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Jackson Hole Wildflowers on our Overnight River Trip

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All the beautiful Jackson Hole Wildflowers on our Overnight River Trip and Breakfast Combo Trip are a sight not to be missed! We were just at our private campsite along the Snake River doing our Combo Trips “shakedown” a couple nights ago. While Janet trained the new camp staff on all things kitchen & cookin’ and Jason rallied the new guides to put the finishing touches on the trail and the tent cabins, I took a walk. The wildflowers are starting to go off, and you do not want to miss your chance to see the beauty of our Pine Creek Camp this time of year! The first day of our Breakfast Combo Trip is Tuesday, June 9 and our Overnight Trip kicks off that week as well.

Overnight Camp Cabins   Overnight Camp Dining & Hangout   Jackson-Hole-Wildflowers-4   Jackson-Hole-Wildflowers-6   Jackson-Hole-Wildflowers-5   Jackson-Hole-Wildflowers-3   Jackson-Hole-Wildflowers-7   Jackson-Hole-Wildflowers-2   Jackson-Hole-Wildflowers-8

Diary of a Jackson Hole Rafting Guide

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I live in Jackson, Wyoming and work at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort as a liftee (not one who lifts but one who stands by lifts). Well, I’d like to believe I lift spirits as I greet skiers. Even when it’s cold out, I’m happy because I probably got fresh tracks on the way to work that morning. I’ve skied 73 days so far this winter. It’s turning out to be an epic snow year for Jackson Hole! I have 3 sets of skis, a road bike, a mountain bike, a kayak, a 14′ raft, a harness, a 1979 Subaru and a dog named Teton. In another month or two (a balmy low of 30* in Jackson Hole this morning), my skis will go back into the shed, and my paddles will see the light of day. I’m a river guide for Barker-Ewing Whitewater in the summer. I guide Jackson Hole rafting trips and scenic float trips on the Snake River. Soon enough, it’ll be time to work my arms instead of my legs; succumb to chaco tan lines over goggle ones; and, trade in my bad ski jokes for better river jokes. I can’t wait.

-RG

It’s Easy To Be Green

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We strive to be the color of a leprechaun on St. Patty’s Day leprechaunhere at Barker-Ewing Whitewater! Here are just a few ways we aim to be a “green” company: We keep our offices ship-shape and buses tidy with Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and Simple Green earth-friendly cleaning supplies. Our Barker-Ewing team players ride their bikes to work to cut down and help reduce our carbon footprint. Every vehicle is maintained to run efficiently and with the least amount of emissions possible. We print our whitewater rafting brochures on recycled paper, and we try to save trees additionally by opting to use online reservations and bill pay. Anything we can recycle, we do! Instead of paper products, we serve our scenic float trip meals on plate and silverware. From participating in the Snake River Clean Up volunteer day each summer to awareness in Jackson Hole’s Reduce Reuse Recycle program, we strive to do our part in keeping Jackson, Wyoming, the Snake River, Teton County and the environment at large in our minds and in our hands. Here’s to being GREEN today, tonight and every day moving forward.

green-cleaning-products     riding bikes     recycling-wheelie-bin

Barker-Ewing is voted Best of JH’s 2014 Best Outfitter silver medalist!

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Barker-Ewing Whitewater is voted Best of JH 2014’s silver medal winner for Best Outfitter! Thank you for all your support over the last 51 years to all our friends, family, guests, supporters and colleagues. We appreciate YOU! Thanks for voting us one of the best outfitters in Jackson, Wyoming. We wouldn’t be here without YOU! Come join us for a Snake River whitewater rafting adventure or scenic float this summer in Jackson Hole! Celebrating 51 Years | 1963 – 2014

     2014SILVER   2013SILVER

Whitewater Rafting Is The Coolest Thing You’ll Do All Summer!

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Wildwater rapids!

Summer vacation planning? If you’re looking for an adventurous family vacation or a cool family reunion idea, Jackson, Wyoming is a great place to put at the top of your list! The perfect summer activity in Jackson Hole is whitewater rafting on the Snake River… a must! All of us at Barker-Ewing Whitewater invite you to celebrate 51 years on the Snake River with us this summer. We’d love to take you whitewater rafting in the Snake River Canyon or guide you on a relaxing scenic float with views of the Tetons. The great thing about a long winter in Jackson Hole is the amount of snow that accumulates and melts into big, fun whitewater rapids on the Snake River. While we enjoy seeing the snow fall for our favorite winter activities like downhill skiing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, skate skiing and snowboarding, we can’t help but daydream about the river season to come. Whitewater rafting on the Snake River is the coolest thing you’ll do all summer!

 

Leta Deveraux, mother of Barker-Ewing’s Patty Ewing turns 105

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Patty Ewing and her mother Leta DeverauxLeta Grace Deveraux celebrates a remarkable 105 years this Friday, March 29th.

Watch the TODAY Show this Friday the 29th. We hope Willard Scott will, once again, send Birthday Wishes to Mother.

I have also enrolled her in a Centenarian Project, and she is being interviewed for a PBS documentary on aging.

Barker-Ewing Whitewater WINS Silver Medal for Best Outfitter in Best of Jackson Hole 2013!

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Best of Jackson Hole 2013This is a huge honor, and we are so grateful for the recognition! From horseback to fishing to biking outfitters, we were voted by locals and beyond for 2013’s Best Outfitter Silver Medal. Thank you to everyone who participated! We are Celebrating 50 Years this summer, so this just adds icing to the cake. We appreciate your loyalty and your confidence in us as a river outfitter and hope you’ll jump on board a raft and celebrate with us this summer! Ready. Set. Go… Rafting! 1963 – 2013

Maria Wyllie’s “Staycation”

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Following graduation from the University of Virginia in May of 2012, I immediately packed up the car and headed west. What was initially intended as a four month summer break before entering the so called “real world” has now become a 14-month break– a little something I like to call “staycation.”

It’s safe to say my parents have been a little concerned about my line of work out West– cleaning toilets, folding t-shirts and handing out wetsuits does not require a college degree (so they like to remind me). I keep explaining to them that I am fully aware of this and that I am simply working to support my staycation before I commit myself to a full time career.

This summer I’ve gone on staycation with both locals and tourists, allowing me to experience a wide variety of summer activities. I kicked the summer season off with a moonlight rafting trip down the Snake River (ask our guides why it’s called that). I unsuccessfully went fly-fishing in Kelly, successfully jumped off the cliffs in Kelly, went for a not so refreshing dip in the Granite Hot Springs, tubed down Flat Creek, did some disco dancing at the Coach and some bluegrass dancing at the Wort, hiked to Goodwin Lake for a quick dip, got down at Targhee Fest, sailed on Jackson Lake, drove over the Pass for a huckleberry milkshake, kayaked on Lake Yellowstone, played disc golf in the Village, poached a hot tub or two, went up the Gondi for some margaritas and fried mushrooms, and enjoyed some tasty wild rice pancakes with my mom followed by a ride through the Big Kahuna on Barker-Ewing’s scenic/whitewater Breakfast Combination trip (my personal favorite). While my list might seem long, these excursions are just a sampling of the many activities Jackson has to offer.

Being endlessly enthused about the place you live and being able to go on so many adventures without having to travel far is a wonderful thing. This past winter, for instance, I went paragliding off the Tram during my lunch break. I don’t think most people can admit to having done something as cool as that in the middle of their work day. Every season continues to offer new challenges for even the most experienced athlete. However, regardless of expertise, the impressive Teton Range physically and mentally challenges hikers, climbers, and skiers ranging anywhere from novice to expert. So, even if this is your first time in Jackson, I hope you will not be fearful of exploring these beautiful, humbling mountains.

I won’t be here forever, but I’m not ready for my staycation to end yet– there are too many mountain trails and ski slopes that I have yet to conquer. I hope you enjoy your time here in Jackson amongst the river rats and ski bums, and I invite you to keep coming back, as there will always be new adventures waiting for you.  – Maria Wyllie

The Clintons and Barker-Ewing Whitewater… a float down memory lane!

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The last official Barker-Ewing River Trips sighting of the First Family was in August 1996 when I had the honor of taking the Clinton family down the Snake River on a float. In total, there were 11 boats in the floatilla. For a while, I was pretty sure they had the wrong guide in mind when I was pulled aside and counseled on what to do if we were shot at… yikes, I thought! Isn’t that what the two “counter assault” rafts are for?

All in all, it turned into a beautiful afternoon with wonderful conversation in my boat and a huge education for me looking at the bigger picture. Mostly, it was a great honor that I was chosen to share what I consider to be one of the most special places on earth with Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton!

I hope there will be another summer visit by the Clintons to Jackson Hole – and that they might consider joining me on another float trip along the now “Wild & Scenic” Snake River.

– Heather Ewing