Zach Byars

Rogue and Middle Fork Guide

Zach gracefully danced our raft through the canyon and Blossom Bar like a flowing, symphonic serenade. I was touched and inspired by his intuitive mastery of the river, athleticism, fun, playfulness, respect, kindness, musical talent, ruggedness, and unfettered sense of freedom!

- N. Rogers, Sebastopol, CA

Zach Byars, or 'Big Tex' as he is known on the Rogue, grew up running rivers. His parents had been river guides, and their vacations were usually river trips. He trained on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon in 2005 and then guided on the Rogue for two seasons. In 2009, Zach joined the Middle Fork crew as a sweep boat driver. He plans to return to Idaho for another great summer in 2010!

Zach spent his winters getting a BA in Spanish from Trinity College in Texas, where he was also the starting tight end on the football team and a decathlete on the track team. In 2007 he placed twelfth in the NCAA Division 2 national track meet!

Zach also plays the mandolin and has gotten several other ECHO Rogue guides interested in playing and singing around camp, so a trip with him is sure to involve an impromptu river jam. He is a 'kid magnet,' because, as a big kid himself, he tends to be the ringleader in organizing games and activities.

Graduate school is definitely in Zach's future, but he plans to spend a few years living the life of a carefree, gypsy river guide before settling down. We are glad to have him and will prolong his gypsy life as long as we can!