Training Season @ OB

Things here in Oregon have been going wonderfully. I have been hanging out at OB's base camp since mid March and have had plenty of ridiculous adventures, both on course as well as on my own.

After working a bit during the early season myself Kelly and Molly drove my old car (the accord, which has been renamed 'Rue Rue Rue' by my sister, Molly) from Prescott AZ back to the midwest. It was good spend some quality time with her and visit folks back in the big flat.

This was followed promptly by the OB training season. Our Mountain Skills II training was suitably brutal as we attempted an ambitious itinerary on Mount Hood. Fast and light is apparently the thing to do but our good friend hood had other ideas. From the first day we were pummeled by weather that had no issue soaking us in our inadequate shelters (supported floor-less tents know as 'mids'). We had one window to summit between nasty weather and warm conditions that would have turned our route into a river of debris (affectionately know as a bowling alley) and thankfully we made it with out incident.

The Lead instructor training was a bit more up my ally as we spent the majority of our time on the river working on our human skills and site management techniques. After several days on the Deschutes (the river we run with students on a regular basis) we changed locations and ran the day run section of the White Salmon in Washington and the Clackamas in Oregon. Both were amazing rivers running with especially high water due to the recent rain as well as a rapid heavy snow pack melt.

Shortly after Lead Instructor Training I spent some time hanging out with Lauren Sargent at her family's resort, Buckhorn Springs in southern Oregon. They essentially own the better part of a wooded valley with accommodations for up to 60 people. It's an amazing spot and I couldn't recommend it enough to folks looking for a retreat center.

Additionally myself and the rest of the OB folks with time off have been getting out and hitting the rocks and rivers of central Oregon as often as possible.

Things here are going exceptionally well and I can't think of anywhere I would rather be. I feel well set up for a busy season and am excited to continue working. I hope this finds you all doing well and having fun.

Ryan