So then I became a river guide

The last 2 summers I've been working for Hatch River Expeditions as a swamper working towards being a guide and ultimately getting to drive my own motor boat through the grand canyon. Not something that happens fast at Hatch. After a great trip with my good friend Scott making me drive mostly everything we got back to the warehouse to hear some of our fellow guides were going to bungee jump off of the Navajo bridge at marble canyon. Well our friend Sean went first of the group and when the cord came tight he broke his tibial plateau. He was to launch on a trip the following morning and couldn't bear any weight on his leg. Needing to come up with a guide in just a few hours Scott made a decision that would work if the boss went for it. Scott would take Sean's boat and I would take Scotts boat the following day. My first boat! It was really the only alternative and Scott and the boss had faith in me. I would be lying if I told anyone I wasn't scared stupid above certain rapids but I was second boat to my friend JP who would be the trip leader and following him helped my nerves immensely. We work well together and he has taught me probable more than any other Hatch guide and has talked me through the tricky ones every time we have run together. Thanks to Scott for believing in me! JP for his patient teachings and Steve Hatch for the opportunity to drive what I feel are the best motor boats in the canyon. Blessed with high water and JP helping me through the tuff spots I had great runs and brought both motors back home without hitting anything! After that trip Steve sent me out again on a trip that booked more people and he needed another boatman. So uh ya, looks like I'm a river guide now. I'm looking forward to my next trip which is with Steve and the Hatch family.

A stop and hike at Bedrock

Rain caused waterfall near the granite narrows

A couple big guys

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Vacation in the Desert

Needing a break from the mountains, Lena, some friends and I headed out to the desert for a long weekend to rest our legs and wait for more snow.

We found some very beautiful places and returned to work ready to ski after a great time.

Boca got some rest too!

Back in Colorado for the winter. Lena and I got the word a little over a week ago. We had a day off to move in to our apartment and have been working straight through. We had Thanksgiving and the day after off and back to work on Saturday. Its good to be back in the mountains. Think snow! There isn't a lot so send us some storms. Happy holidays Ya'll.

Amy and Roy invited Lena and I to Lake Powell a couple weeks ago. We borrowed Lena's sisters little boat and came along it was great to enjoy the last warm days on the water. Roy and Amy got to bring their homemade Mackenzie driftboat the Blacktail and get it wet. Ya we had fun.

Happy Family

Lena takes Blacktail for a spin

Roy Daisy Lena Amy

Some dude in a boat

Elzy paddling back after a swim

Time to go

September

September has to be the most beautiful month in Northern Arizona. Lena soaring at Mormon Lake

Summer?

Ya I know no posts no pictures. Sorry. Been in the Grand Canyon most of the summer and haven't been around a computer. I launch on my last trip in about an hour and will be back in action on the 9th or so. Stay tuned after that for pictures and hopefully I'll get to go flying again.

Snow Town

Between skiing powder at Wolf Creek and back country tours I'm feeling the need for spring but here is a look at where I've been all winter.

Skin Track to the Pass Creek Yurt near the Continental Divide

Veiw from the balcony of the Summit Building. The Main Duty Station For Patrollers at Wolf Creek
Skin track to some sweet turns in the back country
Helicopter landing on the knife ridge during filming of a promotional video about Wolf Creek's possible expansion. Check out You Tube and search Wolf Creek expansion, neat stuff on the horizon.

Exploration

Skiing is great and I love my job but I sure do crave a flight every now and then. Lena and I tried out a new site yesterday that proved to have a ton of potential. We both had the day off and decided to look at a ridge I had seen on my way up here.


The site was new for us but the multitude of flagging basically screamed this site has been flown by plumbers (hang glider pilots) before. It was good to be in the desert.

New Office

This winter I'm working for the Wolf Creek Ski Patrol. A great job with a great crew. The view from the top shack ain't to bad either.

Echo Cliffs

Working at Marble Canyon allowed me to score this gem of a flight.

8 Days In Grand Canyon

Just got home working as a swamper for my good friend Jason. We had a great time and made a little money too!

Winter Holds On

It just won't let go. We get a few days of spring and then it will either get cold or get cold and snow and rain. The wind this time of year is expected but this cold can stop so we can get on with business. We have managed to get out a few days and fly but nothing really great. March usually provides us with some great days, yet this March turned out to give us minimal flying and cold temps. So keep your fingers crossed for warm calm conditions folks and we'll start to see more photos again. To all my fellow patrollers thanks for another great season at the Snowbowl. See you all at the rookie party! The river season is starting for a lot of our friends so lets wish them all a great safe summer. Adios till I can get my camera in the sky or somewhere else cool, Stay tuned, sorry for the long winter pause.
T

Another AZ Sunset

Lena took this shot on our way home from Skiing in UT


Somewhere Between Fredonia and Jacob Lake. Arizona Strip Country

No posts

Well ya I know it seems I fell off the planet. A lot of you that regularly follow along here have called to make sure I'm alive. Thank you! I have had quite a full plate with friends life changes, life changes of my own and work. I have also been out of a computer that is capable of getting on line or has the ability to type without making me want to throw it out the window for the past month. At first this seemed like a problem but after a week or so I actually liked not being tethered to this make believe world that doesn't involve interaction with people in a real setting. I have been living at the shop most nights so that also puts a damper on my intergeeking. Since my last post I have had some fun however, from a San Juan river trip to great day hikes and dirt bike rides, short flights with great friends I have still managed to remain a fun hog and will do my best to get out and play in this amazing world we live in. Winter is in fact here and I am struggling to get work done as the season comes into full swing and I have to work on the mountain. I'll try to get some photos up when I get time. Thanks for reading!

48.3 From Mingus

September 2nd, 2010 I will always remember. A new site record. It may be broken already but I sure had a fun 48.3 mile, 3 hour 22 minute flight from Mingus mountain to Crookton rd. west of Ashfork.
Launching

The day seemed to be starting slow but once we could see the inversion breaking in the valley we started hucking. A quick hunt out front and I was off to 12,000 ft pretty rapidly.

I headed northwest in hopes of getting another climb at the big mountain above Jerome. No dice but still had a bunch of altitude so I kept going onto the foothills near Perkinsville, a remote crossing of the Verde river in the middle of nowwhere. I radioed my plans to BJ and hoped for the valley to be hot enough to give'er.

I headed to a ridge that seemed to have a few things going for it and got my second climb and back up to 9000 ft. A few miles later another climb to above 10,000 had me relaxing a bit as the terrain isn't all that friendly out there for landing any type of aircraft. Highway 89 became my next goal. It connects Prescott to I-40 and runs north/south. Another climb got me near 11,000 and I had the pavement on glide but I didn't plan on stopping there. Meanwhile BJ had chose to land and gracefully decided to chase me.

Once I linked up with the highway BJ was navigating the 20 miles of terrian I had flown over. Which is more like 50 miles of, well not the easiest dirt roads to travel over. I looked back trying to see him but no luck. A couple low saves as the miles went by and I was on my way to Ashfork. As I approached Ashfork BJ radioed that he was on the highway. I hope I thanked him enough for the beating he gave his truck. As I approached Ashfork I got to my highest altitude of the flight, 12,888. As luck would have it I ran into headwind just south of the town so I headed west.

As I flew west toward Seligman I got my last climb back up to 12,200 before I went on my last glide out Rt. 66. BJ had caught up to me and had site of me for the first time in about 3 hours. I set it down next to the mother road for high fives and cold beer. Huge thanks to BJ!!!!!!! Not only did he come get me we retraced the trip back to the top of Mingus to get my truck. I think he drove well over 200 miles for me. I think I owe him one. My friend Dustin flew as well. He had launced before me and took a different route to the southwest. I beleive he flew near 44 miles and landed near Peeples Valley, AZ. Nice flight D!
Until next time!

T

Echo Cliffs

All I can really say is that I live in a really cool part of the world.

Maid to Mormon

This makes twice this season that I've done this. The first time was just unbelievable and this time was even better because I got to fly most of it with my friend. After a nice smooth climb to near 14,000 ft Chris and I headed towards Mormon Lake from Apache Maid Look Out.

The views were incredible and the late day glides were 11 to 1 at 40 mph out of the south yet the thermal drift was to the west. Chris had a couple personal bests, highest ever and first flight over 10 miles. Did I mention the incredible views.

A near 20 mile flight that only took and hour not to mention we could have flown Mormon Lake until sunset