Fish and Wildlife Service:

Title: Alien Mudsnail Invading Western Waters
By: Craig Springer, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Reprinted from Birdscapes, Winter 2003, with permission by the author.

Its life history reads like a cheap 1950s sci-fi film.  The New Zealand mudsnail—an alien that reproduces by cloning—lives for days out of water and can get a toe hold in most any water, warm or cold.  It has no predators. You might think what you just read is a treatment for a horror flick, but the trouble is, it’s a true story unfolding in the West.

“Anyone that works around water needs to know about the New Zealand mudsnail,” said Bob Pitman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service invasive species biologist in the Southwest Region.  “Knowledge is the best preventative tool to keep this invasive animal at bay.”

A single mudsnail may be only the size of a pepper flake up to a sand grain, but living unconstrained by natural checks, they may soon carpet lake and stream bottoms.  Up to 300,000 mudsnails will cover a square meter of stream bottom, replacing native snails and other invertebrates like mayflies and caddisflies—primary food sources for fish.  Apparently, these minute creatures can pass through the gut of trout undigested.

How mudsnails infiltrated the United States is unknown, nor is it known how long they’ve been here.  They first were discovered in Idaho’s Snake River in 1987.  Since then they’ve turned up in Montana’s fabled Madison and Missouri Rivers, the Yellowstone River in Wyoming and Montana, the Owen’s River in California, and the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona.

The danger in New Zealand mudsnail infestations lies in the fact that they have no natural predators or parasites in North America.  And that means nothing can keep them form spreading—except you.  Precisely how mudsnails move from water to water is conjecture, but it is fairly assumed that people move them inadvertently.  And that’s where you come in.

To keep from spreading the New Zealand mudsnail, Pitman recommends that you always clean your waders and sampling gear after each use with a soapy solution and then let them dry in the sun.  Since the mudsnail can live out of water for several days, it is important that your gear dry for several hours after cleaning.  If you have the luxury, donning a second set of waders or other gear when you move between waters would lend added security that you are not spreading the undesirables.

Following these guidelines can help protect the waters where you work and play.  Education is a powerful tool, and isn’t that how Steve McQueen foiled The Blob?

For more information on the New Zealand mudsnail check the website at:

http://www.esg.montana.edu/aim/mollusca/nzms/, or, contact the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Boise Idaho (208/685-6957).  More information on other nuisance aquatic species can be found at:
http://protectyourwaters.net/ .

This is a great story that Duane Phinney submitted. I initially told him to try to keep it to two pages at 11 pitch. He sent it to me and apologized that it was ‘a bit’ longer but said we could work on cutting it down. Well, after I read the story I couldn’t see anything that could be left out without ruining the story. So out the window goes the two page limit. After I read Duanes story I wanted to load up my Jag (cat, not car) and head for the beautiful Babine! Read on . . .

Grizzly Whitewater
By Duane E. Phinney
 

Who in his right mind would spend six days driving 2100 miles for a 7-day, 100-mile rafting trip?  I did and will again to float the beautiful Babine River in NW British Columbia. (I’ll ignore those of you pointing out that the phrase “right mind” doesn’t apply.)

Though we live in St. Regis in northwest Montana, my wife Bonnie and I started the trip the morning of 9/3/2002 from Olympia, WA.  Dreading the post-9/11/2001 Canadian border ordeal, we opted for the Sumas crossing rather than the more popular I-5 crossing at Blaine and it turned out to be not too bad.  That night we camped in the rain at the edge of Clinton on Highway 97--about 200 miles north of the border, eh? Bonnie wistfully eyed the nearby flashing sign, which said “motel” but she read “warm bed, hot shower”.

During breakfast the next morning our oldest son, David, came cruising into the campground that we’d had to ourselves overnight. (I had left word with his wife the evening before where we were).  He left Seattle late the previous afternoon and we did not expect to see him until launch day.  An avid rafter, he’d had minimal opportunity recently.  After three busy and stressful years at Stanford Law School he had graduated in the spring and spent the summer studying for the Washington bar exam.  Now he had several equally stressful weeks of awaiting the results.  He was looking forward eagerly to this long-talked-about trip and Bonnie and I were overjoyed that he could share it with us.

After breakfast we drove on together past Prince George, where we headed west on Highway16 towards Prince Rupert, and made it as far as Burns Lake, where we camped again.  By late morning the next day we were in Smithers, our jumping off place—720 miles north of Vancouver. The green, lush vegetation and dense coniferous forest belies the fact that this is a 15-inch-per-year rainfall area.  Though just early September, snow already, beautifully but ominously, graced the flanks of nearby Hudson Bay Mountain.  In Smithers (population 6000) we bought a set of topo maps and groceries and did some innovative detective work to find shuttle drivers--the son, and a friend, of the owner of a local kayak shop (pricey at $200 funny money for each of the two vehicles).  David located a couple of the outfitters that run the river and pressed them for information as this river was pretty much unknown to us (“Here Be Monsters”).  Then we drove 60 miles west to scout our take out.

Late afternoon we went to the local airport to meet our friend Bob Kerry who was flying in from Tucson for the trip.  We had planned to drive the 65 (mostly) gravel road miles to the launch site where the Babine River (the size of the lower Salmon) originates as it exits Nilkitkwa Lake.  Murphy’s Law kicked in:  Bob’s luggage did not arrive so we camped (waking to a heavily frost-covered tent), met the morning plane and retrieved his gear (he thought it was checked clear through so did not retrieve it and take it through customs in Vancouver, as required).

We picked up our shuttle drivers and by early afternoon we were at the launch site, which is immediately below a river-wide weir where the B.C. fisheries folks enumerate the literally millions of sockeye, chum, coho, and chinook salmon and steelhead (some of the largest in the world) that ascend the river annually. Two men loading supplies into their jet boat to take down to their fishing lodge offered helpful information and advice.  As we rigged David’s Aire Cougar and my Jaguarundi the pale sun cast a little warmth, but this far north as soon as it went behind some wispy clouds it was definitely drysuit weather.  By late afternoon we sent the shuttle drivers off with our trucks and were finally underway; for seven days we had a fantastic trip on a river that looks and flows much the same as it has for thousands of years.

We made a short run and camped on a sand and gravel island.  The flow was fast, interesting and busy but no significant rapids were encountered.  In the couple of hours on the river we saw ospreys and literally dozens of American eagles—as we did for most of the rest of the trip.  The island, as every other place we stopped, bore the fresh impressions of the tracks of Ursus horribilis (density of Ol’ Ephraim is greater in the Babine drainage than almost anywhere else in the world).  We often saw wolf tracks as well.  At each of our six campsites we were careful to observe appropriate bear safety precautions and we had no problems.

Next morning we were underway around 10:00 AM, a cold and threatening day, and soon passed a small lodge where we were “hallooed” by one of the men we had talked to the day before.  A short distance downstream we passed another lodge that showed no signs of life.  The river continued swift all day.  There was some class 3 stuff, nothing troublesome, but enough to keep David and I busy on the oars and to block the jet boats from the two upstream lodges from going down and those from the lodge we knew to be below us yet from coming up.  The scenery in the narrow V-shaped valley, which has never been logged, was outstanding, especially when the nearby Babine Mountains and the peaks of the Sicintine Range to the north were visible.

Late in the afternoon we passed a beautiful log building with a jet boat nosed up on the shore.  We found out later that this was a satellite facility for the Silver Hilton fishing lodge, a few miles downstream.  A man and woman greeted us as we floated by.  Soon we pulled out on a gravel bar and were scouting it as a potential campsite when the jet boat from upstream came down.  The young man running it stopped and suggested a better place down around the corner.  He invited us to stop by the Silver Hilton when we went by the next day.  Later another jet boat with fly fishermen from the lodge went upstream by us.  The weather carried out its threat and in the light, cold rain we put up tarps over the kitchen.  A brief fishing expedition resulted in one sockeye salmon caught—the peak of this run was long since past.

The next day, cold and wet, we arrived at the Silver Hilton about noon. The manager, who had stopped by the evening before, and his chief cook and bottle washer, greeted us with steaming mugs of hot coffee and chunks of the best strawberry cheesecake imaginable.  They had been waiting for us and would have been terribly disappointed had we not stopped.  This was a stunning set up with a main lodge and several smaller cabins—all beautifully constructed of logs that had been flown in.  They are open only 9 weeks a year for the steelhead season and can handle 12 guests at $5000 per person per week and they are booked well in advance.  Access is via air only.

On downstream we encountered one of the jet boats from the lodge, with a guide and several fishermen.  A fisherman landed about a 14-pound steelhead on a fly rod as we went by.  Soon after we went through significant enough rapids that we were out of jet boat range—not that the one we had seen had been much of a bother—and any further sign of civilization until near the river mouth.  We camped on a river bar in another cold light rain.

Next morning dawned still raining lightly and cold.  We had planned to go only a few miles, as we would soon enter a canyon that ran for several miles and we were told there was no place to camp once you were in it.  But since it was still cold and rainy after breakfast we all crawled back into our sleeping bags and opted for a layover day.  About noon it quit raining, warmed up slightly and we emerged for lunch.  Taking advantage of the weather break we did a little fishing in the afternoon.  David caught twin steelhead about 12 pounds each, Bob caught a 7-lb coho and I caught a 14-pound steelhead, all beautiful bright fish.  As the clouds temporarily lifted we could see the snow line only a few hundred feet above us.
Next morning the real fun began.  Heretofore we had busy water with some fun but relatively easy class 3 runs.  Today would be the canyon, which we knew held class 4 Grizzly Drop and other challenges.  Shortly after entering the confines of the canyon, we approached a horizon line with a huge boulder in the middle.  Pulling out on the right side David led the way downstream to scout.  As he climbed up over a large boulder he suddenly jumped back.

“He’s there,” he announced excitedly.  “Who’s there?”  “The grizzly.  He’s there.”

Pepper spray ready for a quick draw, we all four peered up over the boulder.  And he was there--sitting on his butt with all four legs out in front of him staring into the water at the bottom of a cascade.  With cameras clicking, we watched as he slowly turned and briefly looked at us, 100 feet away, over his shoulder.  A minute later as he turned and stared at us we retreated to our rafts.  The grizzly then jumped into the water, swam across the river and walked upstream across from us and watched as we readied our rafts and ran the sharp, tricky drop between the boulder and the left bank.
Earlier in the year when the sockeye run is at full strength and a hundred thousand or more sockeye per day are challenging the rapids, there are usually 8 or 10 bears fishing here.  The narrowness of the run means that one passes literally within reach of several-hundred-pound bruins. With only a few hundred steelhead per day passing now, we had not expected to see any bears.

The rest of the day was spent within the confines of the canyon--and the canyon was exciting:  long rapids, sharp drops, narrow slots between high rock walls (including Sphincter 1 and 2 where you had to tuck your oars and were at the mercy of the strong hydraulics), another grizzly bear and one mountain goat.  The canyon ended abruptly at the end of quarter-mile-long and convoluted Kisgegas Narrows or “Pinball Alley”, with the river confined narrowly between high rock walls not much wider than the rafts.  Accessible by a logging road, Canada’s Kispiox First Nation members fish salmon and steelhead with long handled dip-nets from platforms clinging precariously to the canyon walls.  One big-eyed fisherman watched as we ping-ponged by underneath him.  Tired from a long day, we grabbed the first camping spot—now some 70 miles below our launch point.  We didn’t seek the abandoned native village near here, reportedly graced by the remnants of numerous decaying totem poles.  The villagers were decimated about a century ago by a small pox epidemic introduced by the Jesuit missionaries who came to save them.

Next morning we were soon at the confluence of the Babine with the Skeena (said to be the largest un-dammed stream in North America, which drains a huge portion of northern B. C.) ready for what we thought would be a leisurely day and an early camp for our last night on the water.  Wrong!  There were several miles of strong, swift water interspersed with rapids with large waves, huge holes, enormous boils and giant boulders that made us work hard on the oars.  David had been warned about one of rapids:  “Stay right or die!”  This was a very wide, very ugly ledge hole that we had to strain mightily to avoid.  We would still be in it if we had gotten snared.

Our other mistake was in thinking there would be plenty of good campsites on the larger river, whereas they had been few and far between on the Babine.  We regretted passing up a marginal spot in mid-afternoon and ended up nearly at dark only a couple of miles above the take out on a wide, high gravel/sand bar where we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Next morning fresh tracks showed that a small grizzly had cruised right through our camp—passing just a few feet from out tent.  David said he thought he heard something.  Bonnie finally confessed that she had heard it and knew it was a bear.

“Why didn’t you say something and alert me?”
“I tried but was too scared.  I couldn’t make a sound.   Besides, I thought he would hear me.”
“You think he didn’t know we were there?  Why didn’t you just nudge me then?”
“I tried but couldn’t move a muscle.”

A short run took us to our takeout on the right bank at the mouth of the Kispiox River on the Kispiox Reserve.  Right on cue, just as we finished de-rigging, our two pickups were wheeled out onto the gravel bar (they had been stored at the kayak shop).  We dropped Bob off at a motel in Smithers to wait for his plane the next morning.  Bonnie and I also said good-by to David as he was going to stick around a few days and fish some spots he knew from having worked in the area for a summer.

Bonnie and I started for home, spending the night in a crummy motel in Vanderhoof.  But hey, it was raining, the room was warm, and it had a hot shower.  Over the next three days we worked our way home through, Banff, Jasper and Glacier national parks.

Here are some semi-humorous Injuries and Near Misses reprinted from the American Whitewater magazine. Even though these incidents happened on the other side of the nation, they can and have happened in our own rivers (except maybe the car one! But it was too funny to leave out).

While no one suffered any permanent injuries in these incidents, smart boaters will get useful lessons from these write-ups.

On July 1st a man driving a 1961 amphibious car launched into the Delaware River at New Hope, Pennsylvania and was washed downstream into Lambertville Rapids. The Trenton, NJ Trentonian reported that the car became pinned on some rocks. The owner and his two passengers were trapped there for over four hours. Fourteen different police, fire, and rescue units responded. After rescue boats were unable to reach the trio, they were airlifted to safety by a Coast Guard helicopter. Ironically, the whitewater here is Class II, and the site is very popular with local paddlers. A canoeist or rafter who knew what he or she was doing could have made the rescue quickly and easily, saving the taxpayers considerable expense.

A newspaper article syndicated through the Canadian Press reports that four men survived a plunge over a 20 meter (60+') waterfall on Alberta's Ram River this past August. Lured by a two sentence description in a travel guide that called the river a "scenic multi-day paddle" and didn't mention any waterfalls, the group planned a four-day raft trip. They lost much of their gear in the plunge, which occurred on the second day. So they dug the letters HELP into the beach and waited until a rescue helicopter spotted them. This turned out to be a wise decision, as there was an even bigger waterfall less than a mile downstream.

Ted Martz reported two very close calls on Pennsylvania's Lower Youghiogheny River on the weekend of July 27-28. On Saturday a woman got caught by an abandoned throw bag, which had wrapped itself around her neck. Responding to her cries for help, a guide cut the rope, and nearby kayakers pulled her to shore. She had a weak pulse and was not breathing. Several paddlers from Three Rivers Paddling Club administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and she started breathing again. She was carried to the bike trail and life flighted out. On Sunday a young woman participating in an "adventure race" got caught in "Charlie's Washing Machine" in Railroad Rapids. She washed out, attempted to stand, caught her foot, and was pushed under water. Fortunately, an alert group of Canadians heard her cries for help, got her out, and administered CPR on a mid-stream rock. Rangers arrived and rafted her to shore, where she started breathing on her own.

AND . . . Last – but not least – (drum roll please) –
Welcome NEW Members:

Gary W. Gettman (Raft)
Bob & Glenda Newman (Lookin’ for a good used Cat)
Bill Bell (Raft & Cataraft)

Thanks to Y’all for bearing with me through all this – There was so much info to get out and I had those two fantastic informative and interesting articles that  I wanted to include. Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed putting it together!

Remember: See ya on April 2nd & 12TH  @ AIRE.
Surf’s (almost) Up.
 
 
 
 

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Real-Time Data for Idaho: Streamflow
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