Snake River Fund floats through geologic history

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

By Ben Cannon

The Snake River Fund returns to the water for the second installment of its Summer Float Series.

On Friday, the nonprofit, which promotes awareness and stewardship of the Snake River Watershed in Wyoming and works to preserve public access to it, will lead “Making Waves: A Geologic Tour of the Snake River.” For a donation of $100, guests will float down a scenic stretch of the river with noted Teton geologist Wally Ulrich and other members of Geologists of Jackson Hole.

Ulrich, who chairs the National Foundation for Geosciences, will speak on the formation of the Teton Range and other natural features of Jackson Hole, as well as the volatile Yellowstone caldera and the eruption potential of the so-called supervolcano there.
Will Dornan’s Snake River Scenic Float Trip will take guests a leisurely 13 miles from Moose in Grand Teton National Park to the Wilson Bridge. Lunch will be provided by Jackson Whole Grocer.

The float series is intended to be both educational and to help raise money for the fund, which helps pay for river rangers in the canyon, has provided new bathrooms at Sheep Gulch and sponsors a river cleanup day.

“We want to tell the whole story of the Snake, from the park to the canyon,” SRF Executive Director Lexie Wauters said. “The summer series is a way for residents and visitors to have a deeper experience on the river than your average float trip.”

Organizers say the centerpiece of this year’s float series will be “Legends of the Snake,” when some of the first commercial rafters in Jackson Hole – Charlie Sands, Frank Ewing, Dick Barker and Dave Hansen, for instance – will participate on  Aug. 17.

Persons interested in Friday’s outing – which departs at 10 a.m. from Will Dornan’s shop across from Albertsons – or any future float trip should RSVP at 690-0626. Go to www.SnakeRiverFund.org to learn more about upcoming events in the series, which continues into September.

Photo by Jim Stanford
Will Dornan guides on the Snake.

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Snake River Fund floats through geologic history | Planet JH News Article: General Environment

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