Middle Fork Salmon Kayaking Trip

The Middle Fork on June 16th is a great time for kayaking. The waves are big and the rapids are fun. For me June is the perfect time to be kayaking on the Middle Fork. The river is dropping at this point, bringing waves and rapid in that have been washed out earlier in the year. The higher water makes it deep enough to wave wheel all the way down. If playboating is not your thing, it is still a great to to get out there and just run some great Idaho whitewater. We are offering a kayak specific trip on June 16th, with a kayak guide and rafts to carry all the gear. The rafts are there if someone wants a break or if other friends and family that don't kayak would like to join the trip. I still have a fleet of Jackson kayaks for rent and would love to have anyone with kayaking experience join this great Middle Fork Salmon kayaking trip. Check out some photos of last years trip at the WRO kayaking photo gallery. RSVP this event on facebook. Also watch a video documentary of last years trip put together by WRO guide Matt Westfall on youtube.

Middle Fork Salmon Kayaking Video

Other attractions to this trip include fishing, hiking, great Idaho hot-springs, great food, good company, just to name a few!!!

“I just wanted to tell you that we had a great time on our Middle Fork kayak trip. I have wanted to do a trip like this with the boys for some time and it was everything I hoped it would be. The river, the camping, the fishing, the side hikes and hot springs were all great. You, Matt, Henry and Tyler really made the trip. Your experience, knowledge, boating skills, the way you put us at ease and your flexibility to what we wanted to do really combined for a great experience. When you can give the teenage playboaters all they can handle, keep the 11 year old in his comfort zone and not wear out the old men, you have accomplished something! I definitely want to talk to you in the future about another trip.”

Thanks,
Jason Darby 09’

Photos: Henry Munter

$1,400 plus $4/day FS fee

(Includes: kayak guide, all meal, transportation to and from river, all camping gear, and an all around great time!!!)

Contact Information:

Seth Tonsmeire

seth@wildernessriver.com

(406) 579 - 8677 cell

(800) 252 - 6581 office

River Poem

THE RIVER

the river to me will always mean freedom
a selfless gift the earth shares to travel

the wild, perfect places where life connects
where we can feel the rhythm of ages

its energy spills into the scent of an evening breeze
and it creeps into your bones. And we want more.

To feel the ground pulse
to hear the river sing

Strip me down to the beauty
immerse me in sunlight

the eagles screams are holy and the orchestra of crickets bliss
the water slides by easily and consoles

it’s not intimidating and it doesn’t judge
the river is truth and hope and love

all that is wildly beautiful and
all that is perfectly serene

the release that comes is basic and real
the element is pure and complex

out there my blood runs warm and
murmurs secrets that feel like home

Free to me is the peace of my soul
the sound of my heart

We can’t give it to each other but we show each other the way
for that is the only way to be free.

Amy Tonsmeire

Gauley Fest 2009

I recently went out to Gauley Fest in West Virginia. Gauley Fest is the largest whitewater festival in the world. I figured that a festival like that I should probably check out. I had a WRO booth at the festival where I was giving out information and free stuff. Thanks to everyone for stopping by and visiting. I walked down to the Gauley before the festival started to watch some people run through one of the major rapids, Pillow Rock. I had never seen anything close to what I witnessed at the river that day. So many people!!! People running the rapid at the same time, crashing into each other, people swimming everywhere, boats flipping, people on pool toys, every kind of water craft you could imagine, people in costumes, people jumping into the rapids, complete chaos. I took many photos which was pretty fun, trying to document the chaos. This was my first white-water experience on the east coast. I am sure that it is not this crazy all the time, but people were saying that there is always a line of boats running down the Gauley on the weekends. I was not able to get my kayak out for the festival, so I did not get to run the Gauley unfortunately. I did meet some nice folks that let me jump on the New River with them the last day I was in West Virginia. I did witness the Gauley and know that next year I have to come out with my kayak. It was fun to witness the festivities, but I must say I am glad I live where the rivers aren't so chaotic with people.

After the Gauley Fest I drove down to North Caroline, where I flew into. There I went to the U.S. Whitewater Center in Charlotte. This was another new experience. They had many kayaks to demo which was nice, since I had no kayak. Here at the Whitewater Center people have created a circle river. They pump the water back to the top of the concrete river bed. The people paddle over to a conveyer belt that brings them back to the top. You don't ever get out of your boat, you paddle right on to the conveyer and it pulls you on. From the top there were three different channels you could choose from, some easy and one was actually kind of challenging. From my understanding this center is where the Olympic trials are held, and many people train here. Overall this was a fun place to spend an afternoon. They also had rock climbing, zip lines, and mountain biking. The Center was an outdoor fun zone in the middle of a large metropolitan area. If your ever in Charlotte, I recommend checking this place out.

Now I am back in Idaho and Fall is definitely here. Well I hope you enjoy some of the photos.

Seth Tonsmeire

Flickr Gallery

I have posted some of my better photos from Alaska and Canada on Flickr. It should be easy to look at the photos of these great adventures. More trips will have pictures posted in the future. For now it I have just posted Upper Alsek and Tatshenshini pictures. Hope you enjoy.

Alsek River (July 12th - July 23rd)

Tatshenshini River (July 30th - Aug. 9th)

Seth

Canadian and Alaskan Adventures

After 5 weeks in Alaska I have returned to Idaho. My time spent in AK was fantastic, but it does feel good to be home. Taking a new camera to a place like the Upper Alsek and Tat can be dangerous. I returned with around 2,000 photos from my two trips in the North. Going through all of my photos should keep my busy through some of the winter months.

The first trip was down the Alsek, a 12-day adventure. Starting in Kluane National park in Yukon Territory, then entering BC and the Tat-Alsek Provincial Park, and ending in the famous Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. The weather on the trip was wonderfully hot and dry for the most part. The blue skies and clean air allowed for the great views that the Alsek is famous for in the upper portion of the trip. Within 5 minutes of leaving Serpentine Creek the first Grizzly Bear was spotted. Later that day there was a brilliant display put on by a moose running and swimming in the river. The new camera was shooting at full speed, resulting in around 30 moose photos. The first nights camp was at the upper beachview camp, the location of last years winning photo in the contest. With just a few clouds in the skies, the magnificent sunset capped off a great start to the trip. A day like that just sets the pace for a 12-day trip of great views, the discovery of many spectacular natural phenomenon, and little paradise lakes for swimming in this truly wild and wilderness area.

This trip was special because of a celebrity guests we had along. Well maybe not celebrities, but special people with a family history on the Alsek River. Walt Blackadar left his mark on the Alsek in 1971, when he made the first decent of Turnback Canyon. Not only was it the first decent, but he was on a solo mission. Since then, no one has yet to make a high-water decent of the canyon. Elite kayakers today do run the canyon at low flows, but the kayaks and gear technology have come a long way since the 70's. In the 80's the impressive mountain that guards the canyon was designated Mt. Blackadar. Mt. Blackadar and Kennedy are the only two mountains in Canada named after Americans. We were lucky to have two of Walt's daughters along on our trip this summer, Sue Blackadar and Nan Bryant. Bill Blackadar was also guiding for us this summer, a grandchild of Walt. Nan and Sue had never been down the Alsek, making it a special trip for them. When we came around the corner at Range Creek, Mt Blackadar stood in the clear sky in all its glory. This was definitely a special moment for the family. It was arranged for the Blackadar family to get a special ride in the helicopter by Bob Blackadar, brother of Nan and Sue. I was lucky to occupy the 4th seat in the ship for the family tour, a real treat for me. The picture below are the three Blackadars at the Walt memorial.

After leaving the confluence some clouds came in, but how lucky we had been treated with the weather on the upper portion of the trip, it was hard to complain about some rain. From Dry Bay it was back to Haines to start getting ready for the Tatshenshini for me and John. For Bill and Amy it was a plane, boat, plane, car combo to make their way back to Salmon.

On the Tatshenshini we had a smaller trip, just 2 boats. On this trip we also got very lucky with the weather. From weeks of drought there were forest fires burning in the interior which blew in some smoke in the middle of the trip. It was definitely the consensus of the group that we preferred the haze over rain. We got in a great hike up Sediments Creek before we got into the smoke which was nice. After having some great days of white-water, hiking, and camping we reached to confluence with the Alsek. From the confluence down to Walker Glacier was the last of the haze. We had a light rain at Walker which cleaned out the air, which was great. The next morning the clouds lifted and showed us Walker in the pure sun. It just got better from there, all the views opened in the lower canyon. Clear skies gave us great views up the Novatak Glacier. The clouds parted and displayed Fairweather towering above at 15,300 ft. From there it was into Alsek Lake, where the skies turned blue for the day out touring the lake among the giant icebergs. Words can not describe this, so I will substitute pictures. From there it was back to Haines to clean up the trip and start my journey back to my home in the Lemhi Valley.

Walker Glacier

As I sort through my photos I will post them on a Flickr account for people on the trips to download if they wish or for anyone to check out. When I get that done, I will post a link with instructions on how to use that system.

Mt. Fairweather 15,300 ft

Alsek Lake

Indian Paintbrush

Moose

Hikers on Goatherd Mt.

After a few days around the house, its back to the Middle Fork Salmon. Well I hope you enjoy some of the pictures from my new camera.

Seth Tonsmeire

Rescue Mission

After returning from Montana, I was back on Idaho's Middle Fork Salmon. The last night of the trip we happen to be camped at Stoddard, the same camp where the Foamy incident happened two weeks earlier. I decided I would go on a search and rescue mission for Foamy before dinner. The nasty undercut bank below Stoddard Falls that had claimed Foamy two weeks earlier had opened up with the lower water. With many roots hanging down, it had formed a net that had caught Foamy. As it turns out being a kayaker made of foam has its advantages, and spending two weeks in an undercut seemed to have done no damage. I guess we were a little earlier with the the "Foamy Rest In Peace." After a short trip in the U.S. Postal system, Foamy will be returned to his rightful owner and will certainly live on for many more white-water days.

Well, for me its off to the great north now for an Upper Alsek and Tatshenshini trip. With a new camera in hand, I hope to have many great photos to share when I return.

Seth Tonsmeire

Flathead Update

Hello from the Flathead! We've just gotten off the second Middle Fork Flathead trip, and so far the season up in Montana is going great. With the trip just off the river, Seth, Shane, and Jessie are on a whirlwind ride back to Idaho for more Salmon River adventures. I'm off to Glacier Park to sneak in a backpacking trip into the wilds of Glacier Park with Joe Biby before we have to prepare our upcoming South Fork trip. Here's a few photos from the Middle Fork...

Richard behind the wheel

Beargrass flowers and hikers on the trail to Mount Bradley

Susan kayaks into the gates at Twenty-five Mile


Wildflowers and Snowpeople

River Side Kayak Report

Eli drops into Cramer Creek

The first kayak trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon was a huge success. Five kayakers made their way to Idaho from Tennessee for the trip, two father-son combos. Jason Darby brought his two sons, Zack and Eli, ages 15 and 11. Ken Cofer also joined us with his son Taylor, age 14. These five kayakers were perfect for the trip; they brought great enthusiasm to the trip about Idaho's awesome Whitewater and Wilderness. Zack and Taylor are both definitely go-getters, wave-wheeling and surfing any chance they get. Eli at only age 11 paddled a Jackson Sidekick and finished his run with the big waves of Cramer Creek. With Will Parham out for the season with a shoulder injury we had Tyler Maxwell filling in the guest coaching position. I also took the week off of rafting to do some kayak guiding.

Seth shows Jason and Ken the line in Rubber

Zack rippping it up at the Marble Creek Wave

With the Middle Fork running between 4.59 ft and 4.20 ft, it was a great level for kayaking. The water was low enough that not many rapids were washed out, but high enough that lots of great surf waves were scattered throughout the trip. We were able to camp at Marble Creek, with a surf wave and eddy access. These flows also made for some great rapids: Pistol Creek, Cove Creek, Webber, Rubber, and Cramer Creek all provided excitement.

Taylor and Zack

Airtime on the Middle Fork

There were many highlights along the way besides the kayaking: fishing, hiking, bocce ball, river baseball, and watching Foamy putting down some first descents. For those people that don’t know who Foamy is, he is a miniature kayaker that is made out of foam and always pushes the limits in the miniature-kayaking world. Foamy's waterfall decent of Sunflower Shower was definitely record-breaking in the world of miniature kayaking.

Sadly, Foamy would not complete his trip. At the last night's camp, Foamy was putting down some first descents on Stoddard Creek when tragedy struck. On his third descent of Stoddard Falls, Foamy was swept into a deeply undercut bank. Rescue efforts continued after the incident, but Foamy was never recovered. Foamy was a truly great miniature kayaker who was dedicated to doing the miniature things that he loved. Rest in peace Foamy.


I look forward to many more RiverSide trips on rivers in Idaho and beyond with Wilderness River Outfitters.

To see more of Henry's photos from the trip, go to www.flickr.com/henrymunter

The Desert Report

We have just returned from the deserts of southern Idaho and eastern Oregon.  It is always an amazing experience to explore these narrow cracks in the Snake River Plain.  We did one trip on the Upper Owyhee, one Middle Owyhee, and a Jarbidge/Bruneau.  All three were truly spectacular journeys through a cross-section of an ancient caldera volcano.  The Owyhee Canyonlands in one of the most remote areas in the lower 48.  Total on all three trips, we only saw one other rafting trip in the three week period.  

The remote area, hard to predict spring run-off, challenging white-water, and fluctuating weather of the Owyhee River all combined for epic adventures.  The two kayakers, Owyhee enthusiast Marcy St. John, and the guides involved will certainly have stories to tell from the Upper trip.  We dealt with just about every kind a weather condition out there, portaging, challenging technical white-water, and low water.  With that being said we shared great company and had a memorable time in this remote desert canyon that very few people ever get to see.  There was great canyon hiking, brillant displays of birds of prey, good food, and Marcy even found a California Big Horn Ram winter kill (a real treasure of a find).  The night before we planned to exit the canyon at Garret Crossing the desert skies put down over an inch a rain.  That kind of rain in the Owyhee desert makes for sloppy 4WD conditions.  With all four tires chained up and some skilled driving we were able to make it out of the Canyon with all of our gear as planned.

With more rain, the put in for the Middle Owyhee also proved be another 4WD challenge.  For this section we were join by three more rafters and one more kayaker.  With more water now the white-water excitement picked up, the weather improved, and with wild flowers in full bloom, a variety of bird life, and impressive Indian artifacts this Middle Owyhee trip in Oregon was fantastic.

After the Middle it was a quick turn around for the Jarbidge Bruneau trip.  We had long time WRO guest Bill Bush doing a row your own, along with his son Beau also in his own boat.  This proved quickly to be exciting for everyone involved.  With each of these two in their own boat and two guides with their own boats made for a unique trip.  With the Jarbidge section of the trip being fast water the whole way with substantial rapids scattered throughout the whole trip made for good excitement.  It was a great trip for practicing river rescue and river safety.  All in all though these two texas boys did pretty well in the Idaho desert.

The Owyhee and Jarbidge/Bruneau Rivers have proven to be some of my favorite places I have ever been.  Truly special places that few people are fortunate enough to ever see.  After returning from guiding trips in these areas always leaves me feeling pretty lucky.  Also I am reminded of how when traveling in these areas there will always be adventure, just accessing these rivers can be an adventure in its self.  You can always have plan A, but sometime you can quickly find yourself at plan B, C, or sometimes even D when your out there in the desert paradise of Southern Idaho and eastern Oregon.

Seth Tonsmeire

RiverSide Kayak School

RiverSide Kayak School is a new section of Wilderness River Outfitters.  We have been doing kayak and canoe trips in the past, but we just got a little more serious about it.  There are now certain trips that are offered to kayakers, ranging from beginner to advanced.  I have been kayaking for around 10 years, and learned on the Main Salmon River in Idaho.  This river is perfect for someone wanting too learn how to kayak.  The warm water and fun but also gentle rapids make for the perfect combo for beginner kayaking.  We offer Main Salmon trips throughout the summer.   We now have a fleet of kayaks available for rent, as well as instructors can be hired.  So for someone wanting to start kayaking:  you can fly into Salmon Idaho, spend a day on our private lake with an instructor learning the roll and some basic paddle strokes, then jump onto a WRO six-day Main Salmon trip for a great introduction into the sport of kayaking.  Our specific trip for beginner kayaking is offered on August 25th, but a kayaker is welcome to add on any of our trips.  This trip is also great choice for someone who has kayaked before, but just wants some help getting more comfortable with class III rapids and basic kayaking skills.  From the Main Salmon there are trips that just keep stepping up in difficulty.  Middle Fork Kayak Camp is another RiverSide trip, this is an intermediate/advanced play-boating trip on the Middle Fork Salmon in June.  Trips also range to class IV-V for experienced kayakers, often providing raft support more than instructional kayaking on these runs.  Full web-page coming soon.  Feel free to call or e-mail me about different trips, pricing, kayak rentals, or any questions about RiverSide.

Seth Tonsmeire

(406) 579 -8677

seth@wildernessriver.com

Kayak Fleet

Jackson Hero – A full on river-runner.  Great for a beginner kayaker just learning, but also a great boat for running harder white-water.  This boat fits an average sized adult (140-190 lbs)

Jackson Fun (2) – This boat is a play-boat, but also paddles well down river.  If you are a go-getter beginner, this is great boat that will not slow you down in your progression.  Also a great boat for more advanced boaters that just like a little more room  than todays play-boats have to offer.

Jackson Star – This is one of today’s best play-boats on the market.  This boat will not hold you back from any of today’s newest play-boating moves, it’s a freestyle machine.  If you can keep up with this boats ability, your going to have a guaranteed good time.

Jackson Sidekick – This is a boat for the kids, or very small adults.  If you have a kid who really wants to learn how to kayak, throw him or her in this boat on any Main Salmon trip with an instructor and watch them go.

Jackson Rocker – This boat is designed for creek boating.  If you are a solid kayaker and would like to jump on a Jarbidge trip, this boat or the hero would be good choice.

Wavesport Project 52 – Another play-boat.  A good play-boat for an average sized adult.  This boat will not hold you back from any of today’s wave or hole tricks.

Pyranha S6 (190) – This boat is an older play-boat, but it was ahead of it time.  Still a great play-boat for a smaller adult or kids.  Once you have your roll down and want to start getting a little more playful, this could make a good choice.

Pyranha H3 (235) – This kayak is a great river-runner or big water boat for a smaller adult.  This boat has seen some river miles, it knows the way down.

*  Inquire about paddles, spray-skirts, helmets, and other kayaking accessories available. 

*  Kayaks also available for rent, even if your not joining a RiverSide Trip.

WRO, Behind the Scenes

Hello from Hayden Creek Ranch, home base for Wilderness River Outfitters. Folks often ask us so “What do you do in the winter when you’re not on the river.” My job is managing the office in the winter. Besides filling out use reports, renewing permits for the various river trips, and booking folks on trips for this season, we operate a cattle ranch. It is a beautiful spot bordering BLM and Salmon National Forest. We have 300 mother cows that need feeding all winter and we tend to their every need while calving during the months of February and March. This involves looking after them night and day to make sure they calve without any problems. When a cow has her calf, we bring the pair into the barn out of the cold for a day, vaccinate the calf and make sure calf has nursed and is dry. Then they are moved out to pasture, where they are feed until summer pasture is available. While we love this area and lifestyle, we do find time for a little snow skiing when not on the ranch and always look forward to getting back on the river each spring. Hope to see some of you in Idaho this summer. Fran Tonsmeire

An Update From Idaho.

With the warm weather in February, many thought that winter was over. Turns out that I was skiing power again and waking up to zero degree mornings in March. The warmer February weather did not help out our early heavy snow-pack, but the recent weather change has put us back on track. The Salmon River Basin is currently at 94% of normal, the Flathead basin is holding at 89%, and the Bruneau and Owyhee river basins are holding strong with 95% of normal. The warmer weather in February did on the other hand give me a good window for working on the new WRO guide house. In legislative news, after getting shot down once, the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 did make it through the House of Representatives after some minor changes. This bill is now headed to President Obama, who is expected to sign without delay. With this bill passing, over a half million acres of beauty and prestige in the Owyhee Canyon Lands will be protected for future generations to enjoy. Throughout Idaho and Montana, with the snow we have thus far, many great river will continue to flow this summer. Despite the current failing economy. I have also included a picture of the progress I have recently made on my building project. I hope your having a great day.

Seth Tonsmeire

Middle Fork Kayak Camp

June 16th Kayak Trip!!!

June 16th on the Middle Fork of the Salmon is a great time for someone with some kayak experience to see the canyon. Higher Flows bring more waves and fun big water style rapids. Many great surf opportunities along the way, with the possibility of camping at Marble Creek. The rapid at Marble Creek hold one of the best surf waves in Idaho at the right levels. The Middle Fork is credited for having 100 rapids in 100 miles. Will Parham will be a guest coach along on this trip. You can check out a video of Will on youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weY00ZrQ86c. There will also be other kayak instructors along if you need some pointers. As well as great kayaking, there will also be bocce ball, horseshoes, frisbee, beers with friends, and just a great time in general. This trip is promoted to kayakers, with rafts providing the camping support. If someone needs a break there will be room on the rafts, but the rafts are mostly there for camping support. Most people with adequate experience would most likely want to bring a play-boat for surfing, but river-running boats would be nice if your not into play-boating. We do have some kayaks for rent if you would like to fly to Idaho without a kayak. Any questions or want to join us don't hesitate to give me a call and reserve you spot. Space Limited. There is a discount rate on this WRO trip of $1,200 per person, which is a great deal on a 6-day all inclusive Middle Fork Salmon trip.

Questions:

seth@wildernessriver.com

cell- (406) 579-8677

Seth Tonsmeire

Exciting News in Idaho!!!

Owyhee Canyon Lands

On January 15^th, 2009 the U.S. Senate passed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009. This act includes the Owyhee Public Lands Management Act, which will protect over a half million acres of wilderness in Owyhee County, and also designates 315 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers in Idaho in the Owyhee and Bruneau river canyons.  This Owyhee protection is part of larger legislation that will set aside more than 2 million acres of wilderness in nine states.  This new wilderness in Idaho will be the most recent designation is the past 30 years.  Idaho Senator Mike Crapo has played a major part in the getting this legislation into the senate.  In the new Congress the Democrats assembled more than enough votes to push through this legislation, 73-21.  Now the bill will moves to the House of Representatives and will probably be decided on shortly.  Getting this legislation through the senate, there is a good chance it will also make it through the House.  With a good snow pack in this region so far, next spring could be a great time to be rafting in a new Idaho Wilderness.  Give us a call and reserve your spot soon!!!

Photo:  Henry Munter

"By voting to protect mountains and pristine wildlands, Congress is starting out on the right foot," said Christy Goldfuss of Environment America, an advocacy group. "This Congress is serious about protecting the environment and the outstanding lands that Americans treasure."

Seth Tonsmeire

Steep and Cheap

This is a heads up to you and anyone looking to score great deals on outdoor gear.  Steep and Cheap is a website that sells one outdoor gear item at a time, and for a great price.  The deals range from 80% to no less than 50% off retail price.  Since the deals are so hot they go quick, so the one product they are selling at a time changes constantly throughout each day.  Tents, sunglasses, clothing, sleeping bags, shoes, headlamps, and many more items can be found on Steep and Cheap.  How they offer such great deals I am not really sure, but this is not a scam.  There are two rules that need to be followed though:  not more than three items per household and no resale of products purchases on Steep and Cheap.  If you follow these two rules, the hot deals will keep flowing all day long.  This is a great place to shop for outdoor gear without paying top dollar at a retail store.  Go check it out at www.steepandcheap.com.  

Seth Tonsmeire