Uncategorized Archives

New Wood Dory Being Built in Stanley this Spring for Main Salmon River

April 27th, 2011

MFRE is proud to announce the building of a new 18 foot Briggs Wooden Dory. Willis McAleese, our head fishing guide, is building the Dory with a stitch and glue process. The dory will be designed after the Briggs dory, which is specifically made for big water boating in the Grand Canyon and the Main Salmon River. The MFRE warehouse in Stanley has been converted with plastic tarps to keep the warmth up, as it is still in the teens at night and snow flurries are still happening. MFRE has a Middle Fork Salmon trip on May 17, so we hope to have a hull on the new dory by then. Not sure what to name her. Maybe we should have a contest?

Hen Wen will have a sister, and she will be self bailing, and beautiful. Middle Fork River Expeditions hopes you can come see her this summer on the Main Salmon River. The Middle Fork of the Salmon is too rocky for a wooden boat, but the Main Salmon is the perfect river for these boats.

We have a lodge to lodge dory trip available on the Main Salmon River. We know these boats are so much more beautiful to ride in verses the ugly rubber rafts we have. Only thing is they do not bounce off of rocks so the guides have to know the river and be skilled oarsmen.

Riding on a dory on the Main Salmon is a trip thru time. You feel the nostalgia for the 1800’s at the time of Lewis and Clark and this river of history. It is like floating on a gondola in Venice, but you have the backdrop of the largest roadless wilderness area in the US.

So come on out and celebrate a new dory on the Main Salmon River this summer. You may even have the opportunity to name her. After all, a boat cannot be named until you get to know her.

See you in Stanley or Salmon this summer.

Yours for river adventures,

James Ellsworth, owner, MFRE

Idaho River Rafting

April 14th, 2011

Idaho River Rafting has abundant options, from day trips to multi day river trips. Idaho Rivers run more than 13,000 miles in Idaho, the most river miles than any state. Idaho River rafting is fun as the Middle Fork and Main salmon Rivers run through the Frank Church Wilderness of No Return, the largest roadless wilderness area in the US outside of Alaska. Idaho river rafting can be enjoyed by anyone with an adventurous spirit. River rafting in Idaho has many hiking options and also hot springs to soak your weary bones. River rafting in Idaho takes on a whole new meaning to vacation and a trip of a lifetime. You can raft the Middle Fork salmon for 6 days, or raft the Main Salmon River in 5 days. Or you can do both in 11 days for the ultimate river vacation.

So whether you join us rafting on the Middle Fork or Main Salmon, you will be rafting the best Idaho rivers in the state, if not the country. There is always fun around very bend of the river. Idaho River rafting at it’s best with Middle Fork River Expeditions.

Join us this summer on the Idaho River Rafting adventure that suits your timeframe and desire.

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

There are no strangers here, only friends we have not met.

MFRE Packing List recommended/optional Items are now on NRS Website

April 9th, 2011

Check out the new Outfitter Recommended Gear for Middle FOrk River Expeditions on the NRS website at www.nrsweb.com.

Middle Fork River Expeditions gives you both an optional gear and recommended gear list. With a click of the mouse, you can have all the good river booty and get ready for your trip down the Middle Fork or Main Salmon.

Middle Fork River Expeditions, licensed and bonded outfitter, has run safe and well-managed river trips on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon River in Idaho for over three decades. Our equipment is specially designed for wilderness whitewater rafting, and offers mild and wild boat choices (oar boats, paddle boats, inflatable kayaks and stand up paddling surf boards!). Our river guides are seasoned professionals, licensed by the state of Idaho and First Aid Certified. They are expert river runners, magnificent cooks, great storytellers, and knowledgeable, helpful outdoorsmen.

The current lists are for all Middle Fork and Salmon River expeditions. The “Recommended” list includes items that Middle Fork River Expeditions suggests their clients have. Please review the information supplied in your Middle Fork River Expeditions trip packet for more details on MFRE Packing List.

Hen Wen Rides Again

March 23rd, 2011

MFRE bought Hen Wen, an 18 foot Wooden River Dory last May and she did three descents down the river. She’s back again with a new sister Dory that is being built this spring inn Stanley by Willis Mcaleese, her name is yet to be determined. In fact, we just bought the 1/4″ marine grade plywood yesterday and the resins as well. So you can be sure to have twice the fun on the Main Salmon River in Idaho this summer. Whitewater rafting at it’s finest. The Wood Dories make it super fun thru the wave trains of the Main Salmon and as it has more water than the Middle Fork we don;t worry as much about hitting rocks. Although it can occur and we bring lots of Gorilla Tape along. These Dories are beautiful historic river craft that beckon to the Gondola’s of Venice. But you ride these historic boats right through the heart of the largest roadless wilderness area in the US outside of Alaska.

So come join Hen Wen and her sister this summer on the Main Salmon River in Idaho.

There are no strangers here, only friends we have not met.

Yours for Rivers, Ellsworth

Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho

March 21st, 2011

The Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho is an amazing place. The Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho is in the heart of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, the largest roadless wilderness area in the United States outside of Alaska. The Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho trip takes usually 6 days to run, but we can offer 4 day trips in early June when the water is high and Sept when we run Fly Fishing trips and do 35 miles in 4 days. We usually fly into Indian Creek and go to Flying B in 4 days for an exchange and then go another 4 days down to Cache Bar for the take-out. The Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho is a river that has many hot springs along the way which we camp near. One hot spring is an actual shower, you brace your arms on the rock face and get a really wonderful massage on your back. It is called Sunflower Hot Springs. The Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho also has more than 50 named rapids and over 300 unnamed rapids that are smaller class I/II rapids. The Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho can be enjoyed by anyone with an adventurous spirit and can swim and is in good physical condition. We bring along many river craft choices on the Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho. These include Drift Boats, Oar Rafts, Paddle Rafts, Inflatable Kayaks, and Stand Up Paddle Boards. We only use the paddle boards on the Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho around camp paddling in the eddies.

We hope you can join us this summer on the Middle Fork Salmon River in Idaho.

There are no strangers here, only friends we have not yet met.

Best, Ellsworth

Happy St. Patricks Day!

March 17th, 2011

May you be joyful this spring day and give a moment of silence to those in Japan.

Idaho River Rafting & Spirituality

March 16th, 2011

Why is River Rafting so good in Idaho? Well, the sate of Idaho has more river miles than any other state in the US. Over 3,000 miles worth of runnable rivers in Idaho. An the best thing is you can raft right through the heart of the Largest Roadless Wilderness Area in the US on the Middle Fork and Main Salmon Rivers. It is deeper than the Grand Canyon in places like Impassable Canyon. But there’s more river rafting and that is in the journey. You can let go of it all, all the compensatory strategies to get thru the world out there and truly deepen as an individual, to one;s deeper nature. The River is the perfect platform for this enlightening prospect of living each moment open and awake in one’s mind, and stopping the samsara strategies of a conditioned self. Those same mind movies of “acting” develop grooves like the river canyon, deepening their channel until the movie is what we are watching and have allegiance to.

Come explore the wild rivers of Idaho and come back again because it is a place of wonder.

Boise to Stanley Driving Directions

March 10th, 2011

Directions to Stanley from Boise Airport
Get a map! Most car rental agencies have them or gas stations.
Go ~7 miles North on highway 84 to Eagle Exit, go East (right at exit)
Drive ~5 miles to State street and take a right
Drive ~1 mile to Highway 55 and take a left, going towards McCall
Drive ~35 miles and take a right on the Banks to Lowman road in Banks.
Drive ~30 miles and take a left on Highway 21
Drive 59 miles to Stanley

Directions to Boise Airport from Stanley
Go west on HWY 21 to Lowman (59 miles)
Take a right on Banks Lowman Road in Lowman
Take a left on highway 55 after ~30 mi
Take a right on State street in Boise after ~35 mi
Go ~ 1 mi to Eagle and take a left
Go ~5 miles to highway 84 and go South to the airport (~7 miles)

Estimated time is 3 hours, but less windy than taking HWY 21 direct from HWY 84.

Hiking around Stanley (best day hike in the US!)
Alpine Lake (7 mi Roundtrip) and Sawtooth Lake (10 mi Roundtrip)
Alpine Lake- go west on HWY 21 2.6 mi and take left on Iron Creek Rd., drive ~3.2 mi and park at trailhead parking lot. Hike 1 ¼ mi. and take a right and hike another ¾ mile to a junction and take a left, hike up some switchbacks and then cross a stream (Iron Creek) after 1 mile and then continue up ½ mile to Alpine Lake. You can continue an extra 1 ½ mi to Sawtooth Lake. Elevation gain is ~1,100 ft to Alpine and another 700 ft. to Sawtooth Lake.

Safe Driving and Happy Hiking!

Cheers,

James Ellsworth
Middle Fork River Expeditions
800-801-5146

Idaho Salmon River Rafting Trips- Choosing a trip that’s right for you

March 9th, 2011

Middle Fork River Expeditions has lots of people call that are not sure which is a better trip for them, the Middle Fork or the Main Salmon. I always ask them what their group configuration is and if there are kids. I personally think the Middle Fork is a better trip in June and July and the Main Salmon is best in later July and August. The Middle Fork gets low water by end of July and we often need to fly into the river at Indian Creek. The Main Salmon always has great flows in August and the water temps are around 75F and huge sand beaches for camping and playing for the kids. If fishing is what your primary goal is for the trip, then the Middle Fork is best July-Sept. We offer drift boats on all trips on the Middle Fork starting June 29 launch.

The best thing to do if you are not sure on which trip to take is to give me a call to discuss options and the rivers themselves.

Call anytime at 800-801-5146.

i look forward to your call.

Yours for rivers, James Ellsworth, owner of MFRE

Middle Fork River Expeditions ISUP (Inflatable Stand Up Paddle) Boards

March 2nd, 2011

Middle Fork River Expeditions (www.idahorivers.com) is celebrating it’s 30th Anniversary by offering Stand Up Paddling (SUP) for participants on it’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River trips in Idaho. Stand Up Paddling uses a larger surfboard platform and a large paddle to steer. Middle Fork River Expeditions has partnered with Todd Bradley and C4 Waterman (www.c4waterman.com) to provide Inflatable Stand Up Surf Boards to it’s guests in 2010. We are the first outfitter on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River to provide this option. Please look for the March 2010 article in Standup Journal (www.standupjournal.com) on Stand Up Paddling the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Paul Tefft with Enviro Action Productions (paultefft@enviroactionproductions) has recently produced a video of the 2009 Whitewater Stand Up Paddling Championship (www.riversup.com/component/content/article/1-latest-news/53-riversup-dvd-promov2)
Please join us next summer to try this amazing new sport on the Middle Fork!

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho is the premier wilderness float trip in the US and flows 100 miles of Wild and Scenic free-flowing river through the largest wilderness area in the US. The canyon is the second deepest in North America. Because of its remote location, human presence in the area was somewhat limited, leaving it in the condition we see today. The Middle Fork of the Salmon is unspoiled, remote and roadless so you can be sure you will “get away from it all”. Simply put, it is the best river run in the West!

Middle Fork River Expeditions, licensed and bonded outfitter, has run safe and well-managed river trips on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho for 30 years. Trips are 4 and 6 days of exciting river rafting, wilderness camping, fine fishing, and adventure travel. Our equipment is specially designed for wilderness whitewater rafting, and offers mild and wild boat choices (oar boats, paddle boats, inflatable kayaks and Stand Up Surf Boards). Ask about special river trips with kayak instruction or wine and massage. Our river guides are seasoned professionals, licensed by the state of Idaho and First Aid Certified. They are expert river runners, magnificent cooks, great storytellers, and knowledgeable, helpful outdoorsmen.

Check out our website for photos of Stand Up Paddling from our inaugural trip in 2008.

Join Middle Fork River Expeditions for a magical wilderness river vacation learning how to Stand Up Paddle. Or bring your own board for the more experienced Stand Up Paddler.

For more info contact:
James Ellsworth, owner
Middle Fork River Expeditions
PO Box 70
Stanley, ID 83278
(800) 801-5146
www.idahorivers.com