2009 Wild and Scenic Enviromental Film Fest

This should be a great event up in Portland. If you are in the area you should make an appearance to learn more about and support the causes of Wild and Scenic areas like our beloved Rogue and Salmon River.
Sponsored by Patagonia, and hosted by Willamette Riverkeeper, this is the
LARGEST environmental film festival in North America. Wild & Scenic will both
inform you about the state of the world, and inspire you to create positive
change.

With multiple movies and events, two highlights will be....

Red Gold: A multiple award winning film about a controversial mine proposed at
the headwaters of the world's largest salmon fishery in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The
film tells a story of a remote, but diverse community that all share the
commonality of salmon fishing at the core of their existence.

Crossroads at the Columbia: Exploring the environmental and community-rights
issues surrounding proposals by private companies to build Liquefied Natural Gas
(LNG) terminals on Oregon's Columbia River.

when: Thursday, November 12th

where: McMenamins Bagdad Theater & Pub in Portland Oregon (37th & SE Hawthorne)
doors open at 5:30pm, films begin at 7pm

cost: tickets $8 (and also serve as your raffle entry for a chance to win an
Eddyline kayak and other prizes from Patagonia and Osprey!)

21 & over

You do not want to miss this!

www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org

Willamette Riverkeeper is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection
& restoration of the Willamette River www.willametteriverkeeper.org

Family Rafting on the Rogue River: A guides perspective

Last summer one of our guides took his family on a 3 day rafting trip down the Rogue River. The pictures were so great I asked Jason to write up something about the experience for the blog followers to read. Jason has been guiding with us for over a decade and with his wife, they have two of the best kids you could take on a river trip.

This past summer I had the opportunity to take my entire family down the Wild and Scenic Rogue River on a three day lodge trip. My wife, two kids and my in-laws decided to take the plunge and come downriver with me on an adventure of a lifetime. My wife, my 10 year old son, and my father in-law have been on trips before, but this would be a first for my 6 year old daughter and my mother in-law.

Although Orange Torpedo Trips specializes in inflatable kayaks, we always cater to the needs of everyone. Each trip is accompanied by a supply raft that is equipped to carry passengers. This is the PERFECT option for those families that have children that are not of the size or age to paddle themselves in an orange torpedo. It’s also an option for those that are a little fearful of white water and simply want to enjoy a nice float while watching the beautiful scenery. This is where my family fit in. They were all passengers on my supply raft. (I’ve been a guide with Orange Torpedo Trips for over 12 years.)

The great thing about the supply raft is that children can ride and have a GREAT time while their parents enjoy the inflatable kayaks. The raft guides are always very well trained and versed in local history as well as plant and animal life. I look at it like a “classroom on the water.” There are also times where your child can ride in a kayak with a trained guide in flat water and get some paddling lessons!

At the lodges, my children had an amazing time exploring, playing games and feeding the deer. Being a lodge trip has its advantages when it comes to children in that they can always change into nice warm clothes, sleep in a comfortable bed and be entertained by our well educated guiding staff. (Most of us are teachers in the off season.) This also gives parents a chance to relax!

Our family trip was something that we will never forget! Getting to spend time together having fun in one of the worlds most beautiful, unspoiled locations is truly priceless! Another cool thing that Orange Torpedo Trips provides, (that no other company does), is a photo memory book and DVD documenting the trip. So if you don’t want to spend time taking photographs, no worries! We take care of that for you! A couple of weeks after your trip, a nice little package arrives at your home.

Overall, my family had an AMAZING time! Those memories will last with them forever. Orange Torpedo Trips is by far the finest, safest way to enjoy a river adventure as a family. The guides are well trained and have a proven safety record. I’m not just saying this because “I” am a guide for OTT. I’m saying this as a husband and father that wants only the “best” for my family. The best is Orange Torpedo Trips!

Thanks Jason! If want to know more about our 3 day lodge trip down the Rogue River, Click Here.

Mike's favorite month to raft the Rogue River

I asked Mike, AKA "captain skirt, the great one, OG (old guy).........," to share some of his Rogue River knowledge with the blog readers. Mike decided to share about his favorite time of year to raft the Rogue River. Mike is going into his 38th year guiding for Orange Torpedo on the Rogue River, so if anyone knows what they are talking about, it's Mike.

June is my favorite month on the Rogue. Wildflowers are still in bloom, the grass on the open hillsides has yet to turn brown, and the new growth on the pines and firs lining the canyon is still a bright green. All the colors seem to be more intense, and the river itself still has that tinge of late snowmelt.

Weather can be iffy in June, but it is rare to get more than one day of rain on a trip. Sunny days are comfortable, not hot ( like August ), and even a rainy day is an adventure. Our paddling jackets and wet suits keep everyone warm, and the lodges have a special quality on those rainy nights.

Early summer water levels tend to make most rapids a little easier. Higher flows make for lots of floating instead of paddling, and shorter days on the river give us more time for side hikes and explorations that we have to bypass later in the summer. Smaller groups in June also make for more individual attention from the guides.

Come join us in June. It’s a great time of year to see the Rogue.

Thanks Mike for sharing your expertise with us. Keep checking back for more river knowledge from one of the Rogue River's most experienced guides. Now you just need to learn more about how you sign up to run the Rogue River with Orange Torpedo Trips