Behind the Scenes: The Next Generation of OARS Dories

Meet Hillary Mosman and Lauren McCullough, the Dynamic Duo Behind OARS’ Idaho Rafting Operation

When Grand Canyon Dories founder, Martin Litton, sent one of his guides, Curt Chang, on an exploratory mission to Idaho, neither could have imagined what would come of it. 

Northwest Dories began as an arm of Grand Canyon Dories in 1972, operating out of Curt’s backyard in Lewiston, Idaho. For an impressive 50 years, he managed the operation which ultimately became OARS Dories.

In the beginning, the food was simple and the rivers deserted. Word spread and their business steadily grew from a backyard operation to a fully-fledged, complex, and dialed river running operation. Today, OARS Dories manages permits on six different stretches of river, launches more than 70 trips per year, and the menu has unquestionably improved.

In 2022, after years of dedication, Curt began making retirement plans. Hillary Mosman and Lauren McCullough, a dynamic duo with deep OARS roots, readily took on the challenge of becoming the new Operations Managers.

From Lost Cat to Found Calling 

Hillary grew up just around the corner from OARS Dories. When she was 10 years old, she and her sisters knocked on the warehouse door looking for their missing cat. They didn’t find the cat (he was actually at home the whole time), but Hillary did find her future. Her older sister Chantal walked away with a job that day, and although Hillary didn’t start working for OARS until she was 15, she earned “Taco Time” and Twix candy bars from her sister whenever she helped with big food buys for outgoing trips.

When Hillary was officially able to work in the warehouse, she soon took on nearly every job available at the operation: she cleaned bathrooms, laundered sleeping bags, drove shuttles, and managed the commissary.

“All of the skills I use now, I learned because I had to fix something at OARS,” she said with a laugh. “The job was perfect for me. It was everything I was good at: hard work, organization, cleaning, efficiency. I built systems and saw the direct result of my efforts.”

Systems she built as a teenager remain in use today. From the dry bag labeling system to pre-trip meeting structures, her systems have touched every corner of the Idaho operation.

It was a formative experience to have the freedom and agency to solve problems her way. That hooked her, and she kept coming back season after season, growing up alongside the company.

Serendipitous Swiftwater  

Like Hillary and her missing cat, Lauren landed at OARS Dories by happenstance. During a swiftwater rescue course on the American River, she connected with several OARS guides and left with a job. She met OARS founder, George Wendt, on her very first day on the job. He checked in with her at the end of the day, cementing her positive feelings about the organization.

In 2017, after a season on the American River, Lauren transferred up to Lewiston, ID keen to work multi-day river trips in Idaho.

During the season she rowed dories and led trips, while winters were spent helping in the warehouse. She could often be found with her head buried deep inside dory hatches, breathing through a respirator, sanding, painting, and fixing damaged boats.

“Lauren did the hard, thankless, and often invisible jobs,” Hillary recalled.

A Perfect Pairing

As Curt’s retirement approached, Hillary began thinking about the next chapter. She knew Lauren would be a great fit for the management team because of her extensive guide experience, demonstrated leadership, and willingness to do the unglamorous jobs without fanfare.

Hillary advocated for a non-traditional co-management team for the duo, one in which neither was the boss of the other. The team approach has been working well for the youngest and only all-female management team at OARS.

In 2023, after just one season in their positions, OARS Dories won the George Wendt Guest Satisfaction Award, which is awarded annually to the OARS operation with the highest overall net promoter score.

There is both overlap and balance in their partnership. Hillary fully trusts Lauren to decide which rafts to buy, how to fix the dories, and what lines are safest through big rapids at different water levels. Conversely, Lauren leaves all things commissary, bill pay, and master calendar to Hillary, who is truly thrilled by the minutia of paperwork and spreadsheets.

Their people management skills are also well-balanced. “Our goals are the same, and our approach to achieving those goals is similar,” Lauren said, “But our skill sets are different.”

Masterful Minds

Their complementary skills are necessary to deal with the complicated logistics it takes to run high-quality river trips in some of the most remote parts of Idaho. Together, they maintain six different calendars, a vast knowledge of river characteristics and flows specific to each trip, a fleet of boats, and complex transportation schedules that often involve backcountry flights.

That’s only scratching the surface of their responsibilities, which also includes hiring and managing more than 60 staff and their schedules.

“It’s a scheduling nightmare,” chuckled Lauren.

“It’s worth it,” added Hillary. “We want our guides to have diverse backgrounds, skills, and experiences. It makes everyone healthier and our community stronger.”

“They’ve set the goal to make OARS Idaho a sustainable place to guide long term, and I respect their commitment to the vision,” said Mia Clyatt, a long-time OARS guide. “They set clear expectations and are really good communicators.”

The Joys of the Job

When asked about what they love most about their work, it’s evident that the two genuinely enjoy working together and supporting each other. They also enjoy the seasonality of their roles.

The summers are high-energy, human-focused, and frankly chaotic. Together, in the off-season, they happily retreat into their spreadsheets and the quieter work of strengthening their systems and planning for the next season.

“There’s diversity in our days, but also diversity in the flow of the year,” Lauren said. “We have a vast set of skills that we get to use.”

Many days are filled with physical labor and endless repairs. Others are more cognitive. They drive forklifts, back up trailers, and manage a large fleet of vehicles. They also write, speak on panels, and advocate for wild rivers.

“You get to use a full spectrum of skills. No two days are alike, and no two days require the same skills as the next,” Hillary voiced.

Lessons From a Legend

There’s never been a road map. Reflecting on what they learned from their predecessor, the two explained how Curt made his own way. “He always got it done, he always found a solution; I respect him for that,” said Hilllary.

As female leaders in a male-dominated industry, the two say they try to channel what they described as Curt’s superpower: the ability to move forward.

“Curt taught me to make a decision for the greater good and to move on,” Hillary shared.

“His philosophy was ‘you can mess up, and you can move on,’” added Lauren.

Hillary and Lauren embody that as managers, as well. They uphold Curt’s high expectations while helping their staff and guides learn and grow from the inevitable mishaps and learning moments.

“They complement each other perfectly in the challenge to manage the staff and provide the best outdoor experience to their clients,” Curt shared. “It has been quite the transition for me to step away from all of the magic, but knowing these capable women are there is very satisfying.”

Curt’s legacy is ever-present. The foundation he laid, coupled with Hillary and Lauren’s vision, will allow the magic of Idaho’s wild rivers to be shared with generations of adventurers to come.