We're pretty lucky to be able to explore all the amazing wonders of Oregon. That's why we try to explore something new each season for our staff outing. Sometimes we even turn our staff outings into custom tours for corporate groups, family reunions, bachelor/bachelorette events, or other group outings! This one was pretty amazing, and we were lucky to witness some stunning scenery.
All photos by Danny Walden
Last week we had an amazing three days canoeing the John Day River! We're lucky to love what we do, but it's also nice to set aside time away from work to hang out together. We set aside a couple of days each season for an outing, and for our Summer 2018 Staff Outing, we set out for three days of canoeing out on the water.
The John Day River is a tributary to the Columbia River. It's about 284 miles long, and is the third longest free-flowing river in the continental United States. It's one of the few undammed rivers in Oregon, and flows through some pretty amazing desert landscapes.
Did we mention we love to hang out together?
Naturalist Guides Danny & Nick paddling
Naturalist Guides Erika & Jason enjoying some delicious Crux on the hilltop!
Naturalist Guide Courtney plays ball
Naturalist Guides Julie and Jared make a great paddling team!
The River
We took our trusty canoes out on the water and experienced the perfect blend of weather. We enjoyed beautiful sunshine on the first and second days and dramatic clouds on the horizon for the third day.
Office Assistant/Naturalist Guide Phenix leads the way
Sometimes the river got the best of us, but luckily we had some personal flotation devices handy (thanks, Sharky!).
We had a visitor at our campsite on the last morning!
Our two campsites were amazing. We set up our tents among the fields of sage dotting the landscape, taking in the stunning hillsides all around us. On the first night, we saw a dramatic moonrise over the mountain across the river.
We also stopped at the John Day Fossil Beds. These are the amazing Painted Hills of Eastern Oregon, with their signature stripes of red, black, and grey in the golden sand dunes. We had a great time! If you think you might be interested in bringing a group to the John Day River or the Fossil Beds, reach out to our Group Coordinator to get started!
