We just received out Idaho Water Supply outlook report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for February 2006. The watershed analysis report states that the streamflow runoff for the Middle Fork of the Salmon runoff is expected to be 144% of average.

The current snowpack is twice that of last year and the best snowpack since 1997!

The past week brought a series of storms which caused flooding Northern California and dumped snow in the Pacific Northwest.

The latest Idaho SNOTEL Snow/Precipitation Report shows the Salmon River basin and having a great year with 122% of average precipitation and 123% of average for snow water content. Other parts of Idaho are as high as 160% of normal for precipitation.

Another winter storm is forecast for headwaters of the Salmon River this weekend.

For 2006 we are offering discounted trips on the Middle Fork of the Salmon aimed at hardshell kayakers. This is a great time for kayaking because the water is up and the flowers are in bloom. Of the four trips discounted, two will be five day trips and two are six day trips. The six day trips will have a slower pace with more time for stopping at playspots and hiking. We may even have the opportunity to lay-over at Marble Creek where there is a great playspot.

This would be a great trip for a kayaker that wants to vacation with friends and family because we can bring inflatable kayaks along. This will give them a sense of kayaking and is much easier to learn. You must be an experienced hardshell kayaker to join this trip in your hardshell, but no experience is required if you want to use an iflatable kayak.

Learn More About Kayak Trips

Each year we run one or two kayak trips on the Middle Fork of the Salmon with expert kayak instructors Phil and Mary DeRiemer. For 2006, Phil and Mary have chosen to run two of these trips due to the popularity of the trip that we did in 2005. It’s only October and both of these trips are already full. There are only 12 spots available for kayakers on the June 25th trip and 3 spots available on the July 3rd trip.

If you are interested in booking one of these trips, please call us so we can reserve your space before the trips fill up.

Most of our June trips on the Middle Fork will be dedicated to kaykers and their families wanting to kayak the Middle Fork without instruction. We are offering the special price of $1095 for a five day trip and $1345 for a six day trip.

We had an on-river wedding on our last trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon. The lucky couple were talking about how they were considering getting married while we were at a lunch stop. Right then, the head guide mentioned that he had the legal authority to marry them. They immediately decided to get married and chose one of their friends on the trip to be the impromptu wedding planner. Everyone on the trip helped out with decorations, music, photography, a wedding cake, a “special” camp spot, and by labeling their raft “just married.”

They were married along the river with friends (new and old) at sunset.

Our Middle Fork crew reports an amazing trip this last week with four guitars, tons of Koob, and some spectacular rock sculptures. We had some uncharacteristic rain storms which resulted in great water levels for the trip and the rain has resulted in improved water levels for the season. The short term and long term weather forecast for Idaho looks like blue skies.

We are offering several three day Middle Fork of the Salmon trips in August. You will begin your trip by flying into the Flying B Ranch along the river(included).

For the next two nights and three days, we will raft down the Middle Fork’s “Impassable Canyon.” This part of the Middle Fork has numerous Class III rapids and beatiful camping spots among granite cliffs and towering Ponderosa Pines.

Dates: August 11, 15, 23, 27, 31, 2005

Price: $895

We still have plenty of room on our August Middle Fork of the Salmon trips. This is a six day adventure through the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states. The trip will start by flying to a riverside landing strip and meeting ECHO’s top notch guides.

You will have the opportunity to ride in an oar boat, paddle in a paddleboat, or test your athletic prowess in an inflatable kayak. Your guides will cook healthy, creative, and delicious meals while you relax by the campfire each night or go for a hike. This trip has something each day for everyone in the family.

We have just learned that the road to the put-in of the Middle Fork of the Salmon will be open by the time we run our first Middle Fork of the Salmon trip on May 29th. This means that for the first time in years, we will be able to run the entire 100 mile length of the Middle Fork in the early season. We typically fly into Indian Creek for the first few trips when the road to put-in is covered in snow.

Take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to join our crew for a rip-roaring class IV ride, when the river is less crowded, the rapids and waves never seem to stop, the hot springs beckon, and the camaraderie around the campfire warms us up amongst tall tales and hot chocolate!

Do bloggers read newspapers? We hope so because we would like to draw your attention a piece in last Sunday’s Travel Section of the Pasadena Star News by Beth Renneisen, a long-time ECHO guest. Actually, the article appeared all across the US as part of the Gannett chain of papers including the Oakland Tribune and the L.A. Daily News.

Beth’s piece was about her trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon last summer. She did a great job of capturing the trip’s many nuances.