Kayaking holyday to Idaho

[loz123]

Hi

We are planning a trip to Idaho next year and was wondering if anyone has recently been out there. We would like to fly our kit and kayaks out but not sure about the logistic of this. Does anyone have any advice or up to date knowledge they could share with use

Many thanks

loz

[Dave Manby]

Boats on internal flights are pretty much a no no so unless you can get routed all the way to Boise(?) be careful. Also many Idaho rivers are permit rivers: Main Salmon, Middle Fork of the Salmon, Locksau (sp?) etc. Hiring boats in Idaho is easy, reasonable and common.

[ion]

Have you specific goals or date ranges? There's a lot to say about Idaho but would like it to be useful to you.

[loz123]

Thanks for getting back to me. Its more about flying and getting gear over there. Two mates have paddled there before but it was a long time ago.

Loz

[ion]

We'll the advice you got from Dave is excellent then. Avoid any internal flights in the US if you are bringing boats. Your best bet is probably Virgin Atlantic (unless they changed their baggage rules recently) ...that would mean San Francisco, Las Vegas or Seattle direct from the UK. All 3 are long, beautiful drives, through very un-UK scenery, Seattle being about 150 miles closer to the action.

Dave was actually wrong about the Lochsa, that's permit free, but the Middle Salmon, Main Salmon, and especially Selway can be be hard to get permits for (like apply to a lottery many months in advance). Hells Canyon of the Snake is easier. NF/SF/Main Payette all permit free as is the (amazing) SF Salmon. Grand Ronde or lower Snake if you are ready to float some peaceful 2/3 for a few days instead of big water.

[loz123]

Many thanks for replying Dave and ion

Much appreciated!

Loz

[conoroneill]

Loz,

A group from Bristol Canoe Club paddled in Idaho in 2017. We hired boats out there, partly because of complications in trying to fly boats.
We have a write up which should be helpful on our website here, this gives lots of info about the various rivers and our logistics:
https://www.bristolcanoeclub.org.uk/201 ... ded-level/

I can definitely recommend paddling the Middle Fork of the Salmon, though I myself would have far preferred to have had lower levels (not flood levels).

Conor

[loz123]

thanks Conor!!

loz

[Steve Agar]

Flew this year with boats from Manchester to Seattle direct with Thomas Cook Airlines, and Seattle to Boise with Alaska. You have to use the Alaska flights (3 digit flight code) rather than subsidiary Horizon as they use a 737 so boats are no problem. Only need to pay for boats on one leg as the second is covered automatically.

Middle Fork in early July (a bit lower than expected but lots of playspots for small boats) followed by the Main Salmon (very chilled-out holiday trip but with some big rapids and playwaves). South Fork of the Salmon and, of course, South fork of the Payette (and North fork if you're up to it), are an easy drive from Boise (loads of folks heading out after work from Boise on a long, hot Summer day).