Ahsahka, ID--Two intrepid, modern day travelers and their two dogs launched from here Thursday, June 19, to trace the journey of Lewis and Clark from near Canoe Camp on the Clearwater River to Astoria, OR on the Pacific Ocean.

With the help of members of the Clearwater Amateur Radio Club, we will be tracking their progress as they journey down the Clearwater, Snake and finally the Columbia River. When communications permit, we will do daily updates on their progress and let you know how they are doing.

Kate Cotteral and Carl Anderson, from Salt Lake City and Castle Valley, UT respectively, met in 2000 while he was working as a professional guide through Cataract Canyon on the Colorado River. Since then, they have been planning and pursuing adventures on various rivers in the U.S. This is their fourth summer together and one that will follow the path of history as much as the excitement of whitewater.

They became interested in the raft trip while visiting Ft. Clatsop last summer. They had originally thought of just rafting the Columbia, but Carl wanted to begin near Canoe Camp on the Clearwater. The rafters have spent the last year planning the trip and making arrangements. Last week, they arrived in Ahsahka with their truck and raft. Kate went on with the truck to Astoria so it would be ready for the end of their river trip. She said the workers from Local 50 of the Longshoremen was most helpful in helping her find a place to leave the truck and get directions. She then flew to Lewiston. One of their other hurdles was finding a way to get from Lewiston to Ahsahka since there is no public transportation. Their search brought them to the Guide Shop and Clearwater Drifters with their shuttle services. Kate said that was key in making the connection for the last 40 miles.

Carl is a stage hand and computer consultant. Kate is a junior high school special education teacher who will begin her 20th year this fall. At heart they are adventurers with the drive to explore, experience and learn about our world.

Carl originally built their 22-foot raft 20 years ago. He recently refurbished the “Snoot” boat with newer surplus Army pontoons. As you can see from the pictures, each pontoon comes out to a shape like a snoot. The original pontoons were from 1950 and the “new” ones from 1959. Carl said the Army used the pontoons to build bridges and moved tanks across them. New pontoons would cost around $5,000. These surplus pontoons cost between $100 and $500 and come in sets of three. One of the three pontoons had a bullet hole in the snoot and could not be repaired.

The couple will have options in their speed and ease of travel, drifting along with the river, rowing with the oars and using the motor, but they are not in a big rush to complete the journey. They anticipate it will take about three weeks to cover the 500 miles. One of the keys to their journey is a book of detailed maps that follow the route and give them information on everything from river depth to where they can purchase groceries or take a hot shower.

A special binimi, or cover, was made for the raft. It will mitigate the impacts of weather along the route whether they run into sun or rain and it is a good thing. Their first night out, the Clearwater River valley had quite a heavy rain storm.

Callie, one of the dogs, loves rapids, but Bandit, does not. Callie got to come along the summer Kate and Carl traveled all the forks of the Flathead River in Glacier National Park. Kate said the trip has some very scary rapids. Bandit probably felt better staying home. Carl’s knowledge of rafting and rivers is key to the adventures, according to Kate. You “can’t be a woos”. It takes a lot of hard work, but is worth it.