Page 14
Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
A ugust 2, 2 0 0 7
Rafting guides enjoy adventures of summer job
B y Leslie M itts
older on the river for a half-day
or a full-day trip.
Sp ilya y Tym oo
T h ough business Varies at
R ick D e ats and his w ife
Kirsten Day have rafted rivers
in Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Califor­
nia, and Colorado.
They’re longtime fans o f the
excitement o f large rapids, with
the roar o f rushing waves and
echoes o f cheers as passengers
paddle through frothy white
water.
B u t the couple from Lake
Oswego had never taken their
Leslie Mitts photos
songs on a river trip—-until re­ Luanne Foltz scouts the White Horse Rapids. This is her first
cently, when they entrusted summer working as a guide.
those at White Horse Adven­
tures to guide them.
I t ’s no d oubt a d ifferen t
scene than Butch David and
Luanne Foltz see during most
o f the year in the hallways o f ,
Je ffe r s o n C ou nty M iddle
School.
While they spend their days
during the school year working
in the education system, this
summer they are two o f several
local people taking tourists op
guided rafting trips down the
Deschutes.
'
For the first-year guide Foltz,
David serves as an example:
navigating the river with ease
while telling the passengers about
life o n the reserv atio n , the
names o f certain landmarks,
and swapping fishing stories and
laughs.
T h is sum m er, B u tch and
A ngie D avid are m anaging
White Horse Adventures.
Butch David works as a cul­
tural liaison at Jefferson County
M iddle S ch o o l w hile * A ngie |
David teaches second grade at
Butch David is managing White Horse Adventures this
Warm Springs Elementary.
For those in the education summer with his wife, Angie David. This is David’s fourth year
system, they said, this presents working as a river guide.
an ideal summer job.
- In fact; Butch David said, he drivers, who are responsible for Manion added.
was first offered a jo b as a guide transporting the raft and its oc­
In addition to helping the
through a fellow teacher four cupants to and from launch economy through employment
years ago.
points. O f the seven drivers, o p p o rtu n ities, M an io n ' e x ­
“I thought it was a joke at six are tribal members.
plained, “It utilizes a' resources
first,” David said. Eventually,
A t one point, the business that the tribes have that we cur-,
however, he found himself be­ only employed a few guides,, rently hadn’t been exercising to
ginning work as a river guide David said.
its full potential.”
with White Horse Adventures.
However, he added, “As time
Because they operate within
It's not a job he takes lightly— went on we decided we needed the limits o f what is allowed with
at one point, David wasn’t even more guides to have available.” tribal permits, the businesS does
sure he wanted to be respon­
According to Jim Manion, hot negatively impact the envi­
sible so many people.
who owns White Horse Adven­ ronment, Manion' said.
Now, however, he serves as tures along with Kevin Light,
Instead, the ability to put rafts |
head guide along with M att they originally bought the busi­ in on private land allows them
Manion.
ness because it was in a state o f to bi-pass typically crowded
This is Foltz’ first year work­ fluctuation.
launch sites that other commer­
ing as a guide. Recently she
“There wasn’t a high level o f cial rafting companies deal with.
completed a two-weekend train­ activity,” Manion said. “It was
The company, named for the
ing required o f all guides.
an employment opportunity, infamous W hitehorse Rapids,
In total, white Horse Adven­ basically, for tribal members.”
takes anyone eight years old or
tures employs 12 river guides—-
“We just basically try to em-
half, are tribal members. The , ploy as many^ribal members as
business also employs seven p o ssib le in th at business,*3.
4-H Culture Camp
cancelled this summer
times, David said, they’ve often
had weeks with trips scheduled
every day.
i
Òhe aspect that helps busi­
ness is the ability to cater to the
guests at Kah-Nee-Ta, he said.
Linking with their business
provides a boost for local tour­
ism, David said.
They have five rafts total,
which allows them to accommo­
date relatively large groups as
well, he added.
Recently, David said, they
took out a group o f 30 high
school graduates from Crook
County.
“They were jumping from
raft to raft, trying to take each
other out,” David said with a
chuckle.
, It’s an experience that some
even want to re-live— “We get
a lot o f repeaters that come back
and float,” he added.
“It’s a pretty fun job,*’ David
said. “I meet a lot o f interest­
ing people.”
Recently he’s guided trips for
people from New York, N e­
braska, and has even taken a girl
from France, he said.
Plus, it’s riot à difficult way
to spend the summer, he'added
with a laugh.
“People ask, ‘How do you ?
like your job?”’ David said. “I
think, I t ’s not a job, man.’”
B efore began guiding four
years ago,. David hadn’t - really
spent much time on the water.
While he’d been fishing a few
times, David- had never taken
advantage o f what he feels is a
great local resource.
- Now he and his wife aré even
looking at options for buying the
business after taking an entre­
preneurship class through Eagle '
Tech Systems.
It’s also a way to educate m e
public about the reservation,
David said.
“We’re starting to get a lot o f
H day cam ps behind the
Boys and G irls Club (the
Vernon Jackson Home) and
the Education building.
T h e day camps will be
from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
fro m M onday, Aug. . 6
through Friday, Aug. 10.
There will be no charge for
the day camps. They are free
to all youth in grades k-12.
- Classes at the camp will be
the same ones offered at the
4-H Culture Camp, and will
include a few more exciting
sessions.
W&m Sprigs
M a AH b ând Crâffo
- ^¿L; thought it Was fabulous,”
Day said. “We’ll be back.”
“T h e ir know ledge o f the
river was exceptional,” Deats
addedr “They instill a lo t o f
confidence with their knowl­
tribal "m em bers in te re ste d ,S f edge.” .
David said. “There are a lot o f
For more information, call
things I didn’t know until I 5 5 3 -7 2 3 8
or
v isit
started guiding.”
www.whitehorseready.com.
Many people who take, trips t
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Day camps planne4 instead, Aug. 6-10
After much discussion and
deliberation, the 4-H staff
reached the very difficult de­
cision o f cancelling the resi­
dential 4-H Culture Camp.
T h e re are sig n ifican t
safety concerns this year, as
fires are burning in the area
where the camp has been held
in previous years.
Ah pre-registered campers
will have their registration fee
refunded.
In place o f the residential
overnight camp, the 4-H staff
will be hosting a week o f 4-
down the Deschutes are often
curious about the way o f life on
the reservation, he said.
, “A lo tlo f them do not even
know what our existing reserva­
tion used to be,” David said.
T h at’s why he relishes the
opportunity to inform people
about Warm Springs and sur­
rounding areas, he said.
“That what I think every pro­
gram should do,” David said.
His favorite part, however, is.
working with people.
“Plus, it’s hot a real jot$” he
said. “You meet a lot o f inter­
esting people, great people.”
For Deats and Day, their day
spent on the water was an ex­
cellent addition to their vacation.
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