3 minute read
Riding the Rapids
PHOTO COURTESY OF STANLEY SAWTOOTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Taming Idaho’s whitewater wilderness in Stanley
BY DREW DODSON
For Jesse Thompson’s money, some of the best whitewater rafting in the country can be found in a small central Idaho town that sits on the banks of the Salmon River and in the shadows of the Sawtooth National Forest.
Stanley, as it were, has been a mainstay in ompson’s life since he was a child, and the Salmon River’s unbridled whitewater thrills run through his veins like blood.
“My dad was a rafting guide, so he’s been coming through Stanley since the late ‘60s,” said Thompson, a Stanley resident whose family runs a river gear retail shop. “I started coming up here in junior high.”
“It’d be one of those things where my dad just let me know like, ‘hey, I got an extra spot on a raft on the Middle Fork. Do you want to hop on?’” he said.
A 100-mile stretch of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is one of the two most popular whitewater trips that departs from Stanley. It is a permitted river, which means that rafters must either be selected in the annual permit lottery or hire one of about two dozen companies that offer guided expeditions.
Most guided Middle Fork trips last nearly a week, as rafters snake through the heart of the Frank Church— River of No Return Wilderness Area. Rafters are greeted by Class III and IV+ rapids, along with up-close views of the Big Horn Crags, towering canyon highwalls, and remote expanses of wilderness not commonly seen by the human eye.
“Once you go, you’re out there. It’s just 100 miles of solitude,” Thompson said. “It’s definitely one of the most premier, sought after trips in the country.”
While the Middle Fork is the stuff of dreams for experienced rafters, Stanley also provides easy access to whitewater day trips that are fun for all skill levels.
A stretch of the Main Salmon River that skirts Stanley and parallels Idaho 75 is ideal for day floats that can be catered to experienced boaters all the way down to those who don’t want to be splashed by rapids. Local outfitters offer rental rafts, kayaks, and paddle boards, as well as guided tours of what is known locally as “The Day Stretch.”
High water in June makes the 14-mile stretch of river challenging for experienced boaters, while lower water in July and August is manageable for beginners looking to experience the allure of majestic Sawtooth peaks from the water. Meanwhile, anglers can expect hot trout fishing on both the Middle Fork and the Main Salmon starting in July and continuing through the summer.
“It’s just a different way to see the valley, the mountains, and just kind of experience the area,” Thompson said. “At the end of the day, you feel like you’ve accomplished something.”
