White water will have you rockin’, rollin’
With phrases like high side, class 4 rapids and 80,000 cfu’s of water, the guide may as well be speaking a foreign language. But when he yells, “Hang on!” there’s no doubting his meaning as the raft rocks and rolls through another white surge of water.
Idaho has an incredible 3,100 river miles of white water. While the chances of rafting them all is pretty small for most of us, there is likely a white-water stretch with your name on it.
Major white-water rivers include the Moyie, Salmon (River of No Return), Lochsa, Snake, Clearwater, Selway, Payette and Owyhee and there is an array of 390 licensed outfitters and guides from which to choose. One short stretch of the Salmon near Riggins is served by 37 outfitters, but there are only about eight out of Riggins that consistently use the lower Salmon. They are: Northwest Voyageurs, (800) 727-9977; Canyon Cats Inc., (888) 628-3372; Epley’s Whitewater Adventures, (800) 233-1813; Exodus1, (800) 992-3484; Salmon River Challenge, (800) 732-8574; and Salmon River Experience, (800) 892-9223.
The Salmon River is probably the best known, bisecting Idaho from east to west. It’s a long white-water river divided into three sections: River of No Return, Middle Fork and the Lower Salmon Gorge. There is a trip for most anyone, ranging from half-day rides to six-day adventures. A half-day run on the Salmon near Riggins is a good choice for first-time floaters, who’ll run about 20 miles of river along with some great rapids. But your choices have just begun.
The time of the year makes a difference. The season starts in May and the spring runoff can leave you shocked with its power and rage. It’s during high water that experienced water guides who read and run the rapids expertly are required. Safety comes first, and float trips get canceled if the water is too wild. Trips are organized upstream from Riggins, running rapids with names such as Time Zone, Tight Squeeze, Black Rock and many others.
What, you may ask, happens if you fall out while running a rapid? Not to worry, guides say. It’s unlikely you will fall out. Rapids on the Salmon drop and pool, which means that there is calm water downstream of the rapids where you can easily hauled back into the raft. The outfitter provides life jackets. Wet suits are a necessary precaution in the early spring because of the cold water. Outfitters know that losing customers is bad for business, so they watch closely and have strict safety precautions.
As the water level lowers later in the summer, better rapids develop downstream from Riggins. The white water still can be very exciting and the water on hot days is great for swimming. Meals are provided and are served along calm areas of water on a warm, sandy beach.
Most people use the flexible rafts we are all used to seeing floating the rivers. They come in 10-, 14- and 18-foot lengths. The experts say that if you want a wilder “hot” ride, use a 14-foot raft, or if you prefer a gentler ride, choose a longer raft. Some outfitters offer hard-sided boat called dories or catboats, which look like they have pontoons on both sides.
Idaho’s white water provides outdoor recreation suited for most all ages and physical condition. Find some time for this – it’s part of Idaho.