Middle Fork Salmon River

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is a 110-mile-long (180 km)^[1] river in central Idaho in the northwestern United States.

Coordinates: 45°17′50″N 114°35′36″W / 45.29722°N 114.59333°W / 45.29722; -114.59333

Middle Fork Salmon River
Stream
Country	United States
State	Idaho
Source
- coordinates	44°26′57″N 115°13′51″W / 44.44917°N 115.23083°W / 44.44917; -115.23083
Mouth	Salmon River
- elevation	3,015 ft (919 m)
- coordinates	45°17′50″N 114°35′36″W / 45.29722°N 114.59333°W / 45.29722; -114.59333
[2]

Course

The Middle Fork is a tributary of the Salmon River, which is the main tributary of the Snake River, which in turn is the main tributary to the Columbia River. The Middle Fork is one hundred miles of whitewater. The nearest town is Stanley, Idaho. The Middle Fork's elevation starts at 7,000 feet (2,100 m) above sea level and drops down to 3,900 feet (1,200 m). Bear Valley Creek and Marsh Creek converge to form the Middle Fork. The Middle Fork has around a hundred tributaries; some of the bigger tributaries are Rapid River, Loon Creek and Camas Creek. These three tributaries range from 20 to 25 miles (32 to 40 km) long. The Middle Fork flows through 2,500 square miles (6,500 km²) of rugged terrain known as the Salmon River Mountains, in which there are peaks that reach as high as 10,000 feet (3,000 m) (Midmore 1–2).

Permit

A permit is required to travel down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. Getting a permit is not very easy. There are seven launches a day. The person that is seeking to go must enter lottery control season. To become a permit holder you have to be 18 years old. The permit holder must work with a group to take care of the fees. The permit cannot be given to someone else, and the permit holder must be there at all times on the river. The permit holder must make sure that the rules, which are given by the Forest Service, are followed. An example would be that they must have a fire pan and port-a-potty. The normal season goes from the May 28 and goes to the 3 September. For the pre and the post season launches are first come first serve ^[3]. You may also enlist the service of a professional guide service. Those permitted and licensed to operate commercial river trips can be found at the web site below – ^[4].

Rapids

The Middle Fork has three hundred rateable rapids. Some of the well-known rapids on the Middle Fork are Dagger Falls, Sulphur Slide, Velvet Falls, the Chutes, Power House, Pistol Creek, Tappan Falls, Red side, Weber, Cliffside, Rubber, Hancock and Devil's Tooth. All of these rapids range from class III+ to class IV (on a scale of I to VI) with Dagger Falls being the only class V on the Middle Fork. Dagger Falls is just above the put-in of the Middle Fork which is on Boundary Creek. It is runnable on the left above 3 feet, but best at 6–8 feet. Velvet Falls, a class IV, has a recirculating ledge hole in the middle at some levels. To avoid danger take the left side. Velvet Falls gets its name from the small stream, Velvet Creek, flowing in on river right immediately above the drop, which refers to the velvet-like layer on developing antlers of deer and elk. (Other nearby streams include Elk Horn, Buck Horn and Ram's Horn.) Power House is a class IV where you have to pick your way through gaps and at the same time not get stuck on rocks or driven into the wall on river right, especially in higher water. Near mile 20, the river makes an S turn which is called Pistol Creek, a class IV. A person must make sure that they don't let the water slam them on the last turn of the S. Tappan Falls (class IV) should be run right of center to avoid a recirculating hole in the middle. It is a straight shot and hard paddling must also occur. At Red Side (class IV) there is a big rock in the river and the river is trying to push you in to the rock. In high water, sneak far right. In low water, enter center and run far left of the wrap rock. Weber (class IV) is known for the big holes of whitewater that it makes. Angle to left bank in higher water to square up on laterals. Make sure when entering the rapid to hit with speed and keep the boat strait. Cliffside (class III+) is a big wave train that pushes you in to the side of the cliff. Rubber (class III+) has very big waves. Keep the boat strait to laterals same as Weber and avoid the rock on the right side. Both Rubber and Weber are biggest at 4–5 feet of water. Hancock (class III+) can be rocky at the top; the river goes right and one has to hit the wave train straight. At Devil's Tooth (class III+) put the boat in to a small gap to avoid flipping. After going through the gap, turn the boat straight.

All of theses rapids change significantly with water level. See the Forest Service guide book for complete details.

Hot Springs

The Middle Fork has six natural hot springs in the first 52 miles (84 km) of the river. The hot springs are all very popular places to stop on the river. They vary in temperature. The six hot springs are Trail Flat, Sheepeater, Sunflower, Whitey Cox, Loon Creek and Hospital Bar.

• Trail Flat hot springs is 30 yards (27 m) from the river and has one pool.
• Sheepeater hot springs is a half a mile from the river. There are three different pools which range from "super hot" to "just right".
• Sunflower hot springs has five pools. There is also a part of the hot spring that pours off the rocks and makes a shower.
• Whitey Cox's hot springs is up on a hill with large sandy-bottom pools which can hold a lot of people.
• Loon Creek hot springs is a mile-and-a-half hike along Loon Creek from the Middle Fork. A wooden tub has been built with a nice view of Loon Creek.
• Hospital Bar is a small hot spring with two pools, one right next to the river.

Mammals

Mule Deer Rocky Mountain Elk Bighorn Sheep Mountain Goat Bobcat Mountain Lion (Cougar)

Coyote Otter Black Bear Moose Porcupine Chipmunk

Skunk Weasel Badger Muskrat Wolf

Vegetation

Douglas Fir Grand Fir Subalpine Fir Common Juniper Rocky Mountain Juniper Western Larch Mountain Mahogany Limber Pine Lodgepole Pine Ponderosa Pine Engelmann Spruce

Birch Bitter bush Black Cottonwood Blue Elderberry Bracken fern Dwarf Oregon Grape Hawthorn Little Wood Rose Mock Orange Nine bark Quaking Aspen

Rabbit brush Red Osier Dog wood Rocky Mountain Maple Sagebrush Service berry Snow berry Snow brush Thimble berry Wax Currant White Alder Willows

Fish

• Cutthroat Trout
• Rainbow Trout
• White Fish
• Dolly Varden
• Steelhead
• Chinook Salmon

Birds

Killdeer Osprey Belted Kingfisher Common Merganser Water Ouzel

Cliff Swallow Red Tailed Hawk Golden Eagle Blue Grouse Ruffled Grouse

Chukar Magpie Mourning Dove Great Horned Owl

References

1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed May 3, 2011
2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Middle Fork Salmon River. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
3. ^ Middle Fork of the Salmon River, USDA Forest Service
4. ^ Middle Fork Outfitters Association – River Vacations on Idaho's Middle Fork of the Salmon. Idahosmiddlefork.com. Retrieved on 2011-01-27.

Notes

• Midmore, Joe. Middle Fork History. Harrah's Club Inc. Lake Tahoe, NV, 1970.
• Quinn, James M. Quinn, James W. Quinn, Terry L. and King James G. Handbook to the Middle Fork of the Salmon River Canyon. Commercial Printing Company Medford, OR, 1981.
• Sierra Club. International Whitewater Rating Systems. 2003
• USDA Forest Service. The Middle Fork of the Salmon River. 8 January 2008
• Middle Fork of the Salmon. Informational hub for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.