and some are well known for their scenery. The Main Salmon is most famous for its personality. It is what every good friend should be: welcoming, tolerant, supportive, and just a little unpredictable. Everyone who travels down this magnificent river falls in love with it; with the grand scenery, the fascinating history, the big waves, the soothing hot springs, the gentle hikes, the diverse wildlife, and the giant sandy beaches.

Cutting due west across the heart of the Idaho backcountry and through the center of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, (the second largest Wilderness Area in the lower 48 states), the Main Salmon has long been an alluring place. Native Americans inhabited the canyons for thousands of years and left behind mysterious reminders of their presence; William Clark (of Lewis and Clark) started down the river in 1805, then turned around and looked elsewhere for the fabled Northwest Passage; Polly Bemis, a Chinese immigrant, found solace from a cruel life (as described in A Thousand Pieces of Gold) at her homestead and in her gardens along the river; white settlers, some more successful than others, left a variety of cabins, homesteads, ranches and even a fort (“Buckskin Bill” built a gun tower to protect himself from invading government bureaucrats!). Today the river provides a reflective pathway through a beautiful canyon and a glimpse of American history.

Our whitewater rafting trips begin in Salmon, Idaho, a rugged cowboy town postponing the arrival of the 21^st century, and end in McCall, Idaho, a beautiful lakeside resort, embracing it.