The New Gold of the Rogue River

Have you seen “River Wild” with Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon? Well if you haven’t, I bet you are still able to, in your mind, conjure an image of a remote river with steep canyon rock walls and rapids to negotiate. This is the Lower Rogue River (River Wild was filmed on the Rogue River). A place I have fallen in love with over the past 10 years. Growing up in Indiana, I could have only dreamed of the opportunity to lead rafting trips down this historic and gorgeous river. With Leah and I taking our first gamble and moving to Grants Pass, Oregon shortly after our wedding, I have been able to do just this on several occasions.

The Rogue River is chock full of beauty as well as fascinating history. The river itself begins within the National Landmark of Crater Lake. Winding 215 miles, mostly Westward, the Rogue River passes through the High Cascades, Western Cascades, the Klamath Mountains and Kalmiopsis Wilderness before emptying in the Pacific Ocean at Gold Beach, Oregon. One of eight original rivers named in the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the Rogue River is very special.

Settlers spreading north after the gold rush of 1849 struck gold along the banks of the Rogue River. This brought a mini gold rush upon southern Oregon in the mid to late 1800’s. Fascinating tales and documented history surround the clash of western civilization and Native Americans. The large gold deposits quickly ran out, yet the rogue provided “gold” to the growing population with salmon, lumbar, and now tourism.

However, my buddies and I have discovered a new “gold” on the Rogue River. I have been blessed to lead an annual spring Lower Rogue guys trip for the past six years. I have yet to find a place and experience that meets me more in fulfillment, challenge and comradery. I love these trips – I really do feel most at peace on the river. On our trip in the spring of 2015, the trip on which we formed our “core four” of spring rafters, we stumbled across the awesomeness of incense cedar drift wood.

While on these trips, we camp along the river for three nights, spread out between two or three campsites. Upon arriving at camp, responsibilities are divided up. While two guys set up tents and get dinner going at the kitchen, the others will usually hunt for downed wood or driftwood for the fire that night. Dan and George revert back to junior high boys while foraging for firewood, do that is usually on them. While at a favorite first camp spot, Whiskey Creek, Dan came back with something special. He knew it was special after breaking it and smelling an amazingly refreshing scent, set it aside to dry.

Being it was a weekend with some rain in the forecast, we decided to keep the dry wood that we found at Whiskey Creek in a dry bag for the next night. Night two, while we choked down some way too spicy chili mac (dang Dan and his spices), we noticed one of the logs in the fire was taking off – and I mean burning like it was soaked with lighter fluid. Of course, we had to find a way to pull this amazing blazing piece of wood out of the fire. My buddy blew and blew on the flame, but the flamed proved very stubborn – fueled to keep going. When the flames were finally extinguished, what we smelled next can only be experienced. The aroma of the smoke coming from the burning incense cedar can only be explained as purely cleansing (and in fact has been used in Native American rituals for years).

We have made a point of searching for this “gold” every trip we make, at all of our stops we search. It is exciting to explore the mountain snow melt and fresh rain streams for this special wood – however the very best is always found at Whisky Creek. By our spring 2018 trip, it became a necessity to search out the incense cedar drift wood, and a celebration when some would be found. It was on this trip that Dan casually suggested how cool it would be to bottle this scent…..And I did. I actually figured out how to extract the oil from the incense cedar driftwood.

Springing from this idea, my mind has been busy finding ways to capture what is so special about the Rogue River to me, is, and how can I share it. What better way to express the love for a natural place than trying to capture its essence through scent, art, and word. This is what I hope to do beginning with Essence of the Rogue, and continue within each of the special places my family stays along our Narrow Road Journey.

Stay tuned for future entries explaining how the oil extraction occurs, what has become of Essence of the Rogue, and some funny stories from our adventures on the Rogue River.