Hello Everyone,
This is our final correspondence from Montana! After dropping everyone off at the airport, I have had some time to reflect on the trip we just completed. It is hard to believe it has already come to an end. I couldn't have asked for a better trip or a better group of guys to do it with. I will never forget the memories made on this journey — floating incredible rivers, backpacking through winding valleys, and sitting around the campfire at night telling stories and talking with some truly remarkable kids. Over the past ten days we had the chance to explore some of the most breathtaking wilderness in the world and catch some beautiful fish along the way. The friendships these boys have built will last well beyond this trip.
Our final full day was a well-earned chance to relax, clean up, and venture into Missoula for showers, laundry, and some time at a rec center. After vacuuming and cleaning the van and organizing our personal gear, we headed to the rec center for some long-overdue showers and time in the pool. There we enjoyed what could possibly be the best waterslides in the state of Montana — a fitting reward after everything the boys put in out there. After Missoula, we headed to the small town of Ovando for our banquet dinner at Trixi's.
Over some delicious burgers and fries, we were able to reflect on the trip as a whole. It was a genuinely moving experience to watch this group come together into one cohesive team, looking out for each other and rising to meet every challenge we faced along the way. From the backcountry to the river, they showed up for one another every single day, and that's something that doesn't go unnoticed as a guide.
Everybody on the trip grew — not just in their abilities as anglers and outdoorsmen, but as leaders and young men. I am incredibly proud of what they accomplished throughout these ten days. Through hard hikes, long days on the water, and plenty of moments that pushed them outside their comfort zones, they developed new confidence and new skills that will stay with them for a lifetime.
Thank you for trusting us with your sons and giving them the opportunity to experience some of the most incredible wilderness and fishing Montana has to offer. I am so grateful we had such a wonderful group, and I hope to see every one of them back out here next summer.
Signing off,
The guides and the crew
