“I’ll Take My Mountains Padded with Rubber!” Part I

“I’ll Take My Mountains Padded with Rubber!” Part I

Page Type Page Type: Article
Activities Activities: Hiking

Introduction

Some people view mountains by climbing gentle paths or steep, rocky trails; some from snow capped peaks and lofty summits. Some climb down through canyons and caves; squeezing through twisty slots even wading through pools of muddy water. And here on SP you can read about all the above and more. I too, devour many of the posted trip reports and browse the mountain pages looking for a good hike to take in the future but now, I think it’s the proper time to admit that I do like to give my legs a rest sometimes and “paddle right through the mountains”.

Yep! That’s right! I like to load up a 16’ to 22’ raft for five days and paddle down a big river with a group through some canyons and rapids stopping to hike and swim and look UP at the mountains whenever I choose. It gives a different perspective to what makes a mountain a mountain as you paddle by it.
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID)


And while rivers can move very quickly and that fact alone is enough to keep many people away from this mode of mountain-viewing, I can cite some mileage where paddling was more work than walking on the river bank would have been. I’ve rarely been afraid rafting. In fact, for me the rewards far outweigh any of the risks. I love working hard as part of a group to achieve something; something I found I missed backpacking and hiking. And I love reading about a river and its’ history. I love the rapids and how they change from year to year and day to day and then facing my own fear as I stare at them bobbing around in my over-inflated bathtub toy!

I have rafted many times on two of our local rivers: the Youghiogheny (PA) and the Cheat (WV), but these rivers are only sufficient for day trips so this article will focus on the first of two longer trips and their mountain locales.

Both of my big trips covered more than 70 water miles, involved Class III-V rapids and were different in terrain.

July 2005 – Lower Salmon River, Idaho

So what is so different about a mountain experience from a floating barge?

Before 2005 I had never spent any camping time in the arid mountains out west. A family road trip in 2000 to the Grand Canyon, Nevada, and Utah in an air-conditioned car was as close as I had come to being in the dry hills of Idaho. I had backpacked in the Colorado Rockies for four weeks before and of course back east but the hills and mountains along the Lower Salmon River were very new to me. I spent a lot of time looking up at the amazing hills and canyons.

And for those who think that rafting with a commercial company spoils the camping experience, do a Nancy Reagan and “Just Say No” to catered cooking and insist that your group paddle and guide yourself through the rapids when possible. Our group paddled every inch of the trip. We cooked right with the guides and I guided our raft into our night spot one day. It’s a blast!

What you pack is less limited but how you pack it is even more critical than backpacking – remember that water is always seeking the lowest point….in your dry bag that is! You live in the same water clothes every day wearing sandals or water booties exchanging them for nice, dry clothes and sneakers at night.

Abundant water supply is a definite plus. Either you carry it along or simply filter, treat, or boil what you get from the rivers. This I truly enjoyed and after a while it didn’t even bother me that this was the same river we deposited liquid in once it replenished our bodies. You scoop upstream and dump downstream – got it? Other waste goes in the ‘groover’ – see the picture for more info.
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID) -  The Groover "Our Groover"


That same river is great for refreshing swims during the day, intentional or not and the Lower Salmon River being what’s known as a pool and drop river
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID)
offers wonderful sandy beaches to camp on and eddies to swim in at night. And the water was warm unlike those freezing alpine lakes!


Oh those sandy beaches for sleeping! As hot as these beaches were in the daytime they provided wonderful sleeping pads at night, complete with
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID)
infinite capability to level for older hips and finicky achy bones. The stars at night were, to use a cliché, unbelievable. Viewing the Milky Way was our signal to say goodnight. With no ambient light and no threat of rain, everyone slept out under the stars.

Which reminds me, different muscle groups can get sore when you view mountains in this manner. Instead of tired, complaining legs you might need some rotator cuff repair after a few strenuous, rafting trips. I ended up with major shoulder repair (congenital defect that finally proved too painful) after a 72 mile canoe paddle so I was fine before my big rafting trips but my buddy required repair right after this trip before going on our 2008 trip (See Part II.)

Another negative: Rafters can also end up with “helmet hair” like climbers. But this is easily cured with a quick head dunk in your nearest local aqua salon. Climbers rarely have the same option and actually seem to relish the look for some reason!

And that great river water and paddling really does a number on your skin! By day 5 even the kids were asking me for some of my heavy duty unscented lotion. There’s something very acidic in many rivers which combined with wear and tear breaks down the skin on your hands. Guess that’s comparable to climbers’ hands.

More than anywhere else I’ve been, Leave No Trace is evident everywhere in this region. The beaches were so clean we had a hard time finding anything to pick up when we policed the site each morning. This really contributes to the wilderness feel of the area.
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID)


A downside for my trip in 2005, (and potentially any rafting trip) was that we took only waterproof disposable cameras so the photos aren’t as good as I would like. And no matter how waterproof your camera is, you will be needed to paddle during the big rapids. It is literally every hand on deck (and none holding cameras) when the big ones come. You can bring good cameras for pictures off the river though and for sightseeing on the side trips.

The Lower Salmon area is filled with history ranging from early tribal groups 10,000 years ago to the more recent Nez Perce Indians who encountered Lewis and Clark. We stopped on our trip to examine Indian pictographs and a Chinese miner’s cabin remains along the river as well as a walk up to an abandoned copper mine.

The Lower Salmon is rich in geologic evidence of the molten basalt flows which once covered much of Washington, parts of Oregon and half of Idaho. We passed several examples of these basalt columns – vertical ones formed when the lava cooled from the surface and narrow ones from rapid cooling.
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID) - Molten Basalt Columns Formation


Our final stretch was on the Snake River below the confluence with the Salmon River in Hell’s Canyon where we played in the Cherry Creek Waterfall, climbing up and sliding down like little kids. We also stopped at the Cache Creek Ranch where the US Park Service has an orchard open to the picking and green, green grass for lounging, our first in five days. It was a lovely stop complete with port-a-potties and a tiny post office.
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID)


The closer we got to Heller Bar, our take-out point, the more we saw the power boats and cabins along the Snake. Our four days earlier along the lower Salmon had been very isolated in comparison, with only an occasional dirt road or barbed wire fence in the distance.
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID)

What's Next?

It was this very trip in 2005 that hooked me on big rafting trips and led to the one in 2008 on one of the biggest rafting rivers in the U.S., the Arkansas in Colorado (See Part II.) Someday I would love to do the one most serious rafters aim for, the really big one, the Grand Canyon but that will have to wait until I can save some big money.

In the meantime, think about trying a mountain “padded with rubber” too!
Lower Salmon River Canyons (ID) Panorama



And for more about my rafting and mountain adventures, read Part II.


Comments

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Viewing: 1-17 of 17
lcarreau

lcarreau - Dec 13, 2008 9:50 pm - Voted 10/10

This is a very nice

article, Kathy! Totally speechless, 'cept for one question.

When you say Part I, does that mean there will be a Part II???

Sounds like you really miss these fond memories of days gone by.
Do I feel a "Humphrey Bogart" song coming on???

silversummit

silversummit - Dec 13, 2008 10:01 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: This is a very nice

Glad you think so Larry! Yep! Part II is about my 2008 trip down the mighty Arkansas - a river with enormous rapids. Actually, the song would be something from Switchfoot......my favorite tune back then!

lcarreau

lcarreau - Dec 13, 2008 10:07 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: This is a very nice

I'm not too familiar with Switchfoot, but...you know what they say!

"Whatever floats your boat!"

Deltaoperator17

Deltaoperator17 - Dec 13, 2008 10:43 pm - Voted 10/10

Yea, Idaho!

Kathy, you have found some of our beauty. Looks like you enjoyed a small part of it.

Nice Article!

Steve

silversummit

silversummit - Dec 13, 2008 10:51 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Yea, Idaho!

Thanks Steve! I loved my time there. Glad you liked the article!
Kathy

TrekAdam

TrekAdam - Dec 14, 2008 4:12 pm - Voted 10/10

Wonderful Article!

Enjoyed reading it! Your pictures are amazing as well :)

silversummit

silversummit - Dec 14, 2008 7:59 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Wonderful Article!

Thank you! Glad you liked my "disposable" pictures too!
Happy Holidays! Kathy

Tracy

Tracy - Dec 19, 2008 12:59 pm - Voted 10/10

Nice article!

I enjoyed your write-up. I've boated the Middle Fork and the upper Main Salmon and loved it. I was able to get in some hikes too. I hope to get a trip down the Lower salmon some day. I look forward to your future articles!

silversummit

silversummit - Dec 19, 2008 3:05 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Nice article!

I'm jealous! I really want to try the Middle Fork since I hear it's much more rugged and challenging water! And thank you for the nice comment about my article; I'm working on Part II right now. Happy Holidays Tracy!

MarkDidier

MarkDidier - Dec 21, 2008 10:42 am - Voted 10/10

Nicely Written

Very nice article Kathy! I enjoy your writing style. It makes for enjoyable reading. The pictures are quite the bonus as well.

silversummit

silversummit - Dec 21, 2008 4:03 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Nicely Written

Mark - Thank you for the compliments on my article. I tried to be informative and humorous; glad you liked the photos also. Hopefully Part II will turn out as well!

Happy holidays! Kathy

mtybumpo

mtybumpo - Dec 21, 2008 4:36 pm - Voted 10/10

Good Trip!

Glad you got out to Idaho! The Salmon is a great river in a beautiful place! Nice to see your article!

Matt

silversummit

silversummit - Dec 21, 2008 5:25 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Good Trip!

Idaho was beautiful and the Salmon even better. Thank you for the reading my article.
Kathy

tmcrane

tmcrane - Dec 24, 2008 2:54 pm - Voted 10/10

Fun article

Fine writing and great voice. I can tell you really enjoyed yourself! I grew up in Idaho and have been on the Salmon River several times. Beautiful country.

silversummit

silversummit - Dec 24, 2008 7:59 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Fun article

Thank you! I did enjoy myself. Lucky you growing up in such a beautiful place! Happy Holidays!
Kathy

Judd97

Judd97 - Apr 6, 2009 11:20 pm - Voted 10/10

Great!

Great read. Makes me look forward to the next time I can get out on the river. Also neat seeing some local names thrown in there: the Yough and the Cheat! I'm from the Ligonier area of PA and I love the Yough and the Ohiopyle area; they're my stomping grounds o' choice!

Happy trails (or rivers!) :)

silversummit

silversummit - Apr 7, 2009 7:28 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Great!

Thanks! The Yough is the first river I rafted on and love. We bought land in PA to build on near Chambersburg. My family roots are actually in PA.

You have some great rivers out in the west too!
Again, thanks for reading!
Kathy

Viewing: 1-17 of 17