Jim Hancock | Mill House Podcast - Episode 119

Jim Hancock is one of the finest people you’ll ever meet and one of the hardest working, too! I’ve know Jimmy a very long time, from Aspen of course, where he started working for the Aspen Ski Company in 1977. He worked in many fields for them: snowmaker, powder guide, instructor, race director, and by 1981 he’d proven himself to take on enormous responsibility when he became World Cup Chief of Course and ultimately the Chief of Race. He shined brightly. The team he assembled to prepare the slope for the high speed downhill and tech events for the best skiers in the world became his trusted family, and when anything was needed they dove in head first. He was beloved by all and they anointed him as their Pope. Jimmy is also embedded with hunting and fishing, and for the last 30 years has been an elk hunting guide every fall. He’s an adventurer at heart and doesn’t fear the unknown. The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a narrow, daunting canyon with walls that stretch 2500 skyward. The river at its floor falls steeply and in some sections form giant rapids with the ability to flip rafts at the beat of a heart. But, too, it’s the home of the most amazingly prized rainbow and brown trout that have never seen the pressure that most rivers know too well. Many years ago Hancock saw something that few thought possible, fishing it by raft, and then sharing it with those that love to dare in the pursuit of great fishing in God’s country. His operation, Gunnison River Rats just sold to Elk Mountain Expeditions in Aspen, Colorado but he is still a guide taking multiple trips a summer down there.
On today's podcast we cover the forging life of Jim Hancock!
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[@the_forgotten_angler]

Huge shout out to Jim for pioneering floating the Gorge. I guided down there for Rick and Dana Spear of Avalanche Outfitters out of Almont in 1984 and 85. The fishing was incredible, the scenery unreal, there was gnarly whitewater (cable falls), and really good Chukar hunting in a couple of spots along with nightly visits from the Ringtails. A flash flood in 84 changed the Chukar trail access for good dumping so much debris into the river it created a huge pool at the access point to fish the night before we floated. We packed all the gear in on pack mules. I've got pictures somewhere of the mules packed up down at the put in. I would lose sleep the night before rowing clients through Cable Falls. Amazing time and experiences during this lifetime. Great Pod guys, brought back some fantastic memories!

[@Wildtr0ut]

Nice interview!!! It triggered so many parallel memories. How to, hook extraction, brought back a unique memory. He expressed the details well. Very fun to listen to this. It’s always learning through other’s experiences. Thanks for another great interview.

[@kurtherzer5061]

Sparks some great memories I worked with an Outfitter in BV that had a permits but never actually used it. So I would go over and "Scout it" with another guide a handful of times just in case we ever actually did run a trip. the fishing was just lights out. On one of our trips a turbine broke and the river quadrupled overnight the fishing went to junk but the Whitewater got real interesting. I had forgotten how much of a great trip that was. I've guided the Smith River in Montana and my biggest gripe about it is that it's so overcrowded. It's still an amazing trip. Glad to see that the Black Canyon got protected and is at least has some good regulations on it for usage. Thanks for the trip down memory lane and I appreciate what the podcast is doing preserving all this history