I patiently braced myself, pinched between the rock and the current. An occasional surge washed water over my head. Distracted by the din of rushing water, I did not notice them until they had already passed. I prefer to catch their attention early, so as not to alarm them. It was too late for this crew, though, they had seen me first. I can only imagine what they must have thought. Below me, m...

For better or for worse, Z-drag has become synonymous with the words “swift water rescue.” Nearly every student that signs up for a swift water rescue class, hopes the veil of mystery that keeps the mechanics of the z-drag hidden from view will be pulled away and that they will leave the course with the secret knowledge of the rescue world. This is not completely unfounded. Z-drags, or me...

Brandon Stevens, a Firefighter, EMT, and a past student of WRI, responded to a vehicle in the frozen Tongue River last March. His amazing rescue of the entrapped and hypothemic victim is featured in this month's Advanced Rescue Technology magazine. Congratulations Brandon on a job well done!! Read the article at https://advancedrt.epubxpress.com/wps/portal/adrt/...

Doug Ammons, amoung other things, is a Father, a Ph.D., an Author, and an Expedition Kayaker. He has run some of the world's hardest whitewater, and has multiple first descents. Below he discusses what it is about the river and kayaking that has kept him energized and intrigued for well over twenty years. Visit his website (dougammons.com) to read a few of his essays and purchase his books. ...

Spring is full of paradoxes. After interminable gray skies and snowy hillsides, the days get longer and the nights warmer. Rivers begin to rise. Driveways and car racks fill up with dusty boats as anxious boaters prepare for the season. However, despite the cumulative human desire to have the cold days behind us, and to launch our boats on swollen rivers, spring is not summer. As was the case l...

Dave McEvoy, Director of Aerie Backcountry Medicine, sat down with WRI to discuss what first aid skills river runners should focus on and prepare for. The video interview can be seen on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VbFBW-lJmA). Click here to read the full interview with Dave. If you need to get your wilderness medicine certification, we recommend Aerie wholeheartedly. Their cour...

The Higgins & Langley Memorial and Education Fund, working in conjunction with the Swiftwater Rescue Committee of the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR), is seeking nominations for the 2010 Higgins & Langley Memorial Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Swiftwater Rescue, the highest international honors presented for flood and swiftwater rescue. In add...

On November 11th, 6:30 pm, at the Break Espresso on Higgins, members of the local river community will be gathering to discuss the Blackfoot River Management Plan. For those of you who have yet to heard about this plan, we recommend that you visit the FWP website and read through it. https://fwp.mt.gov/recreation/management/river/blackfootPlan.html In essence, the proposed plan sets in place...

There will be a meeting on November 5th concerning the purposed Blackfoot River permit system. The Blackfoot, which is near and dear to many of our hearts, has seen recreational use grow exponentially in the past few years. Please read the purposed plan (https://fwp.mt.gov/recreation/management/river/blackfootPlan.html) and come to the meeting at the Holiday Inn Parkside in Missoula at 6 pm on Nov...

WRI is pleased to announce that Cody has been elected to the Higgins and Langley Memorial Award Board of Directors. Cody said, "It is an honor and a privilege to be involved with this organization. I look forward to contributing what I can to further their mission." The Higgins and Langley Memorial Awards in Swiftwater Rescue honor outstanding achievement in the technical rescue discipline of s...