Rafting Class

This is rafting class. It was freezing cold outside and in the water. I would almost rather have been in the water most of the time because during the three days it was mid 50's for the high and often times raining. The last day we camped out and then rafted all day down the alberton gorge on the clark fork river. Above is where we ate lunch, double cheeseburgers, chips, and cookies.
This is my first guiding experience on the paddle raft going down class III "Fang", it was pretty much awesome to the max. We also got experience on an oar frame raft which is a larger paddle raft with a metal frame attatched to it. Then two oars stick out the side, this is waht usually carries all the gear.
After the rapids we learned how to flip the raft and then the easiest way to flip it back over. The water was good encouragement to hop back in really quickly.
We leanred a bnuch of skills such as reading the river, guiding paddle rafts and oar frame rafts, whitewater swimming, and swift water rescue which included the throw bag. Looks like Brad in the water isnt gonna make it with that throw.

Backpacking

I just got back from the 5 day backpacking trip that took us all around the Montana-Idaho state line and it was incredible. My body is beat up and I loved it. Thats my team on the top - the green team! Below that is my and my friend Jules trying to take a self potrait and not fall of the ridge. We encountered a little bit of everything: a 11 hour hiking day made up of all bushwaking down ridges up a creek bed, and up a mountain ascending nearly 3000 feet, relaxing days by a lake with fishing and catapulting chipmunks, and also classes most every night. We got to choose our own path with our final destination already established where one of our teachers was camping that night. When we got there by map and compass we had class. The mountains ridges were endless and there were more crystal clear lakes than you could count on two hands. I have never seen glory revealed to me like this and been so fortune enough to emerse myself in it. It was a hard week at school both physically and mentally.

Camp Bighorn

I made it to Montana! This place is awesome, I am constanly left speechless when trying to describe my surroundings. The first picture is when me and my friend Jason Buckmaster climbed the mountain right behind camp after dinner one night. You cant see the camp but it is right below us. At the bottom you can see the river that is about 45 seconds away (and full of big fish) and the mountains on the other side. The picure on the bottom is of me and my friend Vanessa making some sweet oragami fighter dragon/bird-beast things during class. We all get along really well and it is really tight group now. We have been staying busy with an outdoor programming course and kitchen duty before we leave for backpacking in a week. The speakers here are awesome and make your head spin sometimes when questioning life and your faith. There is a hot chocolate machine that is always on and always makes a perfect cup with a delicous layer of foam on the top.

Woek, Work, Work....play

The two week course was no intro course. We dove head first into a mind blowing course on worldviews. The schedule was something like this: wake up at 6:00 for a run - usually 3 miles, then breakfast is at 7:45, then class starts and goes untill lunch, after lunch is "free time" where you have to do homwork or you'll never stay caught up, then dinner and class again untill about 10:00. Finally one night we got off and had a free swim night in town. They have a pool, two hot tubs, a water slide, springboard, and rope swing. This is my friend Abby from California and we had been planning our outfits ever sense we first found out about the swim.