american rivers | The Filson Journal

Mississippi Solo: Eddy Harris

In 1988, Eddy Harris published his first book, Mississippi Solo, an account of his canoe trip down the entire length of the river. Thirty years later Harris canoed the Mississippi for a second time, to see what changes had come to the river that “symbolizes who we are as a nation and as a people.”

“When people learn that I’ve canoed the length of the Mississippi River twice, they immediately want to know why,” Harris writes. “Why would I want to canoe the river in the first place? And then, why in the world would I do it again?”

5 Min

Field Notes

Boundary Waters: Endangered & Irreplaceable

There is something spiritual about packing a canoe with everything you need to survive and launching into a WiFi-less world. The coming days will be filled with thickly wooded shorelines and silent, starry nights. Your shoulders will burn from paddling. Your boots will be muddy from portaging. You’ll likely have mosquito bites in unseemly places. And despite all that—or because of it—your trip into the backcountry of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness may just be one of the most enchanting adventures of your life.

5 Min

Profiles

Lael Johnson – Olympic Peninsula Fly Guide

Lael Johnson is a fly fisherman and guide on the Olympic Peninsula. His passion for the anadromous fish of Washington’s coastal rivers is contagious. He loves these fish, these rivers, and the people he is lucky enough to experience them with. Filson Contributor Ben Matthews spent a few days on the river with Lael to ask a few questions about guiding, steelhead, and life in general. If you’re interested in heading out on the river with Lael yourself, check out his website and book a trip. You won’t regret it.

5 Min

mountain peaks rising away from an alpine lake with towering pines in the foreground

Field Notes

The Puyallup: one of North America’s most endangered rivers

The Puyallup River flows roughly 65 miles through Mt. Rainier National Park, with its origins in glacial snowmelt. Home to the only spring Chinook salmon population in the South Puget Sound region, it is vital to the survival of endangered orcas and the local fishing industry. The Electron Hydropower Project threatens this population, killing an estimated 40% of Chinook juveniles on their way to Puget Sound.

5 Min