Rapids, Huge Raft and Bears-Oh No!

Snake River Rafting 2007



Every year I get a little older and a little more wimpy. Is it because I have kids now and suddenly my life is more valuable? Who knows. All I know is it doesn't take much to scare me anymore and I am starting to be a worrier just like my dad. Thankfully, that didn't stopped me from attending our 2nd annual (well, bi-annual so far since we skipped last year because Kara was a tiny little thing) river rafting trip to the Snake River near Jackson Hole. It did, however, drive the rest of our party crazy, I'm sure, as I was unable to contain my irrational fears. Although, I have to admit, my fears this time were much less irrational than say, my fear of wasps.

Our trip was last weekend and this year we went with our friends Cami and Josh and Dave and Rachel. Since you get to know people a little too well when you camp together, we'll be surprised if they will be joining us again next year...

First of all, thanks to Cameron for choosing our campsite. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever camped, or seen. It was nestled in a dense forest amongst towering granite cliffs, a small river just yards from our site and both a natural hot springs pool and a gorgeous waterfall just up the road. Am I kidding? I know, it sounds just too perfect. So perfect in fact that bears even like to hang around there. Just shortly after we set up camp, we were informed by the ranger that a small cub was spotted just right outside our tent just 6 weeks earlier. Just 6 weeks. That was a long time ago, no need to worry. Yah right. Anywho-we'll just say that I did not sleep well that night. Not because I thought a bear would snatch me from my sleeping bag (I placed Cameron near the door so he'd be the first to go) but because I had to go to the bathroom so bad and there was no way I was getting out of that tent till sunrise.

On Saturday we ran the river 2 times. Because one the couples that was supposed to come with us got sick, we ran the river with 6 people on an 11 man raft. Before we even got to the river, I feared for my life since I thought it would be impossible to maneuver such a beast with so few people. I was briefed once again on river etiquette and survival and decided that I'd participate in this death defying adventure once again. If I was supposed to die, then the bear would have eaten me for dinner the night before, right? I soon learned that all my worrying should have been about the bear eating me and not the snake river. Maneuvering the raft was easier than I thought and was relieved that I would indeed, return to my children.

Thank goodness Rachel, a former teacher/girls camp counselor, was on board to suggest games to do on the calm stretches of river such as, "who can run around the edge of the raft without falling in." When it wasn't calm, we braved the rapids and did quite well, I might say. After a quick lunch, we went again and somehow the river was higher and the rapids were much more....rapidier. Thanks to Cameron's dedicated self-assigned position as the raft front-man to do, well, I really don't know besides get us all wet, we actually had rafters overboard on several occasions. Me and Rachel just about lost our lives as we went tumbling out of the raft in the middle of Big Kahuna, the biggest rapid on the river. If it weren't for our strapping husbands, I'd probably still be bobbing down the snake till a shark tore apart my flesh. Oh ya, we were on a river, not in the ocean.

To top it all off, we had an incredibly tasty dutch oven chicken and potatoes dinner and peach cobbler for dessert. Thanks Dave, Cami and Josh for letting me, Rachel and Cameron sit in the hot springs while you slaved over our dinner. Our damaged bodies needed that 98 degree water to soothe our aching muscles.

Unfortunately most of the pictures were taken with a waterproof disposable camera. And in the time Cameron and I accomplish tasks, I'm sure we'll have those pictures developed by next
year's trip. I'll leave you with a picture taken at Granite Creek Falls.