Do you want to chew the bark?” asked Tom Long, studying our faces as we stood inside his shop in Horseshoe Bend, Idaho.
I looked at my two river rafting companions and held my breath. I did not like the sound of “chewing bark,” whatever it meant. I was already a little nervous about taking my first whitewater raft trip on that cold, rainy morning last June. Fortunately, we all agreed: No thanks! I breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s what I thought,” chuckled Long.
The owner of the family-run Cascade Raft and Kayak had become pretty good at sizing up his clients after more than a decade in the business and 25 years of rafting. “That river is high and aggressive today, so we’ll do the Main Payette, instead of the South Fork,” he explained.
As we headed outside to meet our guide, Long’s youngest son, Tren, I looked at the swirling water and felt thrilled and a little scared. What if our boat flipped and I did wind up in the river gnawing on the bark of floating logs?
During my week-long visit to the Gem State, my plan was to explore a small portion of the Idaho Whitewater Trail which consists of seven different sections of rivers winding through Idaho. During three back-to-back days of rafting, with three different outfitters, I would check out some of the country’s premier whitewater rafting.
Famous not only for its potatoes, Idaho boasts 3,100 miles of navigable rivers — more than any other state. According to the Idaho Division of Tourism, the emphasis of the trail, which debuted last spring, is to raft any or all of the seven river sections with experienced, licensed rafting companies (more than two dozen companies are affiliated with the trail). These half and one-day whitewater trips are suitable for both whitewater aficionados and first-timers, like me. It did not take me long to figure out the appeal of whitewater rafting.
Day 1: Payette River (Main)
“We will be on the lookout for ‘funny water,’” said Cascade Raft and Kayak’s Tren Long, a muscular 24-year-old with 10 years’ guiding already under his belt. “That means rocks and high water that makes unpredictable changes.”
After a thorough safety tutorial, with my life jacket firmly buckled over my full wetsuit and fleece jacket, our quartet climbed into the bright orange raft.
Named for the Canadian trapper Francois Payette, the Payette River’s Main Fork near the town of Cascade was our best bet, said Tren, since the North Payette was promising 15 miles of continuous Class V rapids, and the South Fork rated a solid class IV. He briefly defined the language of rapids: Class I is flat, Class II is moving water, Classes III and IV are more difficult hydraulics and Class V, well, we should steer clear of these unpredictable waters with holes and boiling currents.
“Hold on!” Tren shouted above the sudden roar of the rapids. The raft lurched, briefly airborne. I felt like we were tumbling down a waterfall. “All forward!” We paddled furiously, but I was no match for “Mix Master,” as that rapid was known. Seated at the front of the raft, I reflexively crouched near the floor of the raft. Not a good move. Rafting is a team sport; everyone must help out.
“Paddle!” shouted Tren. I conquered my fear in time to tackle the next rapid, named “Adios My Friend.” This time, I dug in with my paddle and prayed my contact lenses would stay put. A wall of water slapped my face, drenching me. I was grateful for the insulating layers piled under my wetsuit and life jacket. In between rapids, I had time to gaze at the spruce and ponderosa pine forests and spotted a bald eagle soaring overhead.
My heart was still pounding by the time we stepped on shore after the tremendous 8-mile, 90-minute trip. We feasted on a delicious, hot, homemade lunch on the rocky beach. I could hardly wait for my second day of adventure!
Day 2: Salmon River
I was eager to raft the Salmon River, one of Idaho’s most popular whitewater destinations. Also known as the “River of No Return,” it is the longest free-flowing river in the country. The guide for our half-day excursion was Andy Nachman, owner of Northwest Voyageurs.
Perched literally on the bank of the Little Salmon River on Highway 95, Northwest Voyageurs offers its guests lodging as well as a variety of trips in the U.S and abroad ranging from mountain climbing to multisport. We set off in a van and drove parallel to the water, stopping occasionally for Andy to scout the rapids.
“These are Class III rapids for us today,” he noted. “Those are the most fun because you can hit the biggest things in the river and be fine if you follow the right lines.”
Wearing helmets and life jackets, we piled into the raft, which was equipped with oars for Andy to steer the boat. We set out on our excursion on the fast-flowing water. Andy knew the river like the back of his hand, skillfully steering us past holes and precarious spots in the river where a boat can easily capsize.
I screamed when we hit the first rapid but loved the jolt of excitement. On calmer waters, we coasted while Andy pointed out magpies, sheep and elk. We marveled at the steep granite walls on either side of us as Andy steered us to a beach and whipped up an impressive lunch buffet.
A half hour later we returned to the boat to finish our amazing adventure at the small historical town of Riggins (population 410), which is located just east of the famous Hells Canyon at the confluence of the Salmon River and the Little Salmon River in west Central Idaho.
Day 3: Payette River (North Fork)
I listened closely when guide Jimmy Bryan of Whitewater Unlimited explained how we could avoid an “out of boat experience.”
It was my third and final day of Idaho whitewater rafting, this time on the Cabarton section of the Payette River’s North Fork. I had not yet been launched from a boat and liked it that way.
“You can always hang onto the ‘chicken line,’” said Jimmy, referring to the rope that lies on the boat’s perimeter, “but it’s best to just follow my instructions about when to paddle and not.”
Soon enough, I was nearly bouncing off my front row seat when we hit the rapid called “Go Left or you are Fined.” Jimmy, a guide for 14 years, had a delightful, easy-going humor that engendered immediate trust. We covered 10 miles in two hours, including a heart-clutching 15-foot drop – the same spot that was used by whitewater competitors in the Raid Adventure Race that was being staged concurrently during our trip.
Jimmy taught us how to celebrate a good river ride by doing a “high five” touching all our paddles together overhead in the air. Back on land, we devoured the huge spread that had been prepared for us.
Rafting the Idaho Whitewater Trail produced an adrenalin buzz that lasted for days. But there was also something more to the river adventure. Kenny Bramwell, who paddled next to us in his kayak as a safety precaution, summed it up well: “The best thing about being on raft is that everything else goes away. Whatever may be bothering you, it all disappears on the water. You are so focused on the moment. It does not get any better than that.”
Karen Kefauver is a freelance writer based in Santa Cruz, Calif. A competitive cyclocross and cross-country mountain biker, Karen enjoyed the rush of whitewater for a change. Her adventure travel stories and photos are posted at www.karenkefauver.com.
What to Bring on your Raft trip
• Swimsuit, fast-drying shorts or pants
• River sandals or tennis shoes that can get wet
• Cap, hat or visor
• Change of clothes in non-cotton material (for after your rafting trip)
• Camera, disposable or one that is waterproof
• Sunglasses with straps
• Waterproof sunscreen
• Water bottle
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