Grande Ronde River: Minam to Troy

In June, my dad and I along with a couple of my kayak friends got together to do 46 miles of the Grande Ronde River in NE Oregon. We put in at the confluence of the Minam and Wallowa rivers. The current was swift, but nothing beyond the occasional class III with easy sneak lines if desired. It was a great scenic trip through a beautiful canyon and lots of opportunities to see wildlife. We took three days drifting down to the town of Troy. I managed to catch a few trout along the way. What a great relaxing trip. I'm looking forward to going back and adding on the upper Minam river.

The Put-in at Minam


Canyon Scenery below the confluence of the Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers




Looking back into the canyon on the drive home

Looking into the Eagle Cap Wilderness on the way home

John Day River: Clarno to Cottonwood

In May, my mom and dad joined me for a 69 mile trip down the John Day River from Clarno to Cottonwood. It was a very scenic central Oregon float. It was mostly flat water, though, there was one class III in the first day. The bass fishing was excellent even though it was still early in the year and water temperatures had not yet come up. We had roughly 3,000 cfs which translated into a perfect level for this run in a raft.


Dad gets the first fish

I finally get in on the action

Mom and Dad with the days catch . . . looks like dinner


Sunset on the river


Dad looking at some of the petroglyphs along the John Day River

Some unfortunate graffiti with an all too local connection

Our last camp on the John Day, looks like rain


The Take-out at Cottonwood Bridge

Valley of the Giants

I've been searching out the most interesting places in Oregon and Washington since I was old enough to drive. It's always nice when I come across someplace that I can take my mom and dad with me. Valley of the Giants is a relatively small stand of old growth forest in the coast range of Oregon. Mom, dad and I took off early given the long drive and the labyrinth of gravel logging roads to navigate. We went on a weekend to avoid the log truck traffic. While the destination ended up being amazing, it was very disheartening to see how much destruction has taken place in our forests. Logging has gone on for far too long with reckless abandon and the evidence is all too clear. Landslides dot the landscape in one of the wettest regions in Oregon. So, it was a pleasant relief to finally make it to the trail head.

Mom poses with one of the first incredible trees


The author and another great tree


Places like this make your imagination go wild with what the Pacific NW must have been like for the pioneers. Very few low elevation stands like this still exist in western Oregon and Washington.

Mom and dad on a nurse log


The trip was great, but it was also clear that in spite of protections the BLM has put in place that the stand is getting more exposed to storm damage all the time. Logging activities in the area are putting this gem in peril. I strongly recommend seeing this place soon as we will continue to lose these irreplaceable giants.

Dad clears the way for mom to proceed


Mom returns the favor


The trip is a full day and you should go with a good map and a lot of time. The Salem BLM office will give you directions if you go in in person.