Chetco River featured at Wild Rivers Night in Portland

Beautiful photographs of the National Wild and Scenic Chetco River, by Tim Palmer and Ann Vileisis, President of Kalmiopsis Audubon, were one of the keynote features at a wildly successful 3rd Annual Wild River Night in Portland on January 9th. Begun three years ago by Northwest Rafting Company, the event (to raise funds for river conservation) was bigger and better than ever.

Tim Palmer talking to packed crowd at Wild Rivers Night in Portland (Northwest Rafting Co. photo)

The whole room full of wild river enthusiasts (120 people) signed a letter to Senators Wyden and Merkley asking them to reintroduce and champion the Chetco River Protection Act. The letter was mailed the next day with hopes of capturing some of the evening's energy and good spirit.

Learn what you can do to protect the Chetco River at our How to Help page and urge the re-introduction and passage of the Chetco River Protection Act.


Enjoy Northwest Rafting Company's Flickr Photostream of the event by clicking here.

The National Wild and Scenic Chetco River presentation by Ann Vileisis (Northwest Rafting Co. photo)

The Wild Rivers Night event also featured presentations about the Rogue River and the Illinois tributary Rough and Ready Creek. 

See the beautiful photographs of Rough and Ready Creek on Northwest Rafting Company's Flickr Photostream and read Zachary Collier's trip report of their December 21 and 22, 2012 (yes during the big December snow storm) floats of the North and South Forks of Rough and Ready Creek.

Rough and Ready Creeks headwaters are across the watershed divide from the Wild Chetco River in the Kalmiopsis Wildlands. Read about the threat of nickel strip mining at this one-of-a-kind botanically rich wild river and see more photos and video at Protect Rough and Ready Creek.

The letter signed by Wild Rivers Night participants and sent the next day to Senators Wyden and Merkley also urged their leadership on the Rogue Wilderness Expansion Act and on protections for Rough and Ready Creek and Baldface Creek —all treasured waterways of SW Oregon.