ECHO: The Latest Word

ECHO guides had a blast at the Upper Clackamas Whitewater Festival last weekend and got to experience a mini-reunion before heading out to work at the Rogue or Middle Fork this summer.

Hata, Maggie, Lexey, Zach, both Billys, Al, Katrina, Paige, Colleen and Alex all participated and showed the newly trained guide schoolers just how much fun rafting can be. ECHO placed in multiple events including the cataraft slalom, the oar boat slalom, the cataraft rodeo and the down river paddle boat race. We want to give a huge thanks to SOTAR for providing gear and boats.

Check out more photos on ECHO’s facebook page!

Boaters will be getting wet and wild next weekend at the 26th Annual Upper Clackamas Whitewater Festival in Estacada, Oregon. The festival offers boaters an opportunity to gain bragging rights among their peers and allows spectators a chance to see these titans battle the rapids for river-cred. Events include slaloms, sprints, and relays for hardshell and inflatable kayaks, catarafts, paddle and oar boats. Other fun events include the Cataraft Rodeo, Val’s Volleyball, a silent auction and there’s even a Dutch Oven Cook-Off!

Following ECHO’s Guide School in the Columbia River Gorge, our veteran and newly trained guides will represent ECHO on the Upper Clack in multiple events. We’re providing gear and guides to assist in the High School Cup on Saturday at 1 PM and also the Disabled American Veterans Armed Forces on Sunday at 10 AM and 11 AM. Help us usher in the boating season and cheer for your favorite ECHO guide!

When – Saturday, May 16 – Sunday, May 17
Where – 17 miles upriver from Estacada, OR

On Monday, President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 resulting in stronger protections to 200,000 acres of public land in Oregon and millions more throughout the nation. Oregon legislators, Senator Ron Wyden and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, have worked for years to see this bill become law and both were on hand for the signing ceremony.

Pres. Obama’s remarks were peppered with remembrances of the vision of former Pres. Teddy Roosevelt, creator of the U.S. National Park System. “It’s a vision that sees America’s great wilderness as a place where what was and what is and what will be — all are the same; a place where memories are lived and relived; a place where Americans both young and young at heart can freely experience the spirit of adventure that has always been at the heart of the rugged character of America.”

The bill includes 170 separate lands, parks and conservation bills and establishes three new national parks.

• 127,000 acres surrounding Mt. Hood now have permanent wilderness protection, the highest the government offers (this is the ECHO office’s backyard)
• The Owyhee Public Lands Management Act designates more than 500,000 acres of ID’s Owyhee-Bruneau Canyonlands as wilderness as well as 315 miles of National Wild and Scenic Rivers and streams in this scenic high desert along the Owyhee River in Oregon and Idaho
• 1,000 miles of rivers and streams have also gained Wild & Scenic protection including the North Fork of the Elk River in Oregon
• Oregon Badlands Wilderness Act to protect 30,000 acres of desert wilderness in Central Oregon
• Spring Basin Wilderness Act to protect 8,600 acres of scenic wilderness long the John Day River in Central Oregon
• Copper Salmon Wilderness Act of Oregon to protect 13,000 acres of old growth forest along the head of the Elk River; one of the most prolific salmon fisheries in the west
• Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Voluntary and Equitable Grazing Conflict Resolution Act of Oregon to protect 23,000 acres of pristine flowering meadows and old growth forests and insure voluntary relinquishment of grazing permits

Here at ECHO we were so inspired by this legislation that we felt like breaking into song:

Scientists find that immersion in nature restores mental acuity. Two experiments show that workers who take their breaks in a natural setting return to their jobs more rested, relaxed and mentally sharper than those who take their breaks in artificial, man-made environments. In one experiment, psychologists found that looking through a window at real natural settings was far superior to looking at nature images, even images shown on HD TV. In another study, they found that taking a walk on a nature trail was much more restorative than walking on a city street. Learn more about the studies at Newsweek.

If looking through a window or walking a trail restores one’s mind, imagine what a multi-day trip down a wild river can do for you.

Great news for those of you flying to Medford from Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Phoenix for your river trip on the Rogue River this summer. Allegiant Airlines has some of the lowest fares this year.

Allegiant now flies out of LAX on Monday & Friday into Medford (MFR), and if you purchase your tickets before March 11th the airfare is only $69 each way ($159.20 total roundtrip including taxes and fees). After the 11th, the airfare goes up to $89 each way – still a great deal, especially when you compare these prices with the other airlines servicing the Medford airport (often $350 to $400 round trip).

Allegiant also offers flights from Phoenix / Mesa for only $172.70 total round trip on Mondays and Fridays. There are flights out of Las Vegas to Medford on Mondays and Fridays for only $202.

After you get to the Medford airport there are several national car rentals available with prices running from about $205 per week. Another option is to take a taxi / shuttle to the Galice Lodge for about $80-$100 each way.

Hope this helps with your trip planning and we look forward to seeing you in Galice!