Our Middle Fork Salmon river crew has been busy this winter. From teaching water policy classes, living down in South America, skiing 50 days, to finishing physician assistant school. Below you can read about what they all have been doing this offseason. They’re looking forward to rafting the Midde Fork Salmon river with you soon.

Dave set a goal of 150 river days and 50 ski days, and he achieved both. This winter he has been living in Missoula, Montana spending time with family and forming a construction business. He named it Four-a-Fix, (Montana’s area code is 406). Dave will be working a full season on the Middle Fork, from early June all the way through Sept.

Libby joined our Idaho crew in 2019 and had a fantastic season on the Middle Fork. She worked seven trips and then headed to Missoula to attend graduate school. Libby’s area of study is resource conservation, with an emphasis in international conservation and development. Her research focuses on water and land related issues and damage from climate-related events. She will be back for a full season of IRJ Middle Fork trips.

Dillon had a phenomenal season guiding on the Kern River and the Middle Fork, once it was over, he headed to Panama to continue his endless summer. He is currently living in the Panamanian province of Bocas del Toro, enjoying the surf and island life. He will be back on the Kern soon and then heading to Idaho for the summer.

Fer took his interest in body strengthening to Chicago and hasn’t made it back yet. He found a job in digital marketing while he continued his quest to explore forms of resistance flexibility and strength training. Although he is currently enjoying the novelty of city-living, he admits that he misses the winter skiing in Sun Valley and across Idaho. We expect him back in 2020 for a handful of Middle Fork trips.

Esa notched her 50th Middle Fork trip this past summer. She is spending the winter in Quincy, CA, where she finds solace in living simply, backcountry skiing, dog sitting and working for Sierra Butte’s Trail Stewardship. Her job title is the project manager for a new 300 mile trail system in the Sierra’s, connecting over 12 towns with mtn biking and hiking paths.

Sunny works as a physician assistant at the Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, Idaho. Striving for a work-life balance, Sunny is an active member of the Pocatello community. She’s the president of the Pocatello Tele association, volunteers with the local rock climbing center, and also promotes leave no trace practices around the local trails. She still finds room for a number of river trips every season.

Nate is the program leader for the University of Idaho outdoor school, he has maintained a full schedule managing trips for the university. He and his wife Nhi purchased a house in Moscow, Idaho, and live close to the university. His passion for education and working at the outdoor school has been a perfect match. This winter he’s taught avalanche safety, swift water rescue, wilderness medicine, and rock-climbing.

Middle Fork Guides

Keri modified her medical career from an emphasis on cardiology to the field of vascular access. Mid-winter she took a break and traveled to Peru to hike, explore and visit coffee farms with a friend who owns a coffee shop in Pocatello. Keri has been enjoying the big winter in Idaho and has been skiing with her partner, Jake, as much as possible

Fly Fishing

Hannah spent the holiday months decorating houses, painting new woodblock art prints, and skiing with her husband Geoff and their twins, Everett and Elsa. Living off the grid and down a dirt road in North Fork, Idaho, has meant she sometimes has to endure and enjoy a few days or weeks of being snowed in at her wilderness homestead. The best part of her winter has been watching her kids ski faster than her.

Drew took a sabbatical from teaching 12th-grade math and science and is pursuing one of his true passions, a life of music. Drew spent the fall touring and recording around the northwest. He is currently traveling in Central America, perfecting his Spanish, while finding inspiration for his songs while kayaking as much as possible. He will be back for a full season.

Brian is an assistant professor of water policy & governance at the University of Montana, he is teaching two classes in water law, and continues his research into the complex questions of environmental impacts of water use patterns with a focus on agriculture. When not engaged in research and teaching, he’s been enjoying the Missoula winter with his wife Jenni, two malamute dogs, and two cats.

Jo will be working her 20th season on the Middle Fork this year! Besides guiding, she manages her family’s flying service, Gem Air, and is active in the Salmon community. Volunteering on many different local boards, and holding down defense for the women’s Salmon hockey team.

Eli was hired to manage a fishing lodge in New Zealand. While the workload has been extensive, he’s thoroughly enjoying the fly-fishing, New Zealand wine, and helicopter rides to many of the remote rivers. He plans to return to the Middle Fork in June and work a full season.

Patrick is back in Bozeman, Montana, working odd jobs and skiing as much as possible. He’s preparing for a climbing trip to Yosemite this spring and will be guiding on the Middle Fork in August.

Middle Fork Salmon Guides

Shannon spent the winter at her home in the Wood River Valley. She is a professional massage therapist with a dedicated following of clients. When she has the time, you will find her enjoying Ketchum and riding her horses as much as possible.

Steve and Rena worked our June 30th Middle Fork trip. They spent the fall traveling around the Middle East and Northern Africa, visiting Jordan and Israel and then making their way to Egypt. They are now back in the Bay Area

Scooter had a terrific year working as the manager of Sturtevants of Sun Valley. He was able to escape the shop for a week last season and worked a September fly-fishing trip.

Michael has been skiing copious amounts of powder at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT, where he has been a mountain host for 13 seasons. As a side gig, he continues to work in statewide economic development.

Link

Bob is no longer outfitting but offers opinions, when asked, to his three outfitter sons. Matt has taken over the Kern business, Will the Rogue and Skip the Middle Fork. Bob continues to collect river related stories and along with co-contributor Dick Linford published a second collection of stories, Halfway to Halfway and Back in 2018.

Mary has been enjoying west coast travels this offseason with family visits to Oregon and short fun explorations of California towns. Ask any of our guests what makes IRJ special, and they are likely to mention how much they enjoy working with Mary.

Skip has been living in Salmon, Idaho, and skiing as much as possible at the local hill, Lost Trail. He has been working in the warehouse repairing gear and marketing river trips for Idaho River Journeys and Kern River Outfitters.

The Swampies

Garret spent the winter shooting video for Nat Geo for a show called “Trafficked with Mariana Van Zeller.” Jett is working with a team at the University of Idaho on building a satellite that’ll travel to Titan. Sam Lino just finished shooting for the Netflix series, “13 Reasons Why.” Sam Fenn just started his undergraduate studies at the University of New York.

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