From grizzly bears to grizzled boatmen, volcanoes to glaciers, fly tying to Shoshone Indian chants, participants in the 11th annual Summit on the Snake got a multifaceted education in the ways of Wyoming’s Snake River. More than 100 community members listened to presentations by the likes of Grand Teton National Park biologist Steve Cain, geologist Bob Smith, author Verne Huser and Shoshone medicine man James Trosper.

For the first time, the daylong symposium drew a more diverse crowd beyond aspiring guides, as casual river enthusiasts came out to the Teton Science Schools’ Jackson campus for the program and the River Film Festival.

We will be setting a date soon for the 2010 Summit on the Snake in May. Check our Web site, www.snakeriverfund.org, for a schedule of upcoming events.

In August, the Fund again partnered with Teton County Parks and Recreation to host the third annual Snake River Days camp. The program was full to capacity, with 16 kids ages 10 to 13. The kids learned about fly fishing, paddled whitewater and spent a night camping on the river.

Other partners in the program were Teacher Learning Center-Teton Science Schools, Rendezvous River Sports, Snake River Kayak and Canoe, The Murie Center, Jackson Hole Trout Unlimited, Mad River Boat Trips and Bridger-Teton National Forest.

The Snake River Fund introduced more kids to the water in September, when for a third straight year all fifth-grade classes in Teton County got a chance to take a float trip. Approximately 150 students ran the 13-mile stretch between Wilson and South Park, watching bald eagles while learning about riparian vegetation, erosion, watersheds and ecology. Outfitters donated the boats and guides, and instruction was provided by the Fund, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Teton Raptor Center. A.J. DeRosa donated use of his camp for lunch.

Many of the Latino students had never been on a river before, and for them in particular this was an amazing experience. The program dovetails with the fifth-grade curriculum and has the enthusiastic support of Teton County School District.

Filed under: Snake River Fund News on December 17th, 2009