Good Times on the Main Salmon
By Dunbar Hardy
Think trappers had playboats in 1832?
The Main Salmon River in central Idaho is one of the longest undammed rivers in the lower 48 states, and perhaps the longest river within one state. The Salmon flows out of the Sawtooth Mountains south of the picturesque mountain town of Stanley, Idaho, and flows a convoluted course more than 400 miles to its confluence with the mighty Snake River, along the Washington and Idaho border.
The canyon of the Main is one of the deepest in North America, measuring more than 6,000 feet from the summits of adjacent peaks all the way to the river. This canyon was carved from 1 to 10 million years ago, which is young in geologic terms. Along its course, the river drops through rugged mountain scenery-snow-covered peaks, big smooth black granite cliffs, pine-covered crags, and open, sparsely vegetated hillsides at lower elevations.
The Main Salmon River flows through the Frank Church Wilderness Area, which is the largest roadless area in the lower 48 states. The canyon is home to bear, moose, bighorn sheep, elk, coyote, and numerous bird species-great blue heron, bald eagle, golden eagle, raven, osprey, water ouzel, sandpiper, and northern flicker. The river canyon remains pristine because past plans for dams, railroads, and roadways have proved to be impractical in this dramatic landscape. The only sign of human intrusion is some jet boat traffic from the few seasonal residents.
The history of river-running on the Main dates back more than 150 years. The first documented account of paddlers was in 1832, when trappers from the Hudson's Bay Company navigated the river in small canoes made of animal hide. Wooden scows were used on later descents in the 19th century, as trappers, hunters, and prospectors began navigating the river canyon. Gold was discovered along the river in the 1860s, which led to further exploration. During this gold rush, miners dynamited some of the rapids along the river to make navigation easier. The first inflatable raft floated down the Main in 1929, with the bulk of inflatable boat river-running occurring after World War II. River traffic increased steadily in the following decades, and the Forest Service adopted a minimum-impact camping policy and a permit system in the late 1970s. The current permit system is lottery-based, and highly competitive.
The Trip: We began at the put-in at Corn Creek, warming up and doing yoga before we started the 80-mile, seven-day journey.
The rapids of the Main Salmon are pool-drop in character, offering paddlers brief challenges with good recovery pools at the bottom. Even though the rapids are rated only Class III+ at the highest water level, good play spots and surfing provide more advanced paddlers plenty of challenge and fun along the way downstream. Notable rapids are Rainier, Salmon Falls, Big Mallard, Elkhorn, Growler, Chittam, and Vinegar Creek.
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