A Ride Down The River of No ReturnCity Woman Goes Campingby Valerie Summers
Arriving in Boise, Idaho, my adventure began in a single engine, six seater which took me on a bumpy flight over a vast wilderness of forested mountains and craggy cathedral cliffs. Two hours later I arrived in the town of Salmon and a driver shuttled me to the Stagecoach Inn where I had my first look at the Salmon River. Dubbed “The River of No Return” by Lewis and Clark, it appeared peaceful enough as it flowed past my hotel room. I met the guides from O.A.R.S. (Ourdoor Adventure River Specialists) that evening on the lawn for instructions and introductions. Forty men, women and children gathered behind the hotel at twilight. I was relieved when the groups were split in two… my group consisted of 12 guests, all 50+. Joel, our guide, who would lead the way on the river in his sparkling blue and white dory, passed out waterproof duffel bags and ammo kits. We were to repack our clothes in the duffel bags and toiletries, cameras, sunblock, etc., found protection in the metal ammunition box. My contact at O.A.R.S. had sent me a list of what to bring – something for every kind of weather other than snow, and I did.
We successfully negotiated the rapids and continued down the river, excited that we were finally underway. Not knowing what amenities lay before me when we landed on the white sandy, mica flecked Horse Creek Beach three hours later, I discovered that before this trip was over, I would become an accomplished camper. We all pitched in to unload the supplies. Then we took possession of our ammo kits, duffel bag, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress and tent. Each of us chose our tent site close by the river and under the towering pine trees. A demonstration of putting a tent up followed. Having previously seen tents only in sporting goods stores, I felt baffled by the strange shock cord poles that snapped together while strung along an elastic cord. And what to do with them after they were all snapped together? Did this one go over or under that one? Did it go diagonally across or parallel? It all seemed very mysterious. Everyone around me easily erected their tents, but I decided asking for help was the way to go. Once shown, I found it a piece of cake. Each day I discovered a new snap or strap or reason for a particular element of my bright yellow and blue tent. After we settled in, Joel called us together for a “unit” demonstration. I didn’t have a clue what this meant, but it sounded like something military. The unit, situated in a secluded area close, but not too close, to the campsite included two portable toilets, toilet tissue resting is a covered plastic container and a jar of chemicals which worked effectively to keep the area smelling as good as possible. Cleverly, a bright orange oar, placed several yards from the unit indicated whether or not the facilities were in use. The “out house” minus the house, treated me to a 360 degree view of the woods and river. Next on the agenda was bath time. Donning my bathing suit, I jumped into the Salmon River, filled a bucket with water, ran out of the river onto the sand, lathered up with my soap bar, and poured the water from the bucket over me to rinse, without polluting the river. It was a chilling experience, but refreshing after a day in the hot sun. Back in my tent I rummaged through my duffel bag searching for appropriate dinner wear. Shorts, a tee shirt and sandals filled the bill. One of my female companions commented that the best part of the trip was the absence of mirrors. Meanwhile, the staff set up a dozen black canvas chairs close by the “kitchen” area where wine and cheese were being served.
The evening gave the 12 guests and four crew members an opportunity to get to know one another. We hailed from all parts of the country: New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Montana, Key West, Atlanta, St. Louis and Seattle with professions including a history professor, head nurse, art gallery owner, hotel controller and stock broker. The distaff crew member, a social worker with the schools in Idaho, spent her summers on the river. Once connections were made, a sense of community prevailed, with helping hands appearing when needed When the stars came into view, I headed for my tent for a night filled with the sounds of the rushing river and the wind in the trees. As the sun appeared, so did we and like rafting nomads, we folded our tents and prepared for the next leg of our journey. But, not before breakfast. Fresh blueberry pancakes with warm maple syrup, crisp bacon, orange juice, and strong Cuban coffee, courtesy of one of the guests, started our day. Before long, we hit the river. Although our first day of rafting was short, Joel advised us that the second day would be a long one, so I dressed for the occasion with a special ensemble from Sun Precautions including a Laurence of Arabia hat, long sleeved light weight shirt, long pants and water shoes. This along with my sunscreen and sunglasses enabled me to return home, after six days on the river, sans overexposure to the sun. The first day on the river I had secured a seat in the front of the raft where I had straps to hold onto with both hands. The second day, feeling braver, I straddled the front of the raft and eventually turned completely around riding cowboy style over the rapids, feet dangling in the water. The scenery along the 100 mile stretch of the Main Salmon River which we traveled changed from forested pine tree covered mountains to stark, dramatic granite cliffs. The granite walled canyon , 1/5 mile deeper than the Grand Canyon, is the second deepest gorge on the continent. Never having experienced true wilderness before, the tensions and city stresses vanished and I relished the quiet and unhurried pace of the surroundings. I spotted a small black bear climbing a choke cherry tree and a family of mountain sheep and their calves grazing by the river. In this Frank Church Wilderness area, cascades and creeks rushed in to join the waters of the Salmon River family.
On day three, I switched to the dory which provided a different experience. Whereas the flexible raft undulated and rolled through the rapids, the wooden dory cut through them giving a bouncier ride. The boat rocked from side to side and pitched up and dipped down often from 45 to 75 degree angles. I sat in the back which felt like riding the last car of a roller coaster. But my friends in the front had the wettest seats as the boat dipped and the walls of water drenched them. At Salmon Falls we plowed through two protruding boulders into a foaming frenzy of white capped waves heaving our craft up and down. This is what we came for -- riding the waves. The Salmon River, with rapids rated up to a 3+ in late summer, sometimes appeared almost like glass, then suddenly a dip in the horizon alerted us to upcoming white water. The pitching waves progressed from a rocking horse to a bucking bronco. With master oarsman, Joel, at the helm, leading the way, we safely navigated our way though each of them. Few inhabitants live along the river, but we stopped one afternoon at Five Mile Bar where a German couple lives in a white two story wooden house surrounded by a manicured lawn and an enviable vegetable garden. They operate a small store selling T-shirts, candy, sodas and the like and act as guardians of the house and mini museum of one of the river’s most famous characters. A highly educated man, Bucksin Bill led a totally self sustaining existence on the river, living off the land and made everything himself including his cabin, a kitchen, vegetable garden and workshop where he created rifles with artistic embellishments as well as the bullets for them. The next day I rode in the solo kayak and was grateful for the seaworthy tropical foul weather outfit which one of my new friends loaned to me on this chilly, windy day. The little craft proved amazingly riverworthy as sometimes the waves rolled over my head in a torrent of raging water, but I never capsized. Maneuvering my way through the rapids proved to be a lot of fun in the responsive kayak. I felt exhilarated and pleased with all of my new rafting experiences. On the last night we camped outside the wilderness area. Across the river, signs of civilization reared their ugly heads in the form of trucks and motorcycles. I prepared for reentry. The tranquility of the river faded fast as we landed at Carey Creek where what seemed like hundreds of men, women and children scurried about returning from or departing on a rafting trip. I boarded the same school bus that had brought me as a novice camper/rafter less than a week prior and headed back to Boise. A week ago I felt awkward and unsure about my trip down the Salmon River. I was a stranger among a group of men and women from all over the country. Now I had made new friends and felt not only had I met the challenge, but I had loved the total experience. Riding the rapids had me laughing and screaming with joy. I went back to basics, into the wilderness, surrounded by the sounds and sights of nature, leaving all the city stresses behind. Unlike Lewis and Clark, I will return to The River of No Return. For information:O.A.R.S. Outdoor Adventure River Specialists O.A.R.S. offers a variety of trips on various rivers for varying lengths of time. On the Salmon River, May daytime temperatures range from 50-70 degrees, with varying weather conditions, no crowds, lots of wildlife and wildflowers. In June, 55-90 degrees, occasional wet spells and high water time. July, 60-100 degrees, chance of rain showers with water temperature up to 70 degrees by the end of the month. In August, which is when I went, the predicted range was 70-100+, the driest time of year. In September, the daytime weather ranges from 65-95 degrees and the crowds are gone but the rain is on its way. The cost for trips on the Salmon River are $1199-$1296 for adults and $1089-$1178 for children. There are nearly 50 rafting locations including the rivers of California, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and British Columbia with trips ranging from one-26 days. Southwest Airlines The National Airline Quality Rating recently ranked Southwest Airlines number one. The ranking included 19 separate criteria, including on-time arrivals and departures, safety, baggage handling, customer complaints and financial stability. Southwest Airlines, always offers better than competitive fares, good humored attendants and the best peanuts in the sky. Stagecoach Inn Clean, comfortable rooms featuring king and queen beds, air conditioning and balconies . Complimentary continental breakfast , airport courtesy van, heated swimming pool and conference rooms. River view rooms start at $57. Sun Precautions Sun Precautions Solumbra smart fabrics all have built in SPF30+ protection which blocks more than 97% of the sun’s harmful rays. A variety of attractive and functional clothing styles for men and women are available. Call for a catalog. Best Western Vista Inn For a quick getaway, the Best Western is conveniently located just across the highway from the airport. Guests may relax in the indoor pool area, fitness center or take a break in the video games room. Complimentary continental breakfast and airport shuttle. Summer rates begin at $75.99. Salmon Air Salmon Air flies twin engine planes carrying nine passengers and single engine planes carrying four. Back country, scenic rides and inter-city charters available. Daily flights. Round Trip between Boise and Salmon, $178.50 -Updated 1-23-00- |
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“You’re doing what?” was the general response I received from friends and colleagues when I announced I was participating in a one week rafting/camping trip. “I imagine you’ll be rafting during the day but stopping at some nice lodge overnight,” another suggested. “I don’t think so,” was my reply and off I went on an adventure, never having camped before. I was wide open to whatever lay ahead in my first encounter with basic accommodations.
Next morning our eager group boarded a school bus and journeyed along the river road for 2 ½ hours until we reached our departure point, Corn Creek, where me met the rest of the crew. The crew loaded supplies onto river crafts, dispensed life vests and our caravan of two bright yellow passenger rafts, one supply raft, one dory, one single inflatable and one double inflatable kayak splashed into the Salmon River. Before long, we encountered our first whitewater action at Killum and Gunbarell Rapids.
My erroneous idea of camping food included hot dogs, chili, stew and hamburgers. Not on this trip. What a surprise to discover Epicurean riverside cuisine prepared exquisitely by the O.A.R.S. crew. Menus included New York steak, fresh salmon, shrimp curry, and pork roast entrees presented each night with different gourmet salads, fresh vegetables, rice pilaf with pistachio nuts, creamy baked Idaho potatoes and dessert served buffet style. The food not only tasted good, but each dish, displayed artfully, appealed to the eye and taste buds. After dinner, we each washed our own dishes and flatware in a series of four pots of clear, soapy and disinfected water.
We stopped for lunch and hiked up to Barth Hot Springs where the water steamed down the mountain at 110 degrees. Idaho’s fickle weather changed every five minutes, so we encountered heat, wind, rain and cool conditions. On this particular day, we happily warmed up in the natural springs. At each campsite and often when we stopped for lunch, we took hikes to visit an abandoned mine or to see ancient petroglyphs.