I have no idea why it took me so long to get these out.
Life work and the powers that be, I guess.
The summer of 2013 was a good one. An exceptional week of that already awesome summer was spent with a bunch of kayak bums, packed into a van and rallying through Idaho.
This past June was no exception. Scott Waidelich pulled a permit for the Selway and it was game on. We rallied a huge crew, completely filled the permit and had one of the most memorable boating trips I've experienced. There was everything from broken down shuttle vehicles to mexican mechanics. Taxidermied cats, dirt roads, hill billys and shuttle drivers with less teeth than I have big toes. There was also booz, booz and more booz. Not to mention boatin on three different rivers in Idaho with some of my best friends.
After boating the North Fork of the South Fork of the East/West Fork of some Fork... and then 3 days in the South Fork Salmon we made a quick detour to Montana for meat and Fireball, then dropped back into Idaho.
As we neared the Nez Perce Pass, we pulled over to soak up the views and to chill out a bit after the long drive.
The Selway is the least often run of the nation's famous “wilderness rivers”. This is due to a Forest Service policy that permits fewer than 1,300 boaters to gain access to the Selway each year. The Forest Service only allows one launch per day, so you are pretty much guaranteed to not see another soul on the river outside of your crew.
We had learned from our mistakes on the SF Salmon and decided to do some prep work ahead of time for our meals.
Adrian has been known to gargle peanut butter if the mood is right. Take that Chuck Norris!
We paddled the first day at a pretty leisurely pace. The river was a bit low so it definitely leant a very mellow vibe to the trip. We had all been paddling together for almost a week at this point, so the non-verbal communication was easy.
After a couple miles we pulled over into this gorgeous lilac patch to chill, drink some beers and break out the sausage and sharp cheese. Adrian also gave one of the best descriptions of what carnage means to a kayaker while we were sitting and drying off in the sun.
We were very fortunate to have Adrian on the trip as he was still mid-recovery from a broken foot. In fact, he was wearing a boot, with pretty specific instructions on what not to do while wearing said boot…
There isn't much whitewater on the first leg of the trip, so camp was a welcome sight. We pulled over on river left and dug our heels in.
This was the same camping spot I had stayed at the first time I came down this river back in 2010.
I love this spot. It’s got a little bit of everything.
Beautiful silky smooth sand. A wide open spot with logs to sit on (irrelevant since we had an inflatable couch). Lots of sunshine to dry out all that moldy wet gear. There is even a little forested section a little farther upstream where you can set up tents or bivys and have a little bit of privacy.
Nerd time. I love this 30mm lens.
Breakfast of champions right here!
After an evening of sweating it out in the steam tent and listening to music around the fire, we put back on the river and started looking for a lunch spot.
Phil gets sick on day two. He had everything except his food in there, I believe.
If you asked, I couldn't tell you where we camped on the second night. But what I can tell you about it is that it was on river left and was possibly one of the best campsites I've visited on a river trip.
This camp spot was new to me. Scott was able to find this masterpiece pretty late in the day, but it was worth the wait. A massive mesa of sand right next to a super sick play wave. We had another incredible night next to the Selway under a clear sky.
We killed of the last of the beers and snacks as it was our last night of the trip.
Really expensive M&M's. How sick is that stern?!
As this was our last night on the river, the mood smelled of stoke, but also had a hint of melancholy. But that could have been attributed to the overcast sky, so who knows.
Either way everyone was ready for dinner and finishing the last of whatever food they had been carrying in their laps for the past two days.
Tom and Kira even cooked us brownies for desert!
These kinds of moments are always very bitter sweet for me. While it’s the last night it’s hard to enjoy it just for that reason. There is this presence looming on the horizon, just out of your peripheral vision. Something is coming. The real world is waiting. It’s the same as that feeling in your lower back when you wake up before your alarm clock. You just want to recapture that warmth, but your body knows it’s time to go.
Bright and early, we knew that the last big rapid of the trip was coming up quickly so I ran ahead a little bit to jump out on river right and snap some photos of the crew.
Wolf Creek rapid served up some hits!
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And just like that! It was over. The trip, the dream, the binge drinking. All of it.
No one wanted this leg of the trip to end as it would mean the return to civilization. The return to cell phones , emails, bills and responsibility.
Another lap in the books and more scar tissue on the knuckles; if I never paddle again I will always remember this awesome trip down these amazing rivers. This trip proved that regardless of the water levels or weather, the people you surround yourself with will make or break you. I’ve got some great people in my life.
Seated Row: Hans Hoosman, Jonathan Ehlinger, Jon Dufay, Jesse Becker, Phil Kast and Emily Dickerson
Go to Idaho!
