Oregon's Rogue River Celebrates 40 Years of Protection

by Joy Henkle

"It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values, shall be preserved in free flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations." --Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

American attitudes toward wilderness underwent an important change over the course of the twentieth century. In the 1930s and 1940s, Aldo Leopold, Robert Marshall, and other well-known conservationists began to argue that not only were undeveloped areas of high ecological value, they were also of high social value since they provided an outlet for increasingly urbanized populations to renew their relationship with nature.

Aldo Leopold and Robert Marshall were born and died many years before the passage of the 1960s Wilderness Act but their influence on the formation of the Act's intent cannot be denied. Leopold is considered by many as the father of wildlife management and of the United State's wilderness system. He was a conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer and outdoor enthusiast. Robert Marshall, like, Leopold, was a visionary in the truest sense of the word. He set an unprecedented standard for wilderness preservation in the United States that few have surpassed. His ideas and dreams continue to be realized long after his death at the young age of 38 in 1939. He was the principal founder of The Wilderness Society and was among the first to suggest that large tracts of Alaska be preserved, shaped the U.S. Forest Services' policy on wilderness designation and management, and wrote passionately on all aspects of conservation and preservation.

These efforts to revalue wilderness' worth to society eventually lead to the formation of two important pieces of federal legislation passed in the 1960s. Both the 1964 Wilderness Act and the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act are premised on the idea that wild places are ecologically and socially valuable and therefore worthy of protection from unchecked development. Unlike the Wilderness Act, however, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act recognized that partially modified areas were also worthy of protection. It divided rivers and surrounding riparian lands into three categories--wild, scenic, and recreational--based on the degree of development.

Southwestern Oregon's Rogue River was one of eight rivers to be protected under the original 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. More than eighty-four miles from the mouth of the Applegate River downstream to the Lobster Creek Bridge are protected under the act, 33.6 miles of which are considered wild, 7.5 miles scenic, and 43.4 miles recreational. This incredible river's total flow is 215 miles from Crater Lake (the United State's deepest lake) to the Pacific Ocean.

Steelhead and salmon fisheries, challenging whitewater, and extraordinary wildlife viewing opportunities have made the Rogue a national treasure. Black bear, river otter, black-tail deer, bald eagles, osprey, Chinook salmon, great blue heron, water ouzel and Canada geese are common wildlife seen along the Rogue River. Popular activities include: white water rafting, fishing, and hiking.

The Wild section of the Rogue River is one of the most popular whitewater runs in the world. A steady water level due to dams upstream, hot sunny summer weather, and exciting whitewater rapids through lush forests and steep canyons heighten its popularity.

Due to its popularity, river managers have limited access to the Wild Section of the Rogue River in order to protect the river and the Wild Rogue Wilderness from overuse. Limiting the numbers of people on the river also enhances the Wilderness experience for floaters and hikers.

The last 40 years have afforded the Rogue River protection from development and misuse. The river today stands as a testament to the foresight of wilderness pioneers such as Marshall and Leopold and the legislation that was eventually crafted from their ideas and dreams. Marshall wrote just before his death, "To us the enjoyment of solitude, complete independence, and the beauty of undefiled panoramas is absolutely essential to happiness."

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Joy Henkle has spent two decades as an outdoor writer for magazines, websites and, more recently, blogs. Over much of the last decade, her travel expertise has been focused on Oregon's unique and diverse Rogue River region. Visit her at Whitewater Warehouse orWhitewater Rafting Blog.

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Oregon Rafting: The Whitewater Gourmet

by Joy Henckle

Generally, one does not equate whitewater rafting trips with excellent food. The fun of riding the rapids takes precedence over culinary taste treats. Typically, a rafting lunch consists of balancing a sandwich, bag of chips, and store-bought cookies on your lap as you teeter precariously on an uneven rock. And, more often than not, some of that lunch ends up as ant food on the sandy shoreline.

One Oregon whitewater rafting company has been quietly working over the last decade to change the way their customer's eat while on the river. To do that, the company began by buying fruits and produce in season from local farmers. The thought was that local farmers are wonderful resources. By dealing directly with these farmers, the company came into personal contact with the people who actually grew the foods their clients consumed. Clients started noticing a marked difference in the freshness and uniqueness of the food. Vine-ripened tomatoes, freshly-picked blueberries, juice-dripping peaches, were all often picked by local farmers just a day or two before clients enjoyed them riverside.

Bob Meister, president of Whitewater Warehouse, explains the company's passion for locally grown, in-season foods. "We find inspiration for our menus based on what the farmers tell us about local foods and their availability. As much as possible, we also grow our own produce from seed on our organic farm plots. But, when we can't grow our own, we look to local growers and producers. A perfect example of this is our local hazelnut farmer. Oregon is known for being one of the few regions in the world to grow these buttery nuts. It is such a treat to drive 15 minutes to the actual hazelnut farm, talk to the farmer, and purchase them for our clients."

Whitewater Warehouse, a company that runs multi-day rafting, kayaking, and hiking trips through southern Oregon's Rogue River canyon, has been a leader in "from the source" rafting cuisine. Besides the fresh fruits and vegetables, the company serves its clients delicacies such as smoked Oregon salmon, olive and black fig tapanade, and Northwest wines. Offering foods that highlight Oregon's incredible culinary bounty has been a calling card for the company. Clients come from all over the world to experience what few other outdoor-focused companies are doing.

Molly O'Hearn, a long time Whitewater Warehouse client and passionate food person says, "It is hard to describe the difference because this company is so unique when it comes to food. I am constantly amazed at the quality of the food that they put before us. Many of the items I can't even buy as fresh as they do. Their passion for providing a first-class culinary experience is unsurpassed. I don't know of any other rafting company that focuses so much on the quality of food that they offer their guests. I travel all over the world on business and eat at exotic locations. I have to say that the experience Whitewater Warehouse offers its clients is like no other I've experienced on my travels."

Purchasing "from the source" is getting a bit easier as producers become more marketing savvy. The Oregon Wine and Farm Tour sponsors a website of all-Oregon products. The site highlights large and small Oregon producers who are coming into their own on the national and international cuisine scene. The Southern Oregon Wineries Association is another organization devoted to showcasing southern Oregon's burgeoning wine industry. Michael Donovan, spokesman for the group, shares his thoughts. "Our area is really perfect for a large variety of grapes. We are gaining national exposure and attention due to the incredible geographic diversity that helps produce our spectacular wines. Our region runs from Roseburg to Ashland, Oregon. In it you will find all kinds of different weather and geographic conditions. And this diversity is what makes our wines special. For example, in the cooler regions growers produce spectacular Pinot Noir and Pinto Gris. In the dryer areas, the bold reds come into their own such as the Cabernet Sauvignon and syrah varietals."

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Joy Henkle is an outdoor writer and has written for numerous industry websites, blogs and newsletters. She lives in Oregon and is passionate about locally raised and harvested foods.

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