Middle Fork River Expeditions has 3 ISUPS we use on both the Middle Fork and the Main Salmon. The Main Salmon River is really best for the stand up paddle boarding as it is a pool and drop river. Therefore, you can paddle on the calm stretches and then shoot down thru the rapids sitting on the board. Our paddles are full height adjustable so you can then paddle it sitting down. When the rapid is over, you get back up and paddle. The middle Fork of the salmon river is a little different as it is a continuous river, so there are only a couple of sections we run the paddle boards and usually just use them around camp at night. We have C4 Waterman paddle boards and they are super stable. All participants must use a life jacket and helmet at all times when paddle these boards. All participants must also be able to self-rescue and have strong swimming skills.

So come and join us in the summer of 2012 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon or the Main Salmon and try out these amazing river paddle boards. It gives a whole new dimension to the river experience. You can paddle them like a surfboard on your belly too.

We hope to see you in Idaho this summer of 2012, not just to river raft but to river paddle board to your heart’s content.

Yours for paddle boards, Ellsworth

Lost River Boatworks os hand making Grand Canyon Dories in Pocatello, Idaho. These boats are custom made adn perfect for the Grand Canyon, Main Salmon River, or most rivers on the Colorado Plateau. If you are interested in a grand canyon dory please give me a call and I will get you in touch with Willis McAleese, owner and founder of Lost River Boatworks. Simply, rafts are ugly and dories are beautiful.

Come join us next summer in one of these beautiful dories on the Main Salmon River in Idaho.

Yours for rivers, Ellsworth

Pre-trip Orientation

You’ll want to arrive in scenic Stanley, ID the day before your trip. It is a beautiful small town nestled at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains. At 7:30 PM, there will be an orientation meeting at the MFRE Warehouse, located just down Highway 21 between the Triangle C Ranch and Meadow Creek Lodge and Spa. Here you will meet James and the other guests on your trip.

James or an MFRE representative will distribute dry bags, sleeping bags and pads, so you can get packed up and be ready to head out in the morning. You’ll also find out if you’ll be flying or driving into the river and what time to be ready (usually 8 AM). You can ask last minute questions and fill out a quick form if you’re having your car shuttled to Salmon. There’s a store right next to the Mountain Village lodge where you can pick up any last minute things for the trip.

Day 1- Make sure to eat a hearty breakfast and meet your group in front of the hotel at the designated time, with everything packed in your dry bags and dressed for the Middle Fork Salmon.

For trips in May- early July, you’ll ride by bus to Boundary Creek, (about an hour). Late July-September, the first 25 miles of the river are too low to run, so you’ll fly to Indian Creek aboard a small charter plane. The flight is short (30 minutes) but beautiful and lands on an airstrip right along the Middle Fork. On the Bus we have a general safety talk.

When you arrive at the put-in, you’ll meet the rest of your guides, listen to a brief talk from a Forest Service official about caring for the canyon. During this time, the guides are loading the boats and preparing to shove off on the Middle Fork.

“If I had to choose one river to run, once a year for the rest of my life, the choice would be easy. I would choose the Middle Fork.”
– Jerry Rice (former NFL player)

If you begin at Boundary Creek you’ll encounter a small, fast stream with lots of rocks. Be ready to paddle and listen to your guide’s commands. It is too tricky and shallow for inflatable kayaks in this section. If you begin at Indian Creek the river is larger and deeper making it appropriate for inflatable kayaks.

You will stop in the early afternoon for lunch and to stretch your legs, and then head downstream for camp. We like to hit camp early this first day, so we can have time to ease into our camp routine. There should be time for fishing, reading, playing games, visiting or a short hike. Hors d’oeuvres will be served first, followed by your first hearty gourmet river dinner. James or the Expedition Leader will give an overview of what to expect for the following day. Then you will relax until you’re ready to head to your tent for the night.

Day 2- You will wake up in your cozy tent and peak out to the beauty all around you. This is your first full river day. Coffee, tea and juice will be ready by 7 AM, along with light breakfast options like yogurt, fruit and cereal. A heartier breakfast will be ready around 8 AM, with things like pancakes and bacon, French toast and sausage, eggs-to-order, etc. You won’t go hungry on an MFRE trip!

After breakfast you’ll pack up your dry bag, and bring it down to the boats. It will take some time to get camp broken down and packed up, and we try to be on the water around 10 AM. This is fine, because you’ll want the day to warm up before you get wet.

Once again, you’ll raft until early afternoon with various stops along the way including an hour or so for lunch. Some time during the day there might be an extra stop to visit a hot spring, take a short hike to a waterfall or view the Native American pictographs.

Depending on the stops you make and the distance between your assigned campsites, you’ll arrive in camp in the early to late afternoon and you can once again relax, hike or read. The guides will make hors d’oeuvres first, followed by dinner and then off to bed.

Days 3-5
You will wake to the quiet canyon each morning and follow the routine of DAY 2, with coffee around 7, breakfast around 8 and be on the river before 10. The guides will keep you posted on which big rapids to expect during the day and they’ll pull over for lunch midday.

Campsites are assigned on the Middle Fork, so this will dictate how long you spend on the water each day. You may arrive in camp earlier in the afternoon on some days. Drinks, hors d’oeuvres and a full dinner are enjoyed each night.

As the trip continues you’ll form bonds, have more experiences to share in the evenings, and get into the flow of life on the river. Your koob game will most likely improve and you will appreciate the solitude all around you. You’ll fall asleep each night excited to do the whole thing over again.

Day 6- On this last day you’ll wake up deep in Impassable Canyon, where the river is at least five times bigger than where you started. Breakfast will be served as usual and you’ll load up for this last stretch of the Middle Fork. You’ll float through the confluence of the Middle Fork with the Main Salmon, where there’s one more great rapid to end the trip.

You’ll arrive at Cache Bar around 11AM and while the guides de-rig the rafts and load up, you’ll have lunch that has been brought in from town. Hopefully you’ll get a group photo before bidding the river farewell. You’ll load up in the bus and head four hours or so back to Stanley, ID. We make two stops on the way back to Stanley, including the general store in North Fork for ice cream and bathroom breaks.

You’ll arrive in Stanley between 4-6PM. You can then overnight at the Mountain Village Resort or the Sawtooth Hotel.

You will be happy to have floated and rafted and kayaked and stand up paddle boarded, and paddle rafted, and fished the 100 mile trip in style with Middle Fork River Expeditions. No other Outfitter offers the amazing variety of whitewater rafting craft. Come join us this summer, there are no strangers here. Only friends we have not met.

Yours for rivers, Ellsworth

MFRE has the joy of taking Tom and Cathy Crum and their amazing friends down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River this last two summers. We are headed to Grand Canyon on April 24- May 7, 2012 and then hopefully to the Zanskar River in Ladakh in 2013. Below is the copy direct from Tom’s website.

” Thomas Crum is an author and presenter in the fields of conflict resolution, peak performance, and stress management. He is known throughout the world for The Thomas Crum Approach, taught through best-selling books, audio and visual materials, and live presentations of varying length and designed to help people become more centered under conflict, more resourceful when facing challenges, and more effective under stress.

For over 30 years, Tom has been a teacher of Aikido, a graceful martial art which uses energy rather than force to resolve conflicts, and he includes principles and movements from Aikido, Tai Chi Chuan, Qi Gong, and other mind-body arts in his presentations, creating an experiential event which adds excitement, color, and value.

Acclaimed as “more than another talking head,” Tom conducts presentations for organizations worldwide for management and employees at all levels in corporations, government and non-profit organizations. His corporate clients include Amgen, Diebold, Sony Pictures, Sony Entertainment, Alcan, Sandia National Labs, Intel, various universities and the U.S. Government. He is a popular keynote and plenary presenter, with appearances at many international conferences and associations including the American Society of Training and Development, Franklin Covey, the Ken Blanchard Companies, Systems Thinking in Action, and Global Institute for Leadership Development.
© Doug Ellis

The Thomas Crum Approach is applicable to every aspect of our lives — relationships, family, work, and athletic performances – and Tom’s residential programs are opportunities to practice the principles in peaceful retreat settings. For those among us who like to ski or play golf, Tom integrates his work with these sports. The popular week-long Magic of Skiing program has brought skiers to Aspen, Colorado for the past twenty years, and the Aspen Ski Company has adapted Tom Crum’s work for use in their ski schools. Tom is a true golf devotee, and the Magic of Golf program applies mind/body work to the pursuit of golf as a vehicle for freedom and fulfillment.

Tom and his team are available for personal coaching in conflict resolution, peak performance, and stress management – working with executives, athletes, and the general public.

Thomas Crum books, audio and visual materials and other products have been acclaimed throughout the world. The Magic of Conflict has been honored by placement on the best seller’s list, and Journey To Center has delighted readers with stories which inspire and motivate. Tom’s latest addition to the marketplace is Three Deep Breaths: Finding Power and Purpose In A Stressed Out World (Berrett/Koehler Publishers, June, 2006.)”

Idaho Whitewater River Rafting is one of the best activities you can do as a family these days. Idaho river rafting has more than 13,000 river miles to choose from. At MFRE we focus on the best idaho river rafting destinations by floating on the Salmon River. We offer both the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and also the Main Salmon River as well.

Idaho river rafting on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River are 6 days, and we float 100 miles. Idaho river rafting on the Middle Fork has over a half dozen hot springs, incredible Blue Ribbon cutthroat trout fishing, visits of lots of homesteads, and float through a canyo that is deeper than the Grand Canyon. Idaho river rafting on the Middle Fork Salmon River has more than 400 rapids in it’s 100 mile distance. Most are un-named as they are class I and class II rapids, but there are still over 60 rapids that are class III or above. Idaho river rafting does not get any better than on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. It is fun for the whole family to enjoy a vacation or holiday together rafting the great rapids of Idaho, some of the best in the country. No doubt about it, Idaho River rafting is fun for everyone who gives it a try.

So come on out in 2012 and join MFRE for some of the best Idaho River rafting ever.

We also offer Idaho river rafting on the Main Salmon in Idaho. We offer 4 day trips in 56 miles. We start the trip in Salmon, Idaho and then on Day 4 we fly you out at 10am from Mackay Bar Ranch. The Main salmon does not have excellent Idaho River rafting. It is know as the “River of History” both natural history and also human history. We visit three “working Homesteads” while on the river. These include Yellow Pine Bar, where we meet Greg and Sue. Greg makes knives out of the old cable from the cable Crossing at Campbell’s Ferry. He makes the handles for the knives out of Mountain Mohagany from the Salmon River Canyon.

We also visit Doug and Phyllis Tims at Campbell’s Ferry. They are amazing people. Doug is the founder of Maravia INC., which are the types of boat we run on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon. Both Doug and Phyllis give us an amazing interpretation of Francis Winemiler and also Jim Moore, who lived across the river and ran Campbell’s Ferry. They are in the process of finishing a book on the history of the Main Salmon River.

The last place we visit is 5 Mile Bar, which is where Buckskin Bill used to live and make his own guns. Barbara and Heinz now live there and run a permaculture garden and live off the grid completely. We can watch a video on Buckskin Bill and connect with Barbara and Heinz, who are great people that immigrated from Germany in the early 80’s and found the Main Salmon River Canyon and never left.

Idaho River rafting is best with Middle Fork River Expeditions. Please come out next summer and join us for an adventure of a lifetime. We hope to see you soon for a fun family vacation and the best Idaho river rafting, connecting with each other in the largest wilderness area in the US.

Have you ever wanted a handmade whitewater river dory? They are really hard to find as they take about 700 hours of labor to make. Now is your chance. Wilis McAleese, MFRE expedition leader, has started Lost River Boatworks in Pocatello, Idaho. He is taking orders now, but is soon to start a waiting list, as he already has 2 orders taken. These dory river boats are the classic way to experience the river. They only weigh about 450 pounds and are super responsive, have huge rocker to them and are the most elegant way to experience the Main Salmon River of History.

Give me a call at 800-801-5146 and I can give you Willis’s cell phone number to make an order.

These are all hand made one of a kind river dories. The most beautiful boats on any river in the world. If you dont have 15k to spend on your own dory, come down the main salmon and ride one of our 2 dories down the river. The cost is only $1000 for a 4 day trip.

Here is a video of a handmade wooden river dory built by Willis McAleese, founder of Lost River Boatworks. He built this 18 foot long Briggs Whitewater Dory using the stitch and glue method. Middle Fork River Expeditions will use this dory and her sister boat Hen Wen next summer on the Main Salmon River in the Frank Church Wilderness of No Return. We have not given the new dory a name yet, so please send us any ideas. Right now, Bear Grease and the Sparrow are contenders for names. Willis McAleese is building drift boats, dory’s this winter and already has a few sold. If you or someone you know used to row boats as a guide and would like to own a custom handmade river dory please give us a call at MFRE and we can give you his cell phone number. His website will be up by the first of the year. Congratulations Willis on these amazing boats and starting your new business!

See you around the next bend, Ellsworth

John St. John from Hog island delivered two 16 foot Hog Island boats and we have taken them on two trips now. They run better with two fishermen fishing instead of just one like a typical drift boat. The Hog Islands have better balance in whitewater as well running one in front and back.

These Hogs are amazing at fishing with large casting braces that are super padded and you can fish from the swivel seat in the back or slay it from the front. It runs better fishing two fishermen rather than one only like a typical drift boat.

These boats are also the most durable in the business and US coast guard approved.

See you soon on the river,
Ellsworth

We wish you a very Happy Summer Solstice, this longest day of the year. We hope the longest day of the year brings along some sunshine to Stanley as it has been a cold “La Nina” summer so far, with cooler than normal temperatures. This has helped the snowpack not melt so fast and we are having great water levels over 6 ft. for last 3-4 weeks. We have a June 29 launch with a coiple spots available.

We hope to see you on the Middle Fork or Main Salmon Rivers this summer.

See you in Stanley!

Ellsworth