To everyone who drew a permit to float Montana’s Smith let us be the first to say: Congratulations, you lucky son-of-a-gun. Not only are you about to embark on one of the country’s most amazing floats, you have also earned the distinction of making nearly 10,000 hopeful applicants from across the
country jealous of your good fortune. Wear this badge with honor.
Below you will find a suggested pack list. It’s never too early to start thinking about what you’ll need on the river.
Along with your shiny new permit, you have inherited a great responsibility. A foreign mining company has proposed a copper mine on the headwaters of the Smith River. They have used the same old argument Montanans have heard for decades: That their mine is a “modern mine” and therefore safe, that there will be nothing to worry about, that they will bring prosperity to local communities.
Ask any Montanan: our experience shows otherwise as millions of taxpayer dollars are poured into cleaning up mine, even modern mine, messes.
So, with that in mind, as the Smith River Floating Class of 2017, it falls to you to help protect this river.
What can you do? Well, a few things:
- Write the Governor and the DEQ and tell them why the Smith is important to you. Follow this link to contact them directly.
- Sign up to recieve additional news and alerts through smithriverwatch.org
- Talk to other floaters. Show your support for the Smith by posting photos of your trip online with the tag #NotOnMyWatch
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