Trip Highlights
Pristine alpine scenery, deep gorges, waterfalls, and solitude in the largest wilderness area in the US
Rich history featuring indigenous pictographs and relics from early explorers
Beaches and natural hot springs... Enjoy both the Middle Fork and Main Salmon rivers in one trip!
Over 100 exciting rapids (up to class III+). Experience them from a raft or inflatable kayak - the choice is yours!
This trip has it all! 200 miles in 7 days? Are you kidding me?! It is easy to do, as the river is high and flowing fast. The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is the premier wilderness rafting trip in the United States. Its gin-clear water flows 100 miles through designated “Wild & Scenic” river, across the largest roadless wilderness area in the country, and in a canyon that is deeper than the Grand Canyon! It boasts half a dozen natural hot springs, blue ribbon trout fishing, and more than 100 grade I-III (IV in June) rapids. Often called the “River of No Return,” the Main Stem of the Salmon River is chock full of historic miners’ cabins, homesteads, and Shoshone Sheepeater and Nez Perce pictographs and pit houses. The early river runners called the it the “River of No Return,” because the wooden scows (large, flat-bottomed boats used for transporting freight) used in the early 20th century were scrapped at the end of their journey and used to build many of the cabinets you’ll see in the canyon.
On this epic 200 mile adventure in 7 days (average 28.5 miles a day) we bring Oar Rafts and Paddle rafts only. The river is high and is running between 8-12 miles an hour, so we can make the long miles easily and have lots of time for side hikes and exploring the canyon’s many sites, vistas, waterfalls and hotsprings. The rapids are big and splashy this time of year. The river is cold (45-50F) so we provide wetsuits, waterproof socks and gloves and splash gear tops and bottoms for the daytime. You need to come prepared for cold weather but it is often really nice with air temps in the 70’s and even low 80’s if it’s sunny.
The Middle Fork of the Salmon and the Main Stem of the Salmon is an unspoiled, remote and pristine wilderness much as it was 100 years ago or more. Our mission is to allow river travellers the opportunity to unplug from modern society and reconnect to oneself, family, and friends through nature’s lens. This adventure allows you to have a digital detox from technology and reconnect to a more simple and fulfilling pace of life. There is no Wi- Fi in the wilderness, but we promise you will find a much deeper connection.
Join Middle Fork River Expeditions for a magical wilderness river vacation this summer!
Itinerary Snapshot
Middle Fork and Main Salmon River Raft Expedition
Wilderness Medicine CME
JUNE 11-15 We meet this morning at 8am at the MFRE warehouse and depart 1-½ hours by bus to the river. You can leave your car parked at the MFRE warehouse in Stanley during the trip. Upon launching our rafts at Boundary Creek, 6000 feet above sea level, you’ll enter an enchanted forest of fir and spruce that scents the high mountain air. Sparkling clear waters careen through boulder-choked rapids with names such as Sulpher Slide, The Chutes, Velvet Falls, Powerhouse, Pistol Creek and Tappan Falls. Stops at mountain hot springs and pioneer homesteads provide the perfect balance to the on-river excitement. Evenings find us eating gourmet river meals relaxing by the campfire, playing horseshoes and listening to the river and watching for shooting stars!
As we drop in elevation, the river widens and the spruce forest opens to vistas of pine-studded mountains and we enter Impassible Canyon, where no trails can be cut as the sheer walls go up over 3,000 feet. This section of river is deeper than Grand Canyon. We will navigate fun whitewater such as Haystack, Bernard, Earthquake Rock, Jack Creek, Cutthroat Cove, Redside and Weber rapids. Between rapids, you’ll drift quietly over deep pools of transparent water, home to native cutthroat and rainbow trout. Hikes underneath Waterfall Creek and up to Veil Falls are highlights for many of our guests.
The last day on the Middle Fork has some of the best and biggest rapids of the trip, including Hancock and Rubber rapids before reaching the confluence with the Main Salmon. We run Cramer Creek Rapids before waving to the normal Middle Fork take-out and we continue downstream past the normal put-in point for the Main Stem. We will encounter also Killum, Gun Barrel and Alder rapids today, which are all fun class III wave trains. We plan on taking a dip in Barth Hot Springs before heading to camp. This is one of the finest hot springs anywhere with incredible views of the river from above.
JUNE 16 Big rapid day: exciting rapids like Black Creek, Bailey, 5 Mile, Split Rock, Big Mallard, Elkhorn and Growler rapids, historical sites such as Yellowpine Bar, Campbell’s Ferry, Buckskin Bill’s homestead, Jim Moore’s place (maybe you’ll find the fortune he buried in the hillside. We may stop and visit with several families that live along the river year round and they will share their stories of living “off the grid” in the wilderness and take us on a tour of their homesteads. Visit with Sue and Greg Metz at Yellow Pine homestead, Doug and Phyllis Tims at Campbells Ferry homestead and Five Mile Bar, the home of the river's most famous resident "Buckskin Bill". Hike up Indian Creek to visit very rare 2,000 year old Yew trees, also called the immortal tree, which the Plains Native Americans used to make longbows from the wood.
JUNE 17 We float for ~20 miles this morning and run challenging rapids like Chittam and Vinegar Creek and arrive at the take-out at Carey Creek around 12 noon. We will do lunch at the boat ramp and take a school bus to McCall about 2 hours away. We can drop you off at your vehicle you had shuttled to McCall from Stanley or we can drop you off for a 3pm flight to Boise or back to Stanley thru Sawtooth Flying Service. They can be reached at (512) 657-9115.
If you choose to shuttle your rig and not fly please arrange with River Shuttles to shuttle your vehicle from the MFRE Warehouse to McCall. The cost is ~$300/car and $50 gas deposit. Please make the reservation for this immediately after booking your trip to be sure they have enough drivers to do your shuttle. www.rivershuttles.com
Trip Cost: $2,950*
Optional CME Cost: $695 (Approved for 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits)
*per person, based on double occupancy.
Questions? Ready to reserve your spot?
Speak to an expert at Bio Bio Expeditions - the award winning outfitter of this trip
1-800-246-7238
A few of the publications Bio Bio Expeditions has been featured in:
Testimonials From Your Colleagues
"Awesome faculty, very knowledgable, and they communicate well. Friendly and very competent guides. Food was too good! Beautiful location! Activities were a good balance of challenge for our group."
Bill Schroa, MD - Family Practice, Durango, Colo.
"Everyone on the faculty was fabulous. I love them all. Excellent guide staff. Location is beautiful, remote, relaxing, and conducive to joyful learning. This course has enhanced who I am."
Susan Ralston, ARNP, Phoenix, AZ
"Phenomenal guide staff! Top notch! Everyone was eager to make your experience a positive one. Faculty is knowledgable and easy to approach. You Cant beat the itinerary!"
Randi Wagner, MD Family Practice
COURSE CONTENT INCLUDES
- Altitude Illness
- Hypothermia
- Frostbite and Other Cold Injuries
- Environmental Heat Illness
- Traveler's Diarrhea, Giardia & Other Waterborne Wilderness Infections
- Surviving the Unexpected Night Out
- Lightning Injuries
- Improvised Medical and Trauma Care
- Management of Fractures and Dislocations
- Preparing for Foreign Travel
- Backcountry Medical Kits
- Wilderness Wound Management
- Patient Assessment in Wilderness Settings
- Wilderness Dermatology
- Marine Hazards & Envenomations
- Snake Envenomation
CME ACCREDITATION INFORMATION
"This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the Center for Emergency Medical Education and Wilderness and Travel Medicine. The Center for Emergency Medical Education is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians."
The Center for Emergency Medical Education designates this live activity for a maximum of
15 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM.
Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
This trip is planned, outfitted and conducted by Bio Bio Expeditions, or subcontractors arranged by Bio Bio Expeditions. Please note that Wilderness and Travel Medicine, LLC is responsible for the CME Educational content only. Wilderness and Travel Medicine reserves the right to change or substitute the faculty for any CME course without advance or prior notice to participants.
For more information or to register for this trip please call
Bio Bio Expeditions at 1-800-246-7238
UPCOMING CME DESTINATIONS BY DATE
Apr 25 - May 12, 2024
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May 29 - June 2, 2024
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June 8- 14, 2024
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Sept 19 - 27, 2024
Oct 6 - 16, 2024
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Jan 25 - Feb 1, 2025
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Feb 2 - 8, 2025
Mar 15 - 22, 2025
Apr 20 - 30, 2025
April 23 - May 10, 2025
Apr 25 - May 5, 2025
Skills Course Rafting & Mt. Shasta
June 7 - 13, 2025
June 8 - 13, 2025
Deluxe African Safari: Zimbabwe
Aug 16 - 26, 2025
Aug 31 - Sept 10, 2025
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Sept 10 - 20, 2025
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Oct 5 - 15, 2025
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