Join us for a journey down the Chilko, Chilcotin and Fraser Rivers – a trip unmatched in its scenic diversity and huge stretches of class IV whitewater. Big John, Farwell, and Lava Canyons; the continent’s longest stretch of commercially navigable whitewater; bighorn sheep, grizzly bear, wolves, and birds of all types; all set in the legendary wilderness of British Columbia.

Trip Length:
7 days
Trip Date:
August 29th 2010
Difficulty:
Class IV for experienced and beginner paddlers. Minimum Age 12
Meeting Location:
Vancouver, British Columbia
Price:
$3295 ($400 deposit)

Call Pete at Momentum (541 488 2525) or Book Online Here.

The Chilko-Chilcotin-Fraser trip starts in Vancouver and begins with a flight over the towering mountains and massive glaciers of the Coast Range to the Chilcotin wilderness. After an evening at the beautiful Chilko Lake we’ll begin rafting on the Chilco River and then float into the Chilcotin and finally into the mighty Frazier River, lifeblood of Canada’s largest river system. We cover 130 miles and drop 3000 vertical feet - passing through lush alpine forests, narrow canyons, high desert plateaus and skyscraping hoodoos. The trip features world-class rapids including a 14 mile stretch considered the continent’s longest stretch of commercially navigable whitewater. On the last day of our expedition we’ll fly back crossing over the 2000-foot canyons of the lower Fraser and the lakes and mountains of the southern Coast Range.

This is a journey to one of the wildest and most beautiful places on the continent and we are excited to offer it – give us a call if you have any questions!

Call 541-488-2525 or Book Online Here.

Choose a Rafting Trip

We are not sure, but a river trip is pretty cool!
And it is a very unique gift for the adventurous, for those that like to take vacations, and for those that really need to take vacations. It is also a great way to invite someone on a trip with you!

Types of Gift Certificates:
1. You can give one for a specific dollar amount (kind of like “Momentum Bucks”).
2. You can give one for a specific river (and the recipient can choose the date).
3. Or you give one for a specific trip and date.

The recipients will receive the gift certificate, a Momentum brochure, and if it is for a river or specific trip a sample confirmation pack with trip information, packing list, etc.

To order Give us a call (541-488-2525) or send an email to info@momentumriverexpeditions.com with:

- Your name
- Your phone number
- The recipients name
- The amount or trip
- Where you want it sent to (you or the recipient) and the address.
We will then send you an invoice and get your gift mailed out!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines…. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– Mark Twain

About this time every year I sit down and go through all the photos, ‘thank you’s’, and testimonials from the season. Sometimes (like this year) it is the first time I have really slowed down and looked back at the year and the trips and all the wonderful, wonderful people. As I sift through the emails and the photos it never fails to give me goose bumps, it never fails to make me happy (and a little sad), and it never fails to remind me of the power and beauty of our wild places and, even more importantly, of the unique and remarkable people we are lucky enough to spend time with on the river every season.

I truly want to thank you all.

Below are a few of the testimonials from the 2011 season.

Kind Regards,
Pete and the Staff of Momentum River Expeditions

“Most fun I’ve had in a long time! I truly cannot say enough good things about our experience with Momentum. My 12 year old daughter and I went on a 3-day trip down the Rogue River in OR. The guides were phenomenal - friendly, experienced, interesting. The other guests were so much fun to be around. The rapids were thrilling but I never felt scared. Our guides cooked delicious meals for us and did not let us lift a finger. I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt so happy and relaxed. Now we want to take the rest of our family on a trip with Momentum.”

“We’re a family with 5 boys, ages 23-9, and we were on the 3 day lodge to lodge trip… They have never been so enthusiastic about a family vacation before (even topped Disneyland). Our two younger boys were challenged but safe in the kayaks and rafts. Safety and professionalism was paramount to the guides which allowed the parents to relax a little knowing we were all in good hands. Our older boys were stuffed silly with excellent food, the younger boys have lots to put in their “summer vacation” essay (bears and eagles!), and mom and dad feel 20 years younger… “

“Over the top… This trip exceeded our expectations, which were high, given what we’ve been told about river trips. Our guides were superb: totally professional, trained, friendly, competent. The food was fresh and tasty, cabins and lodge were comfortable, and the river rafting and kayaking were a thrill of a lifetime. We were in good hands with Momentum and hope to do the trip again. Worth every penny…”

“This river company is awesome–great guides, great food and great time! We chose Momentum because of their philosophy–local, organic food, small groups and professional guides. The trip on the Rogue River–four days and three nights, had all of that and more. The service was incredible–we felt so well cared for and safe. We also had so much fun–the kids loved it. Combining wilderness with adventure is magical–add into that accomplished guides, delicious food, bald eagles, fun whitewater and you’ve got a first rate trip.”

“White water expedition at its best. Knowledgeable, safety minded an absolute thrill. Peter and Eric are amazing great skill in guiding the raft and navigating the river, friendly, knowledgeable and by the way the food at camp was gourmet level 5 stars.”

“A life changing experience! - We went on a four night rafting trip along the Rogue River. My husband, myself and two sons (7 and 10) were very excited for the journey, but still the experience exceeded our expectations. The Rogue was breathtaking. Our guides found fabulous lunch stops and campsites for our group. The food was delicious - from breakfast to hors duerves to dinner. The guides made sure we were never hungry, but, even still, I could not turn down the offer of their freshly made meals (dessert too:)!”

“Our guides made the trip special for each and every one of us. Arden, Jeff, Rebecca and Mike worked together to create our river community for the 5 days we were all together. My two boys have wonderful individual memories of each guide - they treated us like old friends. We miss them still:)”

“Momentum = Wow! From the pre-trip checklist, to arrival at camp, every spot along the river, and until I left camp, Momentum made my trip a memorable experience. This was my third river-rafting trip and nothing compares to my experience on the Salmon. First rate guides made the experience memorable by being very personable, sharing their rafting and local knowledge, as well as ensuring a safe trip through some insane rapids. I didn’t realize how intense the rapids were until I saw the pictures of me under many 3 foot walls of water.

“5 days, 4 nights on the lower Owyhee - really something else. It was snowing the day we arrived. The guides had extra wetsuits for all of us. We figured they were going to pay us not to go, but, no problem. We went, the weather improved all week, and we had an awesome time. The point is that these folks know what they are doing and they are thoroughly prepared to take care of you and insure you have a great trip. Friendly, low key, and professional in the best sense of the word.
The scenery was fabulous (the Owyhee River has some pretty amazing geology!), the food was first rate, and, well, it was just really fun.

Kudos to Team Momentum. Masters of whitewater, cuisine and logistics. We had a terrific time and look forward to future trips.

I’m still smiling and living up on Cloud 9 from our awesome trip! This was the best trip I’ve been on with Momentum! You all never let me down. I love being able to confidently bring all my friends and know they are going to have a trip of a lifetime! THANK YOU!! You guys ROCK!! Heather

Thank you!!! Hey Pete, I just wanted to thank you, and the Momentum staff, for an amazing trip last weekend. I’m still trying to get over how completely beautiful a river the California Salmon truly is- it definitely deepened my love of whitewater rafting. You know it’s been an incredible trip when you’re already planning your next one on the way home. I think you may have created a monster. Thanks a lot, Pete!! You were an excellent guide, host, and hiking partner. Your knowledge, patience, passion for what you do, and good sense of humor made my trip an experience ‘ll never forget .I’m already looking forward to my next trip with you and Momentum. Thanks again!

Dear Alan! You are one of the precious memories of a wonderful weekend with Momentum River Expeditions! Thank you for the special fun you and only you could create with our raft by having us “ride the bull” and . . . will I ever forget the Circle of Trust we six created?!#@? That was the Bestest!!! You are the Bestest! I had such a great time, and I’ve been “blabbing” away with friends at how an otherwise could-have-been-crappy weekend was instead extraordinary for me! Thank you for being YOU, Alan! Hugs–at LEAST three ;-)))))))))

The best one day vacation ever. Upper Klamath rapids did not disappoint and Mike , our guide, was awesome. I will be back for more adventures through Momentum!

Above and beyond our expectations! Hi Erik… We had such a fun time!! It definitely went above and beyond our expectations. You guys are all very professional and down to earth and your passion shows with the quality of service you provide. Like I said before, you have an amazing company!!

It was an amazing day - I just wanted to express how much we enjoyed our trip with Momentum River Expeditions. It was an amazing day, and completely exceeded our expectations in every area. From the moment we entered the van in the morning, we felt welcomed by the whole Momentum crew. You were all so friendly, relaxed and professional we knew we had a great day ahead. ….

Dear Arden, Pete and Mike, It’s been over a month since we adventured down the Rogue with you all, yet we still drink coffee from our beat up Momentum mugs and talk about our late summer in Oregon. Rudy grew in inches, strength and soul during our trip; somewhere in the midst of the white water, the mouse in our dry bag and the games of bocce ball along the river great things happened for him and for all of us. As Arden well knows, I was so hesitant at the beginning of the trip (hesitant? No - petrified) having had a bad white water encounter before. Arden’s skill, reassurance and compassion, warmth and outrageous sense of humor helped me to let go of that experience and open up to this one. I can’t emphasize enough what this did for me, and as a result, what it did for our family. It meant so much to us that we were able to take this kind of trip together - that Rudy have an experience that challenged and thrilled him and that we all were able to get so far away from our day to day at home. …

In a 4-star rating system, Momentum gets 5++++++! Our guide, Simon, was wonderful, gave us clear instructions (so important for beginners), and provided us with a memorable and exciting experience. Thank you, Momentum, for introducing us to the Rogue and rafting!

Pete, Rachel and all: We just returned sun-drenched, soggy and extremely happy from our 3-day adventure on the Rogue. It could not possibly have been any better! Anthony is a true pleasure to be with (my second time, same as first experience last May) and Simon was so wonderful. The lodges were great. My sister does NOT want to return to El Paso (108 degrees today), but wants to spend the rest of her life on the Rogue, and plans to return in a year or two to do another river with you. My wife, who has a fear of water and dislike of anything that happens fast, is actually talking about taking another trip with you next year!! As for me, well, you already have a fervent disciple, and a return customer!

One of our most memorable family vacations! Our family of four did a four day trip on the Rogue River with two other families. Everything about this trip exceeded our expectations. My urban teenage daughters were not too happy when I told them what our summer vacation trip was going to be.  By the end of the trip they were ready to sign up for the next rafting trip.  Our guides Mara and Rebecca were top notch.  Experienced, skilled, knowledgable, and so much fun to be with. Owner-outfitter Pete accompanied us and set up camp every night.  The food was healthy, varied, and delicious.  The camp gear was all deluxe.  The Class III and IV rapids were thrilling.  The scenery and wildlife were as good as you might expect in a national park.  Go for the camping experience rather than the lodge trip. Very comfortable and you can enjoy the outdoors much more. We chose a smaller company and I’m glad we did.  The personalized service and attention was what you would expect from an owner-operated small business. We will be encouraging our friends to try this adventure and go with Momentum! C

I truly cannot say enough good things about our experience with Momentum.  My 12 year old daughter and I went on a 3-day trip down the Rogue River in OR.  The guides were phenomenal - friendly, experienced, interesting.  The other guests were so much fun to be around.  The rapids were thrilling but I never felt scared.  Our guides cooked delicious meals for us and did not let us lift a finger.  I honestly can’t remember the last time I felt so happy and relaxed. Now we want to take the rest of our family on a trip with Momentum. Elizabeth

You should go with these guys because:
GREAT food.  Really, these guys could cook in nice restaurants.  Healthy, organic, and tastes great.  (well, mostly healthy–chocolate fondue, bananas foster….)
GREAT GUIDES.  Period.  The best out there.  Friendly, happy, experienced all over the world, just crazy good.
They spoil you–tents are set up, pads & sleeping bags installed, c’mon up in an hour for happy hour & appetizers, nice chairs, wine & cheese tastings on the river…
Used them three times now.  They’ve spoiled me for anyone else.  Erik the guide is masterful and expert in all sorts of things–climbing, rafting, and wrangling 4-year olds.  Pete is a great owner, and the other guides are just plain fun to be around.  You’ll have a good time–if you want BIG water, try the Cal-salmon and Scott trip…

Been with Momentum on the Klamath, Illinois, Cal Salmon and the Futaleufu in Chile. l wouldn’t have gone to all these places if they weren’t great.  Momentum, and its owner Pete, are as good as it gets..

We 3 white water enthusiasts have had the pure pleasure and privilege to travel with Pete, Alan, Anthony, Adam, Eric(s), Rachel and Derek 4 times now in some impossible to get to places where safety is not “just a good idea”. Pete and the crew never fail to exceed expectations, deliver superb service, extreme talent and the food is as good as it gets..anywhere.  If you have ever wanted to experience a fantastic adventure and activity, try rafting!! If you want to do it with some of the BEST people on the planet, sign up with Pete and momentum rafting..I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

Amazing. Pete, If I had to pick one word to describe our trip down the Illinois River last week (with Mike and Mara), the subject line of this email would be it. I knew going in that it was likely to be a good trip, and that we would have fun. I didn’t realize that it would be one of (if not THE) best trip/vacation/experience we’ve ever had. Mike and Mara were nothing short of phenomenal. They were friendly, great guides (Mara’s safety instructions would later come in handy to me when I became a member of the Illinois Swim Team), good cooks and now - counted amongst our friends. Mara went above and beyond to make sure our anniversary was celebrated (seriously - a private romantic dinner for two at the Klondike Creek camp? how awesome is that?!), Mike kept all of our gear dry and intact and both kept us safe and wholly entertained. I can say for certain that Ann and I *WILL* be back to run more rivers with your company - and we really hope to cross paths with Mike and Mara again in the future. Ann actually cried as they drove off after dropping us off. We miss them. (Feel free to share this with them, even if it will inflate Mike’s ego ) On a scale of 1-10 we’re rating this a perfect 10. We’ve never done that before. Thanks again for an amazing run down the gorgeous Illinois - it was one experience I know I won’t forget. Oh - and Tell Mike and Mara we miss them!

We miss all of you.
Have a wonderful winter and we all hope to see you soon.

A unique and amazing way to experience the world famous Rogue River, experience remarkable artisan meals featuring food and wine from the Southern Oregon region, and support local farming.

4 - Days June 20^th - 23^{rd 2012}
Price - $1125 (25% goes to Farm to Fork, local farms, and Friends of Family Farmers)
Chef and Local Food Guru: Matthew Domingo - Farm to Fork Event Director and Chef
Who is this trip for? Anyone who loves the wilderness, amazing food, and the local small farm movement! The rapids are from Class III to IV-. There are boat options for everyone from 7 to 80+ to years old. No experience is necessary.

Call 541 488 2525 or
Book Online Here

Join Farm to Fork, Troon Winery, and Momentum River Expeditions for our second annual 4-Day Farm to Fork Rafting Trip on Oregon’s Wild and Scenic Rogue River. Combine the world famous Rogue River with artisan meals straight from the Southern Oregon farms and support the local farming movement! Our 2011 trip was incredible and we are already excited about this one! Check out our photos from 2011!

The Rogue River is an iconic American classic; one of the world’s great summer wilderness trips, a founding member of the National Wild and Scenic River System, and a river with such a grand reputation that in some circles it is simply known as “the Canyon”. It flows through an area rich with pioneer history and lore - some of it surviving to this day. The canyon itself is a stunning wilderness playground that is home to a staggering amount of wildlife and abundant whitewater.

Farm to Fork Events, is a traveling farm-to-table restaurant, local food fundraiser, and community celebration rolled into one. Farm to Fork Events are designed to reconnect people to the source of their food, and to honor the talented farmers, food artisans, winemakers, and chefs that contribute to the growing culinary reputations and local food communities of Southern Oregon. They began in 2010 to rave reviews, a very excited local community, and ending up selling out every dinner. They are amazing to work with!

Mathew Domingo, Farm to Fork Event Director & Chef, will host the trip along with a local farmer. Each evening we will float to our river side camp and enjoy three course dinners paired with local wine. The dinners will be served under the stars in our “wilderness dining room”. Each dinner is inspired by the local harvest and will feature local meats and produce.

Southern Oregon’s Troon Vinyard will supply wine for the trip and owner Chris Martin will be along to introduce the wines and answer questions. There wines have won a ton of awards and they follow organic principles and aspire to a closed loop, sustainable farming environment. No herbicides or pesticides are used, and all tending of the vines is done by hand. They are also the producers of “River Guide Red” and “River Guide White” and are dedicated to the pursuit of “good times and fine wines.”

25-30% of the proceeds will go towards Local Farms (we will buy directly from them), Farm to Fork, and Friends of Family Farmers.

The trip includes:
• All river equipment.
• All camping gear (including ultra-comfortable 3″ sleeping pads).
• Return transportation back to Galice, Oregon. Transportation can also be arranged from Ashland, Oregon.
• All meals beginning with lunch on day one and ending with lunch on day 4, including gourmet 3-course “Farm to Fork” dinners prepared by Chef Mathew Domingo.
• Wine pairings from Southern Oregon’s award winning Troon Vinyard and introduced by owner Chris Martin.
• World-Class guides with a minimum of 8 years experience leading trips around the globe.  Find out more >>
• A trip down one of the world’s great summer wilderness rivers combined with artisan meals straight from Southern Oregon farms.

This trip is a unique and amazing way to experience the world famous Rogue River, experience remarkable artisan meals featuring food and wine from the Southern Oregon region, and support local farming.

There will only be 20 spaces available so:
Call 541 488 2525 or
Book Online Here

More Information about Farm to Fork and Momentum:
- Read more about Farm to Fork: http://farmtoforkevents.com/
- Read More about Momentum River Expeditions: http://www.momentumriverexpeditions.com/welcome/
- Read more about Rogue River Rafting: http://www.momentumriverexpeditions.com/rogue-river/

Testimonials

Farm To Fork Events:
“From the red wine braised beef amuse bouche to the rhubarb compote coupled with French press Ethiopian coffee, the evening was a delightful success blending fine food, wine, and company into a setting that allowed for education around sustainable living and fostering a stronger sense of community in the Rogue Valley.” Read more>>

Momentum River Expeditions:
“Unrivaled as a Commercial Rafting Company - Pete Wallstrom, the owner of Momentum River Expeditions, puts his years of experience and expertise into the management of what just might be the best commercial rafting company in North America. The trips are spectacular beyond description, the guides are the best of the best, the food is incomparable, and the customers are treated like royalty.” Read more>>

Mike hails from the land of venison and cheese, Wisconsin. He grew up fishing, hunting, camping and canoeing through out the north woods. Mike was introduced to whitewater through the boy scouts in 1996 at the age of 13. He has since used his skills to travel the globe working in Georgia, Idaho, Alaska, Guatemala, and Chile. Mike’s favorite river is the one he’s on right now.

Jeff has been running rivers for 30 years and guiding for the last 23 of those. He came to be a guide after a short career as a fisheries biologist and a stint travelling in Mexico and Central America left him in need of gainful employment. His boating pursuits have taken him to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica and several western U.S. states but his real river home is the canyons of the Rio Grande along the Texas-Mexico border where he particularly enjoys guiding long multi-day canoe trips. An avid private boater, he has had the good fortune to marry a river guide and therefore never has to worry about explaining his irrational desire to check out yet another new stretch of water. In his spare time he loves to canoe, fish, garden, bike, build trails, play patenque and generally hang outside. When he gets up the gumption, he enjoys working on the off the grid homestead that he has been building for the last 14 years. He has recently found an opportunity to get back to his science roots and has started doing resource management work on the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park when he can find the time.

Faye has traveled all over the world; some of her adventures include tenting in Mozambique and sailing the Malica Straights! She has earned a BA in Education and works as a dive instructor. She is a Jane of all trades (very handy and adaptive) and motorcycling is her passion, but she loves all kinds of outdoor activities, and believes in learning about tribes and the old ways of simplicity. She believes you should live life today and experience it fully, because you only get one chance! She is full of stories… If you’re in the van with her, be sure to ask her about traveling in Asia, becoming a mahout elephant care-taker, diving with whale sharks, or sharing sugar cubes with wild baboons!

Born and raised in Alaska, Bridgette developed a love for the outdoors at an early age. When she’s not working, you can find her hiking, biking, running, playing music, practicing yoga, gardening or cooking delicious food. During the spring and fall she works as an environmental educator for the BLM. Bridgette has a B.S. in Environmental Studies Biology and a B.A. in Spanish. She also completed an 8-month course in herbal medicine at the California School of Herbal Studies and loves to share her knowledge and skills as an herbalist. She also loves traveling and meeting interesting people. Bridgette lives in Ashland with her partner and two dogs.

Rebecca abandoned London and the UK years ago in search of wide open spaces and adventure. Her travels have taken her all over the Western US, Mexico and Central America. She makes her home with her honey, Jeff, in a dusty border town on the Texas-Mexico border where she guides river, hiking and mountain bike trips and works as an EMT. Rebecca thinks that she is the current butt darts champion of Texas.

Tessa has kayaked and rafted in Central and South America and all over the United States! She became hooked on whitewater when she was 13, during a family trip down the Main Salmon River in Idaho. She embraced the local river scene in Coloma, CA and then worked as Assistant Boater on the Rogue River when she was 18, before starting college at UCLA. Tessa’s nine years of experience have been spent guiding on the American River in California, the Middle Fork and the Main Salmon in Idaho where she enjoyed the adrenaline rush and challenge of the bigger water! She comes to us from Jackson, Wyoming, where she spent last winter skiing and working. The same things that originally drew her to guiding are the same things that make her job amazing today: meeting new people, getting out in the wild, cooking great food, breathing fresh air, playing music around a campfire, and constantly learning new things. For her, river trips combine all the best things in the world in to one amazing package!

Arden was drawn to Southern Oregon in 1985 to raft the Wild and Scenic Rogue. Having been running rivers in Montana and working winters as a back-country ski guide in Yellowstone Park, she realized this little corner of the country was ideal for continuing her career as a recreational specialist (her term) and raising a family. She was one of the first female guides in the area and claims a first raft descent on the Main Chute of Pit River Falls. She loves frolicking on water in all its forms ~frozen, falling and flowing. When she is not laughing at her own jokes she can be found teaching alpine and telemark skiing as well as snowboarding.

Rachel loves to be anywhere outside, and she loves helping people!  She grew up in West Linn, Oregon and loved to camp with her family in different campgrounds all over the Pacific Northwest. Her favorites are Three Creeks Lake (central Oregon), Fish Lake (Steens Mountains), Priest Lake (Idaho) and Swan Lake (northeastern Washington). She moved to Ashland in order to attend Southern Oregon University for an embarrassing amount of years, and was proud to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Geology for her trouble.  She also has a background in theatre arts and children’s theatre, making Ashland the perfect place to live and be surrounded by her different passions! Rachel has worked as a hydrologic technician; collecting field data in order to study the health of regional watersheds.  She hopes to be part of a generation who learn to find a comfortable balance between preserving wild places and harvesting resources sustainably at the same time. Her favorite adventure trip in the whole world was canoeing the Bowron Circuit in southern Canada with her Dad and her best friend when they were 16 years old.  She is excited to now be managing the office for Momentum, where she can perhaps help other people discover a trip that becomes their own favorite adventure!

Born to be outdoors and acclimatized to the tumultuous lifestyle of a river guide, Simon Saichek is a veteran of ten years of whitewater stretched throughout the Western US, Costa Rica and India. He is an adventurous boater, whether it’s pioneering new stretches of whitewater or enhancing the experience on more familiar rivers by running them on his inflatable crocodile. When not floating a river Simon can be found climbing, biking, cooking, juggling and doing yoga. He’s an avid amateur historian and philosopher and has a passion for exploration both in the world of the mind and in the world at large. He currently lives in Ashland where he gleefully bike commutes everywhere.

Join professional photographer Jared Cruce for a visual journey down the Rogue River - one of America’s truly wild and scenic rivers. This trip will provide a supportive and educational environment to practice and improve photography skills while capturing the dramatic light, fall colors, wildlife and scenery of the Rogue.

3-Day Lodge Trip September 16th , 2011 - $955
Guest Photographer: Jared Cruce
Call or Book Online Here
Read more about lodge trips here.

Jared will provide group and one-on-one instruction on digital capture, workflow, travel and adventure topics that are relevant for beginner to advanced photographers. Each evening we will review the current days work and discuss techniques. Students will have ample opportunity to ask questions, learn and apply new concepts that are relevant to their style and photographic goals. A personal portfolio review is optional.

All are welcome on this trip regardless of your photographic passion or experience. For those with photographic intentions a digital slr camera and media is required**. Film,Medium /Medium format cameras are welcome but discussions and techniques will emphasize digital capture. A complete list will be sent with confirmation

About Jared:

Jared Cruce is an Ashland, Oregon based commercial and editorial photographer. He is one of a select group of sponsored Lowepro photographers, an alumnus of the Eddie Adams Workshop and an Explorers Club member. He has an amazingly diverse photographic palate that covers, landscape, travel, action, and portraiture. His images have been commissioned and published by companies and magazines such as New Balance, Massif Mountain Gear, Yala, Camera Arts Magazine, Trail Runner Magazine, Oregon Travel and the Energy Trust of Oregon. He is an avid kayaker and rafter and has boated and photographed a multitude of the west’s rivers as well as photographed in over 17 countries worldwide. Jared’s Photography Work can be seen here: www.JaredCruce.com - Oregon Professional Photographer.

Call if you have any questions, it is an amazing time for rafting on the Rogue!

Day one on the Middle Owyhee

Hello!
How are you? I hope everyone is having an amazing winter. We are getting hammered with snow and the long-term forecasts look very promising - we should have a long season on our spring rivers like the Cal Salmon, Illinois, and Owyhee. It is going to be an unbelievable spring!

We have had a busy winter and have once again added some new trips – you can read about our new Fall Fishing trips below. We also spent a lot of time collecting and organizing our photos and have some amazing new trip slide shows. For most of the trips below I am going to let the pictures do the talking (there is also a link to a slide show for many of the trips) – think of this newsletter as the “Coffee Table Book” of email newsletters:).

As always I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews on sites like Yelp and Trip Advisor (there is also a new Google one called “Hot Pot”)! Online reviews are changing the way people shop for trips, allow us to focus on trip quality rather than a ton of marketing, and most importantly make traveling easier and more enjoyable for all of us! Thank You!

Bookings for all our spring trips are already coming in and summer trips on the Rogue are filling up - if you are interested or have questions give us a call or an email! We hope to see you in the spring and summer!

Kind Regards,

Pete and the staff of
Momentum River Expeditions

“Wild rivers are earth’s renegades, defying gravity, dancing to their own tunes, resisting the authority of humans, always chipping away, and eventually always winning..”
Richard Bangs, River Gods

Airplane Turn on the Cal Salmon

The California Salmon 3 day / 3 night - Class V
Every spring starts with this one. The Salmon is one of the most spectacular rafting trips in the country; it is world-class whitewater in our back yard. The canyon is spectacular and the rapids are amazing; it’s a magical place. 3-day options include a day on the rarely run class V Scott River or the amazing Clear Creek. This makes the trip one of the premier class V adventures in the country!
The Salmon season is short and the prime dates always fill so give us a call or email if you are interested.

There is more Cal Salmon info at the California Salmon Rafting Page.

And check out our new Cal Salmon slideshow.

Klondike Creek Camp

The Illinois 4-Day – Class 4+ (V)
One of the great wilderness river journeys in the country - some say the best. Few rivers can match its combination of extreme isolation, solitude, beauty, and whitewater. Trips are kept very small with a 2 or 3 to one guest to guide ratio and the season can be very short (April – early May).
This a one of our most sought after spring trips and we can only take 24 people a year - call or email if you have any questions.

There is more Illinois info at the Illinois Rafting Page.

Check out our new Illinois River Slideshow.

The Lower Owyhee

The Lower Owyhee 5-day – Class 3
The Lower Owyhee has been compared to Zion, Bryce, and Grand Canyon National Parks but in the end it probably defies direct comparisons. The river is a land of hot springs and hoodoos, of towing bluffs, and windswept plateaus, of jaw dropping beauty and awe inspiring loneliness. It is extremely remote, bizarrely beautiful, unpredictable, sometimes haunting, very wild, and rarely seen. It’s fun mild rapids make it a great option for a wide range of people.
We have trips scheduled in April and May.

There is more Lower Owyhee info at the Owyhee River Rafting Page.

Yes, another slideshow! Check out Lower Owyhee Flickr Slideshow.

The Middle Owyhee

The Middle Owyhee 4-day – Class 4+
This is one of the most exotic and rarely run river trips in the country - A journey to one of the most remote lands in the lower 48. It combines dramatic dark sheer canyon walls, big rapids, and it is even more remote then the Lower. While there is only one class V rapid the remoteness makes it a true expedition. One of our trips was featured on OPB’s Oregon Field Guide.
This river trip is a true wilderness experience and the snowpack is perfect for it this year!

There is more info on our Middle Owyhee River page.

Check out photos on our Middle Owyhee Flickr Slideshow.

Also Check out Oregon Field Guides episode on the Middle Owyhee.

Clear Creek

Clear Creek Inflatable Kayaking Trip 3-Day – Class 4
This is a trip that we probably do not talk about enough. Clear Creek is like no other stretch of river in the country and this is one of the most unique trips we offer. We start our trip on a spectacularly beautiful, remote, and extremely rarely run tributary of the Klamath - it is very narrow with high canyon walls and the water is as clear and clean as its name implies. It is truly a magical place that you have to see to believe.
Clear Creek has a short season from late May to early June.

More info about our Clear Creek trips.

Even if you are not interested in the trip the photos are spectacular!

Stair Creek Falls on the Rogue

Rogue River 3 To 4-Day Wilderness Trip
An iconic American classic, a wilderness playground. One of the world’s great summer wilderness trips complete with remote riverside lodges. The rapids and the choice of craft make the Rogue almost unmatched in its ability to satisfy a wide range of tastes and skill levels.
We generally don’t feature summer trips in our winter newsletter, but the Rogue is extremely regulated and there is limited space - most of our trips will have only 10 to 12 people and many are already full. Check it out this summer!

There is more info at the Rogue River Page.

And a slide show.

We also have an amazing specialty trip on the Rogue this year that we are particularly excited about! We have been extremely excited about the local farm movement and we have finally been able to truly combine it with a river trip. We are so excited about this trip!

Rogue River Farm to Fork 4-DayJoin Farm to Fork and Momentum River Expeditions on a 4-Day Farm to Fork Rafting Trip on Oregon’s Wild and Scenic Rogue River. Combine the world famous Rogue River with artisan meals straight from the Southern Oregon farms and support the local farming movement!

Farm to Fork Events, is a traveling farm-to-table restaurant, local food fundraiser, and community celebration rolled into one. Farm to Fork Events are designed to reconnect people to the source of their food, and to honor the talented farmers, food artisans, winemakers, and chefs that contribute to the growing culinary reputations and local food communities of Southern Oregon. They began in 2010 to rave reviews, a very excited local community, and ending up selling out every dinner. We are very excited to work with them!

This trip is already getting full and once again we are so excited for it!

Read more about the trip here.

Check out Farm to Fork Events.

Fall Fishing Trips (new)

Drift Boats on the Rogue

Fall fishing on Oregon’s Rogue River
Our newest trips! We have been working on these trips (and running them) for over a year now and we are very excited! The Rogue River offers the mix of a world-class wilderness canyon, whitewater, old west history, wilderness lodging, and fall Steelhead Fishing. The river is an iconic American classic, one of the world’s great wilderness trips, and a founding member of the National Wild and Scenic River System, We offer two trips styles; one that is great for all levels of fishing ability, including first timers; and one that is geared towards the more avid fly fisherman.
The trips are offered September through mid November.

Check out our new Rogue Fishing Website,

And of course our fishing slide show!

Custom, Group, and Private Rafting trips


Clear Creek

Custom, Group, and Private Rafting trips
You choose the river… You choose your companions… And we make it happen!We love putting together custom trips on our regularly run rivers, on rarely rafted rivers, and on combinations of rivers - it is our passion.
Now is the time for the best choice of dates and options.
For some rivers a launch date needs to be completely free of other reservations to be available for a private group of friends or family.Give us a call or email!

“The river called. The call is the thundering rumble of distant rapids, the intimate roar of white water . . . a primeval summons to primordial values. “
John Craighead, Naturalist Magazine

Southern Oregon’s Troon Vinyard will supply wine for our Farm to Fork 4-day Rogue River trip and owner Chris Martin will be along to introduce the wines and answer questions. There wines have won a ton of awards and they follow organic principles and aspire to a closed loop, sustainable farming environment. No herbicides or pesticides are used, and all tending of the vines is done by hand. They are also the producers of “River Guide Red” and “River Guide White” and are dedicated to the pursuit of “good times and fine wines.” We can’t think of a better paring for this trip!

For more info or to sign up:
http://blog.momentumriverexpeditions.com/2010/11/12/rogue-river-farm-to-fork-4-day-rafting-trip/

A unique and amazing way to experience the world famous Rogue River, do a multi-day wilderness run without all the gear or planning, and train for something bigger. We are very excited about this trip!

3 - Days May 20^th - 22^nd
Price - $725
Running Guides: Leland Fulton, Erik Skaggs, and Jenn Shelton of Rogue Valley Runners
Who is this trip for? Trail runners capable of running 20 to 26 miles per day / Runners training for the Western States 100. If you have any questions about your ability to do this trip please call or email and we will get you in contact with Leland.

Call 541 488 2525 or
Book Online Here

Join runners Leland Fulton, Erik Skaggs, and Jenn Shelton of Rogue Valley Runners and Momentum River Expeditions on a 3-Day Adventure Run along Oregon’s Wild and Scenic Rogue River. Combine the world famous Rogue River Trail with plush raft supported river side camping and gourmet meals.

The Rogue River is an iconic American classic; one of the world’s great wilderness rivers, a founding member of the National Wild and Scenic River System, and a river with such a grand reputation that in some circles it is simply known as “the Canyon”. The Rogue River National Recreation Trail from Grave Creek to Foster Bar cuts through the heart of the canyon and offers stunning views of the river and unique access to a wilderness playground that is home to a staggering amount of wildlife.

Runners will be guided by Leland, Erik, and Jen and each day will range from relatively flat 20 mile runs to challenging 20+ mile runs with large elevation gains. This is a raft supported trip and runners do not need to carry anything except for water and snacks (all personal overnight clothing will be transported by raft). Each afternoon we will arrive at a fully set-up and very comfortable wilderness river side camp where you can hang out in the river, play beach games, or just relax and take it all in. Appetizers and diner will be served under the stars followed by an evening around the campfire and a good nights sleep.

This trip is a unique and amazing way to experience the world famous Rogue River, do a multi-day wilderness run without all the gear or planning, and train for something bigger. We are very excited about this trip!

The trip includes:

• Raft support for food, gear, and personal items
• All camping gear (including ultra-comfortable 3″ sleeping pads).
• Return transportation back to Galice, Oregon. Transportation can also be arranged from Ashland, Oregon.
• All meals and snacks beginning with lunch on day one and ending with lunch on day 4, including gourmet 3 course meals featuring local and organic produce & products. Find out more
• World-Class river guides with a minimum of 8 years experience leading trips around the globe.  Find out more
• Expert running guides with a unique knowledge of the area and the world of long distance running.
• An adventure run down one of the world’s great wilderness river corridors!

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1:

Our trip starts near Grants Pass, Oregon at the Galice Resort, located along the banks of the Rogue River. Here we will help you pack your dry bags and get any last minute “must haves” at the resort. We then head to the river and the trail head, meet the crew, and do a thorough orientation talk. After loading our gear into the boats we will begin our run. For three days we will run along the Rogue as it cuts through the remote and wild Siskiyou Mountain Range. The canyon is home to abundant wildlife including bear, river otter, dear, bald eagles, and osprey. The first day is roughly 20 miles and for the most part closely follows the river. It includes Rainy Falls, the historic Whiskey Creek minor’s cabin, Windy and Kelsey Creek Canyons, some beautiful side creeks with great swimming options, and Zane Grays Cabin. Each night we will camp along the river on sandy beaches or grassy flats.  The first afternoon we will have a “camp talk” and go over everything you need to know about our comfortable wilderness camping.  Afternoons can be spent swimming, playing bocce ball, or just relaxing. In the evening we will enjoy our first dinner and a night under the stars.

Day 2:
After a hearty breakfast and plenty of time for a second cup of coffee we will head down the trail. Day 2 is up to 26 miles depending on how far people go. We leave the immediate canyon and head up the spectacular Mule Creek Trail and, depending on runners’ preferences, go all the way to Hanging Rock on the north end of Panther Ridge Trail. We then retrace our route back to the river (allowing for runners to customize their day). After another big dinner (we are well known and proud of our meals!) we will get a good night’s sleep in preparation for a big day three.

Day 3:
Day 3 is roughly 20 miles depending on what runners decide to do. We head into the narrow and spectacular Mule Creek Canyon.  Mule Creek Canyon is one of the most unique canyons in the world, and for many it is the highlight of the trip. The infamous and feared Blossom Bar rapid follows.  Blossom Bar was dynamited in the early 1900’s to allow boats passage. After Blossom is the beautiful Huggins canyon, a side run up to a canyon overlook, and eventually the end of the trip and transportation back to Galice or Ashland.

Note: This area is a stunning river running playground with tons of options. We keep our itinerary somewhat flexible to accommodate trail conditions, weather, and our guests.

For More Information:

- Read More about Momentum River Expeditions: http://www.momentumriverexpeditions.com/welcome/

- Read more about Rogue River Rafting: http://www.momentumriverexpeditions.com/rogue-river/

There will only be 15 spaces available so:
Call 541 488 2525 or
Book Online Here

Testimonials:

“Unrivaled as a Commercial Rafting Company - Pete Wallstrom, the owner of Momentum River Expeditions, puts his years of experience and expertise into the management of what just might be the best commercial rafting company in North America. The trips are spectacular beyond description, the guides are the best of the best, the food is incomparable, and the customers are treated like royalty.” Read more>>

We are not sure, but a river trip is pretty cool!
And it is a very unique gift for the adventurous, for those that like to take vacations, and for those that really need to take vacations. It is also a great way to invite someone on a trip with you!

Types of Gift Certificates:
1. You can give one for a specific dollar amount (kind of like “Momentum Bucks”).
2. You can give one for a specific river (and the recipient can choose the date).
3. Or you give one for a specific trip and date.

The recipients will receive the gift certificate, a Momentum brochure, and if it is for a river or specific trip a sample confirmation pack with trip information, packing list, etc.

Right now we are giving 10% off for any Gift Certificate ordered by December 3^rd.

To order Give us a call (541-488-2525) or send an email to info@momentumriverexpeditions.com with:

- Your name
- Your phone number
- The recipients name
- The amount or trip
- Where you want it sent to (you or the recipient) and the address.
We will then send you an invoice and get your gift mailed out!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines…. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– Mark Twain

A unique and amazing way to experience the world famous Rogue River, experience remarkable artisan meals featuring food and wine from the Southern Oregon region, and support local farming.

4 - Days June 20^th - 23^rd
Price - $1095 (25% goes to Farm to Fork, local farms, and Friends of Family Farmers)
Guest Chef: Matthew Domingo - Farm to Fork Event Director and Chef
Who is this trip for? Anyone who loves the wilderness, amazing food, and the local small farm movement! The rapids are from Class III to IV-. There are boat options for everyone from 7 to 80+ to years old. No experience is necessary.

Call 541 488 2525 or
Book Online Here

Join Farm to Fork and Momentum River Expeditions on a 4-Day Farm to Fork Rafting Trip on Oregon’s Wild and Scenic Rogue River. Combine the world famous Rogue River with artisan meals straight from the Southern Oregon farms and support the local farming movement! We are so excited about this trip!

The Rogue River is an iconic American classic; one of the world’s great summer wilderness trips, a founding member of the National Wild and Scenic River System, and a river with such a grand reputation that in some circles it is simply known as “the Canyon”. It flows through an area rich with pioneer history and lore - some of it surviving to this day. The canyon itself is a stunning wilderness playground that is home to a staggering amount of wildlife and abundant whitewater.

Farm to Fork Events, is a traveling farm-to-table restaurant, local food fundraiser, and community celebration rolled into one. Farm to Fork Events are designed to reconnect people to the source of their food, and to honor the talented farmers, food artisans, winemakers, and chefs that contribute to the growing culinary reputations and local food communities of Southern Oregon. They began in 2010 to rave reviews, a very excited local community, and ending up selling out every dinner. We are very excited to work with them!

Mathew Domingo, Farm to Fork Event Director & Chef, will host the trip along with a local farmer. Each evening we will float to our river side camp and enjoy three course dinners paired with local wine. The dinners will be served under the stars in our “wilderness dining room”. Each dinner is inspired by the local harvest and will feature local meats and produce.

Southern Oregon’s Troon Vinyard will supply wine for the trip and owner Chris Martin will be along to introduce the wines and answer questions. There wines have won a ton of awards and they follow organic principles and aspire to a closed loop, sustainable farming environment. No herbicides or pesticides are used, and all tending of the vines is done by hand. They are also the producers of “River Guide Red” and “River Guide White” and are dedicated to the pursuit of “good times and fine wines.” We can’t think of a better paring for this trip!

25% of the proceeds will go towards Local Farms (we will buy directly from them), Farm to Fork, and Friends of Family Farmers.

The trip includes:
• All river equipment.
• All camping gear (including ultra-comfortable 3″ sleeping pads).
• Return transportation back to Galice, Oregon. Transportation can also be arranged from Ashland, Oregon.
• All meals beginning with lunch on day one and ending with lunch on day 4, including gourmet 3-course “Farm to Fork” dinners prepared by Chef Mathew Domingo.
• Wine pairings from Southern Oregon’s award winning Troon Vinyard and introduced by owner Chris Martin.
• World-Class guides with a minimum of 8 years experience leading trips around the globe.  Find out more >>
• A trip down one of the world’s great summer wilderness rivers combined with artisan meals straight from Southern Oregon farms.

This trip is a unique and amazing way to experience the world famous Rogue River, experience remarkable artisan meals featuring food and wine from the Southern Oregon region, and support local farming.

There will only be 21 spaces available so:
Call 541 488 2525 or
Book Online Here

More Information about Farm to Fork and Momentum:
- Read more about Farm to Fork: http://farmtoforkevents.com/
- Read More about Momentum River Expeditions: http://www.momentumriverexpeditions.com/welcome/
- Read more about Rogue River Rafting: http://www.momentumriverexpeditions.com/rogue-river/

Find out about the Local Farms and Companies who’s food will be featured:
- Troon Vinyard: Troon Vineyard will be providing award winning wines from Southern Oregon.  Troon is known for its love of ‘good times & fine wines’ and Chris Martin, the winery owner, will be on the trip to share the wine and stories of previous owner, Dick Troons,  long love affair with the Rogue River (they have a “River Guide Red” and “River Guide White” - Perfect!). They also follow organic principles and aspire to a closed loop, sustainable farming environment. No herbicides or pesticides are used, and all tending of the vines is done by hand.
- More Coming soon…. Mathew is working on the menu as we speak!

Find out more about Friends of Family Farmers:
- Friends of Family Farmers: http://farmtoforkevents.com/causes/friends-of-family-farmers/

Testimonials

Farm To Fork Events:
“From the red wine braised beef amuse bouche to the rhubarb compote coupled with French press Ethiopian coffee, the evening was a delightful success blending fine food, wine, and company into a setting that allowed for education around sustainable living and fostering a stronger sense of community in the Rogue Valley.” Read more>>

Momentum River Expeditions:
“Unrivaled as a Commercial Rafting Company - Pete Wallstrom, the owner of Momentum River Expeditions, puts his years of experience and expertise into the management of what just might be the best commercial rafting company in North America. The trips are spectacular beyond description, the guides are the best of the best, the food is incomparable, and the customers are treated like royalty.” Read more>>

There is a short window to protect the Rogue river and you can help!

Click here to ask your representatives to pass the Wild Rogue Legislation in this congress!

The “Save the Wild Rogue” campaign is so close to working. The proposed protections have broad community support. Earlier this year, in an historic agreement, the main timber industry lobby group agreed to drop their opposition to protecting this 58,000-acre Wilderness.

However, the elections are over and if Oregon’s elected leaders in Congress don’t take action in the next two months, all of the progress to safeguard these special places may be lost for years to come.

The Wild Rogue Wilderness proposal would safeguard the salmon bearing streams and forested slopes in Oregon’s second highest producing salmon watershed. Once again, these proposed protections have broad community support. Earlier this year, in an historic agreement, the main timber industry lobby group agreed to drop their opposition to protecting this 58,000-acre Wilderness.

Don’t let the Wild Rogue get lost in the Congressional wilderness! Click here to contact your member of Congress today and tell them to protect the Wild Rogue before the year is out.

Read more about the campaign below:

The Lower Rogue River

Save the Wild Rogue:
The Rogue is one of America’s most famous wilderness rivers. A coalition of local and national outdoor industry businesses, rafting and angling companies and conservationists launched a campaign in 2007 to strengthen protections for the Lower Rogue River. The “Save the Wild Rogue” campaign proposes to protect the tributaries of the Zane Grey Roadless Area. For those who have been on the river these tributaries are the beautiful, cool, side streams that we stop at to hang out by and swim in. In June 2009, bills were introduced in the U.S. House and Senate to add 143 miles of Rogue tributaries to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. This legislation would safeguard tributaries that provide important cold water to the Rogue River and valuable fish habitat for salmon that migrate upstream from the Pacific.

Recent economic studies by ECONorthwest found that, in 2007, recreation on the river provided $30 million in economic benefits to the state of Oregon through fishing, rafting and hiking. In total, the studies determined that Rogue River salmon runs provide more than $1.5 billion in economic benefits to West Coast Residents each year, including the ‘non-use value’ of these fish. This is essentially the monetary value people place on the existence of a natural resource, the ability to pass it on to future generations, and the option to use it in the future.

The “Save the Wild Rogue” campaign is so close to working. A compromise was made with the timber industry to use a wilderness designation as opposed to a Wild and Scenic designation.  It is a little confusing – the wilderness designation offers even better protection, but it is a precedence issue for the timber industry. Now, there is no organized opposition to the proposed legislation to expand the Wild Rogue Wilderness – this includes the American Forest Resource Council; a timber industry coalition who’s president said “It’s something that makes sense — we won’t oppose this,” It is another win-win situation and the only thing keeping it from happening is that Congress has yet to introduce the legislation.

Check out www.savethewildrogue.org for more info.
Once again this is something where there is no local organized opposition – we are just waiting on Congress – a little push from all of us might be all it takes!

This Saturday we celebrated the removal of Gold Ray Dam on the Rogue River with a “Victory Float” organized by Rogue River Keepers. It was a foggy and cool but beautiful fall day – the perfect weather to see the many spawning salmon!

The stretch of river above what was the reservoir is absolutely beautiful. Lots of gravel bars for the spawning Salmon, fall colors, and vistas of Table Rock and the Siskiyous – definitely a hidden gem. The newly freed stretch of river that was once under the backwaters shows the scars and debris of many years under water. However the river, along with help from restoration projects , is already re-establishing itself and beginning to clean up the area. A little winter flooding will help a ton and by next year the banks should be green and alive! It was a really unique experience to see a stretch of river that only a month ago was buried under a reservoir.

There was also a clean-up effort going on the same day and we got to help out on some of the lower stretches.

It was amazing to see a happier, freer flowing Rogue! Look for a new one day trip combining this section with the Nugget section coming soon!

Check out a bunch of photos on the Momentum Face Book Page.

To all who joined us this year - Thank You!
I want to thank you all for not only a great season but for something far more important. One of the things we are proud of here is having extremely experienced and friendly guides that come back year after year. Well, it turns out that one of the biggest reasons for this is all of you! You may not realize it, but your personalities, interests, amazing life stories, and choices are shaping Momentum. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard “I love working here because the guests are so cool”.
So, with your continued support, wonderful personalities, and adventurous spirits we will continue to keep and attract the best guides in the business. We will continue to reshape the way river travel is run and to work towards setting the standard in trip quality and environmental responsibility.  And we will continue to run rivers and add adventures that are the best in their class and that are off the beaten path.  Beginning and growing Momentum has been full of surprises, but the huge effect of so many good people joining us on trips has been, by far, the best and biggest surprise!

Once again thank you all so much!

Below are some of our favorite testimonials from the 2010 Year.

Kind Regards,
Pete and the Staff of Momentum River Expeditions

Highlights from our 2010 Testimonials:

Many thanks!
‘Dear Pete, Robyn, Jason and Chad, I can only echo Nancy’s comments. Many, many thanks for such a tremendous trip. We enjoyed ourselves immensely, and we bring back wonderful memories. The commitment and heart that you brought was fabulous - and shined in every aspect of the trip. You always went the extra mile and anticipated what we would need or want to do long before we knew ourselves. Congratulations on building an organization that brings such joy, fun and laughter to its clients, while executing with the highest professionalism and standards. It is quite an achievement. We’ll check out the photos on Facebook - thanks! Also, Nancy and I were talking about trying to get a recommendation up on Yelp…either we’ll figure it out or we’ll have one of the kids do it! Momentum deserves the highest kudos! I hope you have a great rest of the season. If any of you are in the Bay Area, please let us know. We’d love to see you and can even provide beds! Cheers and hugs to all, Ann ‘

Highly recommended!
‘Pete, I will highly recommend you to anyone that I know is interested in running rivers in your area. I have been down many rivers, with many companies, and I am truly impressed by you and the group that you have assembled. I take great pride in what I do, and always appreciate people who do things the right way. I look forward to seeing you again on another river. Best wishes for a successful season. Kim ‘

The best guided trip I have ever been on!
‘Dear Pete, First of all I have to say that the trip we went on was the absolute best guided trip I have ever been on! Every aspect of the situation was perfect and we (and i have talked to every person on the trip) could not agree more about how amazing it truly was. Aside from the stunning beauty of the State of Jefferson (which Erik and Adam so informatively explained was where we were), the organization of the trip and the guides were absolutely perfect. We could not have asked for better people than Erik, Adam and Neil. They were friendly, knowledgeable, AMAZING chefs, nice guys, and truly handled themselves professionally. Even though the rivers weren’t exactly co-operating with us, we had the most amazing time. Having done some minor guiding (and I mean Class II-III simple canoe trips on the Potomac river, so not close to the stuff you guys do) I can tell you that the way Erik handled the decision to abort the Scott was completely professional. I can say with confidence that if your guides were jerks or not as friendly and cool as the ones we had, that decision could have easily made the group upset. But, we trusted them and I am sure it was the right choice. Even though we all know we could’ve done it no problems!!! Just kidding… I am not an elegant writer, but if I were, I would put into more beautiful words how much I enjoyed this trip. Personally it was exactly what I needed during a difficult time in my life. I came to Oregon with many heavy thoughts on my mind and left with a feeling of peace and understanding. I know that the mountains, rivers and nature’s beauty have always worked wonders for me, but I do not think it would’ve gone so well if I hadn’t had such a worry free experience thanks to you all. I truly hope that I will be able to join another trip with you guys on some of the amazing rivers you frequent. And, I will surely be requesting Erik, Adam and Neil again if it comes together another time. Also, I want to be sure that you received all the money you needed to. I checked my bank statement and I think I only saw one charge on there for me? Please let me know if I owe some more. I think this helps prove how satisfied I am with that trip. How many people would write asking to pay more money after the fact??? Anyways, again, the food, the experience, the people, the place… everything was great. I truly appreciate you all being flexible with the situation, from rivers floods to people backing out. Please extend my deepest gratitude to the guides again for such and awesome trip. I will forever speak highly of your company and promote it the best I can! Take care and I hope to see you again sometime, Eric Suissa ‘

Best vacation ever!
‘Dear Pete, Mike and Anthony, First of all, I want to thank you all very much for the amazing trip! Please pretend that this email came the day after the trip, but since we spent the rest of the week in the middle of nowhere in California, we had no computer access. So, that gave me a week to think out what I want to write. Every day after the trip, we only talked about our fun adventures and our amazing guides. We really enjoyed your company, and your fun sense of humor. We still laugh when we retell the funny experiences that happened to us. I truly feel that we are a more coordinated octopus family now… We also learned a very important word from you that has turned to be a regular word in our family’s vocabulary: Sweet! It is such a fun and cute word, that I now use that expression regularly. Maybe I will successfully manage to bring old Oregon slang back to Israel. Of course you could try to bring the Israeli “Sababa” to Oregon too… Speaking about Israel, we really meant you should come and visit. My family and I already talked about all the places you would enjoy to see, and things to do. Our house always have different people coming and going, and we would love for you to be one of them too. You should bring Robin along too… There are so many beautiful sights there, that it is worth a trip over! I can’t believe I almost forgot this one last thing! I was thinking about it all week… At the end of the trip I forgot to give you the bear forms. Where would you like me to send it? To your office, or to the address that is written on the form? I really enjoyed seeing the bears, and the cubs. My whole family thought it was really neat, even though we must’ve asked you so many worried questions about the bears coming to eat us. We will always remember the trip and remember you. (How can I possibly forget?!) So you won’t forget us too, here is the group picture we took all together. It is

Best expedition I’ve been on!
‘Thank you. It was by far the best expedition I’ve been on. Hope to get back up here next spring for some more fun. Thanks again. Andrew ‘

Outstanding
‘Pete, We had the 2 day trip this past Friday and Sat. Just wanted to thank you so much for the service that we received. I know everyone had a great time and your guides were outstanding. I personally had Kelly as my guide and he was great! He hands down was the best guide that I had ever had and I had been whitewater rafting many times! Again, the service that you provided was outstanding and I appreciate everything that your company did and stands for. Thanks again for everything and we will talk to you soon. God Bless. Kevin

Our experience was superlative
‘Hello Pete, Thank you to the whole of Momentum for organizing a splendid river adventure. My son, husband and I returned Sunday from the Rogue Wilderness Lodge trip and it was the highlight of our summer. My son is turning 15 this fall and is athletic and adventurous by nature but had no idea how much fun and challenge he was going to have. He smiled the entire trip, as did Phillip and I. The beauty of the Rogue and the Siskiyou Mountains was a feast for the senses. We saw animal life that we’d hoped to see (bear, mink, fox, otters, orange crayfish, water turtles, bald eagles, osprey) that we just don’t have in Palo Alto, California. The white water was terrific for beginners (quickly turned intermediates) and provided extended excitement and challenge for Phillip and Chris particularly when they learned to surf. Once they slipped into the inflatable’s (first day) they never returned to the raft. The lodges were the perfect choice for us, and we loved both of them for different reasons. If a person can’t love Paradise, then life really is hopeless. The lodge was beautiful and spacious itself but it wasn’t just the comfortable accommodations that made it special - the entire property cradled us in it’s serene and natural beauty and provided a dreamy ending to a dreamy day. Let me gush about your guides for a moment. Alan led the trip and Mike guided our supply boat. They are two of the most wonderful mentors we could have hoped to lead us on the river. Alan’s knowledge is deep and wide; his demeanor matched the serenity of the surroundings which caused us to pay attention to both the wilderness history and the rules he imparted while on his boat. He was not just a guide, he was a wonderful teacher and successfully shared his palpable love of this stretch of the Rogue. I’d even go so far as to say he possessed a little magic about him: twice he got us on hikes up tributaries that ended in these river pools the likes of which you see in National Geographic, and he did so just before other bigger groups arrived. We came upon these pools as if we were the only humans in the region which added a special “just for you” quality to the hikes. Mike could not have been more delightful. He too was profoundly knowledgeable. His ease, grace, humor, and willingness to share his love of rafting captured our imaginations for hours. Chris decided he looked like the movie character, Wolverine, and he was given this moniker for our trip. Your care and attention to our meals was evident and greatly appreciated. Your thoughtful approach to reducing our impact on the wilderness is deeply appreciated and respected. It’s better than nice knowing we may have had little negative impact on the river. Your drivers at the take out were courteous and again, engaging. Oh yes, I realize you cannot predict what groups will get along when paired together for three days - sometimes it works and sometimes not. Well, we loved the Seymour family and all eight of us got on beautifully which of course added to the expansive joy experienced by all. From my initial contact with your company throughout our time with you, my/our experience was superlative. We have been and will continue telling everyone we come into contact with what a special encounter we had and to investigate Momentum. Thank you so very much. fondly, rpm ‘

Fantastic trip down the Klamath
‘Pete, I want to express my thanks for a fantastic trip down the Klamath this last weekend. You and your team truly delivered a first class experience, from the knowledge and skills of the guides, to the food, and the orchestration of the entire event. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! You’ll be seeing us again. All the best, Max Darnell ‘

Did we like the trip……? YES!!!!
‘Adam, Mara, Mike, and Pete, We are home at last from our trip through Eastern Oregon, and have had a lot of time to reflect on the Owyhee trip. We want you to know that the most outstanding aspect of you three was your professionalism as river guides and as group leaders. From the cold, snowy first day, to the take-out along-side the “gang from Caldwell”, you always exhibited the demeanor of people who understand how to deal with difficulty with a successful outcome for all. You were able to blend knowing just- what- needed -to -happen with a smile and some light-hearted banter. We had complete trust in your skills and abilities which built during the experiences of the trip (including pulling me and my hat from the river). On the lighter side, you were awfully nice, interesting, and funny (especially Mike) and tolerated our middle aged/old age conversations and questions without a hint of boredom. Thanks for humoring us. You made us feel like we were a “special group” and in some way unique (which we really weren’t). For Jim and me, you pointed out super camp-sites and engaged us in interesting conversations. Each of you gave us a picture of your background that we found very interesting (since our kids are in their late 20’s). You also displayed a depth of knowledge about the geographic area, geology, knew the flora, fauna, history, and environmental concerns, which in our case, was a big part of the trip. It was nice to share the experience with people who were even more impressed by it that we were. We learned a lot from each of you. You were more than safe guides, you were also resources for a lot of information. AND you are great cooks. The meals were better than home. The care the company takes with the environment, from the carbon off-sets, to the local/organic food, and then compost/waste handling topped off our experience. We are pretty conscientious at home, and so were impressed as well as pleased that you can run an operation with glamour AND keep the “footprint” somewhat smaller. We appreciated the good equipment too…especially those thick pads. So, did we like the trip? YES. We have some friends that we think might also enjoy it, and can’t wait to show them our pictures. Maybe we’ll try Clear Creek, or the Klamath next year. Good luck with your summer, and fall plans, and with the whole enterprise. Caroline and Jim Hickson p.s.: If you have any “snow photos” to share, would you send them along? I’d only have pictures of the first dusting in Rome. It got pretty thick there on the river. Thanks. ‘

Cal-Salmon
‘Hello lovely people! Jack and I loved our adventure and have already told folks your trips are a must, esp living in Ashland. I made the mistake of looking on Youtube at what can go wrong in Class V rapids, and was quite scared on the drive down, but not once - not even one time did I feel scared in the water. We were having so much fun that I couldn’t stop laughing out loud every time we went through a rapid… all thanks to your guides’ emphasis on safety, their skill set and knowledge base. I have a tremendous amount of respect for all of you and your experience reading the water. Also, the food was dreamy; healthy, organic energy food made us all happy Thank you so much - we will be back! ‘

The Illinois
‘Pete, We appreciate you ordering the perfect weather for this Illi trip. It is a wonderful river that I would absolutely do again. We enjoyed your great skills as a group leader and guide. You run a top notch company and should take great pride in doing things the right way. I have been paddling for over 40 years and can honestly say that I would experience any river anywhere with you. We look forward to enjoying another river with you soon. Thank you for a great time on the Illi. Kim

Top 10 Rivers
‘The Scott ascended into the top 10 rivers that I have had the privilege of experiencing over the last 40 years. I certainly understand why it is one of your favorites. We believe that you are one of the most talented guides we have worked with, and would look forward to enjoying any river with you. We certainly do want to come back for the Cal Salmon soon. Thank you for a great run. Kim ‘

Unrivaled As A Commercial Rafting Company
‘Pete Wallstrom, the owner of Momentum River Expeditions, puts his years of experience and expertise into the management of what just might be the best commercial rafting company in North America. The trips are spectacular beyond description, the guides are the best of the best, the food is incomparable, and the customers are treated like royalty. I especially would like to recommend the Cal Salmon trip and the Illinois River trip. The Illinois is one of the most incredible canyons I have ever seen, let alone rafted on. The combination of lush flora, thundering rapids, and isolation make it nearly indescribable.’

You can read a ton more testimonials here>>

Thank you all so much!

The Gold Ray Dam on the Rogue River has been in the process of a historic removal since early summer.  On Wednesday August 11th, the coffer dam that was built to divert the river for dam removal was breached sending all of the Rogue River and the back waters of Kelly Slough downstream.  The river breached at about 11:30am and rose about 6 feet in a matter of minutes.  Muddy water, logs and debris were sent rapidly downstream, luckily without injury to rafters and anglers.  This is the first time that the Rogue has run freely through this section of river in the last 107 years!!!

Check out the local news story on the Mail Tribune website at http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100812/NEWS/8120318

and coverage on KDRV’s website at http://kdrv.com/news/local/184545