Recent Posts from Janda
National Geographic Lists the Top 10 Whitewater Rivers
In National Geographic's Journeys of a Lifetime, you'll find 500 of the world's greatest trips, including a wonderful top-ten list of whitewater rivers throughout the world. The list got us excited here at the ECHO world headquarters because this year we're running trips on 3 of the top 5 rivers listed! Read on to discover 3 of the best whitewater rivers in the world. #1 - Raft Alaska's Alsek-Tatshenshini Rivers ECHO will run this 11-day adventure in cooperation with veteran outfitter and river guide Jimmy Katz...
Dam Removals on the Rogue River
A lot of questions have come up about how the removal of multiple dams on the Rogue River will effect rafting trips on the Lower Rogue. With one dam already out of the Rogue, one currently being removed and another slated for removal next year, there have been concerns that this would effect the flow of the Lower Rogue making it more unpredictable through the wild and scenic section. Here are the three dams: - The Savage Rapids dam, located east of Grants Pass at river...
Brews with Views
We've got a trip brewing this fall that no beer lover will want to miss. Join us Sept. 11-14 on this 4-day Rogue River trip with special guests from the Double Mountain Brewery in Hood River, OR. Each evening, they'll transform your campsite into their taproom as you sample and savor craft brews. Double Mountain brewers create unfiltered and long-aged brews in the hopes of delivering maximum character and flavor. Four main crafts are accompanied by over a dozen rotating seasonals, so they'll most likely have...
Rogue Recess(ion)
Remember when you were kid and your monotonous days of long division and social studies could only be endured with the promise of tetherball and red rover each afternoon? Now that you're all grown up, has your recess been sadly replaced with checking your Facebook page to see which of your friends are out having fun, while you're stuck breathing the recycled air in your office? As if these poor substitutes weren't enough, it is shocking that many people have been forced to forgo their coveted...
Middle Fork Bluegrass on Whitewater, 2009
Few things complete a day on the river better than a good meal followed by great music. There's something about the strumming of an acoustic guitar accompanied by the crackling of a fire that harkens back to a simpler time when a full belly and friends were more than enough to satisfy our needs. Bluegrass music had its beginnings in the mid-1940's as a result of needed entertainment for post-WWII rural areas. Banjos, fiddles, mandolins and guitars can be played just about anywhere, which is one...
Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 Signed on Monday!
On Monday, President Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 resulting in stronger protections to 200,000 acres of public land in Oregon and millions more throughout the nation. Oregon legislators, Senator Ron Wyden and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, have worked for years to see this bill become law and both were on hand for the signing ceremony. Pres. Obama's remarks were peppered with remembrances of the vision of former Pres. Teddy Roosevelt, creator of the U.S. National Park System. "It's a vision that sees...
Bluegrass on Whitewater, 2009
This August, join ECHO and our friends at ARTA River Trips for a memorable trip of rapids and rhapsody. ECHO is excited to welcome back famed bluegrass musicians Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum for a trip down the Tuolumne River this summer. Grammy-award winning Laurie Lewis and mandolinist extraordinaire Tom Rozum, self proclaimed "river rats", take a break from the road each summer to travel by raft down a couple of the best rivers in the West. The mighty rapids of the Tuolumne will provide awe-inspiring...
Holiday Gift Ideas
The ECHO elves have compiled gifts that anyone would love to find in their stockings this year.... Photography and Guidebooks by Matt Leidecker Matt guided on the Middle Fork of the Salmon for over 10 years and has turned his attention to sharing his passion for rivers with the world. His guidebooks are great companions for trips down the river and include historical, geological and practical knowledge for any river journey. Impassable Canyon is a compilation of Matt's finest photos from the Middle Fork accompanied by...
2009 Professional Guide School
The cracker jack staff at ECHO World HQ has put together an incredible program for aspiring river guides. We will kick off with Professional Guide School May 9-15 in the Columbia River Gorge. We will stay at a base camp near Hood River and each day we'll spend time teaching techniques that are essential to a river guide's success. We will explore different rivers in the area including the Hood and Klickitat. Evenings at base camp will include river recipes and camping tips. You will finish...
Our Guide Schools are Hot!
Have you ever wondered where our innovative River Guides begin their illustrious careers? Are you interested in wowing your friends with rowing skills? Well, look no further! ECHO offers Guide Schools designed for all types of aspiring river aficionados. Choose from Professional or Recreational Guide Schools both on the Rogue River. Professional Guide School is meant for those hoping to guide for ECHO or another outfitter. Here you will learn much of what you need to know about becoming a river guide including reading water, rowing...
