History Abounds on Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon

The natural beauty of the Middle Fork of the Salmon is the most appealing aspect of a float trip for many visitors. But the river canyon has a rich human history as well. There are many old cabins, homesteads, old farm equipment and Native American pictographs to visit along the river. They take you back to a time when sleeping along the Middle Fork was not a vacation of a lifetime, but a way of life. Here, the five most experienced river companies on the Middle Fork will share some of their favorite historic stops.

Solitude River Trips on “Prehistoric/Native American Sites”

There are four types of archeological sites that you’ll encounter on the Middle Fork – rock shelters, open camps, pictographs and pit house villages. Rock shelters were formed in steep canyons where there was an overhanging rock face. Pit house villages and open camps were generally established on terraces. No one is sure what shape shelters took on open camps; pit house villages were made up of tipi-like structures built over small circular depressions, the pits. Pictographs are not as abundant on the Middle Fork as they are on some western rivers, but some are found in rock shelters. No one knows if the images scrawled on the rock tell stories of the Indians’ experiences or were meant to act as maps. One popular theory goes that they are a record of a shaman’s visions. Native American sites may be viewed, but never disturbed!

Rocky Mountain River Tours on “Middle Fork Lodge”

This structure has a long history and many different owners throughout the years, Bill Harrah (owner of Harrah’s casinos in Nevada) bought the ranch in 1966 when the Forest Service dropped the ball and did not pick up an option to purchase the ranch. Harrah spent millions turning the old ranch into a wonderful lodge, which had antique cars on the grounds and Charley Russell paintings hanging on the walls. Many celebrities visited the lodge, including. Loretta Lynn, Steve Mc Queen, Sammy Davis Jr., Glen Campbell and Bill Cosby. The place changed hands many times since Harrah died and is now owned by an investment broker from New York.

Far and Away Adventures on “Daisy Tappan Cabin"

This cabin rests at Grouse Creek; it was there when Willis Jones settled at this spot in 1917. Jones sold the place to Fred and Daisy Paulson-Tappan for $1200. Fred was from Iowa and daisy was from Prineville Oregon. They raised cattle, grew a big garden with strawberries, watermelons, blackberries, raspberries and muskmelons. Daisy said that the rock chucks would make a little hole in the melons next to the ground and then hollow out the entire melon, which appeared edible until picked and the hole was discovered! As self sufficient as they were, Fred and Daisy still had to buy horseshoes, leather and clothes. $300 dollars would easily see them through the year! In later years the Forest Service cut off their grazing permits. By then (about 1933), their boys were old enough to go to school, and they moved out. Years later, Daisy said, "You know, it was three years before I could sleep without the sound of that river and creek. It was just too darned quiet.

Idaho River Journeys on “Powerhouse Mill”

Longtime Middle Fork drifters will fondly recall the Powerhouse Cabin & Stamp Mill, which rested adjacent to Powerhouse Rapids. The cabin is called the Smith-Hussey cabin after the builders, and was built back in the 1920s. It featured a unique roof system that had yard long wooden shakes. The stamp-mill – with a waterwheel that could be lowered into the river when needed – was used to process gold ore that was harvested from the White Goat mine on the opposite side of the river. The ore was brought down a steep trail by mule and then brought across the Middle Fork via a cable car system. Gold was processed here until the 1950’s. Regrettably, the cabin and mill were consumed in the 2007 wild fires that ran through the valley, though metal components from the mill remain, hinting at the past.

Hughes River Expeditions on “Joe Bump’s Cabin”

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, many pioneer families moved to the Middle Fork and built homesteads along the river. Some were successful and became private land, others moved on and made their homes elsewhere. Descendants of many Middle Fork pioneer families still live in the region. One settler who didn’t stay was Joe Bump, whose cabin – or at least its remains – rest just a little bit below Powerhouse Rapids. Joe Bump was a prospector and packer from Cascade, Idaho. One winter Joe lost his toes to frost bite in the upper Middle Fork in Bear Valley in a snowstorm and developed blood poisoning and left for good, moving back to Cascade. (That’s why you float in the summer!)

Shopping Around for the Best River Trip?

Advice from the five most experienced river companies on the Middle Fork: how you can be assured a treasured "trip of a lifetime".

Sun Valley, Idaho - Americans know it can be difficult, and sometimes frustrating, to choose a vacation date, decide what to do, where to go, how to go there, and who to go with. Americans also know that a vacation is an important investment of time, money, and planning. You should demand the best experiences, the best opportunities for lifetime memories, and limit the hassles so the whole process is enjoyable, valuable, and relaxing. When your trip is over, you should feel that every penny was well spent, and that you and your family adventured with people who really cared.

Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon holds a reputation as being one of the “must see” adventures on Planet Earth. With the advice from the five most experienced river companies on the Middle Fork, here is how you can be assured a treasured "trip of a lifetime".

Idaho River Journeys on “The Guides”

How is your crew family friendly? This question is meant to determine if the outfit has given family dynamics some thought. If it is a multi-generational trip, what activities will entertain the different age groups?

How long has your crew been working together? What is your staff turnover rate? As a customer, you should look for a crew with long term, multi-season experience working together. An outfit with frequent staff changes or a history of hiring guides from other outfits is a warning sign. Guides tend to stay with the best outfitters and not move around much.

Rocky Mountain River Tours on “The Food”

Can you show me your menu? Cuisine is a major factor of the experience.
Progressive outfitters now take the concept of outdoor/riverside dining to the highest level. Menu preparation is designed so the day's meals complement each other, and the evening meals provide a week-long balance of fish, poultry, and meat. The meals should satisfy the tastes of all the guests, while at the same time encourage them to experiment with unique foods during their vacation. Dinners should be accompanied by a selection of wonderful wines. Just add the song of the river for the ultimate in culinary adventure.

Hughes River Expeditions on “Camp Provisions”

How do you make camping comfortable and what gear is provided? You will want to know about tents. Are they spacious enough? Keep in mind that a so-called “four-person” tent is most comfortable for two adults. Where will the kids sleep? What are toilet facilities like? Does the outfitter provide camp chairs or will you be sitting on the ground? Are freshly laundered sleeping bags provided?

If you are considering going by yourself, ask about the tents. Will I get my own tent? Some outfits provide a set number of tents. Some have tents for singles. If you have a family of five, you should expect three tents.

Solitude River Trips on “Moving Down River”

How do you divide the boats up each day? Will I get to paddle with my family? The outfitter should have a varied fleet of boats to accommodate different guests. You should be able to make the choice between just floating and actively participating. This is particularly important if you have teens in your party.

How are your trips fun for all members of a family? If the entire emphasis is on the boating aspect of the trip, chances are the crew doesn’t know the best hikes, fishing holes, hot springs and other attractions. Your vacation is a guided tour of a wonderful place and - although boating is the central theme - take advantage of the crew’s knowledge to learn about the area.

Far and Away Adventures on “Safety and Sustainability”

What kind of emergency training does your staff have? All of their guides should have advanced first aid and CPR.

Satellite phones and GPS units are absolutely necessary in the wilderness if an emergency arises. The phone also allows an emergency from home to be delivered to your group.

Support outfitters that support stewardship. Choose wisely the company that practices low impact ethics and who are giving back to the resource.

And remember, companies with the lowest prices may have the oldest equipment and lower paid guides. All trips are not equal - shop for the best all-around experience. Lastly, get references.

Middle Fork Idaho Outfitters Highlight Brigade Service

Spectacular Scenery, Whitewater and Fly Fishing highlight trips

SALMON, ID, February 25, 2010 - In Central, Idaho, less than 125 miles from Boise, is a wilderness river that National Geographic has called the third best whitewater rafting river in the world. Of the ten rivers they list in the book Journeys of a Lifetime, the Middle Fork of the Salmon is the only one that doesn’t require travel gymnastics to get to or a passport for U.S. citizens.

A passage from Journeys of a Lifetime reads: “This is one of the world’s most popular whitewater rivers, with everything to offer you—rapids up to Class IV and glorious alpine and forest scenery as it flows through America’s largest roadless wilderness area outside Alaska. Wildlife can include the enchanting sight of a mother bear swimming across the river with her cubs.”

It is those attractions and more, the natural hot springs, world class fly fishing, spectacular hikes, that first lure vacationers from around the world to the Middle Fork. But it is the Middle Fork guides and outfitters, a few of whom are famous for providing exceptional customer service, deluxe camping, acclaimed cuisine and friendly access to this wilderness, that brings them back.

Standards are high on the Middle Fork where 25 outfitters offer trips. Some have achieved levels of service that exceed what you would expect at most vacation resorts and they serve meals that rival famous restaurants. These outfits have adopted the term Brigade Service to define what they do.

Sheila Mills and her husband Dave run Rocky Mountain River Tours. Sheila is the author of four best selling Dutch oven cookbooks that are reflected in the company’s dedication to serving outstanding food. “When we took a look at what Brigade Service was about we concluded it was paying attention to all the little details that go into providing a great vacation and making sure guests had the best possible Middle Fork experience.”

Brigade-Style service is defined by these outfitters as striving to deliver a memorable and exhilarating wilderness vacation experience that features exceptional customer service, acclaimed meals, gracious and welcoming guides, and a desire to introduce guests to the secrets of the Northern Rockies of Idaho. Trips feature a 4-1 guest to guide ratio with interpretive talks, fly-fishing, geology hikes, and provocative campfire conversations.

The Brigade Companies consist of four, long time Middle Fork outfitters who have joined together to promote their trips and the concept of Brigade Service. Outfitter Bob Volpert who operates Idaho River Journeys, one of the Brigade Four, said, “The idea was to unite a select group of outfitters that ran high quality trips and had similar service standards. We share this commitment and feel confident about recommending each other’s trips.” The other two Brigade Outfitters are Hughes River Expeditions and Solitude River Trips.

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For further information or to arrange a media trip, contact Bob Volpert at 1-888-997-8399 or by email at bob@IdahoRiverJourneys.com

The Best River Trip in the World

Earlier this week when National Geographic came out with news that the Middle Fork of the Salmon had been ranked the third best whitewater river trip in the world we were ecstatic – but not surprised. We’d been saying this for decades. What did surprise us, however, was how long it took for the Middle Fork to gain some attention.

When we first started outfitting trips on the Middle Fork of the Salmon we realized just how much the river had to offer. You can find no other river in the world that offers the type of trip the Middle Fork can. The reason? Well, a river trip that sees you dropping nearly 3,000 feet in elevation, traveling over 100 miles, with spectacular hiking opportunities, world-class trout fly fishing, and of course fun whitewater is just hard to come by. Add-in the fact that it flows through the 2.3 million acre Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area and you’ve got yourself the ultimate wilderness river experience.

The Middle Fork's Canyon is the most remote river canyon in the Lower 48:

A journey down the Middle Fork of the Salmon is more than just a rafting trip. It is an experience of so much more than whitewater. Those who float through the Middle Fork canyon enjoy more than the thrill of going downstream. It’s about seeing America’s most remote river canyon outside of Alaska. It’s about camping along the banks of a free-flowing river. It’s about soaking in hot springs rich with history – the same springs Native Americans soaked in, that early hunters and trappers soaked in – and enjoying it the same way they did. It’s about watching your son catch his first cutthroat trout – and then his second and third.

The Middle Fork is home to beautiful cutthroat trout:

The Middle Fork of the Salmon represents to us what the ultimate river trip is and for that we are thankful to offer our customers what we consider to be the best river trip on Earth. Join in our enthusiasm for this river and visit the Middle Fork of the Salmon in 2010.

On the Middle Fork, it's not uncommon to arrive at camp and think
"this is the most beautiful place on Earth":

Ready to learn more about the Middle Fork?

• Idaho River Journeys' Middle Fork of the Salmon page.
• Middle Fork of the Salmon fly fishing information (opens as PDF).
• Sign up for a trip down the Middle Fork.
• Read the National Geographic article about the top rivers in the world.

Middle Fork of the Salmon FOOD

On all of our river trips, we tend to eat pretty darn well. Our specialty is using the Dutch Oven, which is essentially an outdoor oven. We fill it up with tasty food and dump hot coals on it. Once the food is done, it is simply delicious. One of August trips was recently featured on StarChefs.com. I got a photo CD in the mail yesterday and browsed through some of the photos. The photos made me really hungry, and also wish that I was on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, America's premier wilderness river.

Here are some of the shots from StarChefs.com:

Making our trips more affordable...

Our staff recently attended a meeting of outfitters from across the country. It was hosted by America Outdoors, a national association of outfitters offering a wide variety of outdoor vacations.

Jack Rich, a Montana outfitter offering ranch vacations, said something that caught my attention. “What we offer is just what America needs right now. Rejuvenation with friends and family in beautiful, authentic, wild places.”

At Idaho River Journeys we know that taking a family vacation this year might be a tough choice but we think our trips offer things that no other vacation can provide. There is no question that taking a family to Idaho for a week on the Middle Fork can be expensive but we want to help make it as affordable as possible.

Towards that goal, we’ve asked our staff to forego pay increases and we have kept our prices the same, or lower, than last year. We are not cutting quality and will not modify the way we run trips. What we will do is make as many administrative changes as we can to keep prices low while maintaining our very high customer service standards. For example, if you go with us we’re going to ask that you make your final payment by check instead of credit card. This saves us 4% and will help us absorb our reduction in prices.

We will also help you with shuttle and lodging arrangements in Idaho. Rather than fly from Boise to Stanley or Salmon, we are looking at alternative, more reasonable shuttle plans. We will continue to supply just about everything you need for your trip and will help with travel planning and make your trip as hassle-free as possible.

And lastly, if your party wants to go with us but even with our price adjustments, find the cost daunting, call us. We will do whatever is necessary to make it possible for you to join us.

Come boating with us. You’ll be taking a vacation that will create family memories that you will cherish forever.

A Blast from the Past...

Jo Schroeder, an IRJ guide of over 10 years, on her first rafting trip at seven-years-old:

August 25, 2008 Middle Fork of the Salmon

Thanks for the great Middle Fork trip! This was a slightly different Middle Fork of the Salmon trip because we launched from Bernard Creek and did a 3-day out to Cache Bar. The Middle Fork of the Salmon has been good to everyone all summer, but sadly this was our list trip down for the year.

Camps:
Night 1: Fly Camp
Night 2: Lightning Strike

On our way down to Fly, we stopped at Little Pine and hiked up the Little Pine ridge to see a spectacular view. The next day truly was "Canyon Appreciation Day" on the Middle Fork as we stopped at Waterfall Creek and Veil Falls to witness the impressive drops.

Guides:
Jo S.
Will V.
Beau L.
Skip V.

Thanks for joining us on the Middle Fork of the Salmon!

Guides getting ready for the season

With June just a short nine-iron away, three of Idaho River Journeys guides decided it was time to test out the waters and get back in the whitewater action. On May 5th, Will Volpert, Bob Volpert, and Tom Tremain met in Selma, Oregon, to prepare for a two-day Illinois river trip. Two days prior, Bob was driving over the Siskiyou Pass in a massive snow blizzard. After spending a cold friday night in Selma, things took a turn for the best and the sun came out just as the three were pushing off from Miami Bar, the put-in 15 miles west of Selma.

Below: Tom and Bob stopped to look at the famous Green Wall rapid

Below: Enjoying some warm rays on the Illinois river

Below: Tom and Will at camp, May 6, 2007 (notice how proudly they are sporting their new Idaho River Journeys fleece jackets)

Here's a video of a run at Green Wall on May 5. This wasn't the IRJ group but we got to Green Wall a few hours later after this run.

They reached Oak Flat around noon on sunday. From there, Tom took off to join Kern River Outfitters on a guide trip down the Forks of the Kern, Bob headed up to Salmon, Idaho to prepare for the upcoming Idaho season, and Will went back to Ashland, Oregon to finish-up his spring term at Southern Oregon University. The great news for our 2007 guests? The three of them got all the winter wrinkles out of their boating skills and everyone should enjoy upright boats and big smiles on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon this coming summer!

Another Great Video

One of our guests, Patrick Cumby, recently posted a video of his six-day rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River with us. His video shows a lot of footage of the amazing Middle Fork scenery, as well as some "ducky carnage" and fun rapids. If you have a video from your trip that you would like posted just let us know!



-posted by Will Volpert