Idaho Wilderness Company

June on the Middle Fork

Mon, 06 May 2019 16:03:00 GMT

BIG WHITEWATER???

Most of our guests ask for it, or at least about it. Big is a relative term and means nothing without context. A vast majority of our guests get all the whitewater action they need on a typical moderate or low-flow river trip . Even though the Middle Fork has some of the greatest whitewater around, and whitewater is a concern of many during pre-trip planning, when the trip actually takes place, “white water” tends to drop in importance in relation to other aspects of the trip, such as natural beauty, fishing, camaraderie, food, everything, etc.

With all that said, it drives the guides and myself nuts annually when we watch our June 5th trip come and go, have wonderful whitewater and traditionally very few or no guests to share it with. June 5th on the Middle Fork is not for everyone, but it is exactly what some of you are looking for. Consistently, June 5th produces the highest water levels of the year. Usually the water tames down quite a bit by the 14th. Obviously, we are talking mother nature and nothing is guaranteed. There also tends to be very few other folks out there that time of year.

The past three years on our June 5th trip we’ve had temperatures into the 80’s , awesome weather and water. The perfect combination! We’ve had a great snow season and there is no reason to believe that we won’t have high water in early June. The other perk to high water is it offers the opportunity to see the entire Middle Fork in less time and for less money.

If you really want a unique whitewater, Middle Fork experience, then you should consider June 5th!

Tank tops and shorts were the order of the day on this recent June 5th float trip!!

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Steve, Jess, Steven & Joel

Idaho Wilderness Company

CALL OR EMAIL US TODAY!

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NEW THIS YEAR – “Women in the Wilderness: A Retreat for the Soul”

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 20:31:00 GMT

When was the last time you spent an hour outside, listening to the birds in the trees, or the stream as it flowed by? When was the last time you felt at one with your environment, and with yourself?

We were recently featured on the Outdoors International Podcast .

Come experience a unique 6-day women’s retreat in the backcountry and get to know yourself at a deeper level.

This one-of-a-kind offering will provide a special chance to explore the wilderness while discovering more about yourself. Boost your inner confidence by learning to build a fire from scratch (and how to put it out!), forage for wild edible plants, cook meals with a fire and a Dutch oven and sleep under the stars. Guests will get to spend time with the horses, including special Equine Coaching sessions, and join in a sunrise Qi Gong practice: a simple practice that combines gentle movements with meditation. All activities will take place in the beautiful setting along Big Creek, its meadows and the surrounding woods. Our small group size will allow for an intimate experience and camaraderie as you journey and explore together.

Date: August 16th – 21st

Take a step out of the ordinary and get back to nature, get back to you. Call or email us to learn more about this special women’s retreat! 208-879-4700

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A Season in Review

Sun, 21 Jan 2018 02:50:00 GMT

Middle Fork River Float Trips

Come enjoy the trip of a lifetime down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in the Frank Church Wilderness. You will experience 100 miles of river in pristine condition along with views of the Nation’s second deepest canyon, it’s incredible geology, historic pictographs and dwellings along with great fly fishing and whitewater in our variety of boats, kayaks or paddle boat. Our guides share their extensive knowledge of the landscape, fun side-hike treks (including special hot springs), and exceptional customer service to make your trip perfect for family, couples or an unforgettable business outing. Did I mention the deliciously cooked camp meals and plush sleeping bags …?

We take customer service seriously (plus we love to eat!)

The 2017 season sure boasted some great water!

Backcountry Fish Camp on Big Creek

Fabulous wilderness fishing , luxury camping, horseback riding, and family adventures, all on the largest tributary of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River: Big Creek.

Enjoy mature shade trees, a nearby swimming hole and endless terrain to explore for the young and the young at heart. You will enjoy sandy beaches, miles of hiking and horseback riding trails, whether along Big Creek or high into the surrounding mountains. Our camp is equipped with roomy wall tents, cots, wood stoves, lanterns, a complete cook tent with room for indoor dining if necessary. We serve up traditional breakfasts and dinners under blue skies and campfires in comfortable chairs. Grab your fly rod and give us a call !

Dates available: Aug 6-10 & Aug 21-25

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A Thank You To Our Guests…… And A Verse

Sat, 06 Jan 2018 23:21:00 GMT

As 2017 comes to a close, we’d like to say thank you to all our friends, family and those who joined us this season on our various adventures! We couldn’t have imagined a better way to have spent it than having logged so many days in the wilderness with many of you.

We had a fearsome gaggle of girls who proved worthy to all manners of River mischief along with a mighty group of Wild Women — momma’s and daughters alike. One thing was to be sure: our guides were in for a wild ride!

During the fall, we traversed the high country far and wide, through sunshine and snow alike in search of the true hunt of sheep, elk and mule deer.

All in all, it was a wonderful year and we are grateful to welcome 2018, our 28th year of embracing the wilderness in the heart of Idaho, in which we feel so lucky to outfit, experience and adventure.

So thank you all for joining in our fun, and we’ll leave you with this little verse and some photos.

An End-of-Season Sonnet…from your Outfitter, Steve Zettel

“Twas the end of the season, when out of the woods,

There came trailers of horses in cheerful good moods,

There outfitters and guides sporting seasons long hair

Thinking of a hot shower how soon they’d be there.

Mules dreamed of range pasture stomping as they drove,

Satisfied from the work, for guests they had strove.

It was time for the gear, all the Rafts and paddles,

To be put to bed, with the horses and saddles.

We scrubbed empty coolers, and stacked high kayaks…

Guides shuttered at the sight of all those sleeping bags.

While swapping hunt stories, of how their socks turned to rags

And the long-gone deer hunters they’d help’t fill their tags.

Tents were strung up to dry from the rafters with care

Paco pads and some long-forgotten underwear.

We cleaned out our workshops, and made quite a racket,

Til nothing was left out, not en’n a life jacket.

Now our fridges are filled with salad dressings and old mustard,

In hopes that the cook could invent some kind of leftover custard.

5 jams and 10 mayo’s and 16 kinds of jellies,

Looks like we won’t have trouble filling our bellies!

Now our backcountry crews are showered and shaven

Ponies wormed, barefoot and cherishing their safe haven,

We take to comfy seats in our soft easy chairs,

Highest mountains we’ll climb are those old pesky stairs.

Warm feet and quiet houses, we recline by the fire,

‘Nother season in the books — what more to desire?

Dreaming back to sunny days on the river,

Starry nights and hot spring soaking, sure did deliver.

We had Wigleys in big water, Ron, Dog and Bass after June,

Little girls and Wild Women a ‘howlin’ at the moon.

An eclipse on the river topping mountains so tall

Only thing better were the adventures of fall.

A big ram and several bulls brought their challenge to our door

We even found some nice Muley’s, how could we want more?

Planning for next season and all of the sights

We settle down for a rest — no more rides, no more flights.

Turning in and refueling like the 206s and the Beavers,

We look back at the pictures from our guests ever so eager.

Grateful for the good times, we wish you all such good cheer,

With hopes that you’ll join us (if only next year).

Come float on the Middle Fork, or try out Fish Camp

A Women’s Week or Mountain Hunt, (please note: we don’t “glamp”!)

May your New Year give you plenty of good luck and delight,

Spent with loved ones in wild places, and a few fish that bite!

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Choosing The Right Middle Fork Salmon River Outfitter

Sun, 12 Mar 2017 21:56:00 GMT

Every now and then we are told something that is so true that we just can’t quite bring ourselves to believe it.

This is the case when speaking of our guest satisfaction on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

Everyone loves their experience with Idaho Wilderness Company and their experience on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River . Sounds like just another sales pitch, right? You would be correct and yet it does not change the truth of the statement. Every one, every time, for over two decades, regardless of gender, outdoor experience, age, preconceived notions, in the end, the response is the same. Yes, I know your thinking: “You don’t know my wife, my kids, my????” That is true and then again it isn’t. If we were batting 500 I might agree with you. But with our track record so close to perfect, the reality is, I think I know them quite well.

I was recently asked by a marketing professional; What makes a float trip with Idaho Wilderness Company different than a trip provided by our competitors.

That’s simple, “Me”. This answer may sound egotistical and or self consumed but I assure you it’s true.

Now had the question asked been:

What makes our trips better than those provided by our competitors? Well that’s a different story, sort of?

Providing a service like outfitting guests on a 6-day wilderness float trip on a hundred miles of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, through the heart of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, will involve some very extensive interaction with our guests, involving details including everything from financial, travel, diet, safety, comfort, quasi-psycho therapy, day care, all-day care, night care for children ages 4-104, fishing advice, whitewater advice, history lessons, entertainment and on and on. These and much more will be dictated by those who actually run your trip not necessarily those who sell you your trip. Nearly everything you do for a week will be somewhat, and often predominately impacted by those providing the service for you.

Outfitters on the Middle Fork Salmon vary from far removed, large adventure travel corporations to local Mom & Pop businesses.

Some have steady season-long crews that actually run their trips for them, some crews come and go or change with each trip. Some Outfitters are very hands on and participate in most trips, as well as dictate exactly how things should be in their absence, while others leave those decisions up to the guides “de jour”.

Regardless of which company you choose, there will be a “Me” or several “Me(s)” dictating how your trip will be run. In most cases the personality of the “Head Honcho” permeates the entire theme of the trip whether he is present or not. And this is what should most interest you when making your decision.

So back to “Me”. What does make Idaho Wilderness Company (Me) different than the rest?

1. Family, family, family.

My boys were raised in the wilderness. My guides are either family or quasi adopted. Most have been with us since they were in their mid teens or younger. They know the Zettel way and walk that line when I’m not there. Because our boys were raised in our business, we have always been careful about who we hired. If they’re not good enough for my family, I won’t allow them to be with yours.

2. We are locals.

We don’t just talk the talk, we walk it as well. Half of our business is on the land adjacent to the Middle Fork. We live on the Salmon River. Most of our guides have worked on the river and on horseback in the fall. Our knowledge of the river and the surrounding wilderness is not based on some pre-scripted dialogue learned days before your trip. Our guides tend to be the perfect combination of youthful spirit and seasoned expert. Wilderness experience well beyond their ages. (Sometimes I’m baffled by the thought of someone choosing a wilderness provider based on a picture of flowers on a table, over the incredible value of experienced guides!)

3. Folks that know me tend say that I’m a bit “energetic” (outside of nap time of course).

I expect and demand the same from my crew. They embrace enthusiastic service beyond anything you have or probably will ever experience, especially in the outdoors, under any conditions, time of year, time of day or night.

4. Freedom to do what you want, when you want.

Many operations tend to be quite anal by nature. Lots of rules, almost as if no decision can be made without the blessing of both the accountant and the attorney and the entire Board of Directors.

Idaho Wilderness Company (Me) refuses to take this route. You are coming to experience the wilderness and with us you will. We have a few guiding principles, which when followed, allow for maximum guest freedom, relaxation, enjoyment and safety, without detracting from the original goal of having an unbelievably enjoyable wilderness experience.

Here’s the deal:

The Middle Fork’s magical powers will impose themselves. You will have a fantastic time on your Middle Fork float trip regardless when you go, who you go with, how much money you do or do not spend.

So what’s the secret to picking the right Outfitter?

Great question with no real solid answer. Unfortunately, 35+ years of experience has taught me that what concerns and or drives guests most in their initial decision making, is rarely what will ultimately be their favorite take away from the trip. Knowing this and trying to be honest with potential guests can be a bit tricky.

For example; Bob (before) wants to fish every waking moment on the trip. I know he really won’t when he actually gets here. He will enjoy the fishing for sure but will be extremely pleasantly surprised at how much he enjoys other aspects of the trip that he never considered. Bob (after) recounts how he’d never been in a paddle boat or a kayak before and loved it so much he chose to paddle most of the trip, then opps for an afternoon hike to the top of the mountain with his kids.

Bob (before) wanted solitude and alone time. I know the folks that Bob is trying to escape and they are not on this trip. We tend to picture other folks as the crowds at christmas time shopping malls or Disney World. The other guests will be like minded wonderful people as a rule. Bob (after) recounts how the new friends he made on the trip will last a lifetime and many of his fondest memories of his trip will be the sunset and campfire conversations with others.

Bob (before) was concerned about his children getting bored, not liking the food , being too young, the trip being too long, I know how we handle children and without exception they will say this is the most amazing trip they’ve ever been on. Bob: (after) “What kids?”

Bob (before) Says his wife won’t enjoy the trip, she’s not a camper. Yep, hear it all the time. As Mrs. Bob sits with her glass of wine with her toes in the sand, watching the sun set and her family having the time of their lives, all the while having to nary raise a finger for 6 days. Bob: (after) “What wife?”

There is not enough ink or paper to complete the examples of Bob’s preconceived notions compared to the positive realities of his experience.

I repeat: You will love the Middle Fork trip you’re on!

Don’t get caught up in who’s better than who. All are different for sure. So I guess its more the differences that matter than to speak of superiority. There are some differences that might very well be important enough to base a decision on. Cost for sure. More doesn’t mean better, it just means more and probably some differences as well.

If you are considering paying more than you might—ask why? What are you actually getting that cost so much more? Is the extra worth it, even necessary? Is there really any extra at all? And worst of all, the extra you may be paying extra for may actually detract from the experience your striving for.

The same goes for a “deal”.

What aren’t you getting? Maybe it is just that—a “deal”—and you’re not missing out on anything at all. Great! Grab it! Some companies have very specific boat arrangements, very specific fishing arrangements, with limited or no flexibility as the trip goes on. If fishing is important to you, then be sure not to book with someone who doesn’t allow fishing .

As the water level drops all companies have their own protocol as to when they will quit taking guests from the top of the river and choose to fly guest in at a lower point. If floating the entire river is important to you, then floating with a company that has a track record of flying earlier (at higher water levels) than others would be foolish.

All outfitters have specific launch dates , so if your vacation dates are specific it is fairly simple to find those outfitters with dates which match yours.

At Idaho Wilderness Company, we keep the rules to a minimum.

Flexibility to go with the flow of the group and the river at the same time is paramount. We provide options and flexibility because we know most guests (especially first timers) don’t truly understand what they will really want until it presents itself. If you wish to fish, fish, to relax, relax, to hike, hike, to swim, swim….

Our underlying rule to everything we do at Idaho Wilderness Company is “Common Courtesy” .

And all the while, keeping the “Wild” in Wilderness.

My standard line for our river guests during their pre-trip orientation is; “There are two and a half million acres of wilderness where we are going. If what you wish to do something which is not appropriate in front of others then go find one of those acres and be wild.” Our crew live with a “No Problem” attitude. If we can make it happen for you, we will.

Enjoy your Middle Fork experience! And remember; the only real mistake you can make is not booking a trip at all.

BOOK YOUR TRIP TODAY

Steve Zettel
Idaho Wilderness Company
Idaho’s Finest Wilderness Excursions
208-879-4700

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A Priceless Family Vacation

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 20:27:00 GMT

Middle Fork of the Salmon River Float Trips: an unforgettable, irreplaceable family experience. Simply a priceless family outing!

Have you ever had an experience that was so “over-the-top” fantastic, that when you try to enlighten someone about it, you fail miserably to come close to how AWESOME it really was?

Well that’s a Middle Fork Salmon River float trip with Idaho Wilderness Company.

Everybody, every time, has that sort of experience, and no matter how hard any of us try to convey the awesomeness, we just fall way short when relaying the experience. In fact, it is interesting to note, that many will unwittingly in their excitement, actually portray the greatest outdoor experiences of their life in such a negative tone, so as to achieve the opposite reaction from the audience than they were looking for.

Let’s start with an example of a particular family group that comes to mind.

The Smith family takes a raft trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

First, they are blown away by the beauty of the Sawtooth Mountains outside of Stanley, Idaho when they arrive the evening before the our river launch.

During the course of their week on this guided excursion on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, each member of the family accumulates the most fabulous memories: the whitewater, the scenery, the excellent fly fishing for Cutthroat Trout, the limitless hiking and other shoreline activities, the family bonding camp life, our exquisite Dutch Oven meals, wildlife and so much more.

All the while, the Smith family is being treated to the stellar service from our Idaho Wilderness Company guides .

There’s many ways we will hear a family group reminisce about their Middle Fork Salmon River excursion but here’s one from the Smith family:

As is the case when you spend that much time outdoors, nature has a way of taking center stage, and whether rough or warm and fuzzy, those natural events become a large part of the Smith family memories, held close to their hearts for a lifetime smiles.

What may seem dangerous or uncomfortable is actually quite enjoyable for the participants on our excursions and our guides take great care in keeping their launch group safe and having fun!

When the Smiths return home and relate their trip to the Joneses next door, in their excitement they will usually tell a story something like this:

“ The whole experience was awesome, Dad lost his fly rod in the river, Mom saw a bear on her hike and ran back to camp, Sis fell out of the raft and Sonny caught lots of snakes! We had a huge hail storm during dinner one night and we all had to use the porta-pot. It was the greatest trip ever ! “

With that, the Joneses look at one another, roll their eyes and plan a trip to Disney World. Maybe. Regardless of how poorly the the Smith family have told their story, the fact is, they did have the time of their lives and those memories will be replayed time and time again as the years flow by, and the Smith kids have kids of their own. They’ve never forgotten the memories and now it’s time to take Gramma and Grampa, mom and dad and the next generation of Smiths who will repeat the entire cycle again!

Folks who have recently returned from a Middle Fork Salmon River rafting vacation can quickly lose their visitation rights, as they typically, and incessantly, relive their adventure to a point to cause a numbness of their audience, much like that of a husband hearing a tale of a fantastic shoe sale from his wife and her girlfriends.

The ultimate fact of the matter is simply this: It’s just impossible to give verbal justice to a guided Middle Fork of the Salmon float trip with Idaho Wilderness Company! You have to EXPERIENCE IT!

Of course the river and surrounding wilderness, wildlife and all its wildness create an awesome setting for the rafting adventure!

But it’s our guides the take it “over-the-top”.

Without fail, without exception, trip in and trip out, our guests are blown away by our guides , and rightfully so!

The service, kindness, concern, attention to detail, professionalism and more provided tirelessly by our crew is second to none. Regardless of their individual skills as professional river guides, the greatest unified quality is that they are all MORE FAMILY than employee. They are genuinely good people.

For the past 20 Years, American Adrenaline Company, then Idaho Wilderness Company has been a family owned and operated outfitting business in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area. Raising two boys with wonderful wife in and out of the wilderness, working and living closely with staff, mandated a different level of employee character than most would require. Even now that my wife is gone and the boys are adults, our philosophy has not changed.

Again, words cannot come close to describing how our guest ultimately feel about the effort and the qualities of our guides. If by chance you or someone you know thinks they have what it take to be an Idaho Wilderness Company guide, be sure to contact me . Rule #1; don’t have your Mom or Dad contact me!

Steve Zettel
Owner of Idaho Wilderness Company

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Packing Preparations and Suggested Gear for a Middle Fork of the Salmon River Adventure

Tue, 24 Jan 2017 04:47:00 GMT

Congratulations. If you’re reading this, then you are one of the smartest 10,000 people of the 7 billion that are on the planet.

You and the rest of the 10,000 have planned a float trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River THIS SUMMER! You have, right? I haven’t overestimated you, have I? My name is Steve Zettel and I have been guiding river trips for over thirty years. This article is an attempt to aid the average Middle Fork of the Salmon river guest to make the necessary packing preparations for their trip.

You may be planning on being a guest on an outfitted Middle Fork excursion: a private float tripper, planning to paddle a solo craft, plan to fish, going during extreme water conditions and so forth.

These nuances may all require specific additional gear. When packing for Middle Fork of the Salmon River raft trip there are some variables which may alter your gear a bit, mostly additions really. There is however, a list of basic gear which would probably pertain to most users. We will begin there.

Visit our Gears & Supplies page where you will find a complete Middle Fork of the Salmon River guest gear list.

Before we move on, I would like to enlighten you with a packing faux pas of my own and the subsequent changes I’ve made to my guest’s gear lists since.

Years ago I was invited last minute on a trip to Northwest Territory. A trip that would involve a mix of Northern Pike and Lake Trout fishing with some Caribou hunting. The recommended gear list had all the normal items you would expect and they were easy for me to procure from my household except for one. That one, was (2) turtleneck long john tops. Well personally, I dislike turtlenecks so in lieu of them I packed two normal long john tops and went on my way.

About 48 hours later I began having fantasies about turtleneck tops, when it became known that the reason for them was to help me through the onslaught of a trillion little flies, mosquitoes, gnats and such which chose to feed on my neck and the rest of my body daily.

I learned two lessons on that trip.

(1) “do what the guide says”, if he says bring it, then bring it. And lesson (2), because guest rarely “do what the guide says”, I have chosen to add some explanations, mandates and such to my gear lists in order to compel my future guests to trust and listen.

Had I read that the turtlenecks were to thwart the bugs I would not have hesitated to find some. I actually include a multi page letter with my hunt gear list that explains each and every item and the rationale for each. I don’t have to do this to the same extent with my Middle Fork guests for two really good reasons.

Reason (1) being that half of our Middle Fork of the Salmon River guests are women, and women follow the list, although they are also the gender most likely to add to the list as well. And reason (2) being a simple one, if you show up for a guided Middle Fork float trip and have at least a bathing suit rain gear and sandals, you will have the minimum you need to enjoy the best week of your life.

With all that said, here’s a list of gear we recommend to our guests on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

You will notice that we don’t change the list depending on the time of the year you come with the exception of wetsuits in June or during continued high water. You are headed into the Rocky Mountains for an extensive wilderness excursion and any weather is possible at any time.

Idaho Wilderness Company

RAFTING GEAR LIST

It is important to understand that you are responsible for certain things to insure a successful trip.

The two most important are: a good positive attitude, and the gear list below.

If you have particular items you wish to bring on the trip which are not on the list, feel free to ask us about them. (For example, we’d love to have someone bring a guitar.)

* If you have particular items you wish to bring on the trip, which are not on the list, feel free to ask us about them. For example, we’d love to have someone bring their guitar.

Wetsuits; there also substitutes for wetsuits in the form of dry suits. Both have pros and cons.

The reason I like my guests in wetsuits during extremes in water levels and cold temperatures is that in the event of an involuntary guest swim in such conditions, a wetsuit (when I say wetsuit I refer to a one-piece long legged and long sleeve) will immediately provide additional buoyancy, insulation and a full body’s worth of foam padding to protect them from the hard services they may encounter during their swim.

Lastly and maybe equally as important is that the wetsuit is the final bastion of hope for the adult human physique. Simply put; “If you don’t look good in a wetsuit, you don’t look good“ . So wearing a well fitting wetsuit for many of our guests will result in at least part of the week having their anatomy relocated to the places, if not exactly, near where they used to be.

A few additional wetsuit tips;

(1) is if you are wearing the wetsuit for a precautionary measure and don’t plan on getting submerged on a regular basis, then wearing a layer between you and the wetsuit can make it much more comfortable and tolerable and,

(2) wetsuits are not intended to be rain gear. It is recommended that you still wear a water repellent shell over the wetsuit if in splash or rain conditions,

…and most important (3) go to the bathroom just before you put the wetsuit on not just after.

Personally, as an outfitter who consistently escorts guest down the Middle Fork during the high water flows typical of early and mid June , I feel much more confident in my guests’ safety as we enter Rapids like Hell’s Half Mile, Powerhouse , Velvet falls, Weber, Rubber Rapids, Devil’s Tooth and the rest, knowing that in a swim, my guests are better prepared just by simply wearing a wetsuit.

As the water drops and the temperature rises, the need for a wet suit becomes less and less to a point that most days, most summers in July and August don’t typically warrant the need for one.

As you go through your outfitters gear list you should feel free to contact your host with any questions or concerns you have relative to your gear.

Keep this in mind; “ There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear ”. Having the necessary gear is paramount and is the simplest way to ensure an enjoyable Middle Fork of the Salmon River float trip.

You expect a lot of your Middle Fork Outfitter, it begins with you showing up prepared.

Most Middle Fork trips begin in Stanley Idaho. Beyond being one of the most beautiful places on earth, located at the base of the Sawtooth Mountains, Stanley has become a great jumping off point for Middle Fork boaters. With lodging, fuel, grocery stores, restaurants, campsites, live entertainment and boasting a year-round population of less than 100, it is the perfect place to begin your Middle Fork adventure. Even more important for you, “the Middle Fork River Runner”, is that Stanley is also home to two very nice, well-stocked outdoor gear retail stores. The River-1 Store and the Riverwear Store. Prices are not gouging and generally anything you need for a Middle Fork raft trip is available in one or both of the stores. The Riverwear Store also provides wetsuit rentals .

As you complete your list and pack for your Middle Fork expedition, keep in mind that space is limited. Most companies will provide a selection of waterproof (we will use the term loosely) bags for your gear. These bags are commonly called dry bags. Typical MO of the Middle Fork Outfitter is to give each guest a large dry bag for the bulk of your gear and a small “day” bag for you to keep a few things close and handy that you may need to get to during the day. Most Middle Fork Outfitters provide a pre trip orientation the evening before your trip in order to, among other things, explain how to pack these bags.

I personally enjoy when our guests enhance their gear list with small non-obnoxious items to possibly share with the group, i.e. small table games, cards, book on wildflowers, etc. Again, consult your outfitter here as many nonessential items can also detract from the experience of the other guest around you on your trip.

I would say that a good baseline for acceptable gear volume for your Middle Fork vacation would be to have all your gear fit in a normal carry-on suitcase, (fishing tackle, wetsuit and maybe a slightly heavier coat for early spring and fall trips excluded).

All middle Fork Outfitters will do things slightly different. Items they do or don’t provide will be reflected in what you need to bring.

I personally also provide our guests with a list of what we provide, so that they don’t get nervous about obvious essentials that are not listed on our gear list,

If you didn’t know this and you were planning on spending a week in the Frank Church “River of No Return” Wilderness and they weren’t on your list, you might be a little concerned.

Good news, you are about to embark on the greatest outdoor experience of your life.

In summary; “do what the guide says”, bring what is on the list, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and “ if you don’t look good in the wetsuit, you don’t look good .”

A special tip to the parents, mothers in particular.

I have witnessed many mothers of all ages with children of all ages head down the Middle Fork the Salmon River. Just like outfitters, all mothers do it differently. My observation is that when necessary, children are quite durable and capable. Mothers who let their children take on their own packing responsibilities once on the river, tend to be more relaxed.

Most guide crews on the river are extremely helpful in such matters assisting in child maintenance, i.e. assisting in packing the kids dry bags. Small children tend to have small clothes, thus dry bags which are easier to pack and handle. You being of the “extra gear not on the list” gender, should not absorb the space in your child’s bag created by their small stuff. You are “all” on vacation, so try to treat yourself to one. Let the kids take care of their own stuff as much as possible and in the words of Marie Antoinette, ” if they don’t like the lasagna, let them eat cake” .

Enjoy your trip of a lifetime!

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Tour de Powerhouse on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River – Part 3

Sat, 24 Dec 2016 18:12:00 GMT

Story continued from ~ Tour de Powerhouse on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River – Part 2

…By this point, the bike should have been happy because it was currently the only passenger able to enjoy the ride and stay fairly dry at the same time. The others on board at this point were not as fortunate fore all the while on their Tour de Powerhouse , the ongoing rotation process succeeded in filling the boat to the brim with water.

It was about now that some of the other disgruntled passengers decided to abandon ship.

The bailing bucket quit first.

How unfortunate. More good news though, they didn’t have to fear slamming against the wall at the end of the rapid because they were already there. Finally released from their Death Spiral, the boat and crew cruised through the brief calm at the tail end of therapid, satisfied with the fact that the worst seemed to be over and that all had survived. For most on the river, it is assumed that Powerhouse has two sections, for some, like those on the Biker Boat, Part 3 was about to reveal its true self.

Typically at this water level, you simply stay river right, avoiding the horrific rock down stream on river left. Unfortunately for the crew of the Biker Boat, the captain attempted to pull the boat in on river left. Now, I know that it is assumed that Superman can’t row one of these boats full of water but I got to witness firsthand, that for sure, a trainee cannot stand on land and hold onto a rope tied to one of these boats and keep it from continuing on his merry way. You can almost see the smoke rising out of the young man’s hands as he tightens his grip on the ever elusive boat rope. More good news, he at least held on long enough so as to change the course of the boat as to avoid a near miss of the horrific rock. The boat was now aligned perfectly with it. It also seemed that the captains at this point got tired of Rule Number-1 and changed it up a bit by parking her there perfectly broadside. I could really sense some separation anxiety brewing with the biker clinging for dear life on one end of the boat and the bike doing the same on the other. Fortunately the boat got bored with just hanging out on the rock in the middle river and let go. Even more fortunate was that they were still river left, which also is the side of the river with the trail. I haven’t mentioned it yet but Ron’s 13-year-old stepson Cortney was also a passenger of the Biker Boat and I can’t remember when he made his big move but he also made a gallant attempt to pull the boat ashore and ended up with the same smoking palms. The bank on river left however didn’t seem to treat them any better than the wall had on river right. The one positive thing I might add is that at least now they were spinning in an opposite direction. I made the assumption that now being beyond the rapids and the fact that they were to shore, at least hitting it periodically, that it would be a good time for me to go chase down the deserters, i.e. the bucket.

History tells us that really bad things rarely happen as a result of one error. It is usually the result of a series of unfortunate events that create true calamity. With my total focus on chasing down the bucket and subsequent success, I allowed myself to swing out wide right on a blind left curve, big no no. As I raised my five gallon trophy in the air, only to see Ron standing chest deep water soaking wet, no cowboy hat, screaming for me to get river left. Just ahead of me was a cable at water level or just or just above, coming from a tree on river right to a another on river left. One of the trees had obviously gotten tired of holding up the cable all those years and fell into the river. I will note here that in all Ron’s concern about me and the cable, he failed to noticed the Biker Boat delightfully pirouetting down the bank behind him. With a few pulls of the oars and a whole lot of luck, I got just enough of the boat around the end of the cable that was disappearing into the river, river left, Ron’s end.

After a pirouette of my own around the cable, a quick look around yielded the following seen; the Biker Boat was burning the palms of its last wet passenger, Ron looked wet and pissed, but safe, Cowboy was clinging to the cliff down downstream river right, Grizz was was eddied out river right above Cowboy, and Paul was rowing the Ron/Cowboy boat. Wait! Who the $&#? is Paul? A few quick words with Grizz and it was clear that he would go for Cowboy and Paul was mine.

Paul’s abilities to row had the boat looking a lot like the Biker Boat along the Powerhouse wall only he was in the middle of the river. The current was very quick but with me rowing downstream and Paul spinning like a top, I was gaining ground nicely. There was one itsy bitsy concern. Paul was now rowing a raft that Superman couldn’t row and he has taken over the helm at almost exactly the same place on the river that Hollywood had only days before. The wall was in sight and the log was just around the corner. Good news, bad news. Paul seemed to be one of those guys that “got it”. The boat stopped spinning, suddenly the oars working in unison. He had control of the boat. Sort of. I could see his effort and quick learning paying off. If only we were in fact having a race down the river. All his efforts were now straight away and down stream, preventing me from catching him.

They survived Hollywood’s Wall but what about the log? As the rock island came into view I could see the log was gone. Paul had obviously trained for the sprint event and not the distance, fore he soon played out and I was able to catch up, tie on, and bring them sure. A short while later the other boats arrived. I got to hear how as Cowboy had rounded the corner and had no warning or chance to miss the cable. As it caught the boat dead center broadside, held them there momentarily, and as the upstream tubes began to fall below the water line and take on water, the boat spun in a way that the cable peeled Ron off the boat and trapped Cowboy between the cable and the boat rigging. Fortunately Cowboy was one of the toughest guys on the planet and he weathered the storm until something gave and the boat floated free.

About what became of the biker and the bike, I never heard. He was not seen or heard from again. Nor was he ever spoken of. It was as if he’d never existed. Bike, what bike?

I do have images of him riding off down the trail on two oblong tires, a pair of shaky hands on the handle bars, muttering something about bad turkey. If Ron was correct, imagine how bad the trail must have been!

Several days later we were camped at Grassy 1.

An interesting camp on river left. It has the feel of a giant half stadium with the camp as the stage centered at the bottom with steep hillsides that rise up in a semi circle where the river isn’t. You can walk out of the camp, get on the ridge at its low point near the river and then climb very steeply to the top, circle the stadium, then descend on the other side back to the river. The hillsides are so steep that when you are on top of the ridge you cannot see the hillside below you. It seems to disappear below you until it bottoms out at stage level and tapers out towards the camp.

On this particular afternoon Cowboy and I decided to make the climb. As we are enjoying the view from the ridge, we spotted Paul, just below us, almost to the top. He had not taken the easy ridge route but instead had come straight up the face. Being part of the “greatest crew ever” we considered that the right thing to do would be to yell some words of encouragement to Paul to help him reach the summit. Instead the quick plan was to get down in the tall grass and when we saw the whites of his eyes, scare the bejesus out of him. At the precise moment we would let loose with our best bull elk calls.

Like crouching tigers we waited for Paul to nearly step upon us. First, we cut loose with our with our best bugles and grunts. Followed by a few seconds of tee-heeing. It was now time to offer those friendly, professional words of encouragement. Where’s Paul? A bit of dust hung in the air where we had last seen him standing but no Paul. We could only assume that Paul was now being the prankster. As it turns out, Paul learned to sprint down vertical mountainsides quicker than he learned to row a boat. Kind of rude I thought, him not sticking around for the end of our little prank. As we watched from above, we saw nothing for a while. But then we noticed that the folks in camp were becoming interested in our direction, well, below us really. Finally we saw Paul break into view, still running all the way to the centerstage. Several of the other guests seemed interested enough to converge upon him. Paul’s arms flapped a few times, then a gesture or two, some pointing, more flapping, then suddenly turning straight towards us, Paul gives a double bird in our direction. We later learned that the conversation went something like;

“Paul, Paul, what’s wrong?

Mmmm mmm-mmmountain lion up there. Ttrr tttrri-ttrried to eat me!

No no Paul, there isn’t one mountain lion, there are two.

Two?

Yes, one named Steve and one named Cowboy.”

We all survived that season, and most of our guests did as well. It was without a doubt my best summer ever. Between the time spent being a rookie on the river, down time in Stanley Idaho and hangin with the other members of “The best Crew Ever”, How could it not be?

Working for and learning from Ron has certainly left a lifetime “impression” on me. The attitude and skills that Ron gave us stand tall on the personality of my company, my crew and myself. No Pussification of the wilderness here. (more on that some other time). When the river is huge you’ll find us out there. When the river is low, you’ll find us still floating when the rest have gone. Regardless of weather, effort, work load or time of day, you will always see myself and my crew smiling and attentive .

The rowing and other skills that Ron taught me are beaten into my own crew daily in an effort to make them “the best crew ever”.

READY TO EXPERIENCE THE MIDDLE FORK YOURSELF?

BOOK YOUR TRIP!

Tour de Powerhouse on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River – Part 2

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:08:00 GMT

Story continued from ~ Tour de Powerhouse on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River – Part 1

Bicycles are not allowed in the wilderness, but at one point they were.

Remember Ron’s lasting impressions?

Well, he left one this day.

As we were rigging our boats at Boundary Creek, and Ron was tending to the guests, an unsuspecting cyclist caught Ron’s attention. Before he knew it, Ron had him convinced that the first 10 miles of the trail were far too rough for a bicycle and that a better choice would be to let us float he and his bike on a raft for the first ten miles or so.

There are folks in this world who are good at what I like to call “answer questions”. These are those questions posed in such a way that you are somewhat simultaneously given an answer which you feel somewhat obligated to automatically agree with, whether or not you really do.

Example: Let’s say you’re enjoying your Thanksgiving dinner at a stranger’s home and the man of the house looks you in the eye and says, “isn’t this the best turkey you’ve ever eaten?” . It would be very difficult to come right out and say no. Even in disagreement, the best negative response you’re likely to offer would be to fill your mouth with a fork full of turkey, grunt, nod and look away. Ron was a master at answer questions.

The poor guy with the bike didn’t stand a chance, even if he had no desire to participate in the notion, his bike was loaded into the raft and he was wearing a lifejacket before he could get the turkey swallowed.

Whereas Ron’s 8-day Middle Fork training crash course worked well for some, for others, not so much. Quite frankly, when it came to rowing a boat in a whitewater situation , some got it, some didn’t. At least not as quickly as others, let’s say. The bike and biker happened to be loaded on a boat captained by a “some didn’t”.

Regardless of our individual skill, we launched our fleet of four boats. Running lead and supervising Cowboy was Ron. Grizz in second, the biker boat third, and I was in the rear. The Ron/Cowboy and the Grizz boats both had guests on board, including ( in the Ron/Cowboy boat), the only black woman I’ve ever been on the Middle Fork with, and Paul. We negotiated the rapids of the first 9 miles or so without event and we had even learned that the name of Stevo’s unknown mile 6 rapid was Velvet Falls.

The next rapid would be Powerhouse.

I’ve never heard anything officially about the source of the name but I’ve always assumed it referred to the cabin and the waterwheel that was jutting out into the river on river right. Powerhouse is essentially two rapids with a very short calm section in between. The first section “Waterwheel”, is typically uneventful. The second, the true Powerhouse, just the opposite.

First of all, it’s one of the longest rapids on the river, AND has big waves, lots of sharp rocks, lots of regular rocks and just when you think that was enough, the entire river makes a 90° bend to the left forcing anything afloat into the wall on river right. The usual plan is to run the first stretch, Waterwheel, without event, passing the waterwheel and the cabin on river right, oohh and aahh a little bit, hit the calm, compose yourself, enter Powerhouse somewhat river left and stay river left, dodging the rocks, sharp or not, trying to hit the waves as straight as possible as to not take on any more water than necessary, because as Ron would always tell the guests; ”that water weighs 8 pounds per gallon and Superman couldn’t row one of these boats full of water” .

Now, having done all of the above, you are only left with the task of keeping your somewhat Superman boat from slamming into the wall at the bottom.

I might add here, that one of the lessons from the eight day course that was driven home continuously, was that, in the event that you were going to hit something with your boat, it was extremely important to hit it head-on with the bow or stern. The theory here being that by doing so, your boat being an inflatable raft, would simply bounce off the hazard and allow you to continue on your merry way rather than plant your boat broadside and all the ugliness that such a move creates.

Till now, I had witnessed the biker boat from behind for approximately 9 miles without much todo.

We had been through some pretty major stuff including Sulphur Slide, Ram’s Horn, Hell’s Half-Mile, Velvet Falls, The Chutes and more. Even the bike seemed to be enjoying the ride bouncing here and there in the stern of the boat.

Like little ducklings we all cruised through the Waterwheel single file with no problem.

It was about now that the Biker Boat begin to deviate from the plan. Ever so slightly at first, but soon, left became center, center became river right. Bad Ducky!

I know I had a grand total of two trips down the Middle Fork and was working on number three, but it was at this moment that I first realized that the cliff wall at the bottom was actually a cliff wall on river right for more than half of the rapid. I believe it’s fair to say that the crew of the Biker Boat had the same revelation at almost the exact time that I did.

It was also about this time that I noticed that the bike didn’t seem to be having as much fun as before.

Watching as this segment of Ron’s “Best Crew Ever”, artfully implemented Rule Number-1 and slammed into the wall bow first, was quite a sight to behold. Almost as impressive as a couple of seconds later when the boat whipped a 180 and slammed stern first into the wall.

It is important to note that the bicycle didn’t fit as neatly into the raft as one would have hoped.

I also noticed that unhappy bikers and unhappy bikes don’t behave themselves the same as when they are happy.

Over the next couple of minutes I may have witnessed the greatest example of Rule Number 1 being exercised, as the Biker Boat took turns swapping ends, bow then stern, bow then stern.

Good news however, after several good stern shots the parts of the bike that were sticking out beyond the perimeter of the boat seemed to have been modified enough to allow the bike to calm down a bit, seeming to now be cowering in the rear of the boat.

Read the final part of this blog series: Tour de Powerhouse on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River – Part 3

Tour de Powerhouse on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River – Part 1

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 15:37:44 GMT

Part 1 of 3:

Tour de Powerhouse – Steve Zettels memoirs as he begins his career as a guide on the Middle Fork Salmon River

Rafting the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho’s Frank Church River Of No Return Wilderness is probably the finest extended outdoor experience in the country and possibly the world for that matter.

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River consists of 100 miles of spectacular scenery, whitewater, natural hot springs, wildlife, a wilderness experience at its finest.

One of the famous stretches of whitewater on the Middle Fork of the Salmon is a rapid called Powerhouse and consists of nearly half a mile continuous whitewater, ending with the entire river forcing anything that floats into a cliff wall at the bottom.

More about that later….

In 1984, I had four seasons of guiding horseback hunters in the Idaho backcountry under my belt. Being a guide in that country typically involved the annual 50 mile trail ride to get the horses and mules to our operating area on Big Creek in the Payette National Forest. About 20 miles of the ride was along the Middle Fork. An average afternoon would consist of nearly a hundred degrees, dust, bugs, bees or flies, thirst, saddle sores and so much more to look forward to. While enjoying countless hours of this sort of pleasure each summer, I began to notice a steady parade of boats traveling downstream, the same direction as I was as I was heading, except their passengers seemed to be enjoying a completely different set of experiences including, but not limited to; cold drinks ,no dust, fishing, swimming, laughing, singing, bikini tops, bikinis without tops and so much more or less depending on how you look at it.

One thing was for sure, I was doing it the wrong way.

So it was then that I decided to trade ‘dust for bust’ and made plans to become a Middle Fork Boatman.

Those plans included finding of Middle Fork outfitter who would be willing to train me and then hopefully put me to work. I had been guiding Wilderness Horseback Hunts for four seasons and as of yet had not killed or lost anyone. I might add that my legendary prowess for napping had not yet become public knowledge, therefore I was able to, without too much effort, find an outfitter who would give me a shot. His name was Ron.

Ron was a character like no other. His story would be a great one to share, but not right now. Maybe later. What I will say about Ron is this; very few people in this world will leave a lasting impression on everyone they meet, regardless whether that meeting is for a moment or lifetime. That “impression” can vary from extremes of positive and negative, but one thing is for certain, Ron would leave it! Training on the Middle Fork meant meeting the legal requirements of floating the entire one hundred miles of the river 3 times with a licensed guide in the boat, and, not being a felon. It also meant that you should actually learn to row the boat, cook the meals, learn the hundred miles of river on and off the water and much more. Typically this training with other operations would require a summer or two. With Ron, it would take eight days.

It was late May 1984. Ron’s crew consisted of Grizz, a returning seasoned veteran and six rookies who had never touched an oar, at least not one in a whitewater situation.

Did I mention that the Middle Fork is has over one-hundred classified rapids and drops 3,000 vertical feet. And so it was that Grizz, Bart, Hollywood, Austin, Cowboy, Doc and I would become Ron’s “best crew ever”. It was what he told all the guests, so it must be true.

Our first training trip began just before daylight in Stanley Idaho. Unfortunately local restaurants in Stanley didn’t open till after daylight, so breakfast would have to wait until lunch. After about an hour and a half drive, over snowy mountain passes, without tire tracks in them, insinuating that we were the first to have gotten through since the prior fall, and a quick rigging of two Green River 18 foot non-self bailing rafts.

Ron recommended high water attire of, tennis shoes, cut off jeans, a wool shirt, rain jacket, and a life jacket, a command from Ron to Grizz, “be at the ramp by noon tomorrow”, and we were off.

Grizz was captain of the first boat and the second was manned by a new arrival, Stevo. Stevo seemed confident and capable enough. The only thing about Stevo really worth adding here is that when he spoke it took a while. Not that he was slow, but his message sure was. Someone said something about 8 foot on the gauge (extremely high), which meant nothing to me, it should have, and we were off. As it was calculated later, at about mile 6, Stevo made his first proclamation. It went something like, “what the hell is thi…”, and with that Stevo was gone. Considering the fact that we all wanted to hear the end of what he was trying to say plus have someone in the boat who supposedly had been here before, my boat mate, Hollywood and I, went looking for Stevo. Here he is! Goofing off and hiding in the water behind the boat. I assumed he was putting us through some “man overboard” training.

1,2,3 ,and Stevo was back in the boat and back at the oars. Stevo seemed as relieved as we were to have him back in the boat. There just wasn’t enough time in the day for him to say so. In water conditions like that and with those types of boats, bailing was a perpetual necessity. We had a 5 gallon bucket and someone was always using it.

Once again, calculated later to be at about mile 10, there was a sense that the worst for now was behind us, Stevo made his second proclamation, “One of you guys should row”. Hollywood responded first and moved into the captain’s seat. One minute later we were broadside on what became known as “Hollywood’s Wall”. A little high siding and an act of God or two and I’m sure something fractionally eloquent from Stevo and we slid off the wall and back in the current. At this moment the boat was completely full of water. Simultaneous with our realization that we are totally without the ability to maneuver until we bailed about the thousand gallons of water, someone noticed the passengers in the boat ahead of us waving frantically at us. I’m sure being the friendly guys we were and certainly not wanting to be out done, we all waved back just as frantically. It was also about then that we noticed Grizz rowing that boat from left to right with a lot of enthusiasm. It would have been nice to be in a boat that would maneuver like that but at that moment we were totally at the will of the river and the river’s will, as it turned out, was not in our best interest.

As it also turned out, the reason for all the waving and enthusiastic rowing ahead, was that there was a huge tree stretching at surface level from the left bank to a giant rock island in the middle of the river.

Stevo jumped into the captains seat as Hollywood instinctively yielded the oars to the only man in the boat with any experience.

Stevo was able to rotate the stern of the boat towards the right channel of the river. Our only hope it seemed was for Stevo to get us to the right of the rock island past the end of the log. Stevo took a stroke, then another, then another, muscles flexing, heavy breathing, definitely no time for a proclamation, again and again and again, Stevo pulled at the oars. As we drew nearer to log Stevo bent the oars and continued his Herculean effort to somehow save the day. In all, the boat moved right about 6 inches to the right. And as the boat reached the log, instantly turning broadside, somewhere between the upstream tubes going under water and the rest of us flipping under the log with the raft, I heard yet another Stevo proclamation. Part of one really. In the same cadence and the same monotone fashion as before, as he slowly submerged, Stevo bravely uttered most of the phrase of those famous words uttered so many time before him, “Oh Fu…. “ Unfortunately the breakfast for lunch disappeared with dinner and tomorrow’s breakfast as well. Some underwater screaming, a lot of swimming and some help from the Grizz boat and we were back in business.

With the exception of a few near misses the next 89 miles went by without event.

We would have to wait till Stanley. It was late in the evening as we rolled into Stanley and Stanley was closed. No food, we head back to the bunkhouse and into bed fore at dawn we would be off to the Middle Fork again.

At some point we were awakened by Ron who informed us that, “Gents, we have slept in and there is no time for breakfast.” We could count on plenty of lunch though, as it was already packed up and ready for us on the trailer. We managed to survive to eat it. Another evening on the river, at the ramp before noon, back to Salmon for a double order of Papa Burgers and fries, much to Ron’s chagrin, then back home to Stanley. We were just a day in town and three days on the river, from being the “best crew ever”. We had a day off to gear up for a combined guest/training trip. Most of us trainees would pair up, Grizz would row his own boat and Ron would rotate through the rookie line up, honing our skills.

Read the Part 2 of this blog series: Tour de Powerhouse on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River – Part 2

Whitewater rapids! Yikes! Am I safe?

Sat, 11 Jun 2016 15:56:24 GMT

When you move down river using any prop for buoyancy, whether you’re on a boat, raft, kayak or duckie, you’ll meet with a variety of of calmly moving surface water and also more choppy water.

You’ll also periodically move through water that is moving across rocks or the river bed changes its grade and the water churns with white foam and spray. This is whitewater.

The whitewater will be a fantastic part of your rafting float trip and possibly your biggest concern when planning your vacation. However, experience has shown us that during and after the trip the whitewater memories usually become secondary to the “ The Guides “, “ The Food “, “ The Fishing “, “Everything“.

Whitewater concerns are valid , but should not discourage you from enjoying what thousands of families have proclaimed as the “greatest vacation they’ve ever experienced.”

The Middle Fork Salmon River has over one hundred classified rapids. Rapids are classified on a scale from 1 to 6.

“1” being minimum in difficulty and “6” being extremely hazardous, un-runnable.

These ratings represent possible hazards to participants as well as equipment.

The Middle Fork is a Class 4 river. Several rapids are Class 4, but the rest are rated 1-3.

Idaho Wilderness Company is very proud of the impeccable river safety record we’ve maintained over the years.

We use very modern self-bailing rafts, excellent equipment, and our guides are extensively trained and extremely qualified. Our inventory of well maintained rafts include high, dry, and very stable rafts and extend to our inflatable, one-man kayaks, where you can run the rapids solo.

All guests are issued a life jacket and are required to wear this safety gear at all times while floating the river.

You will be on a wilderness river and much like the rest of your life outside your float trip, unexpected events may occur.

We can say that our worst injury on our past float trips was a dislocated finger which happened on land and a dislocated shoulder which was relocated on the trip and the guest completed his adventure as scheduled..

If you have concerns for the safety of your family, friends, or yourself, we suggest you speak with some of our past guests. Idaho Wilderness Company is very willing and able to provide you with as many customer references as you would like.

We work very hard to provide you with the whitewater experience that will strike that special balance between fun and safety.

Traditionally, the highest water levels are late May and early June. This is the time to come for the biggest waves and the wildest ride.

Usually, by the end of June, the water level has dropped and the rapid stretches have become more defined leaving the river with many peaceful stretches as well. Even as the water levels drop throughout the summer, there will still be plenty of action for all.

Many rapids are actually more fun at lower levels.

We recommend you visit our Frequently Asked Questions for additional information about adventures on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River . .

Get those kids out of the house and into the wilderness and trade Xboxes for tackle boxes !

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 16:07:49 GMT

In 1999 I hunted Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Steve Zettel’s ‘American Adrenaline Co.” as it was called back then.

It turned into a text book hunt.

After bagging my sheep on the second day of the hunt and completing my qwest for a North America Grand Slam, I went on to kill a black bear and mule deer buck.

Floating the Middle Fork of the Salmon with my family.

Having never really taken the family on “Real Big ” family trip, we weren’t going to waste it on Hawaii or Disneyland, and I booked with Steve a June 2000 float trip.

Fast forward to 2012, and I found myself wanting to share my experience with new friends. There were nine of us in our group this time. Every one of them wants to go back again ! I’m planning my return now!

I want to share a couple of quotes from Steve ‘ You bring it, we will pack it ‘ referring to the amount of beer we could bring along and, “You have twenty million acres to explore, this is my kitchen” meaning he doesn’t care how good of a dutch oven cooker, egg flipper or BBQ chef you think you are, they have the food handled” and ‘ Handle ‘ it they do!

Years of experience has shown them how to master the food, you WILL gain weight!

In short, while safety is paramount. a great experience is assured: the food , the scenery , the crew , the equipment and the experience is something you and your family will talk about for years while Hawaii and Disneyland would soon be forgotten except for those Visa charges.

Get those kids out of the house and into the wilderness and trade Xboxes for tackle boxes!

Kent J. Regli
Bliss, Idaho

Michelle Zettel Memorial Fund

Sun, 12 Jan 2014 16:13:42 GMT

On December 27 of 2014, my wife and mother of our two boys passed away after her 14 year battle with breast cancer. Since her passing I have been asked countless times if there was going to be any kind of a fund set up in her name. After much consideration I have come to the conclusion that no one will feel the loss more, nor be as negatively impacted, as our youngest son, Joel .

If you’ve ever met Joel you know he is as special as they come.

Two characteristics about Joel that have never changed are:

He has never met a stranger, and
He has never met a woman that didn’t love him

Although Joel has Down Syndrome, we have never treated him as such, nor has he lived life less. We have always held him to high standards and pushed him to be the best he could be, and Joel has responded by accomplishing amazing things. If you would like to be part of Joel’s future, you can contribute to “Joel’s Future” fund at:

Joel Zettel acct.
East Idaho Credit Union
P.O. Box 262
Challis, ID 83226
ph: 208-879-4545

Contributing to the fund is not the only way that you can be a part of Joel’s future. You could consider including him in your next adventure, in the workplace, or practically anything you think would be beneficial for Joel and yourself. We also encourage everyone interested to visit Joel’s website meandjoel.com . This website was designed to jump start Joel’s entrepreneur occupation while bringing forth awareness of his situation and others much like him.

On behalf of Michelle and the boys, I would like to thank everyone for their kindness to the Zettels over the years.

– Steve