Idaho White Water Rafting News

Ice flows down the river most days now, so steelhead fishing is erraticuntil spring. Our snowpack at this point is below average, after being lowthrough the fall. Early snowfall is important to river flows the followingsummer. The fall snow seems to pack down, freeze hard, and last better. Latewinter snow may bring the snowpack average up, but it doesn't seem to last--atleast, that's my notion formed over the last 35 years. The lower flow meansthat June Middle Fork dates will be more viable,less likely to have water toohigh, while we would begin flying late-summer trips into Indian Creek earlier.On the Main Salmon, of course, low water is not an issue.

Last winter was moderate, with somewhat below normal snow pack--offset by avery wet June, so that we had decent river levels through the summer. Our highwater was a long, even, moderate peak--no high, flushing, spikes. The blowoutsof 08 in the upper river remained, but were not a big problem. There was arumor of a storm in that area in the early fall that put more material in theriver in both spots, but I haven't been there to see. The blowout in Tappan IIIthat occurred in the same storm changed a lot in high water, still a dramaticrapid but not the risk of 08.

Our whitewater season is nearly over.  In September we still offer a four-day long weekend trip on the Lower Salmon.  September is the best time to be on that section of river, after the summer heat has moderated in that low-elevation country. September is still summer there, and more pleasant than July or August. Small mouth bass fishing is good. Few people are on the river at this time of the year, after the traditional summer vacation period. These trips are especially attractive for people within a few hours drive of the Lewiston area, since they are scheduled to be extended weekend trips, without a major vacation commitment. You can drive to the area after work on Thursday, float Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday, and return home in time for work on Tuesday. We do have some flexibility on dates there, if other dates match your schedule better.

 We begin to get interest in the following summer about this time of year.  Dates for 2010 on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon will be the same.    On the Lower Salmon, September trips start on Fridays to maximize use of the weekend, and the October fishing trips start on Monday to minimize competition with weekenders.  Rates may be adjusted for inflation (or not), but trips deposited by the first of the year will lock in 09 rates.

I'll be happy to send a  brochure describing our trips, or go over details about our trips by phone, day, evening, or weekend.  There was an article about our drift boat fishing on the Middle Fork last winter in BoatUS magazine that you can link to (see home page). 

I'll send a copy of our newsletter reviewing the 08 season  if you send an address.  I prepare the 09 season summary the end of the year, and mail it in mid-winter.

At this time of year, we obviously have no idea of snowpack, and ensuing river flow next summer.   Early-season snowfall is important to river flows the following summer. The fall snow seems to pack down, freeze hard, and last better. Late winter snow may bring the snowpack average up, but it doesn’t seem to last--at least, that’s my notion formed over the last 35 years. Late season snow, even if it doesn’t add to the snow pack, does build the ground water, and helps the summer's river level. 

Snowpack doesn’t mean much for Main Salmon trips, which aren’t affected much by low water, but does have more impact on Middle Fork trips.  A high snowpack means higher flows during peak run-off, and increased risk at that time, but allows a longer season before we have to start flying trips into a back-country airstrip to start.  A low snowpack allows earlier trips in June, but also means earlier fly-in trips. 

Last winter (2009) the snowpack in the Salmon River drainage was slightly below average, with a late spring--very similar to the previous winter and spring.  March and early April were unusually cool, delaying snowmelt, preserving the snow we had.  Our spring steelhead season continued a week and a half longer than usual, with river temperatures staying in the high 30s and 40s until mid-April. We had some slush ice flowing in the Salmon area just before the middle of March.   Spring flowers were one to two weeks behind usual flowering time.   June was wet, which greatly reduce yellowjackets and fires in August.  The snowmelt was moderate, without an extremely high peak, but a relatively high, even, flow for about three weeks.  A higher spike would have  flushed some rapids out, which would have been a good thing. 

In the last few years, there have been several changes to the rapids of the Middle Fork, mostly as a result of hard, localized rains in areas that had been recently burned.   The Lake Creek rapid just above Pistol Creek has formed and washed out five times as a result of mud slides from the creek, though it has not been a major concern other than producing logs for the Pistol Creek jam until the spring of 07.  It was nasty that year.  Last year it became easier, and remained so this year--though the approach to Pistol Creek Rapid became a little more difficult in 08, and tightened up even more this year.  Last year a hard rain and mudslide totally changed the Tappan III rapid, but this high water opened it up enough that it wasn't a problem.  Tappan II just above it remains flooded out.  A slide at House of Rocks on the lower river blocked the usual route through the rapid, but the new route is not a problem--as long as a boatman is aware of the change. 

Also among the variety of trips we offer is a trip on the Main Salmon using lodges instead of camping, either in the summer or during fall steelhead season. Sometimes instead of a complete lodge trip, people will choose to spend one or two nights of a trip at a lodge to break up the camping. We can also arrange to drop people at Shepp Ranch on the Main Salmon after five days on the river, for a few days of riding, fishing, and lodge stay.

We can also do a couple of nights at lodges on the Middle Fork. We have always had access to the Flying B, but now the facility at Loon Creek has begun accepting overnight stays, too. We arrange the horse-back/float combinations with these people.

New Book:  I usually try to list regional histories that have recently been published, but this has been a slow year.  I did just come across "Tales of the Breaks" by Bob Painter, self-published, available at retniapbob@q.com, with stories about old timers along the river like Injun Rice, Bill Jackson, an account of the Whitebird battle of the Nez Perce war, and generally a flavor of early Salmon River.

Give us a call day, evening, or weekend to discuss any details about our trips. If you get our recorder, be sure to leave a message, and we will return the call as soon as we can.

Bill Bernt
208-756-4167