Meet the Guides

Johnny Cranney

 

 

 

 

Bio to come

Luke Cranney

I can remember how excited I was when my dad was going to start our outfitting business. It’s hard to believe that it has been over 25 years ago that my family and I were sitting around the table trying to figure out what to call our new business. Rawhide Outfitters! This has not only been an amazing way of life for me and a passion, but the main part of my livelihood since graduating from high school. Being born and raised in Salmon Idaho I’ve had incredible experiences river running, horseback riding and fishing. I feel that our business has given me a rare opportunity to experience many diverse outdoor adventures. From white water rafting and trail rides to countless hours running drift boat chasing salmon steelhead and trout. I consider myself to be a passionate person and try to give 100% in everything I do. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife Des. We have have two incredible little boys Jared and Noah. We love them so much and are very proud parents. Being a good husband and dad is my number one goal in life. Having a great family and doing what I love makes the future look bright and makes me feel excited for what’s to come.

Justin Cranney
I feel very fortunate to be part of our family outfitting business. It has allowed me the opportunity to share my love of the outdoors with the privilege of guiding our guests on outdoor adventures. I look forward to each season and the variety it offers. Be it breaking & training new horses, rafting, fishing, trail riding or pack trips, I enjoy it all with never a dull moment for sure!
I have a beautiful little daughter, Sage, who is very most important to me. One of the best parts of what I do is being able to have her with me on many of the trips I guide. She is quite entertaining and very tough! Whether it’s rafting, riding or fishing, she loves it all. She tells me that she wants to be a guide when she grows up!
Through these 25 years of being a part of this business has taught me a lot and I know there’s more to learn. I really can’t picture myself being anywhere else or doing anything else. I love this Salmon River country and have a passion to make sure that our guests have the best quality and safest experience possible. I’ve sure met a lot of really nice folks and look forward to meeting new ones. Most days going to work for me is truly a pleasure!

Steve Freestone
Hello! I’ve been guiding for Rawhide Outfitters for 15 years! 27 years ago I was traveling through Salmon Idaho on my way to the great frontier of Alaska. I happen to fall in love with a beautiful girl and the beautiful Salmon River country and have been here ever since, my plans for Alaska just a faded memory. I am one of the river guides and I love my job everyday from fishing to guiding white water adventures. Next to my family that includes my wife Donay, 3 children and one precious little grandson, being on the river is one of the best parts of my life. I’m thankful for the opportunity to share our beautiful Salmon River Country with our guests! I hope to see you on the river soon!

Loren Anderson
I was a late starter and didn’t catch my first fish until I was a ripe old age of 2 or 3. Fly rodding and fly tying would come much later…when I was 5 or 6. Being raised in western Colorado meant you were never very far from fishing water. As a child, my dad pretty much ruined me by taking me fishing on rivers such as the Roaring Fork, Frying Pan, Gunnison, and Colorado and, of course, all sorts of still waters. I’m sure it’s some genetic flaw of some sort that mandates I spend almost as much time chasing fish – any kind of fish – as I do breathing! When I came to this country a good many years ago, I immediately fell in love with the Salmon River. It has that uniquely special fish I had read and dreamed about for most of my life, the legendary steelhead! On top of that, the Salmon has to rank in the top 2-3 cleanest and “unbuggered” (no dams) rivers in the contiguous U.S. and it runs through some of the most beautiful country anywhere! The river and the country it runs through may not be the center of God’s creation but it’s got to be awfully close! Even when not fishing, odds are you’ll find my wife, Carol, and I on the river.
Sharing the fishing, history, geology, wildlife, and beauty of the river with clients is special for all of us at Rawhide. Regardless of how many steelhead you catch it’s always fun but trust me, if it’s your first one, there ain’t nothing like it! Of course, an early morning scenic float in the warmth of summer is hard to beat. It’s the time of day you have a good chance to see a bald eagle, osprey, or kingfisher dive for unsuspecting fish. Peregrine falcons seem to enjoy showing off their aerial skills, deer – both whitetail and mule – are common and you just may spot an otter or two. Of course, just the tranquility and light and shadows of an early morning float is worth the trip! Man, do I love the river!