Trip Details
Idaho Rowing School

ARTA provides the following:

You are responsible for:

Where to Stay:

Accommodations in Salmon for before the school are good at the Stagecoach Inn 208-756-4251 or at the Motel DeLuxe 208-756-2231. Camping, (with showers and laundry facilities), is available at the Salmon Valley Campground, 208-756-2640. After the trip lodging is available in McCall at the Western Mountain Lodge, 208-634-6300, or Hotel McCall (good downtown location, 208-634-8105. Pre- and post- trip accommodations are not included in the trip and all reservations should be made well in advance, (especially in McCall!) Salmon and McCall are both small towns and all the motels listed are within easy walking distance of downtown.

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Transportation Options:

Your trip will begin in Salmon and end in McCall. Because of the rising costs of air taxi flights and our efforts to keep the cost of your trip as low as possible, we no longer arrange transportation packages in Idaho.

If you are flying into Boise, you can either rent a car, drive to Salmon (6 hours) and have your car shuttled from Salmon to McCall during the trip or you can arrange for air taxi service from Boise to Salmon before your trip and from McCall back to Boise after your trip.

If you are driving directly to Salmon, you can either have your vehicle shuttled to McCall or you can arrange an air taxi flight back to Salmon after your trip. Conversely, if it is easier for you to drive to McCall, you can do this in reverse.

AIR TAXI FLIGHTS: You will need to arrange a flight from Boise to Salmon for the day before your trip (we recommend departing Boise for Salmon no later than 5:00 pm) and from McCall to Boise after your trip. Due to potential delays we recommend that you DO NOT plan on flying out of Boise the evening the trip ends, but rather that you spend the night in McCall and fly to Boise in time for your flight the following morning, (after 10:00 am departure from Boise is best). McCall is a small, scenic, vacation community on the shores of Payette Lake and the weather is usually more flyer-friendly earlier in the day. The round trip package costs about $360 per person through McCall Aviation (800-992-6559 or www.mccallaviation.com) or Salmon Air Taxi (800-448-3413 or www.salmonair.com).

CAR SHUTTLE: You will need to drive to Salmon and arrange an independent car shuttle through River Shuttles (800-831-8942 or www.rivershuttles.com). You can arrange the shuttle in advance, or you can fill out a form at the pre-trip meeting. Your car will be left at the Stagecoach Inn in Salmon and shuttled to the airport in McCall during the trip. The cost of the shuttle is $260 per vehicle, plus $80 for gas, plus a full tank of gas. River Shuttles moves thousands of vehicles around Idaho during the summer and is very reliable. If you are RENTING A VEHICLE AT THE BOISE AIRPORT, request an “Additional Driver’s Form” from the rental agency (Avis and Budget have been the easiest to work with in the past), fill it out and FAX it to River Shuttles at 208/756-4188. River Shuttles will fill in their part and FAX it to the rental agency before rental. This enables River Shuttles to drive the rental car. Arrange shuttle as above. Car rentals cost about $150 to $250 for the week.

HYBRID: Some Rowing School students prefer to drive to McCall (2 hours north of Boise), leave their car at the airport and fly to Salmon the day before their trip begins. The one-way flight costs about $165 per person through McCall Aviation (800-992-6559 or www.mccallaviation.com) or Salmon Air Taxi (800-448-3413 or www.salmonair.com). If driving to Salmon is easier (all of you coming from South Dakota), this can also be done in reverse, (drive to Salmon before the trip, fly back after the trip).

If you have any questions or need more information or have a large group and want to consider van and bus charters, just give us a call.

Additional Information:

About the Trip:

Our 8-day Idaho rowing school promises to be a true adventure! This is a great course for those who want to develop rowing skills for private trips, for those who want a little guidance as they delve into extended wilderness excursions, or for those who just want to row a raft and enjoy eight days in one of the west’s most majestic canyons. The Main Salmon offers excellent solitude, camping and hiking, as well as fun and exciting rapids. It is a great place to be and a wonderful place to learn how to row a raft.

Our 8 days will be spent covering over 80 miles of river between Corn Creek and Carey Bar. The Main is a large-volume river with a variety of Class II and III+ rapids. Generally, the rapids are long and wide with big waves and holes although there are some that require more technical maneuvering. Strong eddies and good expanses of smooth current provide valuable time to practice ferrying and eddy-catching techniques. We will take advantage of the warm, late-season flows to practice swimming, self-rescue techniques and righting flipped rafts. We will also have time to enjoy numerous off-river activities including soaking in hot springs, visiting historical sites, and taking adventure hikes. While our primary purpose will be to learn and improve our rowing skills, many students enjoy the off-river aspects of the school as much as the on-river portions; come prepared for a full and fulfilling adventure.

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Itinerary:

August 16: Pre-trip meeting at 8:00 pm at the Stagecoach Inn in Salmon.

Day 1:  We will re-convene at the Stagecoach Inn and travel by van to the launching point on the Main Salmon, (2-3 hours). After a thorough safety orientation, we will head downriver. The first day has a few small rapids (Killum and Gunbarrel) and plenty of places to practice basic skills. We will make camp in the early evening, distribute camp chores, and have time for relaxation, exploration or education.

Days 2 - 7:  We will continue downriver, traveling about 10 miles per day, plenty of time to work on ferrying, pivoting, and catching eddies. Each day will present new challenges, both in terms of whitewater and instructional topics such as rigging, safety, repair, self-rescue, swift water swimming and interpretation. The most difficult rapids (including Split Rock, Big Mallard and Elkhorn) will come on days 5 and 6. We will also take time to explore the Main Salmon canyon, including stops at hotsprings and historical sites along the river. As the school progresses, students will take a more active role in the day-to-day logistics and decisions; instructors will offer advice and encouragement and will present challenging scenarios.

Day 8: We will take-off the Main around mid-day, de-rig the rafts, load the trailer and drive to McCall. The school will end in McCall. Due to the unpredictable nature of the school and the potential for delays, we recommend spending this last night (August 24th) in McCall.

After the school:We are looking for interesting, hard working people to work for us as guides. Unless you are a total disaster, (personality-wise), you will be given the opportunity to join ARTA as an Assistant Guide (unpaid position), to further your training and prepare you for a guiding career. 

Meals:

ARTA meals are well balanced and consist of quality foods with fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables. The guides double as camp chefs and the menu includes a wide variety of dishes. Lunches usually consist of hand-foods and are served picnic-style at riverside stops. Dinners and breakfasts are cooked over an open fire and often include tasty Dutch Oven baked treats. If you have special dietary requirements or are celebrating a special event during the trip, please let us know in advance.

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Drinks:

ARTA provides fruit drinks at meals. If you would like soda, beer, wine, or liquor with your dinner, please bring your own in unbreakable containers, (beer and soda in cans, wine and liquor in plastic bottles). Due to weight and space restrictions, we ask that you limit the amount of canned drinks to a moderate amount.

Camping:

During the course of the trip, everyone is encouraged to participate as much as they desire, whether that be on the river, collecting firewood, or helping out in the kitchen. We have found that the more involved you become with your trip, the more rewarding your trip becomes. Overnight camping will be at riverside beaches or flat benches above the river. All sites afford spectacular views of the river and canyon. Some campsites have Forest Service pit toilets; at others ARTA will set up portable toilets. There is usually a central kitchen and campfire area, and trip members pick out spots in the surrounding area to pitch their tents or lay out their sleeping bags.

Weather:

The weather in late August in the Main Salmon canyon is usually mild; however, like all mountain regions, the area is susceptible to sudden storms. Rain, usually in the form of afternoon thundershowers, can be encountered at any time, and we strongly recommend good rain protection for both day and night. Generally, temperatures range from the 70's to the 90's during the day, dropping into the 50's at night; extremes may be 10 degrees higher or lower. The water temperature on the Main is a pleasant 65 degrees.

Suggested Reading:

River of No Return by Cort Conley gives a detailed, mile-by-mile description of the history of the river and canyon. The Last of the Mountain Men by Harold Peterson and Thousand Pieces of Gold by Ruthanne McCunn are stories of two of the Main’s more colorful characters. A good map and guide is available locally in Salmon or from blackcanyonguides.com.

Travel Insurance:

Because life is full of surprises, we suggest you consider purchasing supplemental travel insurance for your trip. Trip cancellation, evacuation, baggage loss and other coverages are available for between 4% and 11% of your trip cost. You can get more information at www.travelinsure.com; please enter ARTA's Participating Organization Number (215296) at the top of the enrollment form.

More Information

If there are any questions we haven't answered, please feel free to contact us. Our office staff enjoys telling folks about our trips, so don't hesitate to call 800-323-2782.

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