KAYAKING - EMERALD BAY

Kayaking - Emeral Bay

September 2006

Emerald Bay State sits at the south end of Lake Tahoe. In 1996 the area became and underwater preserve due to the sunken ships in the bay. The bay is shallow in comparison to the rest of Lake Tahoe, and in the 'old days' reckless ships struck ground.
We paddled from the south end of the lake into Emerald Bay and stopped Fannette Island, the only island in Lake Tahoe. After pulling our kayaks up onto the rocks, we hiked up a set of rough-hewn granite steps to the 150-foot-high summit of the island, crowned by the shell of a once-grand stone structure known as the Tea House.

KAYAKING - SHOSHONE LAKE

Kayaking - Shoshone Lake

September 2007

Shoshone Lake is the largest backcountry lake in the contiguous United States. There is no road access and only hand-propelled boats may reach its waters. Launching on the north shore of Lewis Lake, we paddle a short distance along the shore until we reach the Lewis River Channel. This beautiful two-mile section of the Lewis River, which connects Lewis Lake to Shoshone Lake, has a gentle current. We then paddled to the west end of Shoshone Lake and make camp at a primitive campsite on the beach. From there we paddle across the lake to the Shoshone Geyser Basin where we can explore one of Yellowstone's most remote geyser basins. An unforgettable journey with a perspective few people are privileged to see!

SNOWSHOEING - WHISPERING PINES YURT

Snowshoeing - Whispering Pines Yurt

January 2008


In January I took my team from work snowshoeing into the Whispering Pines Yurt. For everyone this was the first time snowshoeing and staying at a yurt. The yurts are rented from the Idaho State Parks and come equipped with everything you need. The only thing you need to bring is food and a sleeping bag. We spent the day hiking around the mountain and spent the night eating and playing games.

The Whispering Pines yurt is located off the groomed Gold Fork Loop trail in the Payette National forest. This is a popular loop used by Nordic skiers and snowshoers. The yurt provides easy access to over 27 miles of groomed and 50 miles of marked ski trails. The yurt is located in a high shaded glen. The view from the yurt is one of pine tree covered ridges. The outhouse has a great view of Pilot Peak.

KAYAKING - LAKE POWELL

Kayaking - Lake Powell

May 2009

Lake Powell is located in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and was created by the building of the Glen Canyon Dam. Lake Powell is and excellent location for sea kayaking because the many narrow canyons and spectacular alcoves. We launched our kayaks at Bullfrog Marina and paddled 10 mile north up the reservoir and made a base camp. From there we day paddled many of the canyons one of which was Forgotten Canyon where we hiked up to Defiance House which are Anasazi Indian ruins built into the cliffs. We were on constant watch for storms that often form in the afternoon. One day we had just made it back to camp when a storm hit and was blowing hard enough to blow our tents flat. On our way home we visited Capital Reef and Zion National Park.

KAYAKING - ROSS LAKE

Kayaking - Ross Lake

September 2007















Ross Lake was created by the damming of the Skagit River and is in the recreation area of the North Cascades National Park. The elevation of the lake is 1600 feet and it is over 20 miles long. The climate is similar to Seattle's.We started by putting in on Diablo Lake and paddled 3 miles to the base of the Ross Lake dam. At the base of the dam is a phone for you to call for a truck that shuttles us and our boats up to Ross Lake.We then put in on Ross Lake and spent 4 days paddling to the north end of the lake which is in Canada. along the way there were several side canyon we paddled up and found water falls at the end of the them.At the end of the lake we were picked up by a shuttle boat and brought back to the dam and did the process in reverse.

KAYAKING - SNAKE RIVER

Kayaking - Snake river

October 2007






The South Fork of the Snake is in southeastern Idaho close to the Wyoming border. The South Fork begins as it flows out of 20 mile long Palisades Reservoir in the community of Swan Valley, forming a 64-mile stretch of legendary tail-water fly-fishing, it has been rated as the best wild trout fishery in the lower 48 states.The South Fork is also a beautiful river for flat water rafting, canoeing and kayaking.My son Troy and I put in at Swan Valley Idaho and paddle about 5 miles and made camp for the night. The next morning we woke up with several deer in our camp and figured they were hiding from the hunters. We then paddled the canyon section of the river which is a remote stretch the at borders the Targee National Forest. We passed several fisherman in drift boats and caterafts and all were catching trout. We took out about 2pm at the boat ramps in Ririe Idaho. In October the weather was a little cold but had fabulous Fall colors.

SEA KAYAKING - CHANNEL ISLANDS

Sea Kayaking - Channel Islands

September 2006

In September of 2006 my friend Bruce and I drove to Ventura California and boarded a shuttle boat to Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands for a week of kayaking, snorkeling and hiking. California's Channel Islands, located just off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura, are a National Park dream-come-true for marine nature lovers. The crystal clear Pacific channel waters, many mysterious and eerie sea caves, breathtaking cliffs, abundant wildlife, and mild weather combine to lure expert kayakers and novices alike to explore their natural wonders. Each encounter with the caves, tunnels, arches, grottos, and blow holes is a unique blend of sights and sounds created by submarine fissures and openings, and the contorted volcanic island formations. And the sheltered paddling areas very often are without surf or strong winds.