Sands Whitewater History
CELEBRATING 47 YEARS IN BUSINESS....Sands Whitewater & Scenic River Trips reads like the history book for Jackson Hole rafting community....
Charlie Sands hitchhiked from his native New Hampshire to Indiana, rode in a '57 white Ford Fairlane convertible to Wyoming and took a job digging ditches at Jackson Lake Lodge. By July 1960, Charlie finally reached the Snake River.
Charlie was 20 years old, had no experience on the water, no training in the outdoors, but there was something in that swirling, sparkling, clear current he couldn't resist. On a hot dusty day in the Tetons, he and a group of friends rented a raft from fishing guide Boots Allen and set off on a 20, mile journey from Pacific Creek to Moose. He has a photo from that trip in which he is sitting on the back of the boat, shirtless, paddle in hand, pants legs rolled up, with a huge grin on his face– looking, in his words, "like Huck Finn". Mark Twain couldn't have penned a better portrait of bliss. For Sands, that stumbling, happy, go, lucky float down the Snake was the genesis of a career as a river boatman.
Over the next few seasons, Charlie spent his summers in Jackson, but without winter employment in the Valley, Charlie ski bummed in Alta Utah at the Deep Powder House and in Aspen, known for his 'Salad by Sands' at the well known Abby restaurant. Six months of military service was followed by a short stint in Vail, Colorado before heading back to Jackson Hole. By 1964, the Ski Corp (better known today as Jackson Hole Mountain Resort) was developed, providing the first real two season employment, and for many young people, the opportunity to call Jackson 'home' on a year round basis.
At this time, John Simms, ski patroller from Vail, told Charlie of a river rafting opportunity at Flagg Ranch, located on the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. John consummated the deal, and two days later John & Charlie created a partnership. Charlie went to the Jackson State Bank and for the first time in his life borrowed money , $600 , to purchase his first raft. Charlie and John had entered the river business as a white water rafting company.
The first few years provided mostly scenic river trips, with a little whitewater for the truly adventuresome. Occasionally they would bring people down from Flagg Ranch and run the Snake River Canyon. This was the time before permits, a time when locals, Rod Lewis and Denny Becker, were the lone few running the Snake River. The following year, the United States Forest Service issued permits for the Snake River Canyon, and due to their history on the Snake River, Charlie and John received a 3 boat permit, along with one or two other local operators.
John ran the canyon operation, while Charlie maintained the operation at Flagg Ranch. In 1975, Charlie bought John out of the partnership and ran both operations until around 1982, at which time Charlie focused all his efforts on the Snake River Canyon.
Denny Becker, operating a 6 boat permit, sold his operation to Jack Dennis. Jack, more of a fisherman than rafting operator, resold the business in the late 70's to three individuals; Sands, growing his operation to 5, boat permit, Dave Hansen and newcomer to the business, Breck O'Neill.
Over the years, Charlie's reputation grew– ironically with the more colorful adventures occurring during the winter months.
Ski Patrolling for JHMR, a world class mountain with terrain that will challenge the very best skiers/boarders in the world, allowed a lot of 'firsts' for the characters who kept the skiers safe.
Well known is the chute named S&S Couloir, first skied by Sands & Sims in the late 60's (they still have not disclosed who went first!).
A little know fact; Charlie's nickname was 'Broadway Chuck' after 'Broadway Joe Namath' (their flair for adventure and kindness to the ladies provided the common denominator), resulted in a second run in Teton Village named after one of Charlie's less than glorious moments. Ross Greg and Charlie were told to haul a 55 gallon barrel of the water, in a toboggan, to the top of the FIS downhill chute to ready the course for an upcoming FIS World Cup (attended by world class ski racers such as Jean Claude Killy). Rather than taking it easy and pushing down on the handles to slow the speed of the toboggan, they decided to pull the chain and go for it. It might have worked, however the run had been boot packed the day before, and Charlie, skiing at the back of the toboggan, crossed his skis; he went up and over the toboggan, and slid down the chute next to the downhill course. When Charlie went over the top of the toboggan, the 55 gallon drum broke loose, and Charlie, laying in the Cirque collecting his thoughts and checking his bodyparts, had no clue that the barrel was bouncing end over end in his direction. It managed to catch Charlie square in the hip. Tom Raymer, standing on the saddle watching the drama unfold, skied over, loaded Charlie on to a toboggan, transported him to the bottom, and off he went to the hospital. He was released a few hours later with a very large bruise...and a second run, 'Broadway', named after him.
By the early 1980's, whitewater rafting required more time, more employees, and more equipment, so Charlie reluctantly retired from the ski patrol life, and focused all of his effort on growing his rafting company, Sands Whitewater and Scenic River Trips.
Somewhere between the 1960– 80's, river guiding became a profession, with individuals who exemplified rugged outdoor independence, people who enjoy people, and who loved to share their passion. Charlie has attracted a staff of like minded people; staff who share his deep respect of the great outdoors, and look forward to sharing that passion with the guests who travel with Sands, either on whitewater, scenic or the lucky few who are able to spend the night in camp, on the Snake River.
Charlie found the challenges of understanding, and working to meet the changing needs of his customers, inspirational. New amenities were added; buildings that did not simply provide a parking lot, but 'meeting place' with individual changing rooms, amenities including wetsuits/booties/parkas, newer buses, smaller rafts to allowed Sands guests to enjoy a 'hands on' paddle experience, a river camp site to provide hot breakfast for the wildlife buffs and early risers, and of course, a guest training program that ensures from first contact, our guests feel like they are part of the Sands family. With guides and customer service staff returning year after year, it has allowed for a first class operation, with safety and customer service the core
principles of the organization.
Sands Whitewater & Scenic River Trips was the first whitewater company in Jackson to host the President of the United States, along with his family and friends. Sands has hosted celebrities, from the movie set to football stars; helped underprivileged school children for whom this experience leaves an indelible impression; hosted travel writers seeking to capture and share this amazing experience with their readers, and of course entertained the very young to the very old over the past 45 years. Without doubt, ALL leave the river just a little humbled by the magnitude of the beauty and wildlife that surrounds this incredible Valley.
We hope you have enjoyed meeting Charlie online, and gained an understanding of his big love for this Valley, and his hope that you will come spend a few hours, or a day, experiencing the thrill and excitement that first captured Charlie's imagination back in July 1960. Come in, meet Charlie in person– the last of the originals that made up the Jackson Hole whitewater lore.
