John Wesley Powell River History MuseumJohn Wesley Powell River History MuseumGlade Ross spent most of his career in the remote confines of the ranger station at the Gates of Lodore, lending a helping hand to private and commercial groups as they set out for some of the Green River’s most treacherous rapids. As a river ranger, he was dependable, consistent, and often made his impact behind the scenes. As a boatman, he was the same – smooth with his oars, calm through rapids, and an innovator on the water.
Ross began his boating career at the age of 15 when he was hired as a yard boy for Hatch River Expeditions in Vernal, Utah. He ran short trips for ten dollars a day, and learned how to row under the guidance of some of the region’s most respected boatmen. Through the 1950s and ‘60s, he ran trips all over the West, and showed a skill in designing his own boats for the challenge of western rivers.
Herm Hoops
In the early 1960s, Ross purchased a rubber pontoon boat from Ron Smith for only $10. It was in rough shape, but he had a plan for it. He removed the rubber floor and the raft’s torn middle air chambers. Then he sewed the two short pieces back together, and for the floor he hung a piece of plywood from chains. It worked well enough, and Glade’s $10 investment turned into one of the first self-bailing boats to appear on the plateau. A few years later, he built another version of the same style with the Hatch family, an eighteen-foot Frankenstein’s monster of a craft called “Miss Piggy,” that was famously used by the Park Service until it was laid to rest in 1994.
Throughout his career as a boatman, Ross piled up a long list of accomplishments. He was the first non-professional historian to receive the coveted Roy Appleman Award from the National Park Service for his part in discovering what is believed to be Fort Davy Crockett. He was the first river ranger in the Grand Canyon, and was the first to row a dory below Flaming Gorge Dam. He helped map the Outlaw trail through Browns Park, and became one of only a handful of people to identify an undiscovered Denis Julien inscription along the Green. Ross even turned himself into the John Hancock of Utah river guides, after becoming the first licensed river runner in the state of Utah, historically claiming license number 8001, and later guide license 001.
Glade Ross’ legacy on the Colorado Plateau is one that floats in and out of history like driftwood in an eddy. His name appears time and time again during the late 20th century, popping up all over the plateau – on river trips, as a historian, as a first responder, as a boating innovator, and as a river ranger. His connection to the history of the Green and Colorado Rivers make him nothing short of a giant on the Colorado Plateau.
Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Adults (18+)
Seniors (62+)
Children (7-17)
Family
$8
$6
$3
$25
Free admission for children under 7, museum members, and Green River residents.