Surf's up on the Snake
Since first ridden in 1976, the Lunch Counter curl has offered ocean setting in landlocked area.
Wednesday July 12, 2006
By Keith I. Cozzens Jackson Hole News&Guide
When outdoor enthusiasts in Jackson discuss waxing their boards, it’s generally for snowboarding, not surfing. But when summer rolls around and snow melting off the high peaks swells the Snake River and shapes the famous Lunch Counter wave, a contingent of valley surfers is ready to “Hang 10.”
“It’s such a cool spot to surf. In one session at Lunch Counter you can get as much wave time as you would if you spent a week in Mexico – it could be like 50 ocean rides,” said Rendezvous River Sports owner Aaron Pruzan. “Over the past few years, river surfing in general has gotten more popular because it’s fun and kayakers are starting to do it.”
For most people, the idea of surfing in landlocked Wyoming is as improbable as snow skiing in Alabama. A little known fact, though, is Jackson and the Snake River are home to one of the best river surfing waves in the country. Located approximately 31 miles south of town on U.S. Highway 89 in the Snake River Canyon, the popular feature can produce a fast flowing wave strong enough to reduce even the “raddest” surfers to nervous schoolgirls.
“It’s difficult to stay on and requires a lot of skill – it’s not a dinky little wave,” said Jackson resident and river surfing veteran Dave Pennington, who grew up ocean surfing in Ventura County, Calif. “I surf better now than when I was on the coast. Surfing’s not like a bicycle, you can’t stop for 15 years and think you can go out and stand up right away. I relearned how to surf at Lunch Counter and it’s allowed me to practice techniques and become a more confident surfer.”
Formed by runoff from the surrounding mountains in spring and early summer, Lunch Counter attracts everyone from novice to seasoned surfers who seek a relatively safe river challenge. First surfed on a board by valley residents Mike Fitzpatrick and brothers Steve and Moose Hahn – who also kayaked the wave – in June 1976, Lunch Counter has evolved into one of the most popular river waves to surf in the nation.
For wave riders on boards or in kayaks, the ideal water level for the rapid to work is between 10,000 and 12,000 cubic feet per second, but it’s still playful at higher and lower levels. Depending on water levels, the wave can last from early May into August. This year, Lunch Counter reached its optimal level a few weeks ago but the standing wave is still fun and ridable.
“Surfing was a major part of my life in the past and now it is in the present thanks to Lunch Counter,” said Pennington, who visited Panama to surf for three weeks this spring. “It’s given me a bit of my surf soul back. It’s a Zen-like state where you’re thinking about nothing else and when you’re walking up the trail back to your car you’re saying, ‘I can’t believe I just did that in the Rocky Mountains.’”
The best way to access Lunch Counter is to paddle just upriver from the main wave where the water’s current isn’t as swift. Once on the other side, entering the sometimes curling wave takes precision and skill. A quick jump into the water from the small rock outcrop starting zone will launch a rider properly into the wave, where smooth paddling is necessary until the wave’s energy grabs hold.
At this point you pop to your feet and you’re carving turns and trying to ride the nose of your board, or “Hanging 10.” After the wave spits you off and sends you through a section of rapids, you eddy out and climb back to the starting zone. Granted, it’s easier said than done, but with some observation, motivation and river skills surfing Lunch Counter is a thrilling ride.
“Once you figure out the wave, it’s up to you to take it where you take it,” said Pennington, who began surfing the wave in the early 1990s. “Lunch Counter is a place that can take you other places. I think a cool thing would be if a local kid that learned to surf at Lunch Counter goes on to become a great surfer in the ocean like Kelly Slater or something.”
Two of the most important elements necessary for surfing Lunch Counter are river skills and proper equipment. Vastly different than ocean surfing, riding the consistent wave at Lunch Counter involves knowing the river and its features. Similar to how tides affect swells and waves in the ocean, the flow of the Snake River will dictate how the wave is moving. Hence, knowing how the river works is imperative.
Equipment needs are pretty straightforward. Aspiring river surfers will need a shortboard (6-7 feet), leash, wetsuit and booties. In mid- to late summer when the water is slightly warmer, surfers can get away with just a pair of board shorts and rashguard.
“Reading the water and knowing the currents and eddies is important and wearing a helmet isn’t a bad idea, too,” said Pruzan, who has been kayaking at Lunch Counter since the early 1990s and started surfing the wave in 2000. “If you’re comfortable in the water and confident in surfing, it will take you no time to figure things out.”
Going hand in hand with surfing at Lunch Counter is the party vibe created by fellow surfers and the numerous spectators who watch from across the river. Unlike more cutthroat surf spots along the California coast, one of the best parts of Snake River surfing is that even on crowded days, everyone present will get a turn, regardless of how long you can carve. For landlocked surfers living in the valley, Lunch Counter has created an oceanside atmosphere without the aggressive surfing mentality.
“It’s a pretty chill scene and more of a novelty than anything else. I think every skier and kayaker likes surfing because of its simplicity,” Pruzan said. “The atmosphere is so great at Lunch Counter with people watching and partying and hanging out – they’re having just as much fun as we are.”
