Salmon River, Idaho      DETAILED ITINERARY

7 days - Aug.22 ,30, Sept 7 -
Raft support canoeing

The Salmon is a big volume river that runs through a spectacular canyon. It has class II-III rapids, big sandy beaches, fascinating history and stunning hikes. A 5-7 day canoe or raft trip down the Salmon is an invaluable life experience!

When we launch our trip, we are at the end of the road and the beginning of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, the second largest designated wilderness area in the continental US.

     We are also entering the second deepest canyon in North America, as the Salmon has cut a path over six thousand feet deep through the mountains of Idaho. The first couple of days on the Salmon the canyon is quite steep and rocky, forested with Douglas fir and ponderosa pine. Then the canyon opens up and the trees become fewer. After we pass the confluence with the South Fork of the Salmon the canyon narrows and gives us a fantastic display of geologic upheaval and erosion. Wildlife is common in the canyon. Big horn sheep wander so close it is hard to believe they are wild. Deer are more shy. Bear may show themselves while we are floating, but avoid camp. Once in a while we see a lone moose, and eagle sightings are common.

Trip Itinerary
Corn Creek, our launch point, is almost a 2 1/2 hour drive from the town of Salmon, Idaho. We are already 25 or so miles downstream from where Lewis and Clark turned back, deep in the canyon of the River of no Return. The first day on the river is short, and the rapids are nice warm-ups for what is to come. We hit camp early, to allow plenty of time to get settled before a hearty meal and an evening of campfire and stars. The following days we set a routine of breakfast around 8 AM, followed by packing up, loading the rafts and hitting the river by around 10 AM. We float for about three hours, then take an hour or so to break for lunch. We float for another few hours before stopping for camp. Evenings are a great time for exploring the canyon, lounging around, fishing, hiking, swimming, or socializing.

By now, the river has usually worked its magic. People have shed their workday tensions and settled into the easy rhythm of the trip. The group comes together through the sharing of the excitement of the rapids and the beauty of the canyon. The last night often becomes festive, with skits and awards commemorating trip events and individual personalities. It can also be a reflective time, as we talk of the trip and how we will remember it. The last day is a short one on the river. We hit takeout about noon, where we have a good-bye lunch and get people on the road early. Everyone takes the two hour bus drive as far as McCall, a beautiful mountain town on a lake, where the motel room will seem awfully small after sleeping under the stars on the River of No Return.Those who drive have their cars shuttled to McCall, while those who flew will fly on to Boise late in the afternoon.


DETAILED ITINERARY AND MORE INFORMATION...

Active excitement and relaxing enjoyment rolled into one incredible wilderness experience