A River Ranger in Malaysia

Posted on November 24, 2011 by

The river of my life has flowed around a sharp bend and tossed me on some un-scouted currents. My wife accepted a job teaching at an international school in Malaysia. She left for her work last July. I finished up my river ranger season, packed up, and joined her in October. Thus the long break in posts. Sorry for that to any regular readers out there. Part of our deal is that I get to … Continue reading →

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Whitewater River Accidents First Half of 2011

Posted on July 29, 2011 by

The following report via NRS (including a summary table by state and river) is from Charlie Walbridge, coauthor of The Whitewater Rescue Manual and American Whitewater’s Accident Database manager. This year’s high water has taken a serious toll: 53 fatalities in 47 incidents. This exceeds the previous total for the entire year and there’s still plenty of river running to go. The numbers by boat: kayaks 13, canoes 9, inflatables – 16 private and 8 … Continue reading →

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River Ranger Cook – Asian Beef and Noodles

Posted on July 21, 2011 by

This is a two pot meal. Ingredients Ground Beef, 1 lb. Instant Ramen Noodles, Oriental Flavor, 2 packages Stir Fry Vegetable Mix, Frozen, 2 cups or about 1 package Garlic, Dried and Minced, 1/2 teaspoon Ginger, Dried and Ground, 1 teaspoon Green Onion, Sliced, 1-2 Directions In one pot, start browning the ground beef. Add seasoning packets from the instant ramen noodles. Add the garlic and ginger. When the beef is cooked through, add the … Continue reading →

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River Ranger Cook – Southwest Shepherd’s Pie

Posted on July 19, 2011 by

This is a two pot meal. Ingredients Instant Mashed Potatoes, 1 packet Ground Beef, 1 lb. Small Yellow Onion Can Corn Can Kidney Beans Can Chopped Green Chilies Cumin Chili Powder Shredded Mexican Style Cheese, one package Directions In a larger pot, start browning the ground beef. Chop the onion and add it to the beef. While the beef and onions are cooking, in another pot begin preparing the mashed potatoes according to the package … Continue reading →

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What’s Cooking in the River Ranger Camp

Posted on July 19, 2011 by

I imagine most river rangers are like me and are on the river in the morning before most boaters, and off well after everyone else has set up camp. Low down on my list of things to do, then, is to cook a big river meal with all its attendant mess and dirty dishes. On personal floats, I’m all for cooking up a storm. There are generally a lot of hands to assist with the … Continue reading →

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Waste Water When You’re on Whitewater

Posted on July 17, 2011 by

Waste water includes soapy and dirty water from bathing, dish washing, and tooth brushing, as well as liquids from canned foods and old beverages. The common Leave No Trace (LNT) practice on most rivers for disposing of waste water has been to strain it to remove food particles, then take it 200 feet (70-80 steps) away from camp and the river, and broadcast it. Soap, even biodegradable soap, does not go in the river. However, … Continue reading →

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John Day River Roller Coaster

Posted on July 15, 2011 by

Like most rivers in the west this year, the John Day has been full of water and quite the roller coaster including a flood event that peaked at 31,800 cfs on May 16, 2011 (and cancelled one of my river patrols). I’ve logged five river patrols and 542 river miles on the John Day River so far this season. And as the saying goes, it’s been “never the same river twice.” Conditions on the river … Continue reading →

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2011 River Ranger Rendezvous on the Arkansas River, CO

Posted on May 20, 2011 by

This year’s River Ranger Rendezvous is hosted by the Southwest Chapter of the River Management Society (RMS) and will be held at the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area in Salida, CO on August 9-11, 2011. River Rangers and River Managers will gather for a 2-1/2 day course that focuses on hands-on experiences to build river ranger skills. Topics include: Current River Issues Stand-Up Paddle Clinic Techniques Used in the Frog Rock Missing Person Recovery Whitewater Parks … Continue reading →

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Outdoor Recreation Planner Job on the Madison River (Bureau of Land Management, MT)

Posted on May 12, 2011 by

The Bureau of Land Management is hiring for an outdoor recreation planner with some responsibilities on the Madison River, MT. Click here to go to the Outdoor Recreation Planner job announcement on usajobs.gov. Note that the application period closes May 19, 2011 and this link won’t work after that date. Most river ranger jobs are seasonal. For some, eventually, there comes a time when full time work, pay, benefits, etc. become necessary. Some river rangers … Continue reading →

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River Politicts and Permits on the John Day River, Part Two

Posted on April 24, 2011 by

There won’t be a permit fee for rafting the John Day River during the primary boating season (May 20th – July 10th) after all. Another year of “free rafting.” For this year anyway. Seems the finalization of the permit process on the John Day had a few twists and turns just like the river itself. Permits are always required on the John Day. Most of the year they are self-issue at the launch sites. Beginning … Continue reading →

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