Archive for the ‘General News’ Category

ECHO is an American Rivers Ambassador

by Janda on April 23rd, 2012

ECHO is proud to partner with American Rivers and support their work to protect and restore the nation’s rivers and streams. In 2012, ECHO became a charter member to the River Ambassador program, which seeks to engage our river-loving guests in American Rivers’ endeavors.

Founded in 1973, American Rivers has more than 65,000 members and supporters nation wide. Their work contributed to the removal of three dams on the Rogue River in the last 5 years, restoring the currents necessary for wildlife, fish migration, and whitewater rafting. In 2011 they had a strong hand in the removal of the 125 ft. defunct Condit Dam from the White Salmon River (just a few miles from our Hood River office) restoring miles of salmon habitat and whitewater.

Photo courtesy of Jamie Manley, Rogue River guest, 2010

We teamed up with American Rivers for a Rogue River trip in 2008 to make a film celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which has protected the Rogue River from development since 1968.

They have also been supporters of our Wild Rivers Night, held each November in Portland, Oregon, where we gather rafters, kayakers, and conservationists to celebrate the wild rivers we love with films and presentations.

Traveling down our nation’s waterways is not just a business for us, but rather a way of life. We seek to share the abundance of the natural world with our guests, but that is only possible with the help of organizations like American Rivers. By protecting wildlife habitats, allowing for fish migration, and battling mining practices that destroy fragile eco-systems, American Rivers works tirelessly to promote healthy rivers. We hope you’ll consider supporting their efforts as we do. Become a member or make your one time donation now!

This post was tagged with American Rivers, river conservation, Rogue River, Wild Rivers Night and posted in General News.

Dreaming Rivers

by Tate Higgins on January 31st, 2012

I’m inside the ECHO office. Outside, it’s cold on the streets of downtown Hood River, OR. I’m working in front of a computer screen, but when I look up there are huge pictures on the office walls that highlight some of the spectacular moments in ECHO’s recent history. There’s a shot of a cobble bar camp next to the glowing green waters of the Illinois River in Oregon, a yellow tank like truck on the gravel roads of Siberia’s mountains on the way to the Kaa-Khem River, rafts floating under prayer flags on the Paro Chhu River in Bhutan, and rafts passing below the dramatic granite formations on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.

Poster of the Middle Fork at the ECHO Office

Janda sits at a desk across from mine. When I can, I distract her from her work to talk about rivers. She asks me about the Grand Canyon. I tell her that the Grand Canyon is magic, that it’s the place that turned me into a river guide, changing the path of my life, but the Middle Fork of the Salmon is my favorite place in the whole world.

I was never planning on staying working in Idaho forever. I figured I’d work a season or two on the Middle Fork and then move on to another of the world’s rivers. Then I did my first trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho, and I’ve been coming back every summer since.

Tate + MFK = <3 <3 <3

Here is why, with the option to work in lots of amazing places in the summer, I keep coming back:

The weather is how summertime in the mountains is supposed to feel. The scenery is so good that I flip through my pictures and think, Man, I really have a talent for taking beautiful pictures. The hot springs along the river (especially Sunflower) make me feel like the happiest kid in the world. The fly fishing is so superb that after a day of catching tons of trout I think, Man, I have gotten really good at this whole fly fishing thing. The personality of the river is always changing and always engaging that keeps me fully aware and even after dozens of trips there’s not a single boring stretch of water. The 6 day length of the trip is the perfect amount of time to fall in love with the river and leave still wanting more. The guides I work with are some of the most interesting capable people in the world. They could be successful in any endeavor they choose, and they choose to work hard on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River because they love it.

Keep up with the latest ECHO news online or give the office a call and let them know you’re dreaming about summer stars and whitewater days, too.

This post was tagged with ECHO World HQ, Middle Fork of the Salmon, river guides and posted in General News.

Event: A Flurry of Changes

by ECHO Staff on January 28th, 2012

What: Reception at 5:30 PM, Speakers at 6:15 PM
When: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Where: KEEN Footwear, 926 NW 13th Ave. #210 / Portland, OR 97209
How: Register at Eventbrite

We feel like we’re always talking about snowpack this time of year, but that is because it plays such a huge role in our rafting season each summer. Reduced snowfall doesn’t just impact skiers and snowboarders, it affects our entire river system. Changes to snowpack and receding glaciers in the Cascade Range will play a part in the future of our summer recreation, but it will also require changes to farming and fishing industries that our vital to our state’s economy.

To learn more about how climate shifts are impacting snowfall and glaciers in the Pacific Northwest, join The Climate Trust for “A Flurry of Changes”. You’ll hear from Dr. Anne Nolin, a snow hydrology specialist at Oregon State University and Dr. Andrew Fountain, a glacier specialist with Portland State University.

KEEN Footwear will host the event at their Pearl District offices, but space is limited so reserve your seat!

and posted in General News.

A Well Connected ECHO

by Tate Higgins on January 17th, 2012

ECHO’s Hood River, OR office is a hot bed of modern technology and connectivity. The first time I stepped foot in here I was blown away. I was struck with two questions – what’s a raft company need with all of these fancy computers and Zach, are you video conferencing with Dick and Joe? The answers – it’s all about connection, and yes, that’s called technology.

Zach at Work in the ECHO Office

Under the leadership of general manager Zach Collier, with river pioneers and ECHO owners Dick Linford and Joe Daly under his tech savy wing, ECHO has been striving to maintain a cutting edge presence on the internet.

Despite embracing the modern in order to connect better with our guests and the world, there’s evidence of a deep river connection everywhere. A back room in the office is piled high with life jackets, kayaks, and throw bags. There’s an old ECHO oar leaning in one corner, the bookshelves are full of river running guides, there’s a dog asleep on the floor, the pictures on the wall celebrate legendary ECHO trips, and sometimes lunch breaks turn into paddle sessions.

River Rafting Books at the ECHO Office

The mission of ECHO has been, since 1972, to take guests on legendary river trips – trips built around the power of disconnecting from cell phones and computers and reconnecting with the environment, family, friends. We hope to use technology to share the magic of wild rivers that’s why One of the Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth works hard in the virtual world, too.

We’re excited about new features on Google+ that allow us to connect and share with our past and future guests, our guides, and the world. We love the fact that we can share videos and photos instantly and free on YouTube, Vimeo, Google+, and Facebook. We couldn’t do without our email and internet.

It can all be a bit of informational overload, believe me we know. Sometimes you just have to step away from the computer and get outside. While you’re here we hope you like us, +1 us, and share the magic of ECHO River Trips with your friends, but most importantly we hope to see you out there on a river someday soon.

This post was tagged with awards, Dick and Joe, ECHO World HQ, Hood River and posted in General News.

A Look Back at Some of the Awards and Recognition that ECHO Received in 2011

by Tate Higgins on December 22nd, 2011

2011 was a great year for ECHO. We’re proud and humbled by all the recognition our trips received in 2011. Thanks to all our hard working, friendly guides and staff for running legendary trips, and a special thanks to all the wonderful guests we had in 2011. We couldn’t have done it without every one of you.

ECHO Received Awards from National Geographic and Outside Magazine in 2011

If you think 2011 was good then we know you’re going to love the trips we have planned for next year. Follow us on Facebook, Google +, YouTube, and stay tuned to our blog for the latest news, videos, and upcoming trips. See you on a river in 2012!

This post was tagged with awards and posted in General News.

Winter? This is Just Summer Recharging

by Tate Higgins on December 16th, 2011

My friends and family know I’m a professional river guide. This lifestyle choice sometimes confuses them, but they really get confused when winter comes. “I mean, there’s no water, and it’s cold, so like do you just hibernate until next summer?”

It’s true that at the end of each summer our rafting season “ends.” Our equipment is cleaned and packed into Salmon, Idaho and Grants Pass, Oregon warehouses. The guides load their dry bags into their trucks and say reluctant goodbyes to their river family. There’s lots of hugging and laughing about a summer’s worth of adventure and a little sadness that another summer has come to an end, but there’s also excitement that another summer will be here before we know it.

The empty guide houses and locked warehouses get quiet and cold, but it’s a different story at ECHO’s headquarters in Hood River, OR. Here, ECHO is far from hibernating. Zach and Janda are busy all winter answering phones and booking legendary river trips for the 2012 season. They are at their desks every day, and Dick and Joe are here via video chatting and telephone calls, well maybe not if the weather is really nice. In addition to managing all the daily operations of a dynamic river company, ECHO has also been working on some exciting projects this winter.

The ECHO Office is Full of Winter Projects

ECHO, in partnership with American Rivers, American Whitewater, and Keen hosted a Wild Rivers Night in the Keen Great Room in downtown Portland. ECHO’s working on more videos for the future, and is stoked to know some of the best in filmmakers the industry – Nate Herbeck of Sheer Madness Productions and Andy Maser.

Zach, Dick, and Joe spend lots of time in the winter meeting with industry groups, attending conferences, and working on conservation issues. Zach has been working on a new cookbook.

We’ve set the dates for our Yoga Trips, Kids Trips, and Guide School, and we’ve designed some exciting new trips for 2012 including a trip to Russia’s Sayan Oka River, a cultural tour of Ancient Anatolia, and a trail running Middle Fork of the Salmon Trip. This is just a sample of the exciting ideas and logistics that keep us busy all winter.

ECHO Guides J.R. and Nate Enjoying Winter in Hood River

Despite all the hard work that goes on inside the office, ECHO will always be about getting outside, and no matter how nice of an office you set up in a raft company, there’s going to occasionally be an empty desk when the water is up and there’s adventures to be had outside. In fact, I’m out of here. I hope to see you on a river soon!

This post was tagged with American Rivers, Dick and Joe, ECHO World HQ, kayaking, Wild Rivers Night and posted in General News.

Wild Rivers Night – What a Great Time!

by Janda on December 1st, 2011

We’d like to send a huge thank you to everyone that made it out for Wild Rivers Night and a big apology to everyone that didn’t (because it was awesome)!

Billy, Nate, and Hata Watching our New Middle Fork Film

The debut of our latest Middle Fork film must have inspired everyone who watched it, as the audience seemed captivated by the gorgeous scenery, crystal-clear water, splashy rafting footage and lots of camp camaraderie. Thank you so much to Nate Herbeck of Sheer Madness Productions for creating this special film.

American Rivers was on hand to celebrate the Year of the River with short films by Andy Maser. Two major dam removals on the White Salmon River and the Elwha River had the crowd cheering for Wild Rivers!

Tim Palmer and Ann Vileisis, celebrated defenders of wild rivers throughout the nation gave short presentations on the many river trips in Oregon that should be on everyone’s bucket list.

Tim Palmer Presenting his "Field Guide to Oregon Rivers"

Special emphasis was placed on the Chetco River as it is currently under serious mining threats despite being classified as “Wild and Scenic”.

We couldn’t have held this event without the graciousness of KEEN! Your generous staff and amazing event space made everyone feel right at home. You are a company that we are proud to support (and just check Janda’s closet if you ever doubt our loyalty to your shoes)!

Thank You to KEEN Footwear for Providing the Venue

And lastly, thanks so much to our good friends at Sierra Nevada Brewery for donating their sweet, delicious beer for the event.

Thank You to Sierra Nevada for Providing the Beer!

ECHO guides took care of the crowd with Rick Lumagui at the bar and Tate Higgins as Food-Dude. Thanks guys!

Rick Handing out a Tasty Sierra Nevada

This post was tagged with American Rivers, fun, Portland, river, Rogue River, Video, Wild Rivers Night and posted in General News.

2011 Wild Rivers Night

by ECHO Staff on November 1st, 2011

Join us at Keen in Portland for our 2nd Annual Wild Rivers Night on November 29th, 2011. We’ll be premiering our new Middle Fork of the Salmon film (view trailer) as well as showing conservation and adventure films from wild rivers!

Date: November 29th, 2011
Time: 6 – 8 PM (Zach will do a Siberia slideshow at 5:30)
Location: Keen’s Great Room (926 Northwest 13th #210, Portland, OR)

Wild Rivers Night

This post was tagged with American Rivers, Portland, river guides, Wild Rivers Night and posted in General News.

Thank You – A Remarkable 2011 River Season

by Janda on September 10th, 2011

Thank you to everyone who joined us this summer on the Rogue and Middle Fork of the Salmon Rivers. You are the reason we get to do what we love.

And, of course, thank you to all our hard working and dedicated river guides. You are the reason our trips are so special.

Having Fun on the Last Day of the 2011 Season

A few highlights from this summer:

- Lexey, J.R., and Billy running amazing trips on the Rogue in May. Even when it rained everyone had fun!
- Our guide school with Lexey, Billy, and Alex was special for everyone involved.
- Uniquely high water on the Middle Fork in June. Our first few trips were “full on” adventures and we all saw something special.
- Vlad and Zach’s trip to Siberia. They ran the first ever commercial trip on the Kaa-Khem River in a remote part of Russia. (read their trip report)
- Our Yoga Trips on the Rogue River were amazing beyond belief. Everyone on both trips left with a glow.

2011 was our 40th season and a summer that will not be forgotten. Thank you to everyone involved.

This post was tagged with Idaho, Middle Fork of the Salmon, Oregon, rafting and posted in General News.

Some of our Favorite Quotes From 2011!

by ECHO Staff on July 20th, 2011

“Don’t change a thing. You guys do an amazing job from the customer service to the prep and answering questions and especially to the on the water experience. This truly was the time of my life you will see me again count on it!!” – Justin, May 5th launch

“Hands down, most AMAZING trip I’ ve been on! (And I’ve been on some pretty cool trips). The scenery was breath taking, the guides were fantastic/fun people with a lot of interesting knowledge/know-how, and the food was delicious. I love to camp but the meals they served us would put a number of restaurants to shame they were so yummy and diverse! I really can’t say enough good things about this trip and I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, beautiful, adventure. Simply fabulous all around!’ – Bridget, May 5th launch

“The guides were fun and fascinating. A true asset to the company and really made the experience unique and phenomenal. They are a group of hard working individuals and we truly appreciate it!! Thanks for a great paddle.” – Alice, May 20th launch

“All the guides were interested in all of us, actively seeking us out to learn more about us. They were all solicitous for our comfort, and willing to do anything necessary to keep us comfortable and happy, and enjoy the rafting/camping experience to its fullest. The guides had a great working relationship with each other.” – Nancy, May 20th launch

“Not even four days of nearly constant rain could ruin this trip; the Rogue is beautiful, the guides are great, and the food is the best I’ve ever had in the wilderness. I am so happy I made this trip.” – Eric, May 26th launch

“I just got back from my first trip with ECHO and am already planning my second! I only have great things to say about them. FANTASTIC guides, AMAZING food (I know…great food while camping is hard to imagine but it’s true), and well organized. They made my first rafting experience incredible!” – Lisa, June 15th launch

“ECHO runs the finest trips in the world of wilderness whitewater rafting. There is a big difference among the various companies. I have run rivers around the world for over 30 years. If you like adventure, natural beauty, truly professional and interesting guides and a lifetime memory for you and your family, ECHO is the way to go.” Bernd, June 15th launch

“Truly incredible guides. We felt very lucky to get this group. We have three young kids and this was our first river trip so we a little concerned. The guides (Emma in particular for our family) put as at ease with their expertise, safety procedures, etc. Plus, the kids were just incredible people – very attentive to every detail.” – Greg, June 28th launch

“Even though I had many questions and some pretty special requests for this birthday surprise, all of it was handled flawlessly. I can honestly say it was one that we will remember for the rest of our lives. All of the guides went above and beyond to ensure that we had the time of our lives. I can only attempt to express my gratitude to the entire ECHO family for pulling off what could very well be the best trip we’ve ever had! From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!
A customer for life” – Mike, July 6th launch

“Pitch perfect trip. It was a fabulous time together with our adult children. Big water, big personalities, great participants and guides–and the food–Oh My God Delicious. The weather was perfect and the scenery to die for. What more can you ask from a vacation–and no cell phone coverage–perfect.” – David, July 11th launch

This post was tagged with rafting, testimonials and posted in General News.