This past week we caught up with our Middle Fork Salmon crew and asked them what they are doing this winter? Besides dreaming about the Middle Fork River our crew stays active during the winter months.
Dave has been spending time with his family, welding, working on his truck, and doing various woodworking projects in Missoula, Montana. In between work, he has taken a few short trips to escape the cold. He sailed around the British Virgin Islands for a week, and is currently kayaking in New Zealand.
Sunny has started a Physician Assistant two-year program at Idaho State in Pocatello, Idaho. The program is an intensive study. She is somehow cramming 34 credits in her first semester and doing it in Spanish. In her limited time outside of school, she has been spending time with her family in Pocatello.
Nate had a busy fall. He started a new career as a program leader for the University of Idaho outdoor school. In between moving and a new job, Nate and Nhi got married in Stanley last September. They are currently living in Moscow, Idaho, enjoying being newlyweds.
Fer moved to Boston, Massachusetts to pursue his passion in resistance flexibility and strength training. His studies will take him across the United States and possibly to Europe. The training will certainly open new doors for his career in resistance and strength stretching, but he is looking forward to another full season on the Middle Fork.
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.
Esa is living in Reno, Nevada skiing the Sierra powder as much as possible. During the Christmas break, she worked for FedEx delivering packages. She is looking forward to returning for her 5th summer on the Middle Fork.
Dillon worked on rivers from March through September. He had well over 150 days on the water. After a summer spent rafting, he is enjoying his fall traveling around the globe and surfing as much as possible. He started in Europe, and now is in Central America seeking out the best surf spots.
Keri is working in the cardiology department at the Pocatello hospital. Aside from nursing, she enjoys walks with her dog (Murphy), fixing her rental properties with her partner Jake, daily yoga with friends, and patiently waiting for snow. She worked the June 30th trip last summer and hopes to work a few more this season.
Hannah and her husband Geoff have a home on the Salmon River near North Fork. Their twins have started preschool which frees up time for working around their property harvesting honey, chickens, various vegetables, and beautiful flowers for her winter floral business. She is incredibly busy but we hope she finds time to work a few fly-fishing trips next summer.
Drew had an unfortunate start to his season when he injured his shoulder on his very first trip of the summer. Regardless, he embraced the injury with an upbeat attitude and is making a full recovery. Currently, he is back teaching 12th-grade math and science in Hailey, Idaho, and plans to guide a full season on the Middle Fork next season.
Brian continues to research better understanding of the environmental impacts of water use in the United States. This past fall, his research took him and his wife Jenni to the University of Nebraska Lincoln to study major shifts in water use over the past 50 years in big corn country. Brian and Jenni are back Missoula, Montana, for classes and skiing during the spring semester.
Jo worked four Middle Fork trips last summer. When not on the river, she is running the office for Gem Air. Aside from work, Jo is an integral part of the Salmon, Idaho, community. Volunteering on many different local boards, and holding down defense for the women’s Salmon hockey team.
After his first season on the Middle Fork, Eli transitioned to teaching environmental education in the San Juan Islands. He is currently studying for the GRE so he can apply to grad school and study resource management.
After a brief hiatus from the Middle Fork, Rachael found herself back on the river in 2018. She spent the month of December on the Grand Canyon. After the trip, she planning to continue here career as a travel nurse, primarily in California.
Patrick thoroughly enjoyed his first summer of guiding on the Middle Fork. He is living in Bozeman, Montana, working at the Yellowstone Club as a ski patroller. He plans to do an expedition climb in the Himalayas before heading back to the Middle Fork for the summer.
Beth got back on the Middle Fork last summer and had an amazing trip. She’s living in Jackson, Wyoming, and is the manager of the Kid’s ski school at the Jackson Hole resort.
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 and work a September fly fishing trip. He’s gearing up for a busy winter at the ski shop.
After ten years working in economic development for the State of Utah, Michael is splitting his time between being a ski and hiking guide at Deer Valley Resort and a concierge at the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, UT.
Bob is no longer outfitting but offers opinions, when asked, to his three outfitter sons. Matt has taken over the Kern River 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 off season. Family visits to Oregon and short fun explorations of California towns. She is also planning a hiking adventure in the Alps for 2019. Mary still has a great time working with IRJ guests helping them plan their Middle Fork trips. She wants to keep doing reservations until she is an old ancient granny (Mary’s words)!
Skip is living in Salmon, Idaho. He has been working in the warehouse repairing gear and marketing river trips for Idaho River Journeys and Kern River Outfitters. In search of more winter projects, he purchased property in Salmon that came with a long dormant railroad car and is trying to figure out how to move it.
The Swampies
Garret spent the fall shooting video for the Netflix show called Meateater, he is currently working on a new Netflix series in New York. Jett started his undergraduate studies at the University of Idaho. He plans to major in physics. Joe is building a home for himself in Hamilton, Montana. He is hoping to guide a few trips next summer. Carley just finished hiking the Camino de Santigo trail, she is spending her winter in Bend, Oregon. Glenn is chasing an endless summer of guiding. He is working in New Zealand on the Shotover river.
