Our guides are professional boatmen who have acquired a thorough knowledge of the history of the mountain west. Sharing their perspective will add a meaningful dimension to this memorable adventure. The more you learn of the rivers and mountains; the more familiar you become with the wildflowers, birds, and animals; the more you can relive the history of the pioneer era; in short, the more fully you can project yourself into the yesterdays of the Salmon River country, the more you will delight in finding a portion of that past alive today.

Wayne Johnson, former partner/manager of Barker-Ewing Idaho, and now owner of Salmon River Rafting Company, graduated from the University of South Alabama in 1969. Wayne began floating the Snake River in 1967, and has run the Grand Canyon and Cataract Canyons of the Colorado, several sections of the Green River, the Yampa, the Gunnison, the Selway, various portions of the Snake in both Wyoming and Idaho, including Hells Canyon and the Henry's Fork, the Middle Fork of the Salmon, various sections of the North Platte in Wyoming, and the James River in Virginia. He has more than five decades experience as a professional river guide, four decades of which are on the Main Salmon. Wayne is an amateur historian specializing in Grand Teton National Park and, of course, the Main Salmon. Wayne is the author of Campfire Thoughts, a book of poetry and essays, and Shine Not In Reflected Glory, a detailed examination of the fifty-two year controversy culminating in the creation of Grand Teton National Park.

Steve Gale, with several prior years river experience, began working with us in 1984. A graduate of Brigham Young University, he taught English, Spanish, and forensics in the Idaho Falls, Idaho area schools until his retirement several years ago. In addition to his continuing presence on the Salmon River, Steve frequently guides on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. His river experience includes the Colorado, Yampa, Green, Middle Fork of the Salmon, various portions of the Snake River in Wyoming as well as Hells Canyon of the Snake in Idaho, the Lower Salmon, and the Main Salmon. With a strong interest in public speaking, he frequently competes in Toastmasters competitions.

Heather Ewing studied sports medicine at Colorado State University but is the managing partner for Barker-Ewing Whitewater River Trips in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Fortunately Heather occasionally finds time to help with our Salmon River trips. Her river experience spans multiple countries and includes the Tatshenshini in Alaska; the Main and Middle Forks of the Salmon River, the Falls River and Henry's Fork in Idaho; the Snake, Gros Ventre, and Hoback rivers in Wyoming; the Colorado, Green, Dolores, and Cache la Poudre in Colorado; the Merced, American, and Tuolomne in California; the Colorado in Arizona; the Pacuare and Reventazon in Costa Rica; and the Upper Navua in Fiji.

Rick Sievers has amassed an extensive resume of outdoor work and play. A graduate of the University of Colorado where he studied History, Anthropology, and Geology, and obtained an Education Certificate, Rick has worked for the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska and for New Perspectives, managing and guiding educational marine biology programs off the west and east coasts of Baja California. Within his thirty-four years of guiding experience in Canada, Colorado, Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana he has also made three first descent expeditions to equatorial Africa. With a strong interest in photography he spends considerable time mountain climbing and back country skiing.

Jake Rozier graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Environmental Soil and Water Science. Jake began his river guiding career nineteen years ago on the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park and has also guided on twelve different rivers including the Middle Fork and Main Salmon River in Idaho; the Truckee, forks of the Americans, and North Yuba in California; the Kaweeah, the Chattooga, the Nantahala, and the Ocoee in the Southeast. In his off time, Jake's love for all activities related to rivers has propelled him to the Selway in Idaho, the Colorado in the Grand Canyon, and to more distant venues such as Ecuador and Nepal. He is an avid kayaker and fly fisherman.

Morri Stewart graduated from Humboldt State University in 1987 with a degree in Theater Arts and obtained a masters in English Literature from Portland State University in 1997. Morri began her river career on California rivers including the Kern, the American, the Tuolumne, the Klamath, and the North Fork Stanislaus. Her attraction to rivers has led her to Alaska to run the Tatenshini/Aleska, Arizona for the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and Africa to the Zambezi River. She joined us on the Main Salmon in 1991 and continues to make occasional trips with us as her schedule, attendant to raising twins, permits.

Bill Guheen began floating on the Snake River in Wyoming some fourty years ago and is now the river manager for Grand Teton Lodge Company in Grand Teton National Park. Bill graduated from Saint Mary’s with a degree in psychology, and has run various portions of the Colorado, the Yampa, the Green, Hells Canyon of the Snake, and the Main Salmon. He primarily works with us on the Spring Wildlife trips prior to the onset of his river trip management responsibilities in Wyoming.

Nick Baird graduated with honors from Colorado State University with a degree in Microbiology, and recently completed his doctorate at Penn State in virology and immunization. Nick worked summers with us as a "swamper" while still in high school, four more summers as a guide during his undergraduate college years, and now returns to the Salmon occasionally as his research obligations at the University of Colorado permits. He has run both the Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers.