The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is now in the process of making substantial improvements to the River Access point (beach) that both serves as the take-out for the Taos Box run and the put-in for the Rio Grande Gorge run, on the Rio Grande river. The installation of a concrete ramp and increased room for maneuvering vehicles will make for much a much more efficient process, and will reduce conflict with other users. Permanent toilets, changing facilities and picnic tables will also be provided.

The last day of the river season. It has been an interesting season, with unpredictable flows.  It started out with low flows and not enough water for the Taos Box .  In early May the river was at 400 and then dipped down to 350.  We had a wet and cold May, with even some snow – which froze out the fruit for the season but gave us some additional water.  So there was a Box season after all, although short. The beginning of the Dog Days of summer marked the end of the Box season. The peak flow was 1200 and that occurred somewhere around the 12th of June.  Proving that our prophet (Britt) still has his touch.

Thanks to Kathy we had stellar Saturday night dinners – oh those ribs.  Always soothing the wounded egos from the week.  A little play at the horse shoe pit helped to encourage a friendliness in competition. Steve spent many evenings casting in the Rio Grande, catching smallmouth bass and trout  and releasing them back again to the river.  Not much different than his days in the office sitting over the keyboard waiting for the tug on his line.  Reeling them in and then releasing them to the river.  And boy did they enjoy the ride.

We have the photos to prove it.  In keeping up with the times, the counsel of elders surrendered to the “social network”  and we now have the means to woo the world through visual imagery.  They chose Britt for the task and he didn’t let them down.  The 2011 season has been visually and virtually documented and released to the world.  Reminds me of the velvet underground line “people take pictures of the summer to prove that it really existed.”  Which may be the case for those of us that know what we do.  But for those that don’t,  the vision was given to them and many said, I want to do that – once again affirming that our participation is required and when it comes to the Web, you must be present to win. Which brings me to Kathy – she stepped up to join the Dixon Volunteer Fire department.  We are grateful for our local fire department and now proud to say that one of our own is representing us. This incidentally coincided with the fact that collectively we gave up smoking cigarettes. Not a butt was sucked on, inhaled, or stomped on.  Now how many river companies can say that. Ultimately the deciding factor was the personal choice to honor the clean air act, inside and out.

The August Rio Chama trip was a personal achievement for Karen in that she and the crew Rhino and James pulled off a wilderness trip for members of a rehab center.  The hardest challenge was finding guides that could stay sober for 72 hours.   Orlando, who is known for his ability to think out of the box, became a Box guide this year.   Honorable mention goes out to James who not only built his own plane, but rowed the Box on several occasions.  We are especially thrilled that he made a safe landing in both instances. And how can we forget about Ben.  Yes, that quiet little warehouse mouse who works his magic and leaves all of us wondering how did this ever get done.  We are SO glad you are around.
What else you say?  You want more?  I can’t go on any longer. The clock is ticking and we are nearly done with the clean up.
In closing I’d like to say that on the surface it may appear that it was just another river season, same ole, same ole.  But I choose to look at New Wave as a place where we can discover talents and our dreams come true.  A Wilderness Therapist looking for a vehicle, a videographer/photographer, a massage therapist, artist, a father, student, a musician or courageous newbies that seek the happy-go-lucky river guide life.  It is the veteran guides that know that running rapids ain’t for sissys. After all, the river is here for everyone, but not everyone is meant for the river.

Thank God for New Wave (or Kathy and Steve).

There is nowhere like the Taos Box. See for yourself, in this video that summarizes our 2011 Box season, produced by Britt Runyon Huggins, NWRCo Operations Manager and Official Videographer. He not only guides his raft, but does video at the same time! Enjoy and book your trip on the Box for next year.

Karen House has been with NWRCo. for over 15 years. She has a Masters Degree in Wilderness Therapy and runs her own counseling business, which has included counseling soldiers returned from combat duty. She also created a catering business for expeditionary raft adventures. She is a true Renaissance woman. Here are a few images from just a couple of her whitewater guiding adventures down the Taos Box on the Rio Grande River of Northern New Mexico.

This is a video short of just one rapid of the Taos Box section of the RIo Grande River. I have to say, the route shown in this video is the classic run. There is an aerial photo of Rock Garden Rapid on our website that shows this exact route, but remember, it doesn’t always go this smoothly.

It’s pretty much guaranteed that we’ll find a Bighorn Sheep on the shores of the Taos Box section of the RIo Grande River. Here’s a few images from June 11, 2011.

Get it while it’s hot! Come do the Taos Box.

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With water levels over 600 cfs and rising quickly, the long-awaited opening of the Taos Box stretch has now arrived. The snowpack in the San Juan mountains of southern Colorado has begun melting in earnest, and should provide runnable flows in the Taos Box for some number of weeks. We are expecting to be able to run the Box until mid-July, which is typical for a year of average snowpack. Come and have some serious fun with New Wave on the Box!

. Click on the photo and then click again (to enlarge it), to preview your run through Rock Garden.

Mike, Joe, Troop 18 and myself spent May 21, 2011 in the Taos Box. Watch the action!

This is a video short of Dead Car Rapid, a Class 3, on May 21, 2011, at 375 cfs.