Whitewater Raft the Middle Fork of the Salmon River Idaho

Why Raft the Middle Fork of the Salmon River?

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is part of the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness Area, a 2.5 MILLION ACRE reserve of unspoiled beauty.

The 104 miles (167 km) rafting run is considered one of the most beautiful in the world.  With over 7000′ of vertical drop, this tributary of the main Salmon River runs through canyons deeper than the Grand Canyon!  And there is no development for 50 square miles, making it the largest roadless area in the lower 48.  This lack of development means stunning night skies!  

Plus getting a permit to raft the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is extremely difficult so you rarely see anyone besides your group and thus you feel like have this majestic landscape all to yourself!

Where is the Middle Fork of the Salmon River?

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is located in central Idaho, in the northwestern part of the US.

Rafting tour companies pick you up from Boise, Idaho, the state capital.  I fell in love with Boise and recommend that you add a couple of days to your trip to explore. See below in the Boise section for more info.

We were picked up from a Boise airport hotel and then enjoyed a scenic drive to Stanley, Idaho.  

Because we were on the last river run for the season, the water levels were low.   So rather than putting in at Boundary Creek, we took a small plane to Indian Creek, which was a thrill in and of itself. Our pilot looked like Crocodile Dundee and we felt very safe in his hands.

The water level up by Boundary Creek, the spring and earlier summer put in, was too shallow for a put in.  I rather like that we got the scenic plane ride!

Who Can Raft the Middle Fork of the Salmon River?

YOU!!!  As long as you go with a certified river rafting tour company that knows the river, you don’t need any previous rafting experience, despite the fact that there are hundreds of exciting rapids to go through.  Some companies give you a choice to paddle on the raft or ride the dory boat, where the guide does all the work and you just relax and enjoy the scenery.  You can decide every time you set out which option feels right for you at the time.  While I mostly paddled, I sometimes chose the boat so I could spend more time soaking in the breathtaking scenery.

I chose to go on an all women adventure with Adventure Women.  For couples and men, check out my FREE Travel Planner for recommended tour companies (see Click Box below).  I wanted to see what it was like to travel in a single sex group and loved it!  The dynamics are really different than my normal group travel where I travel solo.  Often in groups, the couples mingle but still tend to stick together with their partner.  In my group, while some traveled with a friend or partner, everyone separated a lot which meant more time getting to know each other.  Some of the friends had met on previous Adventure Women trips!  I found a woman only trip to be a great way to travel solo.  Plus AW doesn’t charge the dreaded Single Supplement Fee if you are willing to share lodging with a fellow traveler, which is what I chose.  Since we had an odd number of solo travelers, they rotated roomies each night so sometimes I had my own tent.  

So while you can raft this river without experience if you go with a guide, you will need a permit to do so.  Permits are limited to seven commercial and recreational launches a day, with a max of 30 people allowed total to start the run each day during the season, so you rarely encounter other rafters.  It is as if you have this entire beautiful river and landscape to yourself.  The season runs from May 28- September 3rd.  Permits are extremely difficult to get and are lottery based.  I recommend you book with a certified guided rafting tour company both to ensure that you will get on the river because it’s their problem to get the permit, as well as for your safety as the river has many Class III and Class IV rapids and changes constantly. 

When to Raft the Salmon River

As mentioned, the season runs from May to September 3rd, but choosing when to actually go depends on what kind of rafting expereince you want to have.

These mountains are tall… some over 10,000′ and naturally are covered in snow during winter.  Thus once the snow melts there will be a torrent of water running down the mountain to the creeks and eventually into the Salmon River.

So if you go early in the season, you are liable to have several Class V rapids to go through.  This means more excitement, but also adds more risk.

In addition, early in the season, the guides are learning how the river has changed from the last season.  Creek blowouts are common where accumulated debris explodes into the river adding obstacles.  Your skilled river guide knows how to read the river, but naturally learns the nuances of the river the more he or she runs it.  Speaking of ‘she’, all four of our guides were women and they all were outstanding.  We had two men ‘swampers‘, the folks who haul the gear down ahead of you so that camp is set up when you arrive and who do most of the cooking and tear down.  I think because we were a women-only group, they tried to stay in the background.  The entire crew did an outstanding job!

Where Do You Sleep?

There are no roads and thus no lodges along the river, so your only option is to camp. 

We had nice two person tents that had plenty of room for our necessities.  The Swampers would have camp set up when we arrived and then folks just chose the tent location they preferred.  

Our trip included a tent, ground cover, sleeping bag, pillow and both a large and small dry bag.  Those are the yellow bags you see in the photos.  Each bag had a name on it so you knew which bag held your clothes and toiletries.  My bag was mis-stamped “Elk Bat”  it was supposed to be Elk Bar in reference to a local area, but the name stuck and now all the guides call that place Elk Bat.

The small dry bag you keep with you in the raft.  This holds your sunscreen, glasses, water and anything else you might need in the course of the day.  

What Kind of Food Do You Eat?

Shockingly fantastic food!  When I backpack on my own, my food is filling but not necessarily tasty or good for me.  On my rafting trip however, those lovely swampers had a large raft filled to the brim with delicious, fresh and wholesome foods.

The first night we had a choice of salmon prepared FIVE ways.  I chose the spicy sarachi huckleberry sauce on top of mine, along with fresh broccoli, a feta spinach salad followed by homemade berry crumble.

 Breakfast one day was french toast with bacon and berry compote.  We had fajitas.  We had tuna croissant sandwiches after hiking to see the petroglyphs.  So fas you can see, food was not a problem, it was something to look forward to!

We also had access to wine and beer!  Always nice to enjoy after a fun day on the river. How they kept the beer cold for a week remains a mystery to me.

History of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River

The Tukudeha  also known as the Mountain Sheepeaters because of their heavy dependence on big horned sheep for their diet, were the first settlers in this wilderness area.

In 1805, Lewis and Clark tried navigating the Salmon River but found it too difficult.

Gold was discovered in the 1860’s which naturally started a gold rush.  Chinese migrants moved to the area to escape a famine back home and they used their skilled farming abilities to raise the fruits and vegetables for the gold miners.

When five of these Chinese migrants were murdered, the Tukudeha were blamed for it and the tribe was hunted down and relocated to a reservation.

There were a few hermits in the area but all that remains now are a few remnants of their old buildings and the vast Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area remains the largest roadless area in the Lower 48.

Veil Falls

Check out this video of Veil Falls on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River – stunning and feels like a sacred place!

Middle Fork of the Salmon River Statistics

This central Idaho tributary of the main Salmon River is 104 miles long (167 km).  It is formed by the Bear Valley Creek and Marsh Creek.  The Salmon River itself is the main tributary of the Snake River which is a main tributary of the Columbia River.

It is in the middle of the Frank Church- River of No Return Wilderness Area.  It got that name not because people would die going down it but rather the river was to difficult to traverse UP, so whatever boat was used to transfer goods downstream was dismantled or otherwise unable to return home.

There are three hundred raftable rapids along this 100 mile river!  Tappan Falls and Devil’s Tooth were particular favorites! Most are Class III and Class IV (out of VI).

The elevation starts at 7000′ (2100m) and drops down to 3900′ (1200 m).

There are many natural hot springs along the river or on one of the tributaries, like Loon Creek.  They have varying temperatures but make for a nice break and warm way to cleanse the body (no soap please!).  

Popular hot springs include Trail Flat, Sheepeater, Sunflower (which pours of the rocks to make a ‘shower’),  Whitey Cox’s, Loon Creek and Hospital Bar.

(C) Active Travel Adventures – All Rights Reserved

Transcript of the Show

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River in central Idaho is one of the earliest designated Wild and Scenic Rivers in the US and is considered the crown jewel of the system.  The Salmon River flows for 425 miles and in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area is a steep canyon with 7000’ of vertical drop, making it deeper than the Grand Canyon.

In 1805, when Lewis and Clark crossed the Continental Divide and came to the Salmon RIver, they ventured down it but then decided it was too rough to navigate.

Last summer, I joined a dozen other ladies, soon to be friends, on a week long rafting and boating trip down this remote, untouched absolutely stunning wilderness where there is no electricity, no cell phones, not even a road or building for more than 2 million acres.  

It’s just us, a dory aka paddle boat for those who choose not to raft, and three rafts for those that do, plus four very skilled female guides and a supply raft with two crew.  It’s just us and the pines, the canyons and the eagles, and of course the river.

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Welcome to the Active Travel Adventures podcast.  I’m your host, Kit Parks. Today we will be whitewater rafting one of the prettiest rivers in the country – and will have the whole river all to ourselves.  In fact, to keep things pristine, only seven commercial permits are given daily with a max of 30 people in the rafts are allowed down the river each day, so we rarely saw anyone in the week we were on the water.

So today I’m going to share with you my incredible rafting vacation with a company called Adventure Women, who as you can imagine, builds trips exclusively for women.  For you men and couples, check with the Travel Planner for tour company recommendations. I’ll have links on the show notes.

I had friends who’d traveled with Adventure Women but had not had the pleasure of taking one of their tours myself.  But I’d gotten it in my head that I wanted to raft the Middle Fork of the Salmon river and since I had to head west for a conference late last summer, I looked for a guided trip with dates near my conference.  Kismet! AW had a trip right before me conference. So I quickly booked the trip before it sold out.

The trip starts in Boise, and since I’d neve been there before, in fact  only had been on the west side of the Tetons in Idaho before, I decided to spend a few days exploring the city and I’m glad I did!  I feel in LOVE with Boise and made several new friends while there. If it wasn’t for the wildfire smoke that they sometimes deal with in the summer, I’d consider retiring there, that’s how much I liked it.  My lungs are still too sensitive to irritants since a bad bout of bronchitis I developed in haiti, but that’s another story for another day – in fact you’ll hear about it when I tell you about my Egypt trip later this year.

As far as rafting goes, I’ve been fortunate enough to raft two of the prettiest rivers in the world: the Tulley in Australia EP4 and The Pacuare in Costa Rica EP 15 – I’ll put links in the show notes.  So I’d just done day rafting and absolutely LOVED it, but I wasn’t sure how it would be to be on the water all day for a week, but I was anxious to find out. I remember Mike from EP 009 saying how his 17 day rafting through the GC was a test of endurance.  Mine wouldn’t be near that long, but it was definitely something to consider before booking. It turns out the week flew by, so it was a non-issue for me and I believe all the gals. There was just so much beauty to drink in. We were constantly surrounded by awe inspiring, jaw dropping scenery that made you feel small.

We met as a group at a hotel by the airport.  After breakfast we took a bus along the Peyette River and stopped for lunch at Horsehoe Bend.  The river is covered in upright Scotch pines contrasted by the jagged rock edges of the shore.  You can tell it’s glacial water by the fabulous blue color from the glacial silt that reflects when the sun hits it.

We see lots of cabins and campgrounds indicating that this is a popular place for recreation.

The soil in the area is made up of decomposed granite, so it drains like a septic tank.  Because the high desert mountains are prone to wildfires, whenever there is a fire, it takes what seems forever for the vegetation to come back, especially on the sunnier south side.  We saw an area that burned in the 80’s and there is still no new growth. However On the northern sides of the mountains, it is cooler and water often pools at the bottom so you see the vegetation slowly working it’s way back up the hill.  It was fascinating to see nature rejuvenate so clearly! Out hre over 200,000 acres burn each year on average.

The Salmon river is considered one of the best catch and release fly fisheries in the nation.  It produces 45% of the rainbow trout, and has about 70% of the remaining habitat for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin.  The Salmon river is the largest undammed river in the lower 48.

This is a huge and important area for Salmon.    In the early years, the salmon live in the river.  A female will lay about 5000 eggs in the gravel river bed and the male will fertilize the eggs by releasing smelt.  Then he dies. The female will soon die as well but tries to protect the nest until she does. These dead salmon, horrific looking scene actually, form an important part of the ecosystem for bears, eagles, racoons, etc.  I learned from a ranger before we headed out that the salmon returning and dying in the rivers is an important way for nutrients to enter the ecosystem of this high desert environment. The cycle of nature is fascinating to me.

Once the juveniles becomes an adult, they head to the ocean to live out their adult lives  of about three years. THeir main job in this approximate three years is to get fat. When they are fully fat and mature,they return with uncanny precision to the river of their birth to spawn.   FOr those of the Salmon River, this means 800miles inland from the Pacific Ocean – without eating mind you – and 6000’ elevation gain. What a remarkable accomplishment!  

When they arrive, they look like crap, all beaten down, and it’s a wonder they can find a mate and then have the energy to mate. 

Damming of rivers have caused huge problems for them as they try to accomplish this heroic journey, even when dams offer salmon ladders.  There are eight dams between the spawning grounds and the Pacific. But the Salmon river is undammed making it especially important for these fish.  

This trip is my first official women only trip, and I soon learn that there is a different Dynamic when it’s all women.  On many trips, couples pair off a lot and while they are sociable, they tend to sit and stay together. With this group of super supportive women, we mix and match throughout our journey together.  I loved this!

We end our day in the small town of Stanley, takeoff point for our adventure.  But first we have a welcome dinner at the Mountain Village Resort, where we all had an excellent meal.  Afterwards I watched one of the owners and a couple of other musicians play music outside in the festive patio area before turning in to get a good night’s rest before the big adventure.

After breakfast the next day, we head to the small airstrip and it appears that Crocodile Dundee arrives to take us to our put in location.

As summer is almost over – it is late August – the river isn’t high enough for us to put in farther north like we ordinarily would.  So Crocodile Dundee flies us to Indian Creek and we get a beautiful bird’s eye view of the canyon. Earlier in the season, when water levels are higher, you put in at boundary Creek.  

After an informative Leave No Trace and general presentation by the forest ranger , we finally head to the river.  I learn that we are in the largest contiguous federally managed wilderness in the lower 48.

We also hear what kinds of wildlife we might see while on the river.  Fish, of course, but possibly osprey and bald eagles, Vernons’ woodpeckers, big horned sheep – although generally the groups are of the females as they kick out the males.  Rare but possible are sightings of black bears, wolverines, and mountain lions. We learn that elk, mule deer and moose prefer standing water over rivers.

On the water, you get a choice.  You can either paddle in a raft that holds 6-8 people plus a guide, or you can take the large raft that is paddled solely by the expert guide.  Our three lady river guides soon give us confidence that they know the river and what they are doing.

The river is quite lively as every few hundred yards another stream empties into it, adding yet more water.  In the spring, with snow melt, the class III and Class IV rapids we are going through can easily be Class Iv and Class V.  

I find the rapids exciting but not scary.  You can ask the guides each day if you are twitchy about the rapids whether you should go in the dory or paddle in the raft, depending on your comfort zone.

On this first day, some were lucky enough to see a mama bear and her cub, plus we saw ospreys and eagles.  

Around 4pm, we put in for the night.  The two men, Ryan and John, paddle the supply raft ahead of us each day.  They are called “Swampersâ€. And they have already set up camp for us. They are also the main cooks.  Sweet!

We each have a large dry bag with our stuff.  It includes a nice sleeping bag and pad, a pillow plus our own duffle with our clothes and toiletries.  The tents are a nice size with room to move about. The bags are stamped with names so we know whose is whose.  Mine is called Elk Bat. Someone stamped a typo on the bag and the name stuck with all the guides.

I chose not to pay the dreaded single supplement so I get paired with a roommate.  And the roommate changes daily so that every once in a while, we don’t have to share with anyone since there is an odd number of solo travelers.  That’s a nice deal! I hate singel supplements and will be doing a show on the ATSP show about them soon FYI

We are treated to hor ‘deurves and wine or beer.  This is luxury camping – I hadn’t expected that! Dinner was even better with our choice of salmon cooked five ways.  I went with Spicy surachi huckleberry sauce, which was an excellent choice. That paired nicely with the broccoli and feta spinach salad followed by blueberry crumble.  I’m going to like this trip!

After dinner we go around the group asking where people have been and where to next.  This is a very well traveled group with some exciting stories to tell. I’m excited to get to know them.  Our average is is mid-60’s and mostly retired, although Adventure Women tells me their average client is 55.  One gal is in her 70’s and has been on countless AW trips. She’s fit enough to give us all a run for our money.

They do things different in the high desert from how we do it in the East coast mountains near where I live.  I’ve been trained and I teach others sanitation habits that they reverse out west. The reason is because of rainfall.

We easily get over 40†of rain each year.  Usually more. Here, though, they are lucky to get 7â€.  So while our rule of thumb is to go to the bathroom at least 200’ from a water source, here the rule is, is if you or a bug would eat it, it goes in the water.

The rain would flush our urine through the soil.  Here it does not, so we toss our pee in the river.  Ditto our toothpaste after we brush. I spit in the fire pit in the woods at home.

For solid waste, I’m used to digging a cat hole 200’ from the water and packing out my TP.  Here we use a Groover.

What’s a Groover?  Picture a tall skinny tent for privacy.  Inside is a 5 gallon bucket fitted with a toilet seat.  Number two goes in there, and once full, a lid is screwed onto it and was packed out.  You pee in a 5 gallon bucket with a seat and toss and rinse it in the river after use. The Goover got its name as before someone thought to rig the bucket with a seat, you would get the round indented grooves of the 5 gal bucket on your butt.  Funny, no?

They’ve also rigged up a portable water system.  There is a foot pump taking water from one five gallon bucket through a hose.  Very clever! I’m going to rig up the same thing for car camping.

After a good night’s sleep, we are raring to go for a full day on the water.  Breakfast was tasty as was the coffee. We tear down, the swampers pack up and off we go.

The river is exciting with multiple fun rapids to tackle.  I’m loving this and the scenery and the women!  

Our guides are great to.  We have Maddie, who is in love and hopes to be engaged soon.  I believe her mom was a river guide on the Salmon, too. We also have Cayla with a ‘c’, Anna and Ashley.  All confident, strong women who don’t look big enough to take on the river, but they do so with aplomb.

One nice thing is that we are not just sitting in a raft all day, I learn.  Every couple of hours we get out not just for a pit stop with Groover, but also to take a hike or see something fun.

When taking a short but steep hike up to see some petroglyphs, we learn that it is best to stomp to let any reptiles like snakes and lizards know that you are coming.  They feel rather hear you. Useful information!

We have a delicious lunch of tuna croissants under the pines.  Heaven!

There is a group of big horned sheep along the bank that afternoon.  Cute cute cute! They look at un nonplussed.

One thing I wish I had packed is some cotton garden gloves.  Not necessarily for the paddling so much as to keep the sun off my hands.  I wear long hiking pants, a long sleeved hiking shirt and a wide brimmed hat to keep off the sun, but i am fanatical about that kind of things since I am so fair.  Sunlvers could easily do this in their bathing suit and shorts. The temperature is pleasant.

At another rest break, we hike up Loon creek to a hot spring.  Maddie generously offers to wash our hair. What luxury!!! HOT WATER for rinsing!  I learn that Chacas glue can hold up in the hot springs but Keens do not. I bought new Keens just for rafting and this is their first use.  But they started unraveling on both sandals in the same place. I am not happy about this and hope they will hold up for the trip. There is no resupply store for 50 miles in this wilderness.  The water sandals are very comfortable and cute, but with the defect and my new knowledge about the inferior glue, I will switch brands when I get home. 

Back on the water a bit later, one of the rafts gets stuck on a rock.  When this happens the guide can usually maneuver a bit to dislodge the boat or raft.  But this late in the season, the water level is low and Anne tosses a bag with a rope like an ace pitcher and is able to help pull them off the rock.  There was a rare bit of an audience there to witness her athletic prowess. There was also a fabulous kayaker who we had great fun watching tackle the rapids from above.  He was so skilled and made it look easy going over some of the falls.

The guides are not just greatly skilled, they are also knowledegable about the history and geology of the area.  I learn that the nomadic native American people of the Salmon River and Sawtooth mountains are called Tukudeha and also called the Mountain Sheepeaters, due to the abundance of wild sheep in the area. 

In fact, back on that Loon Creek where Maddie washed my hair, five Chinese who were there in the 1860’s during the gold rush  were murdered and the Sheepeaters were blamed. This started the Sheepeaters War, and 51 Tukudeha were captured and relocated to a reservation and for the most part their life here in the canyons.

The Chinese had moved to the area due to a terrible famine they had escaped from in China.  They were great vegetale farmers and grew the food for those seeking their fortune in the gold rush.  You still see some errant daisies that escaped cultivation…remnants of Chinese immigrants.

The Salmon River itself is about two million years old.  But it is a dynamic river and changes daily so the guides have to always be on alert.  A large tree fell in the river yesterday, which causes an obstacle to avoid. While I’m thinking of it, I would recommend you listen to Adventure Travel Show podcast episode 015 on why a tree in a river is dangerous as well as learning how to safely cross a river.  

The terraced benches were formed by different glacial periods.  Some of the rapids are formed by constructions, others by destructions like rock restrictions or gradients.  The rapids formed in different periods over time. Rivers form “S†shapes and most rapids are a combo of construction and destruction as they carve out valleys over time.  You see the erosion on the outside of the s-shaped bends. Sometimes there will be a creek blowout that deposits large amounts of debris and boulders. In 2006, a summer creek blowout actually stranded some boaters and they had to dynamite the debris to open up the river!

In between paddling, hiking and gazing at the landscape, we eat.  And we eat well. I particularly liked Taco Tuesday. Yes, even on the river, there is Taco Tuesday.  We have been eating very well and I am pleased that at the end of the day there is a cold beer or wine for those who choose.  YOu are also allowed to bring some extra if you want and they can keep it cold for you.

On one of our hikes to see more petroglyphs, we learn that they make the images using iron oxide which gives the red tones and fat.  This sure worked well as they are super old and look like they are holding up well. At the Indian Creek put in, you can chat with Diana Yupe, a Sheepeater, who can tell you more about the petroglyphs and her people’s history.  I’ll also put a link to a YouTube video from the US Forest link about this whole area and the Sheepeaters.

One of my favorite hikes was up to Veil Cave and Veil Falls.  I’ll of course put photos and a video on the website, but if you want to see nature as a cathedral, this is the place!  Over the millenia, dribbles of water from the waterfall have carved out this massive half clam shell of an opening in the mountainside so you can walk under this massive waterfall.  It’s worth the trip down the river just to see it and I can see why its one of the guides special places. It feels like sacred ground.  

When we are resting and indeed sometimes from the boat, you can fly fish if you get your license and bring your rod.  This is some of the best fly fishing and catch and release fishing in the country.

Things you should know before you book:  You can clean up in the river a bit, but basically you won’t be fully clean for about 6 days.  

A ball cap works under your paddle helmet better than my long sleeved hat.  Bring cotton gloves to protect your hands from the sun.  

Since you return to Boise, arrange for your non-rafting clothes to be left behind at the hotel so all you need is a small duffel with your daily needs.

A carabiner is nice to secure your small dry bag that they lend you.  This hooks your sunscreen, any extra day clothes, etc. Your large pack holds the rest of your gear.

If you are allergic to bees, bring epi pens as the one nuisance was yellow jackets trying to get in your drinks. One got in my beer and stung me on the lip.  Fortunately I am not allergic. But I looked like Homer Simpson for the last couple of days with a huge protruding lip.

The last couple of days had some of the, I believe the word the guides used was SPICEY, yes the spiciest rapids of the run.  I loved it and we all had our confidence and charged into them with abandon. It was a blast.

A ways down the river, we pass the former hideout of Earl Parrot, the Hermit of Impassable Canyon.

Any my earlier concern about thinking a week on the river would be too long was completely wrong!  I was never bored. Never thinking “Oh back in the raft again†or counting the days until I could get off the water.  I didn’t sense that in any of the other gals either.

I suffer from insomnia most of the time and have for the last ten years.  Oddly, I slept great the whole week. Was it the fresh air, the calming nature, the exercise, being away from technology and tenants, or a combination of all of the above?  All I know is that I remembered what it feels like to have a great night’s sleep.

When I would wake up to relieve myself, I was treated to a gemstone filled sky.  When there is zero light pollution like there is here, the nights make up their own magic.

Each time we entered what I believe was around 100 rapids, we were all just as excited and that feeling never faded.  I preferred to be in the paddling raft most of the time, but on occasion, would ride the big boat. I found it interesting that positioning of who would be in the raft and who would go in the boat always seemed to seamlessly work itself out.  Riding in front of the paddle raft is the most exciting, but for some, it’s too exciting – and wet- and those who enjoyed the front row seat were generous in sharing the excitement.

I remember some of the names of the rapids, like Tappon and Haystack.  Haystack has had a couple of side creek blowouts the last few years which changed the coarse of the river.

We pass a batholith a new word and concept for me  A batholith is a large mass of intrusive igneous rock formed from cooled magma deep in the Earth’s crust.  In order to be called a batholith, it has to be at least 100 km or 40 sq miles in size and this one is the largest in North America!  Cool! Rock lovers like me will love this trip!

As we neared our take out where the Middle Fork meets the Main Salmon, we get a little quiet.  Everyone is trying to soak in the scenery and the moment one last time. This was the last river run of the season and the guides are rather sad about that.  But we’ve had a tremendous ride.

Up ahead we see a road, and our bus.  And a bathroom – yay! We change into dry gear before loading on the bus for the two hour ride to Salmon.

That night we enjoy our farewell dinner and toast to our adventure and new friends.  SOme of the gals on this trip met on a previous AW trip and now travel together. It’s easy to see why as we all form tight bonds.

This has been one fantastic trip and I can’t wait to explore other long distance paddle trips.  If you’ve been on one or can recommend one, please email me at kit at ata.

I hope you’ve enjoyed paddling the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho with me.  I loved reliving my adventure with you and do appreciate you listening.

I intend to keep this program ad free as I prefer to listen to my podcasts without ads.  It’s like when I had my nursery business I hated paying delivery charges so I neve charged my customers delivery fees.  But deliveries cost money as does putting together this podcast and website.

So if you are enjoying the program, one absolutely FREE way you can help support the program is to use my links whenever you buy travel insurance, sign up for Marcus’s online adventure travel training program or my tour links.  At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commision and every little bit helps. Visit my Resources page at ata.com/resources as well as many links on my site. I only recommend companies I know, like and trust.

On our next program we are going to exotic india with my new friend Karthika Gumpta of Culturally Ours, who now lives in the US but is from India.  We get the straight scoop on India from a native, we talk about over-tourism and generally Karthika changes my mind so now I want to go to India after deciding against it after I went to Egypt last fall.  Learn all about why on the next Active Travel Adventures program.

Until next time, this is Kit Parks, Adventure On!