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
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
This spring, folks rafting, drift boating, inflatable kayaking, canoeing – which only begins to describe the range of craft I’ve seen on this river – or otherwise moving downstream on the John Day River in Oregon will have to pay for river use permits for the first time ever. This applies specifically to the primary boating season on the John Day from May 20th to July 10th. Outside of this time frame, the no cost permit … Continue reading
The Bureau of Land Management is hiring river rangers to work on Oregon rivers. These include the Deschutes River and John Day River out of the Prineville District and Maupin Field Offices, the Grande Ronde River out of the Baker City Field Office, the Klamath River out of the Klamath Falls Field Office, the Owyhee River out of the Vale District Office, the Rogue River out of the Smullin Visitor Center (Merlin, OR), and the … Continue reading
“Zing!” Marc and I looked at each other. Over our heads again. “Zing! Zing!” “That sounds like in Saving Private Ryan,” Marc offered. I had been in the Army, “Yep, small arms fire.” Not cool. And this was the first day of my first river patrol. Marc and I had launched that day at Service Creek on the John Day River. The John Day rises in the Strawberry Mountains in Northeast Oregon and flows undammed … Continue reading