Fishing magician Kelley in year two of her River G experience with YCG Director Michael Leach.
Morning has always been my favorite time for a drive and better yet for wetting a line, so our start to today was blissful to say the least. After the last two afternoons of battling the hustle and bustle of Mammoth Hot Springs and the traffic leading to Indian Creek, we got a solid jump on things today and all 24 of us were on the water by 9:30 am. With limited time to explore the wondrous waters of the upper Gardner we marched over a mile on a service road preparing ourselves for another day of magic perusing the snaking stream’s riffles, seams, pools and runs in a lush meadow at the foot of the rocky outcropping of Gallatin mountain peaks to our west.
Standing atop a hill overlooking the meandering waters of the Gardner’s Hole, it was with great pride that I observed 18 inspired guardians pursuing a new passion in hopes of being greeted by a small brook trout on the end of their line. Following our highly successful morning on the tranquil waters of the upper Gardner where tight lines where stretched by feisty brook trout all morning long and students truly began to “get it” by recognizing the serenity and beauty to be experienced on a trout stream, we journeyed back to the Gardner School where we prepped our thank you’s and acknowledgements to our 2011 River G sponsors and major supporters.
While I am thoroughly spent by day four of the program, it is always a little sad—especially for the students—when we begin cleaning up the room that has been our base-camp for the first four days of the as this certainly symbolizes that the program is nearing completion. I can’t imagine any Yellowstone Country therapy much more potent to combat these feelings of melancholy than a whitewater adventure along the hurried and torrid waters of the upper Yellowstone River through the Gardiner town stretch. So it was with great excitement that we moseyed for a rendezvous with our friends Rob and Robin from Yellowstone Raft Co.
One of the owners of Yellowstone Raft Co. Robin, who would be guiding one of our three boats for our afternoon raft trip testified to her favorite flow for a fun and wild ride on the upper Yellowstone being right around 8,200 CFS, so at just under 8,000, we were jacked for an eventful trip. While the purpose of our raft trip is to introduce students to yet another way to explore the enigmatic waters of the Yellowstone through a fun filled whitewater escapade, it was a great pleasure and extremely fulfilling for all the mentors to listen to the students speak about riparian areas, osprey, cutthroat trout and river structure throughout our two hour adventure.
With day four behind us, we began our nightly shuttle to Livingston to drop off our L-Town crew and there was certainly a palpable edge and sense of anticipation in the vehicle as we all knew that the next time we would all be together would be on day five, for our full-day guided float through the Paradise Valley. Sweet dreams river guardians…
~Michael Leach, Director and Founder
YCG and River Guardian supporter, friend and 2011 River G mentor John D working with student participants.
Big Jay casting a long line in the shadow of the Gallatin Mountains.
Master Seth getting stealthy before making his first cast of the day.
A stoked Mizz Cameshia after landing a nice little brookie.
A very focused D-Money working a seam.
Straight out of Baltimore, Nick gracefully makes a cast with the monarch of Electric Peak in the background.
YCG board members and volunteers Steve Leach and Brad Bunkers busting through a series of rapids with a raft full of river guardians.
Boat full of 2011 river guardians busting through a big wave-train.
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