Via Oregon - May/June 2021 - 33

GREG VAUGHN

Today, the river is a sublimely peaceful place
where that magic hovers all around. On that first
morning we float past vast swaths of bluebunch
wheatgrass and under towering buttes capped
with volcanic rock carved over eons. The soil
here holds some 40 million years' worth of fossil
records that document how mammals evolved-
one of the longest continuous sequences in the
world. When westward pioneers had less than
100 miles to go on the Oregon Trail, they still had
to ford the John Day, not far from its mouth.
And then there are the fish, which are so plentiful they'll attack anything you throw at them.
" Even a shoelace wrapped in foil, " a friend once
joked. He wasn't wrong. Smallmouth bass prefer
the side channels and devour dry flies I toss near
the banks. Steelhead and salmon sniff out the
cooler currents. It is the last wild-only run of spring
Chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin.
" It's one of the last rivers we haven't tried to
tame, " says Erika Rubenson, a freshwater ecologist who once spent a couple of summers snorkeling the length of the river's North Fork to
study the fish. " It's incredibly diverse in terms
of flow and habitat. "
Rapids-wise, it is rather tame. Unlike the
Deschutes and the Rogue Rivers, the John Day
has very few rapids, though this is no Las Vegas
lazy river, either. We bounce through the first and
tackle the second with ease. I pull the boat away
from snags that could entrap us. It is a mostly
forgiving place, though, and for much of the time
the kids, who are all middle schoolers, navigate
the bends in inexpensive kayaks. " We like to say
the John Day is a great river trip for people who
think white water only gets in the way of a river
trip, " says Sykes.
For this trip, the river itself remains rather
engorged-it'll drop lower later in the summer-
and whisks us along about 18 miles by midafternoon. We tether the boats to some downed
logs on the shore and find a flat area on a forested
ledge over a gravel bar. We pitch our tents in the
loamy soil, string up hammocks to soak in views,
and watch a giant rattlesnake flee the site.
No one even blinks at
the
sight of the creature.
ABOVE RIGHT: A pull
The
four adults and
out spot offers views
three kids in our rafting
of Cathedral Rock
towering over the
group all have extensive
waterway.
outdoor experience, and
OPPOSITE PAGE: The
so we settle in over plates
river offers plentiful
of juicy fajitas and cold
opportunities to ﬁsh
beers. Kari Tyne, a medifor smallmouth bass.

If you go
River trips, like all outdoor adventures, are
not without significant
risk. For the most inexperienced or those
looking for assistance
along the way, it's best
to hire a guide. Several
rafting providers are
AAA Discounts and
Rewards partners. Visit
AAA.com/discounts.
Floating the John Day
River requires an overnight permit, and the
number of launches
is restricted each day.
Getting one is a very
competitive process.
Going with an outﬁtter
will leave that step to
them. Visit the Bureau
of Land Management
online for more information. blm.gov.
Outfitters will supply
you with most of the
major gear you need,
such as tents and
sleeping bags, as well
as a list of the personal

gear you should bring
(hat, sunscreen, warm
clothes, and so on).
One thing they'll insist
on is a good pair of
water shoes: Crocs
and flip-flops are big
no-nos. Many whitewater kayakers wear
Astrals for their grippy
soles and purposebuilt drain holes, while
Chaco sandals are by
far the most common
footwear for river
guides.
Rafting companies
were at the forefront of
establishing Covid-19
best practices when the
pandemic first arrived.
Boats are often large
enough to allow space
between guests and
the guide. Many outfitters are not allowing
mixed groups on the
same trip to further
reduce the risks. The
risk level in Oregon
continues to drop as
of press time.

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http://www.AAA.com/discounts http://www.blm.gov

Via Oregon - May/June 2021

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