Small Rafts & Middle Fork Snowpack | The Gear Garage Live Show

This podcast is the audio version of the Gear Garage Live Show, where we answer submitted questions and talk all things whitewater. In this episode, Zach covers the latest digital river mapping tools for permit winners, shares critical advice for aspiring rafting outfitters, and dives into the challenges of search and rescue in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.

Episode Summary

The show kicks off with a sobering update on a missing boater in the Illinois River area. Zach discusses the immense challenges of search and rescue in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, highlighting how the rugged terrain, overgrown brush, and poison oak make travel incredibly difficult even for experienced hikers. He also highlights a successful boat recovery by Nature Nicole, who utilized a flip line after completing a rescue instructor course with Zach.

For those who recently scored a Middle Fork of the Salmon permit, Zach advocates for the digital river maps available through GoRafting.com. Used via the Far Out app, these maps allow boaters to see their exact mileage, upcoming camps, and real-time rapid updates—a significant advantage over traditional paper maps that can't be updated on the fly.

The core of the episode focuses on the business of guiding. Zach shares a key lesson from his mentor, Dick Linford of Echo River Trips: in outfitting, sales and marketing are everything. He explains that while many enter the industry to be on the river, owning a company is more about being a salesperson, cleaning groovers, and managing logistics than it is about daily guiding.

Topics and links that Zach talked about in this episode

• Digital River Maps: GoRafting.com and the Far Out App.
• Safety Spotlight: Boat recovery techniques and the Illinois River search efforts.
• Business Advice: The reality of starting and running a professional guiding company.

Some of the Questions that Zach covered in the Q&A section of this episode

• Topic: Search and Rescue. "Do you know any details of progress on the search for the missing boat around the Illinois?"
• Topic: River Gear. "Did you see Nature Nicole's video using your flip line for a boat recovery?"
• Topic: River Navigation. "Are digital maps better than paper maps for the Middle Fork Salmon?"
• Topic: Professional Growth. "Any advice for me starting a fresh guiding business?"

Zach’s Key Business Takeaways

• Sales First: Without sales, you have a name and some boats, but you don't have a company.
• Diversity of Experience: To run truly special trips, you must see a variety of rivers and how different companies operate.
• Problem Solving: Most outfitting issues—broken trucks, closed roads—can be solved with money, which only comes if you are filling your trips.

Connect with Zach

• Instagram
• YouTube

Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and an International Rafting Federation Rafting Instructor. He has decades of river guiding and expedition experience across the American West and internationally, specializing in technical rowing and professional guide training.