Thursday, November 4, 2010

November 4


An amazing Fall with lots of rain and projects. Completed a new fuel shelter for generator diesel tank and a complete overhaul of the main gravity lodge water system. Skied two days in the high country in late October as we had an unexpected very cold storm (30 inches of fresh)! Have also been doing a major remodel in Etna with two new baths. We had a visit from SUP experts Taylor Robertson and Dan Gavere last weekend and I was able to get out with them and paddle and begin to get a handle on this super cool new sport. The run from Otter Bar to Norheimer was thrilling not to mention stunning. Pretty fun to up the ante without having to run harder water. So we will be offering SUP classes in August this year. Rush just back from Mexico and then Banff film fest and is off for China tomorrow. Alli almost done in New Zealand and Kristy is in Europe for three weeks. Hope this finds you all well! Photo is by Dan Gavere p

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Stand Up Paddling 2011


2011 is Otter Bar's 30th anniversary and we have some cool ideas on how to make a lot of people happy who have always wanted to come to OB. Stay tuned for details! In addition to deals for next year we are very excited to offer week long Stand Up Paddling clinics. Experts Taylor Robertson and Dan Gavere are convinced that the Klamath is the perfect training/play ground for this so... it' official - we have ordered boards and paddles (well, two for starters) and Rush Sturges and pop will be heading out as raw beginners to test the waters! Indeed stay tuned. p (photo by Taylor Robertson)

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Sept 21 2010



Just returned from a trip to New Zealand where we visited Alli (pictured above). Kristy and I rented a wonderful flat in Auckland and hung out with Alli (doing a year abroad @ U of Auckland) and her Aussie friend, Lachie, who was brave enough to fly over to meet the parents. We had a wonderful visit with them and then rented a car and headed off to the Coromandel peninsula with Alli for a week of exploration. Sea kayaked, hiked, slept, read and generally took a break. We based in Hahei on the east coast and while we did have significant sideways rain, there were plenty of dry spells for running about. Back at OB now with lots of projects running simultaneously. A lovely bit of rain and gorgeous Fall weather here - how we love this place. This brings our love and best to our huge extended family! The OB Grand Canyon trip just ended and it sounds like we had some pretty happy clients. Thanks to Daan for all his extra effort as well as Creek for his wonderful nightly stories and the team from AZRA.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

August 22-28


Our final week of the 2010 season! A great group of people to end with. You might note an almost effusive tenor in my accolades of the weekly clients but the truth is, this sport attracts super dynamic and fun people. It certainly makes our job easier. Ben and Davin showed up because they had seen Rush's movie "Dream Result" (more than once) and noticed the ad for Otter Bar at the end. Wonders never cease (take note Doug Ammons). We did have a blast with this group. Brian and Heidi made a repeat visit and while Brian might have been top gun this week, Heidi proved to herself (and to all of us) that she is far more competent at everything she does than she gives herself credit for. We love this stuff. John and Amy were a riot and one of our most beloved trios (Bill, Carrie, and Justen) made the Otter Bar scene once again. We love them and not just because they keep coming back. And Ray West's performance was notable all week, especially his almost demonic alla "jaws" attire on the day we went diving at Bloomer Falls. A fantastic time was had by all, I think and the inclusion of my ski pals (and their wives) at the end of the week made for the ultimate grand finale for the boss. The food was sublime to boot and the people we will miss the most are Tommy and Kendra who churned out culinary delights for one final fantastic week. Thank you all for being here and check out "our fans" page for photos which you can link to off our home page. p

Friday, August 20, 2010

August 15 - 21


Well, we are winding down with only one more week left. It feels good to be almost done but it has been a stellar year as far as people and water! This week was no exception. Fast learners and a super nice group of five and great weather. Loved having Mark Service back. Lauren and Noah were new on the scene and I really enjoyed taking them to Bloomers as well as Keith and Mark for some great diving on Wed afternoon. Everyone saw big fish and the only downside was that Jennifer didn't come with and took a bike ride instead. The group boated hard all week and I believe we had some radical learning curves! I have to go make margaritas for Mexican night now. Thanks for coming guys and I will post lots of photos on "our fans" page shortly.

Friday, August 13, 2010

August 8 -14


Another fantastic week. I mean - Really! We only had two people booked for this week but at the last minute Steve Fisher and Rush Sturges signed up for a beginner class. After multiple swims for these boys in Iceland and Norway they decided that "back to basics" was in order. So they joined a beginner class at Otter Bar to try and "get their rolls back". We were able to tune them up and their new found confidence will enable them to pursue the "mank" yet anther day. It's a small thing but even luminaries have hicuups once in awhile and our psyco - counselors were able to help.. We were pleased to have Andy Fields and his friend Kris Loopin, as well as a cameo from Galena Seeger and Lincoln Else all pictured above. Strong crew this week and despite the vegan diet amazingly hardy. Thanks for coming! Pictures on the fans page to follow. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=197121&id=84701887461#!/pages/Otter-Bar-Lodge/84701887461

Saturday, July 31, 2010

July 25-31


Busy week with 7 adults in one class and 9 kids in another. We run these separately and it is our busiest time of year. Great flows with super clear water and the diving on Wed at Bloomer's was the best this year! We did a run on the Ike's with part of the group (photo above). Most days were still on the Salmon, though and what a treat. Lots of photos on "our fans" page and more to come today. I will do another post just with kids photos and info. Really enjoyed the "couples" this week and while Andrew and Mary-Lynne and Miguel and Rhea were often missing or late or something, I believe a stellar time was had by all. Tashi distinguished himself with exceptional reparte and insight and his mom, Debbie was a delight. While Tom dominated much of the conversation, his kayak prowess was exceptional. Thanks for coming guys!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

July 18 - 24




The river is finally getting down to summertime normal flows. We are still using the property run and the lower Salmon into the Klamath. Yesterday we did our very first run on the Klamath. Warm temps and cool nights and pure blue skies made for another exceptional week of paddling. Cheryl Hunt was back in full force and took no guff from Kettering. She knows the lines. Beth and the Norris family were also great repeat guests and their learning curves were steep. David Norris also included his daughter Sarah this year and she kept us all guessing as to what she really thought of the group. Really enjoyed having Nick visit from the UK and he was really ripping things up by the end of the week. Insane food per usual from Tommy and Kendra and the dinners out each and every night were delightful. Super pleasant week! Thanks for coming guys!

Friday, July 16, 2010

July 11-17


July 11-17. Very small group this week. We even had to get Tommy Papas in there for the pic to pad things out. Really enjoyed having Oliver Fix do his first week of instruction/observation and it was quite riveting to hear all about his experiences at the Olympics in 96. We also enjoyed a visit from Gilda and his son Kai who at 4 looks like he is on his way to gold meadaling at something. Great to have Peter Kettering back in the fold! Super pleasant week with a visit from Paul Weiner who took the class for the first two days and Greg Simmons who styled his second week. Pete and Kathy Litz were also a pleasure to have around. Creek Hanauer made a cameo on day one and he didn't miss a beat! I included a few pics from the high country above OB as I had to make a run over the pass to town. Warm weather and excellent flows were the norm with the Salmon still at 1,100. This week was our first foray down to the lower Salmon. I am diving everyday now, although, there is still too much water to dive bloomers. Maybe I will run down there right now and check it out. The beach is fabulous and the swimming is as well. Also, you will find this weeks photos on our fans page. There is now a link to it ("our fans") on our main web site (you can click on the photo at the top to get back) cheers p

Saturday, July 10, 2010

July - 4 - 10


Boated from Methodist Creek to Otter Bar yesterday (July 9) and it was superb! Great levels still, although, the river is on it's way down to normal. Great week with a bunch more very game folk. Very hot towards the end but doing water sports during heat waves works well! Another heavenly margarita night and the addition of Lisa's slide show was a delight. She worked hard on her photos all week and I will add her stuff to the fans page when I get them. Enjoyed having Doug, Greg (he is sticking around for another week just to annoy everyone) and Lisa back for another week and Mary, Erin and Jan were a blast. Special mention to Jan whose ability to slam dunk Doug in the breath hold comp does down in the record book. Loved watching Herb dive into the music last night and Rex and company played it fine. Now if we could get Herb to focus on his roll the way he listens to music... Tommy and Kendra, once again, pulled out the stops in the culinary department and in the "just plain wonderful to have around" department. Thanks for coming, guys, we had a blast peter

Friday, July 2, 2010

June 27 - July3

An amazing week of super fun mostly new people! Loved having Caryl H here for another week of rock and roll on the river. We had a lot of entry level folks and it was very exciting to see many people not only rolling but "combat" rolling, as well. Steep learning curves were had by all and we only lament that Bill's former rotator cuff injury flared up and prevented him from paddling the second half of the week. He was "styling" the course, though, and the instructional staff was bummed to see him drop out on Thursday. Beautiful weather all week with wonderful outdoor dinners and cool breezes. The boss had everyone over to his house for a viewing of DREAM RESULT which was a blast. Some great kids this week, as well with Sam, Trevor, Margot, and Max making a wonderful addition. We did, once again spend a bit of time on the wild mile and environs this week but the river finally turned and is dropping to where we can use many more sections. Optimal flows for the next few weeks on the Salmon!! We have tons of openings, though, so send us some friends. This week marks our half way point of what has been the best water year in our history! cheers and THANKS for coming. p

Saturday, June 26, 2010

June 20-26


We are almost half way through our season and still have lots of water on the upper stretches! 3,200 cfs this AM which has to be an all time record. Loving life here at OB with abundant sunshine and a wonderful week of paddling. We did spend a lot of time on the lower North Fork as it's emerald clear waters were great for this crew. Great to see Bill Sullivan and Barbara and we were thrilled to have the Selkirk "ski team" (Rachel and Joe) make another appearance! Cool crew from Newport OR with Penny leading the charge. We loved seeing Lochlann and meeting her friend Jo and really appreciate Nicole making it back here, as well. Evenings out now and last night's music and food and cool breezes were a delight. So fun to see everyone having such a blast. Thanks for making this life possible, guys and while we did have a few hiccups (we are now proud owners of our own sewer snake) it was a great week. The guides did an exemplary job of juggling things around for what proved to be a diverse group and for this the boss was super appreciative and proud! We have tons of openings for the second half of our season so spread the word.

Friday, June 18, 2010

June 13-19


Fantastic group! The whole staff loved this week as it was non stop laughter and fun for all. Michelle and Steve (brother/sister) seemed a bit of a catalyst with their never ending humor and abuse of each other (it never got ugly - really) and came with their respective spouses Ty and Jan . We had a small kid group, as well, and while a few of the adults had raised eyebrows at first the boys proved to be a great addition! We all enjoyed seeing Griffin,Hunter, and Liam go from zero to turbo and there is something to be said for starting this sport at 14,15 and 16. Great having Dan and Elizabeth here and Monte was a rock (or crazy depending on how you look at it) to go paddling after having his shoulder partially replaced. Tommy and Kendra held major court with their culinary skills as usual and were much appreciated. We had relatively high flows early on but the emerald green water is back (as you can see from the pics on our fan page) and summer time feels fine. Thank you all for coming and making this an incredibly fun week for us. Special mention goes to Hunter Ney whose smile goes down in the books and whose enthusiasm was infectious. Leave a comment here or on the Fans page. Thanks peter

Friday, June 11, 2010

June 6 - 12


This week started with mega flows ( 15K the Friday before) but the river did drop pretty fast! Very game group with the week culminating in a solid upswing for all. Green river now with lovely summer weather (finally) and an amazing "margarita night" still in full swing as I write. First day of summer this and at last California is not a rumor. Loved having Rob and Linda and "the boys" and Leslie was on her usual roll cutting the staff no slack (or maybe that was Linda). Great to see the Oblander crew enjoy and scope the environs to the max and maybe we even talked Keith into the fold (his roll certainly is 4 star)! Joanne, Craig, Kurt and Tristan as always a pleasure. The week turned into a blast with the able assistance of a stellar instructional crew who truly pulled out the stops. The boss was very happy. Food was off the charts, as well and so cool to see Kendra rocking the culinary show big. OB cook-off is way on. You can check the fans page for photos!

Friday, June 4, 2010

May 31 - June 5


Great week for the first four days with excellent levels and then a warm rain hit. The team had pretty high flows on Wed (we moved the rest day up to Thurs) and everyone had a blast as the river rose to about 6k by late in the day. Reim distinguished himself as a big water aficianado but, really, everyone rocked! Sorry Steve tweaked his back. Thursday was a good rest with class five pondage. Levels were dropping fast, however, mother nature took a turn and we had yet more warm rain in the night. By day break the river was at 10k and by breakfast (Friday) it was at 13k and rising. So Kettering did his famous "risk" talk and we all took a drive down to Bloomers to sight see the logs running the drop. We then did more class 5 pondage with gates and play paddling moves and hikes in the PM. I guess all that snow had to come off sometime! Great having Pete Peterson for a second week and a real treat having Bella and Jeff back. Check the "Fans" page for more photos including the trip to Bloomers. Sorry I didn't get any whitewater shots of you guys. Thanks for coming. p

Friday, May 28, 2010

May 24 -30


Very rainy and cold in all of California this week. Despite the average age of this amazing group of long time OB veterans, this was a resilient crew that paddled hard all week. Of course, Peterson held court and while The Ferg often upstaged him, he was dominant until the very end and is even staying another week just to piss off the group. Paul Johnson and super chef son Dano were their ever charming selves and Merida Scully, while the true rock star of the group, was kind enough to put up with the sophmoric humour (she's English) while she gracefully styled the runs to the chagrin of the old guard. It was a rainy week indeed and the hot tub may never recover but we did love this group and while none of them may want to take a chance on Northern CA weather again we can only hope. Check our Fans page for photos and THANKS FOR COMING

Saturday, May 22, 2010

May 16 - 22


We had four guests this week and much of the time four instructors. The great BJ and GC held court and D&J were a welcome addition to the team. Great fun seeing Steve Rottman again and his humor carried the week. Sheri and Carrie Ann and Chad were also a pleasure to be around, as well, and despite some very high flows, the learning curves were steep! It was a pretty cold week mixed with bits of sunshine and the "chinese fog landscapes" were second to none. Extremely beautiful here this spring and the place is running smoother than ever. Now if we just had more clients.... Thank you guys so much for coming!!

Friday, May 14, 2010

May 9 -15


Great flows and a great group. Full house this week and we really appreciate Maren and Paul and Steve sticking around for a second! We had fantastic flows all week and some beautiful weather on and off. Very cold storm on Monday and I managed to get yet one last day of Powder (10 inches up high). Boat one day and ski the next - pretty cool. I included a few snow shots on this weeks OB Fans page update http://www.facebook.com/pages/Otter-Bar-Lodge/84701887461?ref=ts We had groups plying the South Fork's Methodist Creek run, Knownothing run and Matthews creek run as well as two forays up the North Fork to the Idlewild run and runs on both Butler and Norheimer runs. It doesn't get any better around here as the water quality is stunning. Peter K , Silas, K&J made up the top notch instructional team and we are thrilled to meet D&J who clearly fit in with program. We haven't had Margarita Night yet and the groups are out ripping it up so I will post more later - especially a few more photos from tonight's festivities. Sorry I don't have more river shots! Cheers and leave some comments ("anonymous" works fine) either here or on OtterBar Lodge Fans page or both! We appreciate it.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

May 2 - 8 First week 2010!


Off and running with stellar flows! A bit coolish this week. although plenty of sunshine and a solid group in every respect. The legendary Cat Lady and Tim Silbaugh made the scene, once again and there was no shortage of class 5 banter. Paul Popowich and Maren were back for a second year and are even staying for a second week! We wish Maren would quit dominating the conversation. Steve Rossberg put the hammer down and his deliveries were nothing short of slam dunk. Really enjoyed Whitney and Tom's company, as well and the inclusion of Jeff and Mary this week couldn't have been more perfect. Am I sounding a bit effusive? You should have been here. Another one goes down on the oral traditions and annal history of Otter bar Lore. And the guide staff was a bit of OK too with PK, Silas, J&K making for a beyond solid team. Thanks for kicking off the year with one of the best first weeks ever! Also, you can find photos for this week on the Otter Bar Lodge Fans page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Otter-Bar-Lodge/84701887461?ref=ts

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

April 6


Just returning from Taos and Santa Fe. Stayed and skied with the amazing Chris Stagg (friend and OB client) and ripping around the mountain with the boss and friends was sheer delight. Ran into Bill Sullivan in the lift line (see more photos of the trip on Otter Bar Lodge Fans page) and had a great visit and ski with him! Probably skied 200 thousand in five days. Then repaired to Santa Fe and visited the crew at OUTSIDE MAG and took the editors to lunch. Really great catching up with them as most are Otter Bar clients. Lorenzo and Gabe Burke were kind enough to put me up at their stunning ranch pictured above. We had a blast hanging out together and I am trying to persuade "the Grape" and company to make a return visit to OB. While I was gone we had an epic storm at home and I am happy to tell you that our base in the high country has increased dramatically. The boys measured over 14 feet @ 6,500. No shortage of water this year. Ramping the place up now for the 2010 season and the frogs are in full riot just waiting to serenade you! See you soon I hope. peter

Monday, March 15, 2010

March 15 Last Blast of POW


I measured 12 feet of base @ 6,500 yesterday. This last storm dropped 1 to 2 feet of cold snow and Steve Perlman and I did another 6 days in a row. We have over 70 days of skiing this year, the bulk of them climbing in the back country. Not done yet but the birds are singing, the clocks are changed and the river beckons emerald and stunning. Today Rush Sturges arrives back from a two week European tour where the reception of his new movie DREAM RESULT was nothing short of spectacular. Allison Sturges distinguished herself by turning 21, and while the transition had a few rough edges, we were thrilled to see her on Skype looking well centered and loving life in New Zealand. Time to go back over to Otter Bar and continue projects, go kayaking, and ride the bike. Supposed to be in the 70's all week and being over there at this time of year is sublime. Two days ago there was a foot of snow ringing the hills above. The newsletter will go out early this week so you should see it soon! cheers peter

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Selkirk Wilderness Skiing Feb 7-13



Following the week at Valhalla Mountain Touring (see previous post) I made it over to the Selkirks for a week of cat skiing with Brenda Drury's Selkirk Wilderness skiing. Great way to follow a week of climbing and the North sides held solid for excellent boot top shots with 20 or so cm fresh in bits and pieces. Ethan Guerra joined me there for the week and we had a blast, although he kicked my butt in the speed dept. My main ski partner, Frank Warshawski, kept things real (and hilarious) and blasting through the trees was the bomb! So Cal crew was a lot of fun and especially enjoyed Dan Stright's amazing slide show. Many thanks to the amazing chefs (Kate and Marg) as well as the rest of the absolutely fabulous staff at SWS. Lead guides Jason and Justin did a stellar job putting us on to the freshies! Also was a real pleasure reconnecting with Ram and Inga. Hope we meet again and THANKS for a memorable week! Photo address to follow. cheers peter sturges http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/album.php?aid=189596&id=611307362&ref=mf

Monday, February 15, 2010

Feb 15 Two weeks in BC



Just returned from two weeks in BC. Had an amazing time and while it wasn't deep pow we had a series of one to four inch storms and it kept things primo. Northern aspect shots were favored and with cold temps and great people and food we had a screaming blast. Spent the first week at Valhalla Mountain Touring where we climbed approx 25,000 feet over 6 days. Jasmine's incredible energy and expertise combined with Annie's off the charts food (up to OB standards) and Collin and Eric's fantastic additional support made for a truly fantastic experience! I have 105 photos from this trip which I will post shortly and will be editing this post later today to tell you where to find them. The second week was spent at Selkirk Wilderness Skiing (cat show) just to the East of VMT. I will include a post and photo later this week on this trip. Hope this finds you all well. Will be headed over to Otter Bar latter today to do some paddling and work and will get Rush to help me figure out how ansd where to post photos! cheers peter Here is the address for the pics http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=189592&id=611307362&l=c34c27da51

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

January 26 2010


Photo taken yesterday. We have had 14 feet of snow in the last week and the skiing has been OK. Insane is more like it. My Black Diamond Justice skis rock. Looks like a promising water year for Otter Bar! Alli just left for New Zealand (via Australia) for a year of school and Rush has been in Salt Lake at Outdoor Retailer as well as attending a showing of Africa Revolutions Tour at XDANCE. Kristy has been keeping the business from unraveling and I have been, well, skiing for a few days.... or so. Off to BC on Sat to Valhalla Mountain Touring for a week and then to Selkirk Wilderness Skiing for a week (spoiled brat that I am). Let us know what you are doing! cheers peter