Otter Bar Lodge

2011-12-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

Just back from Antarctica. I was invited by Graham Charles to go down on a three week trip aboard the 72 meter OCEAN NOVA. After a bit of "airport hell" I completed the transit through Buenos Aires to Ushuaia at the southern tip of Argentina. Quark Expeditions was the host company and I was thrilled that they provided sea kayaks so that I could paddle the ice and get shots like the one above. It was an incredible experience to visit The Faulklands, South Georgia and the Weddell Sea side of the Antarctic peninsula. Extremely well run ship in every respect and the Expedition Crew were tireless in their pursuit of creating the ultimate experience for the 60 passengers. This trip includes lots of Zodiak landings and this, of course is a major highlight. Normally they have a complete sea kayak agenda which I would highly recommend, however, this particular trip did not include this itinerary. They were kind enough to include a couple kayaks, though, so I could get a feel for how ridiculously fun paddling in the ice is! Thank you G Charles on that one. The combination of seeing tons of animal life, ice, ocean and a supremely comfortable ship was unparalleled! If you are interested there are a ton of photos on our "fans" page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Otter-Bar-Lodge/84701887461?ref=ts. Back on the river now and waiting for snow with Christmas coming in a few days. Looking forward to seeing the kids ( Rush back from the Congo recently and Alli working with autistic kids in Berkeley) and spending some quality family time. Love to you all! peter

October 12 2011

2011-10-12T09:08:00.001-07:00

Wonderful Fall weather now at Otter Bar with approx 4 inches of rain to date. Ponds are clean and almost full. New roof on the shop complete and a new wood shed addition complete, as well. Back to landscaping now and the days grow shorter. We had a much better year with bookings up and tremendous water throughout the season. The Fall salmon runs have been epic and check out the dive clips on our "fans" page. They are spawning on the property as I write and it is a wonder to contemplate their tenacity to return to the exact same spot they were born and continue the cycle. Kristy has been busy completing the season's office work and we will be departing soon on a trip North to visit friends and family. I am headed to Antarctica in November for a three week trip with Graham Charles aboard the Ocean Nova. Quite a treat! Gearing up for ski season now as there is snow up high and the juices are flowing. Thanks for making this wonderful life possible and we will continue to make otter bar the place of dreams as long as our clients keep loving it here! Cheers and keep in touch and I will continue to put up an occasional post throughout the off season. peter sturges Fall 2011

August 21 - 27

2011-08-27T07:48:00.001-07:00

It was a great way to end the season with a full house, fantastic people and great paddling. "The Ferg" even made it for the last few days! Really enjoyed seeing Paul and Werner again and Cheryl Hunt took no guff for her second week. It was a delight having Bill and Carrie and Justen return once again despite the fact that Carrie never quits harassing us. John and Amy McLachlan made the scene once again and there was no shortage of humorous banter. Enjoyed meeting the Boche family and the boys really ripped it up on the Ikes run. Ryan and heather London were new on the scene, as well and were really fun to have around. Elizabeth Snyder came from DC to avoid the hurricane and created a typhoon of energy here at OB. Super fun week with stunning weather in the high 80's low 90's and the food was off the charts (THANK YOU Kendra Dano and Jackie). Wonderful send off with PK, Benny, and Jess and Daan, holding court and I will miss you all! Thanks for being such killer employees and thanks to all the guests for making this fine life possible!

August 14-20

2011-08-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

Super fun week for the entire staff and the guests, as well. Special mention goes to the wonderful Russian families that came so far to visit us in the remote wilds of Northern CA. The three kids (Kamil, Arslan and Tagir) were keen boaters and great students! Their parents (Bulat,Liliya, Rustern and Fagima) also were particularly joyful to be here and this week will never be forgotten by any of us! Great having Cheryl Hunt here again, as well as Wade hall who hadn't visited in many years. And then there was the amazing 78 yr old Jack Batzler (former fighter pilot and navy Admiral who skippered the Nimitz) who just decided to learn to kayak. We loved seeing Jennifer Stewart again and Tracy and Charlie Keene and Jack Kyman were a wonderful addition. Fantastic paddling on the Salmon and the Klamath and some of the group even did the Ike's run. The Wednsday diving was the best in OB history as there are so many fish in the river (Kings and Steelhead) and you couldn't miss seeing them. We are approaching our last week of the season and will so miss chef extraordinaire Kendra Howard who is off to Burning Man this Tuesday. She and Dano and Jackie have kept the culinary standard to the highest level! Great job from guides Peter K, Jess and Daan, and Kyle Kovalik. You guys make my life so much easier. Thanks to you all for being here and making this week so spectacular!

2011-08-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

Another wonderful week. We were mostly on the Salmon with the exception of the Stand Up Paddle boarders who dominated on the Klamath. I did take a few photos of two of the SUP/RIVER crew on the property run the last day but none on the Klamath. The jury is in, though, and apparently the Klamath is 5 star for paddle boarding. Sean, Sebastian and Chris starred in our first ever foray into this new sport and successfully ran all of the runs we normally use in the kayak program and LOVED them!! Great seeing Kirk Heyne after many years who brought his loquatious and lovely daughter Clare. Seija Surr was a delight and we enjoyed meeting Renne and Veronika as well as Ed and Chris. Fantastic paddling, biking and dining for yet another stunning week of perfect weather. Blue/green days and intensely starry nights with highs in the 80's was the norm. Great job, Andy and Ben and Chris. Kendra was top flight in the kitchen, as well as the amazing Dano and Jackie. Easy to love what you do with this crew. Kristy rocked it in the office, as always, and I can't say enough about what a great job she does here. Two weeks left which are solidly booked and we may even have to pay taxes this year. Thanks for coming! p

2011-08-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

Perfect weather, amazing flows, food, people, punctuated this week to the end. It was a full and fun week especially with the addition of Doug Hudson and his partner Eric. Three teen girls (Shannon, Nahanni and Hannah) kept us on our toes. John Mason was back with his son Kyle and coupled with KC and Clint, Bob and Jen and Dave and Betsy and Nick we had a rollicking time of it on and off the river. We were, once again on the Salmon the whole week! I shot a ton of pictures on the lower Salmon on Thursday and with stunning water quality, temps in the high 80's it was an indelible experience. There were a few blunders in the eddies and a swim here and there but that's what going to a kayak school is all about. We had a ten out of 10 success running kissing rock on Friday and Margarita night was full throttle. Stellar guide crew with the PK, Benny, Andy and Andrew holding court. And, of course our chefs extrordinaire - Kendra, Jackie and Dano were on their game as always It's hard to believe we make our living doing this and we owe it all to you guys for showing up at this remote outpost. Thanks for coming!! peter

July 24 - 30

2011-07-31T12:53:00.000-07:00

There were a lot of highlights this week with killer flows, weather and camraderie! Great to see John Perone and Steve Hochederafter so many years as well as Bruce Van Nice. Those guys in combo with Steve Barns and Bill Kraft kept the humor meter pegged all week. The paddling was 5 star and the learning curves steep (nice job on that combat roll Ione)! We dove on the Salmon on Wed and there were lots of Kings deep in the hole. It was a real pleasure to meet Karen Graul as well as the Fromm family (Gerrie, Rick and Russel). Erica gets the prize for the biggest smile at the end of the week. We were on the Salmon the entire week and the water just kept getting clearer and warmer. You guys were a blast! cheers and thanks for coming! p

July 17 - 23

2011-07-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

This was a particularly fun week with a bunch of very game and nice people! The Ritter clan distinguished themselves on (and off) the river. Josh and Dan really ripped it up as did Michelle, Sheryl and Bill. Beth, of course, was the rock star. Dick and Maryke were a wonderful addition and are the sweetest people ever! Tim Ritter did an amazing thing bringing his whole family and Lindsey and the whole clan seemed to have the time of their lives! We spent a lot of time on the Otter Bar to Crapo section and were able to get on the lower river on Friday. Looks like the river will stay in for some time as the levels seem to be holding. Looking forward to the Klamath coming in, though, as it has been too high. cheers to you all and THANKS! peter

July 10 - 16

2011-07-16T13:44:00.001-07:00

Mike and Eric have just left and Beth is staying on for another week. Small but an excellent group of people who got on famously. We had a rapidly dropping river and are now on the section in front of Otter bar and the lower river. The beach is out big time and as lovely as ever and I have been swimming everyday! It is quite brisk as the days have been cool (low 80's) and the nights in the high 40's low 50's. Took the SUP to Crapo yesterday and what a blast. Wonderful year for us as business has picked up and our final 6 weeks are filling nicely. Excellent job on the part of ace instructor Benny extrordinaire and the culinary staff went over the top, as always. Thanks for being here and hope we see you again soon! p

July 3 - 9

2011-07-10T06:24:00.000-07:00

The river is finally dropping. There is still plenty of snow tucked up in the northern aspects but the bigger pushes are over. Lovely summer weather this week and, as always, the group excelled! Sweet group of people and their rapt attention to Rex's superb performance on margarita night was much appreciated. Special kudos to Kyle Kovalik for his performance (on all levels) as well. He helped me wrap up the lower pond clean out on the last day and I am super appreciative (and sore). Sorry I missed your departures! Great seeing Heidi and Bryan again - their enthusiasm knows no bounds. They even talked their friends Mark and Mary into coming along who were clearly taken with the place. Pete and Kathy Litz were a delight as was Stephanie who really seemed to light up this week. Really appreciated Bruce Wear's second appearance at OB this year and we enjoyed meeting his son John. Team Brown University (Fred and Bryan) were a fantastic addition and Jennifer Lux did light up the place with her own glitter and fire - after all it was fourth of July. Yes, the fireworks were as spectacular as always! Thanks to the 5 star guides ( PK, Grum, J and D) as well as another outstanding performance by our culinary experts Kendra, Jackie and Dano! Thanks for coming!

June 26 - July 3

2011-07-03T06:25:00.001-07:00

This week was not without its challenges. Great flows early on and then a big warm rain came in. River went from 3,000 to 7,000 overnight. Good timing, though as the group was super game on Tuesday as the water came up and then by Thursday the river came way down! Wonderful seeing Dan and Elizabeth again as well as Jeff Donaldson! Thanks for all the help at the first aid station as we had to do a minor repair on Mike Mayes. Trevor rocked it this week in the big stuff (as did his dad) and we had a stout beginner crew with Mark, Mike Cummings and Gordon. A pleasure to see Greg and Danielle again after many years and I believe they had a singular and wonderful experience! Truly an unusual year with the snow coming off ever so slowly. 5 star guide staff (Grum,Farkas,J and D), as always, and I am hugely appreciative of the exceptional level of professionalism displayed by all of them. I know this sounds like my usual brew of my effusively positive crap but you that have been here know of what I speak. Thanks so much for coming and sorry Saturday was a bit on the hectic side not to mention Wednesday night - one for the OB history "Book Of Snags" cheers

June 19 - 25 2011

2011-06-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Super fun week with another game (and hilarious) crew. Great to see Bill Sullivan, Caryl Hart and Erin Rottman again! We had chunky but doable flows with the river finally plummeting towards the end of the week. Perfect weather as summer is here and, as always, the kitchen crew rocked out meal after meal of 5 star fare. Some fun new folks this week with Terry and Don pegging the laugh meter on a constant basis. Great to meet Ingrid (happy birthday), Laura and Michelle. Tawney was a wonderful addition and instructor Dave Farkas was, for some reason, was over the top. Kettering and Ben were also in fine form and the crew did an exceptional job with a variety of skill levels and a river that was less than ideal.

June 12 - 18

2011-06-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Summer finally showed up with excellent flows! We even had some beginners this week but it was a super game group and everyone seemed to love the whole experience (way to rock it Sara)! Kristy and I joined the week late after attending Alli's graduation from UCSC. Great seeing Steve Fredrick again as well as Rob and Linda and Leslie. Stellar folks who have been here so many times - how we love you! We were joined on Margarita night by a number of OB guides and their significant others. Jason Arbetter and Rachel were a delight to see as well as Grum and Ellissa, Peter and Vicki, Dave farkas and Tawny as well as Alli Sturges and her friend Sam. It was the Salmon River at it's very best with crystal clear days and temps in the low 80's and Rex Richardson with his fine tunes for the finale. Some great new folks this week, as well, and we enjoyed meeting Robert and Linda, and John and Denita. THANKS FOR COMING peter

June 5 - 11

2011-06-14T13:14:00.001-07:00

Wonderful flows once again. We somehow have managed to make it this far without unmanageable flows! Fun to see the father/ son team of Kurt and Tristan - they rocked. Ty and Michele (on their honeymoon no less) as always kept us rolling. Thanks to Joanne and Bob for returning for so many years and keeping us alive and having so much fun here! We had lots of new people this week and it is so appreciated. Carl Reuter especially distinguished himself by helping the boss big time with lots of new info re alternative power systems. The weather is finally beginning to be summer and it is a joyous thing. Fantastic instructional crew this week and Kristy and I really appreciate their help while we were off at Alli's graduation from UCSC which was a total blast (even Rush showed up). They were truly on top of everything. Dano and Jackie and Kendra rocked it in the kitchen and this was heavily mentioned in in the guest comments. I posted their food pics album on the fans page so check it out. Very cool and fun to have a record of all those meals. Thanks to you all for making this another great week. cheers peter

May 29 - June 5

2011-06-05T18:21:00.000-07:00

This was a solid group in all ways! The entire staff really enjoyed this week as you guys were game and never complained about the shitty weather, surly staff and marginal food - just kidding. The food was, well, off the charts and that helped. Juxtapositionings of note that added spice included the "Grahams" / South African wine guy versus kiwi kayak icon. The banter was rich and the wine certainly flowed! Loved seeing Bella and Jeff rock it on the river and speaking of rocking it, Steve Carnale certainly stepped up to the plate. Andy Bright and Janet Russel were a pleasure and, of course seeing Henry Louderbough hang tough was a treat. Greg Simmons and Bruce Wear did not disappoint once again! Bruce Fang was new on the scene (thanks for the shuttle) and George Ruff's level of commitment is exceptional. So I know I always wax effusive on these but... you guys ROCK! Speaking of rocking, our chefs Kendra, Jackie and Dano are setting a new standard of culinary excellence at OB. Oh, and the kayak instruction was OK too with Benny, PK, Grum and Dave Farkas spinning their webs. THANKS for coming guys! p

May 22 - 28

2011-05-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

This one goes down in the OB history book. Such a fun and cohesive group. Things started out wonderfully with stunning but coolish weather and fantastic reparte. But family matters began to intervene causing a number (the most ever) of people to have to leave (6 out of 15) over the course of the week. We loved meeting "The Fergs" good buddy Mel Hammer and while his hot water heater skills may need sharpening he was a hell of a hand and the boss enjoyed having him around immensely. Pippin and Mikeska were in fine form and the Johnson clan truly rocked the place this week. Talk about a dynamic bunch - Sandy and Kashia only have one speed (all ahead FULL) and Paul was his usual uneffusive, understated self who just can't seem to focus on the positive in life. Cool having Sean make a cameo and great to see Mark Service and John Carmen, although we think john needs a bigger truck. And yes, we did kayak our brains out this week and the rivers were as emerald and perfect as they ever get. Idlewild was a highlight for some and Mike Forster and PJ got the style points up there. Peterson was his cuddly and lovable self and couldn't resist telling us (again) that his 27 visits here have financed everything we have. Really enjoyed seeing Gordon Bainbridge after many years and the inclusion of Janet Zalewski was perfect for group dynamics. The food was truly off the charts with Kendra and Jackie and Dano holding court in the kitchens. The guide staff was nothing short of A plus with Graham C, PK, Zak and Bin leading the charge - kudos to them! I hope all the family disasters that people had to leave for are OK and we were truly sad to lose each and every one who had to leave! cheers and THANKS for coming p

May 8 - 14

2011-05-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

We had a great group of people this week with strong skills. Very nice weather and while it was a little coolish it kept a lid on the flows. The levels were optimum, the food was off the charts (Dano, Jackie and Kendra are world class chefs) and the guides delivered a superb product. We have a lot of fun running this operation it is is so rewarding to have our second week go off as well as the first! Great having so many repeat clients. Clifford Schostal made an appearance after many years and paddled well. Great to see Merida, and Rhiem and Chris Hest all of whom ripped it up out there. Paul Popovich pegged the meter and stayed for another two weeks entertaining the guests with fashionable headware complete with 15 stiches (loved running out to the valley w/you, Paul). Fun to see Steve Rottman who was ever shy and rarely had a comment (thanks for the shuttle Steve). Michael Welch was strong and steady and we enjoyed seeing Dan and Luis after many years. Our only new guests this week were Beth and Len and they were a nice addition to this group. Thanks for keeping us alive here, guys! Keep on paddling p

May 1 - 7

2011-05-07T18:56:00.000-07:00

Week one 2011. We all had a blast! This was an incredible first week with a super fun group (admit it guys - it was so good) with amazing food, stunning sun, and perfect flows. You guys pegged the meter and I loved this week. But only because I got my hoe where I needed her (see stunning model pictured with her). The boss was a bit preoccupied with his new backhoe but the combination of happy guests and a number of fantastic new staff and old made for a five star week for all of us. I blew it with the photos but will post a few on the "fans" page anyhow. Thank you all so much for being here and we wish Cat and Tim the very best on their trip around the world - we will miss you next year! Our thirtieth year and weeks like this make us realize how much we love what we do AND the people who come here! cheers peter

2011-02-21T20:44:00.000-08:00

Feb 21 - Photo above was taken today. Great skiing this winter with tons of early rain and snow in the high country. We had a dry spell for most of January and Kristy and I went to Utah to see Rush's premier of DREAMRESULT at XDANCE as well as attending OR. Instead of going home I spent a month "intercontinental" skiing in CO and Utah. Back at it here now, though as we had a 4 - 5 foot storm and the pow has been off the charts for the last week. Just found two new areas, "Ultimate Ridge" and "Shangri La" both with 1,400 feet of vertical. Loving life. May have to go back to my real job soon. We will have the newsletter out shortly. cheers p

November 4

2010-11-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

An amazing Fall with lots of rain and projects. Completed a new fuel shelter for generator diesel tank and a complete overhaul of the main gravity lodge water system. Skied two days in the high country in late October as we had an unexpected very cold storm (30 inches of fresh)! Have also been doing a major remodel in Etna with two new baths. We had a visit from SUP experts Taylor Robertson and Dan Gavere last weekend and I was able to get out with them and paddle and begin to get a handle on this super cool new sport. The run from Otter Bar to Norheimer was thrilling not to mention stunning. Pretty fun to up the ante without having to run harder water. So we will be offering SUP classes in August this year. Rush just back from Mexico and then Banff film fest and is off for China tomorrow. Alli almost done in New Zealand and Kristy is in Europe for three weeks. Hope this finds you all well! Photo is by Dan Gavere p

Stand Up Paddling 2011

2010-09-30T19:17:00.001-07:00

2011 is Otter Bar's 30th anniversary and we have some cool ideas on how to make a lot of people happy who have always wanted to come to OB. Stay tuned for details! In addition to deals for next year we are very excited to offer week long Stand Up Paddling clinics. Experts Taylor Robertson and Dan Gavere are convinced that the Klamath is the perfect training/play ground for this so... it' official - we have ordered boards and paddles (well, two for starters) and Rush Sturges and pop will be heading out as raw beginners to test the waters! Indeed stay tuned. p (photo by Taylor Robertson)

Sept 21 2010

2010-09-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

Just returned from a trip to New Zealand where we visited Alli (pictured above). Kristy and I rented a wonderful flat in Auckland and hung out with Alli (doing a year abroad @ U of Auckland) and her Aussie friend, Lachie, who was brave enough to fly over to meet the parents. We had a wonderful visit with them and then rented a car and headed off to the Coromandel peninsula with Alli for a week of exploration. Sea kayaked, hiked, slept, read and generally took a break. We based in Hahei on the east coast and while we did have significant sideways rain, there were plenty of dry spells for running about. Back at OB now with lots of projects running simultaneously. A lovely bit of rain and gorgeous Fall weather here - how we love this place. This brings our love and best to our huge extended family! The OB Grand Canyon trip just ended and it sounds like we had some pretty happy clients. Thanks to Daan for all his extra effort as well as Creek for his wonderful nightly stories and the team from AZRA.

August 22-28

2010-08-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Our final week of the 2010 season! A great group of people to end with. You might note an almost effusive tenor in my accolades of the weekly clients but the truth is, this sport attracts super dynamic and fun people. It certainly makes our job easier. Ben and Davin showed up because they had seen Rush's movie "Dream Result" (more than once) and noticed the ad for Otter Bar at the end. Wonders never cease (take note Doug Ammons). We did have a blast with this group. Brian and Heidi made a repeat visit and while Brian might have been top gun this week, Heidi proved to herself (and to all of us) that she is far more competent at everything she does than she gives herself credit for. We love this stuff. John and Amy were a riot and one of our most beloved trios (Bill, Carrie, and Justen) made the Otter Bar scene once again. We love them and not just because they keep coming back. And Ray West's performance was notable all week, especially his almost demonic alla "jaws" attire on the day we went diving at Bloomer Falls. A fantastic time was had by all, I think and the inclusion of my ski pals (and their wives) at the end of the week made for the ultimate grand finale for the boss. The food was sublime to boot and the people we will miss the most are Tommy and Kendra who churned out culinary delights for one final fantastic week. Thank you all for being here and check out "our fans" page for photos which you can link to off our home page. p

August 15 - 21

2010-08-20T18:11:00.001-07:00

Well, we are winding down with only one more week left. It feels good to be almost done but it has been a stellar year as far as people and water! This week was no exception. Fast learners and a super nice group of five and great weather. Loved having Mark Service back. Lauren and Noah were new on the scene and I really enjoyed taking them to Bloomers as well as Keith and Mark for some great diving on Wed afternoon. Everyone saw big fish and the only downside was that Jennifer didn't come with and took a bike ride instead. The group boated hard all week and I believe we had some radical learning curves! I have to go make margaritas for Mexican night now. Thanks for coming guys and I will post lots of photos on "our fans" page shortly.

August 8 -14

2010-08-13T19:33:00.001-07:00

Another fantastic week. I mean - Really! We only had two people booked for this week but at the last minute Steve Fisher and Rush Sturges signed up for a beginner class. After multiple swims for these boys in Iceland and Norway they decided that "back to basics" was in order. So they joined a beginner class at Otter Bar to try and "get their rolls back". We were able to tune them up and their new found confidence will enable them to pursue the "mank" yet anther day. It's a small thing but even luminaries have hicuups once in awhile and our psyco - counselors were able to help.. We were pleased to have Andy Fields and his friend Kris Loopin, as well as a cameo from Galena Seeger and Lincoln Else all pictured above. Strong crew this week and despite the vegan diet amazingly hardy. Thanks for coming! Pictures on the fans page to follow. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=197121&id=84701887461#!/pages/Otter-Bar-Lodge/84701887461

July 25-31

2010-07-31T06:38:00.001-07:00

Busy week with 7 adults in one class and 9 kids in another. We run these separately and it is our busiest time of year. Great flows with super clear water and the diving on Wed at Bloomer's was the best this year! We did a run on the Ike's with part of the group (photo above). Most days were still on the Salmon, though and what a treat. Lots of photos on "our fans" page and more to come today. I will do another post just with kids photos and info. Really enjoyed the "couples" this week and while Andrew and Mary-Lynne and Miguel and Rhea were often missing or late or something, I believe a stellar time was had by all. Tashi distinguished himself with exceptional reparte and insight and his mom, Debbie was a delight. While Tom dominated much of the conversation, his kayak prowess was exceptional. Thanks for coming guys!

July 18 - 24

2010-07-24T06:39:00.001-07:00

The river is finally getting down to summertime normal flows. We are still using the property run and the lower Salmon into the Klamath. Yesterday we did our very first run on the Klamath. Warm temps and cool nights and pure blue skies made for another exceptional week of paddling. Cheryl Hunt was back in full force and took no guff from Kettering. She knows the lines. Beth and the Norris family were also great repeat guests and their learning curves were steep. David Norris also included his daughter Sarah this year and she kept us all guessing as to what she really thought of the group. Really enjoyed having Nick visit from the UK and he was really ripping things up by the end of the week. Insane food per usual from Tommy and Kendra and the dinners out each and every night were delightful. Super pleasant week! Thanks for coming guys!

July 11-17

2010-07-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

July 11-17. Very small group this week. We even had to get Tommy Papas in there for the pic to pad things out. Really enjoyed having Oliver Fix do his first week of instruction/observation and it was quite riveting to hear all about his experiences at the Olympics in 96. We also enjoyed a visit from Gilda and his son Kai who at 4 looks like he is on his way to gold meadaling at something. Great to have Peter Kettering back in the fold! Super pleasant week with a visit from Paul Weiner who took the class for the first two days and Greg Simmons who styled his second week. Pete and Kathy Litz were also a pleasure to have around. Creek Hanauer made a cameo on day one and he didn't miss a beat! I included a few pics from the high country above OB as I had to make a run over the pass to town. Warm weather and excellent flows were the norm with the Salmon still at 1,100. This week was our first foray down to the lower Salmon. I am diving everyday now, although, there is still too much water to dive bloomers. Maybe I will run down there right now and check it out. The beach is fabulous and the swimming is as well. Also, you will find this weeks photos on our fans page. There is now a link to it ("our fans") on our main web site (you can click on the photo at the top to get back) cheers p

July - 4 - 10

2010-07-10T06:49:00.000-07:00

Boated from Methodist Creek to Otter Bar yesterday (July 9) and it was superb! Great levels still, although, the river is on it's way down to normal. Great week with a bunch more very game folk. Very hot towards the end but doing water sports during heat waves works well! Another heavenly margarita night and the addition of Lisa's slide show was a delight. She worked hard on her photos all week and I will add her stuff to the fans page when I get them. Enjoyed having Doug, Greg (he is sticking around for another week just to annoy everyone) and Lisa back for another week and Mary, Erin and Jan were a blast. Special mention to Jan whose ability to slam dunk Doug in the breath hold comp does down in the record book. Loved watching Herb dive into the music last night and Rex and company played it fine. Now if we could get Herb to focus on his roll the way he listens to music... Tommy and Kendra, once again, pulled out the stops in the culinary department and in the "just plain wonderful to have around" department. Thanks for coming, guys, we had a blast peter

June 27 - July3

2010-07-02T11:05:00.001-07:00

An amazing week of super fun mostly new people! Loved having Caryl H here for another week of rock and roll on the river. We had a lot of entry level folks and it was very exciting to see many people not only rolling but "combat" rolling, as well. Steep learning curves were had by all and we only lament that Bill's former rotator cuff injury flared up and prevented him from paddling the second half of the week. He was "styling" the course, though, and the instructional staff was bummed to see him drop out on Thursday. Beautiful weather all week with wonderful outdoor dinners and cool breezes. The boss had everyone over to his house for a viewing of DREAM RESULT which was a blast. Some great kids this week, as well with Sam, Trevor, Margot, and Max making a wonderful addition. We did, once again spend a bit of time on the wild mile and environs this week but the river finally turned and is dropping to where we can use many more sections. Optimal flows for the next few weeks on the Salmon!! We have tons of openings, though, so send us some friends. This week marks our half way point of what has been the best water year in our history! cheers and THANKS for coming. p

June 20-26

2010-06-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

We are almost half way through our season and still have lots of water on the upper stretches! 3,200 cfs this AM which has to be an all time record. Loving life here at OB with abundant sunshine and a wonderful week of paddling. We did spend a lot of time on the lower North Fork as it's emerald clear waters were great for this crew. Great to see Bill Sullivan and Barbara and we were thrilled to have the Selkirk "ski team" (Rachel and Joe) make another appearance! Cool crew from Newport OR with Penny leading the charge. We loved seeing Lochlann and meeting her friend Jo and really appreciate Nicole making it back here, as well. Evenings out now and last night's music and food and cool breezes were a delight. So fun to see everyone having such a blast. Thanks for making this life possible, guys and while we did have a few hiccups (we are now proud owners of our own sewer snake) it was a great week. The guides did an exemplary job of juggling things around for what proved to be a diverse group and for this the boss was super appreciative and proud! We have tons of openings for the second half of our season so spread the word.

June 13-19

2010-06-18T17:39:00.001-07:00

Fantastic group! The whole staff loved this week as it was non stop laughter and fun for all. Michelle and Steve (brother/sister) seemed a bit of a catalyst with their never ending humor and abuse of each other (it never got ugly - really) and came with their respective spouses Ty and Jan . We had a small kid group, as well, and while a few of the adults had raised eyebrows at first the boys proved to be a great addition! We all enjoyed seeing Griffin,Hunter, and Liam go from zero to turbo and there is something to be said for starting this sport at 14,15 and 16. Great having Dan and Elizabeth here and Monte was a rock (or crazy depending on how you look at it) to go paddling after having his shoulder partially replaced. Tommy and Kendra held major court with their culinary skills as usual and were much appreciated. We had relatively high flows early on but the emerald green water is back (as you can see from the pics on our fan page) and summer time feels fine. Thank you all for coming and making this an incredibly fun week for us. Special mention goes to Hunter Ney whose smile goes down in the books and whose enthusiasm was infectious. Leave a comment here or on the Fans page. Thanks peter

June 6 - 12

2010-06-11T21:42:00.000-07:00

This week started with mega flows ( 15K the Friday before) but the river did drop pretty fast! Very game group with the week culminating in a solid upswing for all. Green river now with lovely summer weather (finally) and an amazing "margarita night" still in full swing as I write. First day of summer this and at last California is not a rumor. Loved having Rob and Linda and "the boys" and Leslie was on her usual roll cutting the staff no slack (or maybe that was Linda). Great to see the Oblander crew enjoy and scope the environs to the max and maybe we even talked Keith into the fold (his roll certainly is 4 star)! Joanne, Craig, Kurt and Tristan as always a pleasure. The week turned into a blast with the able assistance of a stellar instructional crew who truly pulled out the stops. The boss was very happy. Food was off the charts, as well and so cool to see Kendra rocking the culinary show big. OB cook-off is way on. You can check the fans page for photos!

May 31 - June 5

2010-06-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

Great week for the first four days with excellent levels and then a warm rain hit. The team had pretty high flows on Wed (we moved the rest day up to Thurs) and everyone had a blast as the river rose to about 6k by late in the day. Reim distinguished himself as a big water aficianado but, really, everyone rocked! Sorry Steve tweaked his back. Thursday was a good rest with class five pondage. Levels were dropping fast, however, mother nature took a turn and we had yet more warm rain in the night. By day break the river was at 10k and by breakfast (Friday) it was at 13k and rising. So Kettering did his famous "risk" talk and we all took a drive down to Bloomers to sight see the logs running the drop. We then did more class 5 pondage with gates and play paddling moves and hikes in the PM. I guess all that snow had to come off sometime! Great having Pete Peterson for a second week and a real treat having Bella and Jeff back. Check the "Fans" page for more photos including the trip to Bloomers. Sorry I didn't get any whitewater shots of you guys. Thanks for coming. p

May 24 -30

2010-05-28T22:24:00.000-07:00

Very rainy and cold in all of California this week. Despite the average age of this amazing group of long time OB veterans, this was a resilient crew that paddled hard all week. Of course, Peterson held court and while The Ferg often upstaged him, he was dominant until the very end and is even staying another week just to piss off the group. Paul Johnson and super chef son Dano were their ever charming selves and Merida Scully, while the true rock star of the group, was kind enough to put up with the sophmoric humour (she's English) while she gracefully styled the runs to the chagrin of the old guard. It was a rainy week indeed and the hot tub may never recover but we did love this group and while none of them may want to take a chance on Northern CA weather again we can only hope. Check our Fans page for photos and THANKS FOR COMING

May 16 - 22

2010-05-22T10:26:00.000-07:00

We had four guests this week and much of the time four instructors. The great BJ and GC held court and D&J were a welcome addition to the team. Great fun seeing Steve Rottman again and his humor carried the week. Sheri and Carrie Ann and Chad were also a pleasure to be around, as well, and despite some very high flows, the learning curves were steep! It was a pretty cold week mixed with bits of sunshine and the "chinese fog landscapes" were second to none. Extremely beautiful here this spring and the place is running smoother than ever. Now if we just had more clients.... Thank you guys so much for coming!!

May 9 -15

2010-05-14T12:43:00.001-07:00

Great flows and a great group. Full house this week and we really appreciate Maren and Paul and Steve sticking around for a second! We had fantastic flows all week and some beautiful weather on and off. Very cold storm on Monday and I managed to get yet one last day of Powder (10 inches up high). Boat one day and ski the next - pretty cool. I included a few snow shots on this weeks OB Fans page update http://www.facebook.com/pages/Otter-Bar-Lodge/84701887461?ref=ts We had groups plying the South Fork's Methodist Creek run, Knownothing run and Matthews creek run as well as two forays up the North Fork to the Idlewild run and runs on both Butler and Norheimer runs. It doesn't get any better around here as the water quality is stunning. Peter K , Silas, K&J made up the top notch instructional team and we are thrilled to meet D&J who clearly fit in with program. We haven't had Margarita Night yet and the groups are out ripping it up so I will post more later - especially a few more photos from tonight's festivities. Sorry I don't have more river shots! Cheers and leave some comments ("anonymous" works fine) either here or on OtterBar Lodge Fans page or both! We appreciate it.

May 2 - 8 First week 2010!

2010-05-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

Off and running with stellar flows! A bit coolish this week. although plenty of sunshine and a solid group in every respect. The legendary Cat Lady and Tim Silbaugh made the scene, once again and there was no shortage of class 5 banter. Paul Popowich and Maren were back for a second year and are even staying for a second week! We wish Maren would quit dominating the conversation. Steve Rossberg put the hammer down and his deliveries were nothing short of slam dunk. Really enjoyed Whitney and Tom's company, as well and the inclusion of Jeff and Mary this week couldn't have been more perfect. Am I sounding a bit effusive? You should have been here. Another one goes down on the oral traditions and annal history of Otter bar Lore. And the guide staff was a bit of OK too with PK, Silas, J&K making for a beyond solid team. Thanks for kicking off the year with one of the best first weeks ever! Also, you can find photos for this week on the Otter Bar Lodge Fans page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Otter-Bar-Lodge/84701887461?ref=ts

April 6

2010-04-06T16:31:00.000-07:00

Just returning from Taos and Santa Fe. Stayed and skied with the amazing Chris Stagg (friend and OB client) and ripping around the mountain with the boss and friends was sheer delight. Ran into Bill Sullivan in the lift line (see more photos of the trip on Otter Bar Lodge Fans page) and had a great visit and ski with him! Probably skied 200 thousand in five days. Then repaired to Santa Fe and visited the crew at OUTSIDE MAG and took the editors to lunch. Really great catching up with them as most are Otter Bar clients. Lorenzo and Gabe Burke were kind enough to put me up at their stunning ranch pictured above. We had a blast hanging out together and I am trying to persuade "the Grape" and company to make a return visit to OB. While I was gone we had an epic storm at home and I am happy to tell you that our base in the high country has increased dramatically. The boys measured over 14 feet @ 6,500. No shortage of water this year. Ramping the place up now for the 2010 season and the frogs are in full riot just waiting to serenade you! See you soon I hope. peter

March 15 Last Blast of POW

2010-03-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

I measured 12 feet of base @ 6,500 yesterday. This last storm dropped 1 to 2 feet of cold snow and Steve Perlman and I did another 6 days in a row. We have over 70 days of skiing this year, the bulk of them climbing in the back country. Not done yet but the birds are singing, the clocks are changed and the river beckons emerald and stunning. Today Rush Sturges arrives back from a two week European tour where the reception of his new movie DREAM RESULT was nothing short of spectacular. Allison Sturges distinguished herself by turning 21, and while the transition had a few rough edges, we were thrilled to see her on Skype looking well centered and loving life in New Zealand. Time to go back over to Otter Bar and continue projects, go kayaking, and ride the bike. Supposed to be in the 70's all week and being over there at this time of year is sublime. Two days ago there was a foot of snow ringing the hills above. The newsletter will go out early this week so you should see it soon! cheers peter

Selkirk Wilderness Skiing Feb 7-13

2010-02-18T07:53:00.000-08:00

Following the week at Valhalla Mountain Touring (see previous post) I made it over to the Selkirks for a week of cat skiing with Brenda Drury's Selkirk Wilderness skiing. Great way to follow a week of climbing and the North sides held solid for excellent boot top shots with 20 or so cm fresh in bits and pieces. Ethan Guerra joined me there for the week and we had a blast, although he kicked my butt in the speed dept. My main ski partner, Frank Warshawski, kept things real (and hilarious) and blasting through the trees was the bomb! So Cal crew was a lot of fun and especially enjoyed Dan Stright's amazing slide show. Many thanks to the amazing chefs (Kate and Marg) as well as the rest of the absolutely fabulous staff at SWS. Lead guides Jason and Justin did a stellar job putting us on to the freshies! Also was a real pleasure reconnecting with Ram and Inga. Hope we meet again and THANKS for a memorable week! Photo address to follow. cheers peter sturges http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/album.php?aid=189596&id=611307362&ref=mf

Feb 15 Two weeks in BC

2010-02-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

Just returned from two weeks in BC. Had an amazing time and while it wasn't deep pow we had a series of one to four inch storms and it kept things primo. Northern aspect shots were favored and with cold temps and great people and food we had a screaming blast. Spent the first week at Valhalla Mountain Touring where we climbed approx 25,000 feet over 6 days. Jasmine's incredible energy and expertise combined with Annie's off the charts food (up to OB standards) and Collin and Eric's fantastic additional support made for a truly fantastic experience! I have 105 photos from this trip which I will post shortly and will be editing this post later today to tell you where to find them. The second week was spent at Selkirk Wilderness Skiing (cat show) just to the East of VMT. I will include a post and photo later this week on this trip. Hope this finds you all well. Will be headed over to Otter Bar latter today to do some paddling and work and will get Rush to help me figure out how ansd where to post photos! cheers peter Here is the address for the pics http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=189592&id=611307362&l=c34c27da51

January 26 2010

2010-01-26T07:35:00.000-08:00

Photo taken yesterday. We have had 14 feet of snow in the last week and the skiing has been OK. Insane is more like it. My Black Diamond Justice skis rock. Looks like a promising water year for Otter Bar! Alli just left for New Zealand (via Australia) for a year of school and Rush has been in Salt Lake at Outdoor Retailer as well as attending a showing of Africa Revolutions Tour at XDANCE. Kristy has been keeping the business from unraveling and I have been, well, skiing for a few days.... or so. Off to BC on Sat to Valhalla Mountain Touring for a week and then to Selkirk Wilderness Skiing for a week (spoiled brat that I am). Let us know what you are doing! cheers peter

Dec 20 Back from Tahoe

2009-12-20T06:57:00.000-08:00

Photo taken last week at Evan's house in Alpine Meadows (thanks again) - 60 inches of fresh in one storm (that's the Explorer under there). Our family is circling the wagons as Rush has just arrived back from Chile and Alli, after skiing with me in Tahoe, is now home but headed out the door for a year in New Zealand in mid January. Rush broke his back down in Argentina but, at present, it seems that he will make a full recovery in a few months. You can learn more by going to his web site, river-roots.com if you are so inclined. We are excited to be all together and hope to rendezvous later today at the Etna house. I hope this finds our extended family happy and well! p

Thanksgiving blast @OB

2009-12-05T07:54:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving 2009 at Otter Bar was, well, off the charts. We had over 30 people for dinner and the lodge/cabins were at capacity. New on the scene this year was the John and Dina Johns family, the Cedar and Mahaj family as well as my brother Jock and Maia and their kids Marine and their newest arrival Maeve. Simply put, we had a blast! Great weather allowed for major walks and even a backhoe ride and the four day holiday seemed over before it began. Rush was sorely missed as he is still in Chile flinging himself off of cliffs. It is one of the greatest events that we host at Otter Bar and it is the one time we really use the place for a massive party for many of our dearest friends. Of course, I'm still picking up the pieces of our destroyed lodge (just kidding). As most of you know, the new web site is up and not without some glitches. PLEASE let us know if you have any trouble loading any of it. Should be all good now but... This brings our love to those of you who didn't make it and to our huge extended family that make this life possible! Peter and Kristy

Nov 22 clean and full

2009-11-22T09:34:00.000-08:00

With the help of Rush Sturges and crew we drained and cleaned the far pond and as of this morning it is finally full again. Squeaky clean, at least for a nano second. New web site went up yesterday and it is dumping snow at Bachelor and Mt Hood. Took this photo minutes ago after a night of rain. Thanks to Paul Johnson and Bob Ferguson for hours of modeling work for the new site! cheers p

Nov 19 snow up high

2009-11-19T17:51:00.000-08:00

Snow on the mountain with a progressive weather pattern forecasted. Pretty dry Fall, really (5 inches of rain so far), although we still have good hydro and don't need to run the generator for power. They finally got the fiber optic in and you can see the cut they made in the road in the picture above. It has been a real pain for the last year or so but we are thrilled to have great internet capability. Otter Bar is dormant but stunning and Kristy and I just went down to Southern CA and visited her mother as well as Alli and the John Johns family in La Jolla. Major Thanksgiving bash ahead and then I plan to head out for points snow to find some skiing. New web site is finally done and should be up by tomorrow! Check it out and love to anyone who might be reading this!

Off Season!

2009-09-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

I know, it's a bit weird having a ski shot of me on a kayak school blog but, hey, the high snow capped peaks will beckon. Mid September @ OB and all is quiet. Tons of salmon in the river - 60 or so at Bloomer falls today! Riding the bike, working on the place, reading,diving you get the drift. Thanks to you all out there for this fine life. Kristy, Rush and Allison just back from Switzerland and we are preparing for a wedding this weekend. Our own Tesilya (Creek's daughter) is getting married here to Brad Sandford. We are expecting 150 or so. We will have dates for the schools and other trips up on the web site shortly - for those who have asked. That said all dates will be the same with the exception of the change in the calender. Grand canyon trip is Sept 5 to 19 2010. It is lovely and cooler now with temps in the low 80's and bits of rain and it all seems worth it. Thanks to you all who made the effort to get here this year. We didn't have a ton of business but some really cool folks showed us to help us through this rough year. I will update this blog periodically during the off season so stay tuned!

Aug 30 - Sept 5

2009-09-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well it may have been a very small week but it was extremely enjoyable just the same. A highlight for me was seeing Marilyn's very happy face at dinner last night. Looked like she had had a screaming blast on the river. We truly live for people having the time of their lives here at otter Bar and this week was no exception. There was no shortage of class 5 banter at the dinner table with the irreverent Brit (Dave) holding steady on all fronts. Cheryl Hunt was in fine form and I believe she has been here 20 or more times. Talk about repeat business. Tommy and Brian were in top form, as usual, on the culinary front. We missed Kristy who is still over in Switzerland watching Rush compete, although, I am sorry to say he came in #33 out of 150 on the first round so he didn't make the cut (30). Last week of the season here! Thanks to everyone for being such a killer staff! p

Aug 23 - 29

2009-08-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

As you can see Mayzie took the class (she prefers Jackson boats) and with her ferry angles it is no surprise that she was voted most improved. Now if we could just get her to quit barking at night. Some great folks here this week and it is always a blast to see Bill and Carrie as well as Bill Sullivan who routinely annoys me by skiing even more days last year than I did. A very compatible group I must say and I couldn't even get them to come up for air and watch one of Rush's movies. Great week with a wonderful trip to Bloomer Falls on Wednesday. Plenty of salmon deep in the hole. And a great week of kayaking for everyone except the boss who has to stay home while Kristy and Allison jet off to Switzerland to watch Rush compete in the Worlds in Thun. That's OK I'll just move a few thousand rocks and suffer in this god forsaken sweatshop. No really, it's OK honey I'll just be stuck in traffic in this hell hole while you sing "the hills are alive". Spectacular weather this week which was lucky because we have a guest (Julie Perry) that is sporting a garden on the hood of her car (honest)! Thanks for coming and please leave some comments or someone else who is foolish enough to read these posts will think you don't like us.

Aug 16 - 22

2009-08-21T11:17:00.000-07:00

More clear blue skies and warm weather were the norm this week.Great seeing Michael Kerwin and we had a wonderful visit from Phil and Mary Deriemer mid week. The diving with the group was a blast on Wed as the statewide ban on dredging has improved the water quality greatly! Really enjoyed the group with a stellar father son combo (Drew and Chet) and Willa and Konrad were great fun to get to know, as well. Peter from Chicago was truly a rock and pushed himself hard on the kayaking front. Great water this week with lots of rolling and steep learning curves and the food was off the charts, as usual! Thank you all for coming and leave a comment!

Aug 2 - 8

2009-08-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

An amazing week! In addition to a stellar group we had some off the charts weather. Massive thunderstorms and lightening moved in on Wed afternoon and by Wednesday evening it was pounding down rain. We had somewhere near an inch overnight and after a prolonged dry spell we have no more dust and the smells are from heaven. Chinese fogs have draped the landscape and this, after a pretty intense heat wave, has put us all in the best of humor. The Zeiter family (all five of them) have pegged "the most athletic family" meter to date and certainly a wonderful booking for Otter Bar in this rather slow year. They are off to Presido to Sandy Bar run as I write and Margarita night tonight promises to be the rocking blast it always is. Loved having Awna Z for a week and the Tommy/Bryan team blasted out another week of 4 star meals. THANKS for coming and leave some comments!

July 26 -Aug 1

2009-07-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Double week, this, with seven adults and eight kids. The kid's courses are run completely separately. Pictured above are several parents who have been able to check in on their charges during the course of the week. Very hot earlier this week but cooler now. We swam a lot late in the day and into the evenings on some days. Everyone in this group got their roll and they are off to the final day on the Klamath as I write. Great group with no shortage of hilarity at the evening meals. We didn't always serve lunch, though, as Paul was trying to help OB keep costs down. Beautiful weather here now with the low this AM @ 60 degrees. Huge party tonight and I will be transporting kids over on my backhoe to join us for music and margaritas ( some are only 10 but they have to grow up sometime, don't they?). Cheers to all and we fixed the "comment" problem so now you should be able to do this!

July 19 - 25

2009-07-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

Beautiful hot weather this week. It is only Tuesday as of this writing but I am off to the Outdoor retailer with Rush this morning and wanted to post this photo. Wonderful dinners out and I have really enjoyed this group. Hate to leave you guys. Have a blast and see you Saturday.

July 12 - 18

2009-07-17T13:12:00.001-07:00

A small group with a big foot print not soon to be forgotten in Otter Bar lore. We tell an occasional story around here and this week could qualify. The distinct lack of curtains, surly owners and drab setting were duly noted by New York heavy weights. Complete lack of attention to detail, miserable food and arrogant instructors complimented the atrocious setting deep in the ruins of a once mighty forest. But at least the bear was blind. And being bald has never been better in this week of studied irreverence and, well, hilarity. Indeed, Fuad distinguished himself by offering more suggestions in one week than we have had in 28 years. And all good ones I might add. Peter, Russell and Crystal put up with a lot but, hey, they're nice people. This was a week to remember (and miss) with an amazing day of diving at bloomer's on top of a great week of boating. And the fire threat even went away (for now) to round out a very fun week (for the boss) and for this we are HUGELY grateful. Thanks to you all and leave a comment (if you can). We will try and have the screening process fixed soon.

July 5 - 11

2009-07-10T16:53:00.001-07:00

Great weather, although a bit cooler this week. Quite a welcome change and, as we have a fire on the other side of the mountains from us, this has been a very good thing for the fire suppression efforts. Wonderful group of women as well as Luke (15) who did a great job of fitting in. Peter Kettering held court this week with his very able assistant Paul Singer who will graduate to full instructor status beginning next week. A very small week for us but we feel lucky to be keeping the doors open in these tough economic times. Another week of fantastic food and camaraderie and the dinners out were sublime.

June 28 - july 4

2009-07-03T10:01:00.001-07:00

Warm weather here and a great bunch of kids (5 of them) and adults made for another fantastic week @ OB. Lots of new folks and fast learners with solid rolls the norm. The group is off to Dillon to Sandy Bar as I write and we even talked Paula into coming with and riding the Dynamic Duo with Jesse Shimrock at the helm. Amazing swimming this week and we did a trip to Bloomer's on Wed that was super fun. Hot afternoon with approx ten Salmon deep in the pool and the swimming party was nothing short of riotous. Amy Eisenberg distinguished herself with her water spider antics and the boss was delighted to see everyone having such a blast. The upper hole also saw it's share a late afternoon cliff jumping and the emerald water of the salmon was sheer joy. A great week with tons of kayaking and swimming. Will Miller also distinguished himself as top dog and even pulled off a low water run on Butler with Graham as his private instructor. Hard to top that. Last week for Gray as he is off to Norway via points South. We will miss him! Lovely dinners outside and Brian and Tommy pegged the meter once again. Cheers and thanks to you all and please leave comments below this post so we can find out what you really think!

June 21-27

2009-06-25T16:56:00.000-07:00

Very small group this week but with ratio of two to one and the entire lodge for four guests things were pretty mellow. It was difficult duty for Mr Charles and Jess with three beautiful women and the extraordinary southern gentleman, Dan Collins. Delightful group, weather and four evenly matched paddlers made for a sublime atmosphere. But hopefully these guys will comment and give you the real skinny. Summer is finally here with temps in the high 80's and the swimming is happening. Just came back from the upper hole. Perfect visibility and lovely water temps. We are still on the Salmon! Ikes tomorrow!

June 14-20

2009-06-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

This is the first post I have done for the blog that is current as I have been playing catch up on all the others. Another week of spectacular weather and the bit of mud that came from the flash flood up the north Fork has cleared out. Emerald waters and a riotous group was the norm with Larry Bock distinguishing himself as number one instigator. In fact, we had two teen agers last week, although, Trevor displayed a level of maturity missing in the elder teen. Our internet was noticebly crippled by the constant downloading of god knows what by this group. Pleasure seeing old time repeats Scott Minick, Richard Spry, Monte, Mike and Mary Homier and Bob. We boated the Crapo run, lower Salmon, Dillon Creek run and several forays to the Ikes. Benny, Jess and Jason were the "turbo stud god" insructors and it was a seriously good time had by all. Thank you guys for keeping us alive here and leave some comments!

JUNE 7-13 2009

2009-06-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

Cooler weather with bits of rain, tons of sun and wonderful "Chinese landscape" fogs have been the norm this week and we are loving it. The river is dropping slowly down and we are migrating to the lower sections and towards the Klamath. Loved seeing Hank Bratt after all these years and meeting Hazel. We had a blast this week and really enjoyed the addition of lance and Lucy. Flash floods late in the week turned the North fork chocolate but I am super happy to report that we are back to normal and the river is stunning once again. Otter bar beach is happening! Thanks guys and send posts!

MAY 31- JUNE 6, 2009

2009-06-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

The incredible Tommy Pappas and Brian Mcdermid (chefs extraordinaire) have been blowing us away with their culinary talents and this week's group was pretty up on the whole program. Jennifer,Francesca, Linda, Leslie, were their usual understated selves. This was Dave Farkas's last week teaching and his effussive positive energy was a joy to the boss and we will miss him. Some cool new folks, as well and continued fantastic levels with all runs in. Sorry I missed your departure Joanne and THANKS to you all for a super fun week

MAY 24-30, 2009

2009-06-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

Old Home Week played well this year. The amazing Pete Peterson held court and Bob Ferguson is a rolling machine (not bad for a 76 yr old newbie to the sport)! Great seeing the old guard once again - Paul Johnson, Rheim,Mike, Steve,Henry L, Jim, Ray Purnell (you finally have something new to look at). Sorry to loose Bob and Scott Pippin but we hear Scott is fine and at the Air Force academy. Killer flows with all sections in. Send us your posts!

MAY 17-23, 2009

2009-06-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hey Scott and group. Thanks for all the help getting us going on the blog! We had continued great flows and it was so great seeing so many good friends. Bob and Marion - wonderful seeing you and Ken Salce - Bella - Jeff and all of you THANKS for keeping us going in this tough year!

May 10-16 2009

2009-06-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Week two was much busier and a ton of fun. Mick Hopkinson and Ruth Gordon made cameos for the week and we loved it. It was truly an honor to have them here and Mick's "safety" safety lecture was a highlight! Great flows and non-stop action on the South Fork and north fork was the norm.

May 3-9 2009

2009-06-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

Dear "first week" crew, Finally we are getting the blog up! And a memorable week it was (thank you cat and Tim) and others,as well, but those guys pegged the meter. Please feel free to post anything and THANKS for coming! peter and kristy