Hi families,
And just like that, we're at the end — and what an end it has been.
After an incredible stretch in the backcountry, we came out of the wilderness and straight into one of the best Fourth of July celebrations we could have imagined. Our float down the Yellowstone was nothing short of epic. The fish were everywhere — we lost count somewhere along the way and honestly stopped trying — and the fun matched every bit of it. We made camp on a beautiful island, played games, ran races up and down the beach, and as darkness settled in over the river, we sent a few fireworks up into the Montana sky. It was the kind of Fourth of July that's hard to put into words and impossible to forget.
Two days on the water, countless fish, and memories that'll stick with these guys for a long time. From there we made our way back to basecamp for one final stretch of camp life, where pool, foosball, and ping pong tournaments gave way to a hotdog dinner and a World Cup match to close out the night. Pulling back into basecamp after days on the river has a feeling all its own — tired legs, big smiles, and just enough energy left to give it one more round at the ping pong table.
This morning the boys put in real work helping us clean and organize the vans and trailer, and they did it without being asked twice, which tells you everything you need to know about the kind of young men you sent us. Watching them work together, crack jokes, and take care of each other through the final morning of a long trip is one of our favorite things to witness as guides. This afternoon we're squeezing in one last round of ultimate frisbee and a swim before we sit down together for our banquet dinner tonight to close out the trip the right way. There will be good food, some well-earned laughs, and more than a few stories told around the table that we'll all be carrying home with us.
We want you to know that your boys made this trip something special. They showed up ready, pushed themselves in the backcountry, and looked out for each other on the water every single day. It has been an absolute honor to spend ten days with them, and we hope with everything we've got that we'll see them again out here someday.
Thank you for trusting us with them.
With full hearts,
The Guides and the Guys
