John Wesley Powell River History MuseumJohn Wesley Powell River History MuseumAs Ron Smith ran his newly built kayak down the Colorado River it leaked badly, and he knew he’d have to tweak the design. It wasn’t his first kayak, and it wouldn’t be his last. Throughout his career, Smith tested new and unique boat designs on the rivers of the West. His drive to experiment set new industry standards across the river running community, and ultimately led to one of the most iconic boats on the Colorado Plateau.
Smith got hooked on rivers at the age of thirteen, when his family took a trip from Green River, Utah, to the city of Moab. In the following years, he built canoes and kayaks and tested his skills on the water. In 1961, the day after he graduated high school, Smith took a river trip with Georgie White Clark and impressed her enough that she hired him as a guide by the end of the trip.
By 1963, Smith was known for his boats. He’d built a decked canoe that was designed to respond more quickly than a typical canoe but provided more stability than a kayak. It featured oars, and a mount for a motor and was known for the way it handled. As commercial river running grew, Smith’s ingenuity did as well. After WWII, surplus military rafts were cheap and available, leading many river runners to adapt them for commercial use. Smith was a leader in this regard, and designed a long list of inflatable rafts named after and designed for the Green, Yampa, Selway, Rio Grande, Salmon, and Snake Rivers.
Herm Hoops
Around the same time, Smith designed his most famous and influential boat, the S-rig – a donut pontoon with two snout tubes trapped to the side. Smith ripped the floors out of the donut to make it self-bailing and moved the motor and the boatman to the inside of the raft. It was revolutionary, and river guides loved the protection it offered. Today, the S-Rig remains one of the most commonly used boats on the Colorado River.
Smith’s vision didn’t stop at design. He and his wife Sheila founded Grand Canyon Expeditions, and are credited for improving many of the standards for river running companies on the plateau. GCE was the first to provide a river trip with amenities like porta potties, tents, ice, and fresh food. They set new standards for safety, and offered a focus on educational components like geology and history on their trips.
Smith spent his career working to protect the rivers of the West. He and Barry Goldwater spent nearly a month in the Grand Canyon in 1965 as they worked on a campaign to stop dams in the canyon. In the 1970s, he sided with conservationists in the heated debates over wilderness designation in the canyon, as other river running companies opposed it. Ron Smith’s innovations and devotion to rivers have left a lasting impression on the river running community. His impact will continue to shape the culture of river running for decades to come.
Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm
Seasonal Winter Closure: December 22, 2024 – January 20, 2025
Adults
Seniors (60+)
Children (5-12)
Family
$7
$6
$2
$15
Free admission for children under 5, museum members, and Green River residents.