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THE SMITH
SAM WIKE: GREAT FALLS, MT
We always put in to float the Smith River in Montana in the spring / summer during the main float season, but for whatever reason, recently I have a million excuses not to go. Family, work, high water, and a hundred other things had kept me from floating my favorite river for years. So a week prior, I made a decision that I was going to go, regardless. It was October and the flows were in the 90’ s. My friends, Jake and Jerrin, said they would come film the float with me, and my friend Paul said he would come, too.
We called the ranger to ask what we had to do since it was outside the main float season, and he strongly suggested that we don’ t go if the flows were below 120. In hindsight, I see his point. I let Jake know to quit checking because we were going down the Smith even if the flows are 10, and it’ s blizzarding outside.
I believe he understood my desperation to make it happen, and we had little more discussion on the feasibility of our adventure.
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