Main Salmon Run

[Eagle1]

How far is it from spring bar to north fork,idaho by river? Where is salmon falls on the main salmon? I planning on a trip up the main salmon from spring bar to north fork, idaho


Eagle1

[Spud]

You'll want someone who can give you more precise information than me but we did this trip a few years back and as I recall it was close to 100 miles one way. Another "as I recall" statement- though I couldn't give you accurate information as to the exact location of Salmon Falls I don't remember it as being a particularily tricky section at spring flows compared to Vinegar, Chitam, Dried Meat and Elk Horn. Challenging run, amazing country.

[rapidpulse]

I need to get out my map but, from memory from corn cr. west to vinegar is about 100+ miles. from corn creek west to salmon falls about 40 miles. From corn creek east to north fork 40 miles. Not saying it can't be done but from corn creek to north fork might be hard to get through. I personally never seen anyone run pine cr. rapid in a jet boat. I have run some of the section up from pine cr in a small jet 15' and have run from corn creek to Barth below salmon falls. The rocks are hard and very sharp at low water. Unless the water is very high local knowledge is very very recomended. I have hit my share of rocks ( lost a grate ), ripped a 10" hole in a 1/4" bottom and did not even feel it hit. The rock was like a knife and laid it open, the upper river is nortorious for sinking boats. there is a big learning curve on the upper river. I am not the most novice captain, run the lower salmon, hells, rogue, snake, and some places I should not have been -- but the upper salmon has spanked my butt more than once. It would be one hell of a fun trip to make it with out sinking. If you make it you will be my hero for life.

[m1ashooter]

and I would be surprised if you get a local to pilot you....

[Ahusk]

When do you want to go Eagle. As long as the wavetrains aren't too huge, I'd like to go give it a go in the felloncraft.

[huevos]

If you're going to try this at below 6000 cfs your first tough obstacle is gonna be Carey Falls. There's a guy on here, RM20, that knows as much as anyone I know about that river in low water. Maybe he'll chime in. If you're gonna wait till Spring and catch the runoff then I'd go too if you want to pack a few hundred gallons of fuel for me....

[Eagle1]

Sam,

Is carey falls rapid the first big one we go up above spring bar on the main salmon? I don't have a problem running from spring bar to buckskin bills.I will just stop a read any spot that spooks the hell out of me.What flow is the best? Loaded question.I thinking 4-5 boats max. for this run.The locals won't be happy with us so maybe i will let them come over and run the deschutes and not tell them were to run.Maybe a night at mackey bar and then up the canyon we go.Stay tuned


Eagle1/Gasoline is for trolling motors

[Hell Yes]

4 of us ran from Spring Bar to Salmon Falls at 12k flow July 11th. It was a good run , no hits. Thanks to Broke for leeding us up there. I was as nervious as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs..I was told Salmon falls is 20 miles from Corn Creek. 80 miles from Spring Bar to Salmon falls. Roller Rider ran down fron Corn Creek to meet us, of course he is fearless!!! Baily's Rapid was the biggest. Eikhorn was technical . I had it built up in my mind to be 3/4 mile od waves like Granite. Not so. Lots of rocks to hit ..

Eagle 1. i bet you own the only boat that can carry enough fuel for the run.. Dam you!!! Tom too!!! I am just jealous...

[Eagle1]

Bruce,

I watched some of your run on youtube.I looked at the video before broke ran it and said i would run it this way and broke did the same line.Elk horn was the rapid i think.I think the little 20' pweld diesel will make fuel on the run up.I will haul some of that trolling motor fuel for the other boats.


Eagle1

[huevos]

Sam,

Is carey falls rapid the first big one we go up above spring bar on the main salmon? I don't have a problem running from spring bar to buckskin bills.I will just stop a read any spot that spooks the hell out of me.What flow is the best? Loaded question.I thinking 4-5 boats max. for this run.The locals won't be happy with us so maybe i will let them come over and run the deschutes and not tell them were to run.Maybe a night at mackey bar and then up the canyon we go.Stay tuned


Eagle1/Gasoline is for trolling motors

Carey Falls is after House Rock and before Vinegar. Below 6000 cfs it's pretty boney and folks that run upriver from there at low flows usually put in at the end of the road, just to avoid Carey. The locals up there are pretty good folks, regardless of whats said on here, and have always been happy to help other jet boaters. There are all kinds of gotcha's that appear and disappear at different flow levels on the Salmon. It really takes a long time and some hard knocks to learn it at different flows. If I were planning a trip like this (I know it's not me, but if it were) I'd probably hire a guide to run me through the course first so I'd at least know what I was looking at. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing some video....

[Eagle1]

Sam,
I will chat with the guy at five mile bar in april and plan a run upriver.The guide runs a triple upriver from fivemile bar.


Eagle1

[riverdad]

Dennis, Heinz at Five Mile Bar is in love with the BMW Yanmars. He drove the Double D last July and fell in love with it. I can get you to Corn creek from Spring Bar with water at 7500 or above. Less than that and I'm not interested in being the leader.

[Hell Yes]

Hopefully Heinz will be in a good mood

[riverdad]

Just say German engineering and he perks up quickly!!!

[Eagle1]

Doug,

With a name like Gross we germans can talk till ice-up.The little 20' pweld diesel can be a mistress for heinz in the canyon.I was thinking a night at mackey bar and then upriver to camp after that.I was thinking 7500-10,000 CFS.I will be chating with you soon and maybe doing the run in april or just when the flows come up.



Eagle1

[rapidpulse]

I should have looked at the map before posting on the map North fork is mile 0, corn cr. is 46.4, salmon fall is at 67.2 and five mile bar at 99.1. Vinegar boat ramp at 125.4, It was not as far as I first stated. It would be fun to try at high water. It always has a hight pucker factor with so many sharp "hard" rocks.

[riverdad]

One of the "resident" boat operators on the upper Main Salmon once told me that the difference between the rocks on other rivers and the Main Salmon River rocks is that "these rocks are hard and don't care if you hit them or not"

From my experience it has AWAYS been a high a "pucker factor" when you drive that section of river. I am NOT an expert there but have driven it enough times in low water to be a great respector of what it can do to you. Caution is always the word there, you MUST be prepared and don't be afraid of a good walk out if need be.

[RollerRider]

Thanks for getting the map out Scott.
Dennis, that is some very great boating water, but you have to find the right window. Quite a bit has been said about the sections Spring Bar to Corn Cr. so I will hit on some points about the section from Corn Cr. to North Fork.
You have got to have water. Ideally 7k and up on the Shoup gauge which is 14k and up at Corn Cr. Why? Because there are some real obstacles. Kitchen Cr. and Cramer Cr. can be some real butt kickers at any flow but need water to sneek the best you can. The section from Panther Cr. to Pine Cr. is 7 miles of rapids in a very narrow canyon littered with BIG ROCKS. Linda and I refer to it as "The Gauntlet". One seems to be close to oxygen deprivation by the time you get it run. Damn is it fun, the floater crowd always show signs of shock to see a jet boat going up
Pine Cr. to North Fork is a pleasant journey, a couple of ledges to negotiate but gives one time to get the heart rate back down.
Linda and I took up on an invitation from Jason W. to join them last Memorial week-end. River was 10k to 11k at Shoup and 20k at Corn Cr. What a great time. That puts the Whitebird gauge at around 45k. Good luck with Chitum at that flow
A couple of week-ends after Memorial, Lee and Abby joined us and we run Corn Cr. to North Fork, flow was around 16k at Corn Cr. as I remember, close to perfect. I have a few pictures kicking around somewhere, I will dig them out and post them in a few days.

We plan on being there this coming Memorial week-end this coming year and would welcome all who want to join us, you will have a ball.

[rapidpulse]

Man I am impressed-- now know someone who has run pine cr. That is definately not a low water trip. Would love to come on the trip. I would love to see if the old Bentz could make the trip. I have been down it numberous times in a raft and Kayak. Love to try it in jet boat.

[Eagle1]

It's looking like spring bar to corn creek for leg one.I will do from corn cr. to north fork on leg two.I'm thinking baby steps and not bite off more than i can chew.Big mallard looks like a big rapid from 6000 feet up.I'm planning away.


Eagle1