The Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness is the largest (2.3 million acres) undeveloped natural area in the lower 48 states. It is home to bear and otters, trout and eagles, but very few humans. Aside from a few isolated cabins and a remote emergency air strip, the area is virtually free of all forms of development.

One of the chief reasons to visit this area is to raft the Middle Fork of the Salmon River -- one of the premier multi-day whitewater rafting trips in America. Each summer a few thousand fortunate individuals take the 4-6 day trip down the River of No Return at a cost of around $250-300 per person per day (all inclusive)-- and usually live to tell about it. This fee includes expert and entertaining guides, great food, tents, sleeping bags, pads and all the extras you can imagine to make life a luxury in the great outdoors. They even pitch and take down the tents. All you have to do is unroll your sleeping bag.

It was to experience this adventure that I and four middle aged friends came to the Frank Church Wilderness. We were joined by a party of around 12 fellow travelers from several states and divided among four rafts. A few other rafters were the only humans we saw for the next five days once we set out on the river. Overall the trip ranks as one of the high points of my travel/adventure career (such as it is.)

I had left Cimarron, New Mexico at 3:30 AM to ride a bus to Albuquerque, fly to Boise via Salt Lake and take a small four seater prop plane over the rugged Sawtooth Range to land on a grass field in Stanley, Idaho. This was one of the most thrilling rides of my life before the raft trip even began as our barely post-teenage bush pilot seemed to skim the peaks as he honed in on Stanley "Air Field."

In case you haven't seen Stanley, Idaho, the view of the Sawtooths is akin to the view of the Grand Tetons -- awesome. The only reason Stanley is not Jackson Hole is lack of development and 40 below weather each winter leaving only a core population of around 60-80 who winter there. Anyway this is the starting point for many Middle Fork raft trips and we were introduced to our guides from
Outdoor Adventures, issued a souvenir t-shirt, wet suits and given basic safety instructions.

The next morning we drove to the put-in point and were issued life jackets, given rules for keeping the area pollution free and set out. Each day was different and equally enjoyable. We saw abundant wildlife, including river otters, eagles etc., explored abandoned mines, investigated old trappers cabins, Indian campsites, soaked in hot springs and examined ancient pictographs along the cliffs. Each evening the cooks prepared gourmet fare (including appetizers such as baked brie with raspberries and almonds for example) and even had a supply of beer, wine and liquor for those so inclined. We told and heard dozens of jokes, absorbed stories and histories of the area, and learned about geology and wildlife. Most importantly, we made many new friends (some of whom we still see) and basically escaped from civilization with a group of like-minded nature and outdoor adventure enthusiasts.

The river itself was clear, cold and wild in parts, featuring Class II to Class IV rapids, ably traversed by our trusty river guides. The weather was generally sunny and warm with a few isolated showers and overcast afternoons. Very few of our group wore wet suits except when paddling the inflatable kayaks for additional fun. Each evening before dinner I got to try to (and did) catch a few cutthroat or rainbow trout with my lightweight fly rod.

The Middle Fork is a national treasure set in the crown of the Frank Church Wilderness. The raft trip is a once in a lifetime adventure -- unless you are lucky enough to come back to the River of No Return.
















Recommended: Yes

Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Thrillseekers
Review Topic: Paddling & Water Sports