Hi all!
Airport day was a huge success; we all had so much fun getting to meet everyone! The group is already getting along great, it's always fun watching the nerves melt away as guys make connections and get to know each other. These first days are not always as smooth as this and we are stoked on what is next for this trip. Tonight we will stay at the Lillard Fly Fishing headquarters in Ennis, Montana. Tonight is all about group development. We’ll spend time getting to know each other better, sharing stories and expectations for the trip. After settling in, we'll have burgers together, followed by some games or a hike up the hill where we can enjoy the beautiful Montana sunset. Today was a long day of travel, we'll likely get to bed early to rest up for the excitement of tomorrow.
The Yellowstone Expedition truly is a trip unlike any other. It offers a unique opportunity to explore one of the most iconic national parks in the world, learning not just about fly fishing, but also about teamwork, self-reliance, leadership, and conservation. Each day will be filled with new challenges and learning experiences, helping everyone grow not only as anglers but also as individuals. Tomorrow marks the start of our journey. We will enter the park through West Yellowstone and set up camp on the Madison River. Over the next few days we will fish some of our favorites. Grebe Lake, a high lake in Yellowstone’s backcountry full of westslope cutthroat. These fish love to eat dry flies and are just plain fun. After tearing up the front country, we head to the Snake. The Snake River is epic and flows all the way to the mighty Columbia River in Washington state with its headwaters beginning in Yellowstone. These headwaters are pristine! Big Snake River cutthroat and browns call this section of river home, and they don't get fished to very often.
Lastly, we wanted to take a second to introduce ourselves: My name is Cole Hauswirth, and I will be the trip director for the Yellowstone Expedition. I grew up in San Francisco and spent much of my early youth fishing around California. I have participated in seven Yellowstone Expeditions, and it is consistently one of the highlights of my year. I am entering my senior year at Colorado College, where I study economics and business with a specialization in environmental economics. This will be my third year working for Lillard Fly Fishing Expeditions and my seventh year with the program including my time as a camper. Every moment has been an incredible experience. Fly fishing and conservation have been significant parts of my life, largely inspired by my time as a camper with Lillard. These passions continue to shape my journey, and I am excited to share them with my campers with the hopes of creating a lifelong passion. When I am not fishing, I love to ski, backpack, and play golf. I am also a certified Wilderness First Responder.
Hello, my name is Owen Reeve, I am from Potomac, Maryland. Like Cole, I attend Colorado College where I study biology. This will be my second year working for Lillard, and my fifth year with Lillard including my time as a camper. My time with Lillard has been an extremely formative part of my life, and I look forward to facilitating that same growth for my campers. Conservation has always been seen as a huge part of my life, and living outdoors has forever altered the direction of my life. When I’m not fishing, some of my hobbies include darkroom photography, skiing, mountain biking, and backpacking.
We couldn't be more excited about this trip! We'll spend some time over the next 24 hours talking through a lot of things: we'll cover the critical safety stuff, some LFFE ground rules about how we treat each other, the environment we're in, and our gear. We'll also talk about our goals as individuals and our goals for the group.
Until next time!
Cole, Owen, and the guys
