Straight beauty, 24 hours a day. Photo by John Blackshire
There was scattered talk about the Selway during our Middle Fork Trip. Seemingly unlikely in the first few days, events just kept falling into place for our group to extend the big blue watery road-trip another few days.
The road over the pass was rumored to be plowed.
Levels were low, but days were getting warmer promising higher flows.
A shuttle bunny offered to drop my car in Missoula...my next destination.
And...we would be putting on the river for the final two days before permit season.
I even managed to make the 3 hour drive south to pick up my belongings in Sun Valley, then turn around and drive another 4 hours back north, landing at the Nez Pierce pass at 2:30 am. Friends were doubtful I'd make it, so I woke at 5am just to be sure. It wasn't until I pulled into their camp that I actually believed I would be on another one of Idaho's legendary river trips.
Thus the Selway happened.
We began to float on the crystal clear-water, all just giddy with the idea that we managed to arrange another classic river trip at the last minute.
Day one was mellow and beautiful, nothing new really. Camp was found the only way a camp can be found on the Selway, with the perfect combination of exhaustion and riverside perfection. We passed the afternoon mushroom hunting and hiking up to the nearby airstrips. Here I met and man who walked as if in his own backyard.
He had flown his small plane in to enjoy an evening in the Bitterroot wilderness, a region he helped protect by writing the Management plan decades ago. He spoke of days spent floating down the river or traversing through the snowy backcountry. He was rich in stories, and I was lucky enough to be there to hear them. Truly a gift.
Perfect place to spend the night. Photo by Nathan Galbreath
Camping by the bridge, ideal dinner and post-whiskey stargazing spot. Photo by John Blackshire
By the time the last day arrived we were pretty accustomed to cruising whitewater, floating into each rapid lackadaisically.
And then we hit the rapids.
Whitewater! Photo by Andy McMurray
Boat scouting everything, we took turns dropping into the chaos. Watching to see the degree of success, we each followed remembering with each stroke how much fun big rapids can be.
"I like rapids so much better than flatwater" Casey commented, nearly laughing hysterically as he spoke.
Casey, throwing gainers off huge cliffs. Us looking like ants down below. Photo by Andy McMurray
Pulling onto shore above Selway Falls, we quickly went our separate ways, taking advantage of any ride we could find. Sometimes a quick goodbye is the easiest. Luckily, I got to hang out with the Montana boys for the next few days...mountain biking and creeking with the locals is never a bad thing.
Can't wait for the next time I get to pack that Green Boat and set out on the water.
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