Specialty River Trips 

Every once in awhile we have an unique opportunity to offer our customers. This year we have contracted for special history and artistist trips.  We enjoy putting together speciality trips for our customers, and creating that "Once in a Lifetime" adventure.

 Central Missouri State University Alumni trip (30 July Main Salmon)

We are offering a special  trip this year for alumni of Central Missouri State University, with a small discount,  on the Main Salmon on 30 July.  Peg and I graduated from there, hope to see some old acquaintences.  Call for additional details, or contact the alumni office.

Fiddling With History (special arrangement)

Dave Wolfe, of the Rhett Creek Wolf family, joins us on the Main Salmon on occasion. Dave’s knowledge of people and their way of life along the river back through the depression period and earlier, is extensive. He knew many of the old timers personally and carefully gathered family stories about others.

Monroe Hancock, early boatman and one of the major river personalities , was a frequent babysitter for the Wolf kids in his last years. Dave has collected early photos from the river, and will have some with him. His family was close to Frances Wisner of Campbell’s ferry, which also is a historical connection. Dave once showed me Jim Moore’s map to the location where he hid his gold, which had been discovered among Frances’ possessions after her death. Of course, Dave had given up trying to follow it before he showed it to me.

Dave’s parents came to the Salmon River country in the early 40’s, first to the Crowfoot ranch, then to Allison ranch. Later, in the late 50s, Dave’s mother Reho got the mining claim and cabin at Rhett Creek. She brought her large family into the cabin year-round for a year or two, homeschooling them there. She and her family maintained the cabin, visiting primarily in the summers up until her death in 1998, at the cabin. The family continues to occupy the cabin to the present. A biography of Reho is “Reho Wolfe--the End of a Salmon River Era” by her son John Wolfe, 2002. Conley’s “River of No Return” has a brief entry on Rhett Creek and the Wolfe family.

History of the River

Because of its remote, rugged, terrain and public land, the Salmon River retained a frontier atmosphere up to WWII and beyond. Up through the depression, before power boats and environmental impact statements, people could find an unoccupied bench along the river, build a log cabin, raise a garden and orchard, mine a little gold, trap, try to raise and sell some livestock or produce, and do whaterver they could to scratch out the few hundred dollars a year they needed for whatever supplies they could not produce themselves. These are Dave’s roots. His grandpa ( a professional saloon gambler) is buried at Richardson Creek, his mother at Rhett Creek, his brother at Campbell’s Ferry.

In addition to being a great a story teller, Dave is a wood carver and a fiddler. Any of you musicians might want to bring an instrument, as there’ll be lots of campfire music on this trip.

A book that would help set the stage for this trip is “Gold at Dixie Gulch” by Marian Sweeney, 1982, Clearwater Valley Publishing Company, Kamiah, Idaho. It deals mostly with the history of the old mining town of Dixie, but Dixie was the closest town to that part of the Salmon River, so there is quite a bit of reference to Salmon River residents. Many people from the Salmon River also lived in Dixie at various times. Another book is “My Mountains--Where the River Still Runs Downhill” by Frances Zaunmiller Wisner, 1987, Idaho County Free Press, Grangeville, Idaho. Frances lived at Campbell’s Ferry from the early 40s until 1986. She wrote a column for the weekly Grangeville newspaper, and this book is a collection of her better pieces, published soon after she died.

Watercolor Painting Workshop (requires special booking)

Based on interest, we sometimes offer a Main Salmon trip with a watercolor painting workshop, taught by Erica Craig. Erica is a wildlife biologist by training, but has the gift of art. She has issued a number of wildlife prints. Her husband Tim, also a wildlife biologist, currently employed in Fairbanks, Alaska, often accompanies these trips. They have taught raptor ecology classes, have done a number of contract research projects including one obtaining blood samples from golden eagles, have built a couple of their own houses, taught their kids at home.

Tim has worked as a predator control specialist, and a backpacker supplying grizzly bear hunting camps in Alaska, and as a wildlife biologist for the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. While their primary interest is in wildlife, Erica is a skilled artist whose background in wildlife biology makes her paintings come to life. They are "just right". In one of her paintings there are some aspen trees, and on the trees are the scars in the bark made by a black bear climbing the tree--just an example of her attention to detail. They are a very interesting couple to travel with, aside from the watercolor instruction. Erica's web page is ericacraig.com. These trips are arranged based on demand, so if you are interested, contact us and we'll develope a list.

 Horse-back/Float Combination Trips

 We can arrange  combination horseback/float trips on the Middle Fork. You fly into a high-country landing strip and ride through pine forests and meadows above the river, fishing in high lakes, camping in wall tents, and ride down to the river to join a float party. Your gear is carried on pack mules. Combo trips usually begin at a lodge on the edge of the wilderness area. You ride for three or four days, then float for three or four days, for a total of six or seven days. These trips are coordinated with a horse outfitter. Each trip is specially arranged, so contact us for greater detail. This trip offers a unique perspective of the Salmon River country.

Lodge Trips

Ask us about our Comfortable Lodge Trips: We can arrange to spend nights in riverside lodges instead of camping on Main Salmon trips. These trips are specially suited to spring and fall, when nights can be chilly. Steelhead fishing can be combined with these trips. We can also arrange to mix lodge nights and camp nights on the Main. We can arrange to spend one or two nights of a Middle Fork trip at a lodge. Call us for special arrangements. We need a minimum of four people.

 Private Trips

We can arrange a trip for only your group, whether family, friends, or business associates. Minimum number of people required to close a trip to just your group will vary with time of year and river section. 

Call to discuss details and availability.