Funyaks are available on request and at NO additional cost, for the Rio Grande Gorge full-day trip, the New Wave No Wave half-day float trip and the Racecourse half-day trip. Kids LOVE the funyaks. Unless you are “all thumbs” you should be capable of navigating the rapids on your own in our funyaks. The funyak fleet is always accompanied by guides, either in rafts with other guests or in their own funyaks.

The proper way to swim a rapid.

The Summer in Northern New Mexico is upon us here on the Rio Grande River. Not only do we raft the whitewater but we also swim it. These folks are just cooling off.

With the weather heating up and Summer now in full swing, join us on the cool and refreshing waters of the Race Course Section of the Rio Grande River just a hour north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Here’s a short video showing both young and old using funyaks (inflatable kayaks), navigating the rapids and having a blast.

This white water video footage was shot on April 23, 2011. We had families, couples and business partners out for some whitewater adventure. The weather was cloudy and cool but we provide the splash gear for your comfort.

Watch it here, or go to New Wave’s You Tube Channel at  http://www.youtube.com/user/NewWaveRafting#g/a for more of our videos covering all our trips and activities.

We’re sorry that we don’t have a photo for you, but today was our first otter sighting! Britt Huggins and his crew were able to observe an otter for a good 10 minutes, while in the course of their Racecourse white water trip. Otters were re-introduced to the Rio Grande river a few years ago, and appear to be doing very well. One sometimes also sees beavers, muskrats, herons, eagles, ducks, geese, colorful songbirds and more along this highly scenic stretch of river.

Trailhead sign. Be sure and register.

One can drive across the Taos Junction Bridge and up a rather steep dirt road with several switchbacks to reach the West Rim of the Rio Grande Gorge. There’s a pull-out immediately on the left upon reaching the top. If it has rained or snowed recently, as was the situation today, expect mud, not only where you park but along the hiking trail as well. From this point to Petaca Canyon is 4 miles which was our goal, but the snow mixed with warm temperatures made the going slow and soggy, plus the need to slow down and enjoy the views added time to the hike. We didn’t make it to Petaca. This is the section of river we offer to our guests as the “New Wave No Wave”.

Looking back upstream, Taos Junction Bridge can be seen mid-photo(if you look really close).

A quick count of 50 in this elk herd.

Elk scat, known as "smart pills" to some folks.

Mike B., one of New Wave's veteran river guides.

Petroglyphs.

Coming across fresh bear tracks and scat makes one pay attention!

Joining the Rio Grande at Taos Junction Gaging Station, we view Staurolite Canyon.

Downstream view (into the sun) of the Orilla Verde Recreation Area.

The road from Pilar to the Taos Junction Bridge. Again, into the sun.

Coyote track.

On the West Rim Mesa, native grass and Juniper trees.

Photographs by Britt. More @ http://flickr.com/photos/jorunny/

You may recall from an earlier post that Kathy and I were bugging-out early, because we had been invited on a Middle Fork trip, and simply could not pass-up  such an opportunity. The Middle Fork was a week of bliss, with fabulous weather and non-stop fishing, catching native cutthroat trout on hopper patterns, all day, every day. Then we headed for the fabled Henry’s Fork, for more fishing. And next door was Yellowstone, with the most fantastic array of scenic and wildlfe wonders in the world. We returned via Flaming Gorge (but didn’t fish) and our own San Juan river. I’ll be putting-up a series of posts in coming days, showing you some of those wonders. Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, our capable staff finished off the rafting season, and, with final figures in , we improved our numbers over last year! Given the prevailing economic malaise we are all painfully aware of, we are more than pleased with this result. Thanks to every one of you 4937 guests we had the pleasure to serve this season.

Thanks also to Britt and Jenni for their posts while we were away. You have to agree that Britt’s photography is first-rate. And today, 9/5, is the occasion of Jenni and Patrick’s wedding, the subject of Jenni’s earlier post. Congratulations to the two of you, and we are looking forward to the event, now just a couple of hours away. We know that Jenny will be a beautiful bride.

Here’s a photo from Yellowstone:

This bull elk was photographed while grazing alongside the highway, between West Yellowstone and Madison Junction. Like the bison of Yellowstone, he was very nonchalant about all the people that came pouring out of their cars to take his picture.

Yes, we do love the rain. And that’s because the river rises after a substantial rain! Today’s level is up, to 247 cfs. And today may mark our last big day of the season, as kids begin to go back to school, and our numbers dwindle. This day’s activity is: AM Racecourse – 24, PM Racecourse -16, Rio Grande Gorge – 9, Float – 12. Our last day of the season is the 30th of this month. Only two weeks to go!

Of course, many of the staff have exciting plans for the off-season, not the least of which is Patrick and Jenni’s wedding, on 9/5. The event will take place at the Stakeout Restaurant, in Taos. Patrick is a guide and Jenni is our Office Manager. I’d like to say that they met working at New Wave (as has been the case with other New Wave couples), but they didn’t. Rather, they met while both attending St. Johns College, in Santa Fe – our local very brainy institution. Watch this blog for wedding photos!

Kathy and I will begin our Fall vacation before the season ends. That’s because we were invited on a private trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, in Idaho, to start on the 21st. of this month, and couldn’t say no. We’ve done the Middle Fork only once before. It’s one of the premier wilderness river trips in the lower 48, running, in its entirety, through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, which takes up most of central Idaho. The water in the river is gin clear, the rapids are fun and the fishing, for native cutthroat trout, is fabulous! Last time we caught trout all day long, fishing from the boat as we drifted along, and … using only hopper imitations. For a fly fisherman, that’s like dying and going to heaven. We’re flying in to a riverside airstrip, and then taking 6 days to run 75 miles. Aaah!

Here some photos: of the Pilar Cliffs, after yesterday’s rain storm ended

The Pilar Cliffs, along the Racecourse run, Rio Grande river, near taos, New Mexico

At the airport in Challis, ID

Circling in to the airstrip

Kathy's first cutthroat, just across from the put-in

Kathy fights a fish, as Will kayaks by

Tappen Falls

Spectacular scenery, in the final canyon

and some Middle Fork shots. Stay tuned for some shots from this year’s trip. We leave for Idaho on the 18th.

Today’s activity:  AM Racecourse: 30, PM Racecourse: 15, No Wave Float: 6. Here are some photos from our AM Racecourse trip of today, 8/12/09. “After 5″ is our swimming hole, and “Sleeping Beauty” is a surfing hole, where the re-circulation of water below the drop holds a raft in place.

"After 5" swimming hole

Neil goes for the eddy at "Sleeping Beauty"

Patrick surfs "Sleeping Beauty"

Neil side-surfs "Sleeping Beauty"

Pretty good day today – 23 on the AM Racecourse, 14 on the PM Racecourse, 8 on the Rio Grande Gorge and 10 on the Float. We’re expecting things to begin to quiet down soon, as kids go back to school.

Level today is 238 cfs. We could use some rain!

Here’s a photo of a very large bug, encountered along the riverside, which we believe is a crane fly, but it seems to be missing legs and antennae. Wikipedia says they’re fragile and lose body parts easily, and since the adult winged form dies immediately after mating, this guy may have been on his last legs. Or, it may be another bug altogether.

Cranefly?