July 16-21, 2007 Middle Fork Trip

Just another excellent week on the river with good friends and lots of fresh memories. It was our first trip this season launching from Indian Creek and immediately we got into the kayak and whitewater action. The trip was punctuated midway with a spectacular thunder storm that lit up the canyon and brought everyone huddled together underneath our rain tarps. The skies cleared during the night and, as Charlie Norton ("a man of nerve!") would say, "and all was lovely again..."

Our Camps:
Day 1: Stateland Right
Day 2: White Creek
Day 3: Johnny Walker
Day 4: Wollard
Day 5: Cliffside

Guides:
Jimmy Butts
Beth Carlson
Will Volpert
John Bohach
Matt Volpert
Skip Volpert
Andrew Wilkin



Sharon and Mike during the first day on the river:


Brownies along the banks of the Middle Fork:


Made it through upright:


The happy dish crew on night five:


Graham practicing his fish slaying:


Jimmy at Cameron Creek (pictograph site:


Jordan at the helm:


Ken, dry, before his two swims:


Pulling over for lunch the first day at Little Soldier Creek:


Marble Creek Rapid, day 1:


Matt's paddle crew, day 3:


Will's paddle crew, day 3:


All smiles:


Skip and Mitch, displaying excellent technique in the surf wave at Wollard:


The view back upstream from Survey Point:


Looking down at Wollard:


Thanks for the great trip!

July 8-13, 2007 Middle Fork Trip

It is impossible to imagine a better rafting vacation than on a river other than the Middle Fork of the Salmon. The last six days have been absolutely incredible. The fishing picked up dramatically, the water stayed fun and exciting, and, of course, once again we had great company. We saw a ton of familiar faces from trips in the past and met many new friends. This certainly was a trip to remember from a wildlife perspective.

The wildlife count:
1 wolf (a definite first for most), 1 bear, 1 golden eagle, 1 beaver (a first some guides as well) 16 river otters, 7 rams, 23 sheep, 1 rattlesnake, and plenty of grouse and chukar.

Our camps:
Day 1: Greyhound Creek
Day 2: Marble Right
Day 3: Shelf
Day 4: Wollard
Day 5: Stoddard



Here are some shots from throughout the week (click the shots to enlarge them):

Tom hanging out:


Surf's up at Wollard!


Stoddard Creek pictographs:


Pete tests out the mint at Veil Falls:


Paddle crew, day 5:


A pause in the action:


Marty above Wollard:


Swimming above Marble, day 2:


Lunch at Mist Falls, day 5:


Lindsey tests out the oars:


Jo at Waterfall Creek:


Haystack rapid, day 4:


Marty and Mandi drenched after the confluence, day 6:


Debbie and Dale on the hike to Veil Falls:


All smiles above Wollard, day 4:


Big horn sheep, day 5:


View from the ridge above Marble Right:


Ridgeline above Marble Right Camp (day 2):


Lake Creek Blow-out:


Day 2 paddle crew:


Mandi and Joe below "The Chutes" rapid:


A special thank-you to everyone who made this trip extremely fun and exciting!

-Andrew W, Tom T, Jo S, Julie G, Skip V, Mark E, and Will V.