This summer I worked at Camp Little Lemhi, a Boy Scout camp near Swan Valley, Idaho. I was the Riverfront Director. I was in charge of the river activities and paddle craft instruction 
during the summer. I also took groups of teens down the South Fork of the Snake River in canoes. I was on the river every day of the week except Mondays. Tuesday and Wednesday we took a 12 mile trip every afternoon. Some weeks I had High Adventure groups come in on Thursday and we'd do a 40 mile over-nighter where we camped on Misquito Island. Don't worry, it deserves its name. We'd get back Friday afternoon, participate in the last of the camp games and activities, and then have campfire. Saturday mornings Ozzie and I, along with whichever two lucky staff got to go with us, would be up at 5:30 to take the Scouts that had earned their canoeing merit badges that week down a 5 mile leg of the river. Apart from the fact 
that sometimes I could still see the moon when I left our tent trailer, these were actually my favorite trips. Everything is so quiet; as you're floating down the river, it seems like the earth is just waking up. It was one of the most peaceful experiences I have ever experienced, and I was surrounded by 15-20 twelve year old boys.
Working at Little Lemhi this summer was honestly the best summer of my life. There were hard things...the nonstop rain the first 3 or 4 weeks of camp, having a staff where each of them came from completely different backgrounds and walks of life, having that staff change every week, the stress of having the lives of 20 or so people in my hands while we canoed down a river and knowing that I was not 100% in control, injuries and disagreements, but I wouldn't change a se
cond of it. Sometimes it's those challenges that shape us, make us into better people, help us to grow, open our eyes to see people differently. What may seem like a challenge at the beginning can end up being the thing that you cherish most at the end of the experience. People you would have never thought possible end up being your closest and dearest friends. Friends that you would do anything for in a heartbeat, risk life and limb for. Friends that hurt when you hurt, that are your shoulder to cry on, that hand that reaches out to you when you feel like you don't have the strength to get back up again. Friends that you can't help but smile when you think about them, or when you remember an experience that you shared and you laugh out loud in the middle of a psychology lecture.
that sometimes I could still see the moon when I left our tent trailer, these were actually my favorite trips. Everything is so quiet; as you're floating down the river, it seems like the earth is just waking up. It was one of the most peaceful experiences I have ever experienced, and I was surrounded by 15-20 twelve year old boys.Working at Little Lemhi this summer was honestly the best summer of my life. There were hard things...the nonstop rain the first 3 or 4 weeks of camp, having a staff where each of them came from completely different backgrounds and walks of life, having that staff change every week, the stress of having the lives of 20 or so people in my hands while we canoed down a river and knowing that I was not 100% in control, injuries and disagreements, but I wouldn't change a se
cond of it. Sometimes it's those challenges that shape us, make us into better people, help us to grow, open our eyes to see people differently. What may seem like a challenge at the beginning can end up being the thing that you cherish most at the end of the experience. People you would have never thought possible end up being your closest and dearest friends. Friends that you would do anything for in a heartbeat, risk life and limb for. Friends that hurt when you hurt, that are your shoulder to cry on, that hand that reaches out to you when you feel like you don't have the strength to get back up again. Friends that you can't help but smile when you think about them, or when you remember an experience that you shared and you laugh out loud in the middle of a psychology lecture.
The CHIPMUNK BUNK!!! This is where Shaylie, Teisha, and I lived for 2 months. That's right, 3 girls. In that. It actually wasn't that bad and hosted my favorite event of all time, Happy Time. In my Happy Place. Which was the small table/bench/bed in the middle of the trailer. We were all really glad when it finally decided to stop raining around the 3rd week of camp. That is also when our trailer roof stopped leaking into the middle of Teisha's bed...
The picture to the left of the canoes on the trailer is the view that I had every morning out of the window of our pop-up trailer. The picture on the right is the view I had of my riverfront area from the table that I taught Whitewater at all summer. 
Some of the senior staff did a skit on Friday nights called 'Lemhi Boy Scout.' From left to right: Chris Mandler-the Digger, Dylan Ellsworth-the Boxer, Tyler Oswald-the Lifeguard, Jeremy Oswald-the Builder, Katie Vaughn- the Bowler, and Shaylie Seamons-the Police Officer. We'd each say our profession and do our little dance and then we would blindfold ourselves and do it again, because we're just that good. It's always fun to know the person to your left is swinging a MAGlight and the person to your right is wielding a hammer mere inches from your skull.
This is Lane, my Wyoming staffer. He rocked. He went on almost all of my river trips, especially after I broke my finger, I couldn't get him to stay behind. He really knew what was up and was more responsible than you could expect any boy his age to be.
This is a view of the watch tower from the riverfront area.
Mr. Bigglesworth's first and last 40 miler of the season. Haha. The first High Adventure we had was...well, an adventure. Everything went relatively smoothly for this being our first time EVER down the entire trip as a staff, not to mention only our 3rd float of the entire season. (It was raining so much during staff week it wasn't ever safe enough to take anyone down.) At about mile 39.5 Bigglesworth and his riders had an experience...instead of skirting the rocks sticking out of pretty much the ONLY rapids on the entire stretch, they decided to plow directly through the middle...as swimmers, holding onto the boat. Luckily it worked out better than expected, Thomas (who also ROCKS!) was able to pull them out and get everything under control by the time we caught up to them, the worst thing being Mr. Bigglesworth's missing rivet that got knocked out by a vicious rock, which earned him a retirement home right next to the Chipmunk Bunk for the rest of the summer. We finally got the rivet fixed on the last day of camp...
This is the view from the front of Thomas' boat in the canyon on the 40-miler. (Thomas took this picture, I stole it off of facebook...)
The first 10 miles were floated on the first day, where we would then pull off on Misquito Island and camp for the night. (The pull off is more difficult that it sounds. You take a channel off the left side of the river that then winds narrowly for a few miles. I don't think I had less than at least 3 swamps on any trips in that channel.)
Our lunch spot on the first 40-miler.
(left) On Wednesday nights we would have Honor Trail. Select staff members would line one of the trails in the nature area and share points of the Scout Law with the scouts. My points was 'A Scout is Kind.'
(left) Dylan tying his miracle knots to keep the waterfront canoe suspended feet in the air above tiny scouters' heads.
The Riverfront Director.
Some of the senior staff did a skit on Friday nights called 'Lemhi Boy Scout.' From left to right: Chris Mandler-the Digger, Dylan Ellsworth-the Boxer, Tyler Oswald-the Lifeguard, Jeremy Oswald-the Builder, Katie Vaughn- the Bowler, and Shaylie Seamons-the Police Officer. We'd each say our profession and do our little dance and then we would blindfold ourselves and do it again, because we're just that good. It's always fun to know the person to your left is swinging a MAGlight and the person to your right is wielding a hammer mere inches from your skull.
This is Lane, my Wyoming staffer. He rocked. He went on almost all of my river trips, especially after I broke my finger, I couldn't get him to stay behind. He really knew what was up and was more responsible than you could expect any boy his age to be.
He was a goof, as you can tell from this picture. I didn't know this occured until after camp was over...I guess one day when I went to the doctor he and Thomas decided he should climb on top of the Riverfront sign again...as if one near death experience wasn't enough.
This is a view of the watch tower from the riverfront area.
Mr. Bigglesworth's first and last 40 miler of the season. Haha. The first High Adventure we had was...well, an adventure. Everything went relatively smoothly for this being our first time EVER down the entire trip as a staff, not to mention only our 3rd float of the entire season. (It was raining so much during staff week it wasn't ever safe enough to take anyone down.) At about mile 39.5 Bigglesworth and his riders had an experience...instead of skirting the rocks sticking out of pretty much the ONLY rapids on the entire stretch, they decided to plow directly through the middle...as swimmers, holding onto the boat. Luckily it worked out better than expected, Thomas (who also ROCKS!) was able to pull them out and get everything under control by the time we caught up to them, the worst thing being Mr. Bigglesworth's missing rivet that got knocked out by a vicious rock, which earned him a retirement home right next to the Chipmunk Bunk for the rest of the summer. We finally got the rivet fixed on the last day of camp...
This is the view from the front of Thomas' boat in the canyon on the 40-miler. (Thomas took this picture, I stole it off of facebook...)
The first 10 miles were floated on the first day, where we would then pull off on Misquito Island and camp for the night. (The pull off is more difficult that it sounds. You take a channel off the left side of the river that then winds narrowly for a few miles. I don't think I had less than at least 3 swamps on any trips in that channel.)
The next morning started at about 7, with breakfast and camp clean-up, getting on the water at about 8:30. The next 5 or so miles were fairly close to the road, but soon after we would enter into a canyon for about 15 more miles of solitude, which was amazing. I'm glad we never had an accident in the canyon because I'm not sure but I think the only way out would be by helicopter.
These are some scouts on the first 10 mile stretch of the South Fork.
Our lunch spot on the first 40-miler.
Teisha and I on our last trip.
Sunset on the bank of Misquito Island...
(below) Our first High Adventure group of the season. They were from Utah. This is Mark and his son Spencer. Mark was pointing out a bald eagle that was sitting on a dead tree when we got to Misquito Island. Across the river you can see a canoe on the bank; Shaun would bring our camping gear and we would ferry it across to the island. He would also pick up my 2 staffers that had gone down the first stretch with us and take them back to camp because they weren't old enough to stay. He would also bring Teisha or Shaylie to stay with me in my campsite so I wouldn't be alone. In the morning Shaun would come back and get the gear we didn't need for the day and bring my staffers back to me. The best day ever was the last trip. Teisha and I had stayed on the island, which meant CJ and Thomas were to only 2 Riverfront reps at morning flag, which is also when we would do our area cheers for the spirit stick. When they got there, they informed us that the two of them had won the spirit stick on their own. I'm proud to call them my staff. :)
(below) Our first High Adventure group of the season. They were from Utah. This is Mark and his son Spencer. Mark was pointing out a bald eagle that was sitting on a dead tree when we got to Misquito Island. Across the river you can see a canoe on the bank; Shaun would bring our camping gear and we would ferry it across to the island. He would also pick up my 2 staffers that had gone down the first stretch with us and take them back to camp because they weren't old enough to stay. He would also bring Teisha or Shaylie to stay with me in my campsite so I wouldn't be alone. In the morning Shaun would come back and get the gear we didn't need for the day and bring my staffers back to me. The best day ever was the last trip. Teisha and I had stayed on the island, which meant CJ and Thomas were to only 2 Riverfront reps at morning flag, which is also when we would do our area cheers for the spirit stick. When they got there, they informed us that the two of them had won the spirit stick on their own. I'm proud to call them my staff. :)
(left) On Wednesday nights we would have Honor Trail. Select staff members would line one of the trails in the nature area and share points of the Scout Law with the scouts. My points was 'A Scout is Kind.'(above) One of my favorite things of the whole summerwas during campfire, the sun would be going down and all of Lemhi would be in shadows, but the mountain top across the lake would still be lit. It reminded me of the part on The Emporer's New Groove where Pacha tells Kuzco that when the sunlight hits the hills just right they sing...
(left) Dylan tying his miracle knots to keep the waterfront canoe suspended feet in the air above tiny scouters' heads.
The Riverfront Director.
Teisha and I
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