Main Salmon River Log
by Laura Stavoe
by Laura Stavoe
Trip Length: Six Days, 80 Miles
Location: Central Idaho
Trip Notes: Late August, Low Water, Fire Season
Theme: Natural and Human History Trip
Outfitter: Canyons Inc.
River School
As the guides strap our gear to the raft, I wonder if I made the right decision to bring my kids. I’m to cover this trip—a six-
day history tour on the Salmon River—for a magazine. My twin sons, Gabe and Dylan are scheduled to begin middle
school in eight days, and a “learning” vacation sounds a bit to them like starting school before the start of school. When we
return, we will have only a day and a half to prepare, register late for classes. How will we get back to a bedtime routine?
It occurs to me I’ve brought my kids along for basically a selfish reason: so I don't give up my last week of summer with
them.
My boys live half time with me, half time with their father. They are fun kids, and neither of us likes to give up our week.
Friends warn me that this could change at any moment—they are on the brink of puberty, and at any moment I may begin
begging their father to take them. But for now each of us still covets time with them, especially the last days of summer.
Once we push off from the bank, the current moves in but one direction, and there’s no turning back. We float into the
Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, and I surrender to our fate. For the next six days we will sleep on sand and
mingle with the guests and guides that make up our small society of twenty. Roger Rosentreter, natural history expert for
our trip, wears goofy red sunglasses and a perpetual grin as he paddles a big old-school kayak. I too have brought my
own boat and Roger keeps pointing to huge waves that surpass paddling ability. I’m reassured the boys won’t be the only
kids on the trip.
At camp we hear stories of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which historian, Cort Conley points out, was an epic 7,000-
mile river trip. As soon as its dark Gabe and Dylan and I find our way to our bedrolls. We sleep three-across on a tarp
under the stars, lulled by the sound the rushing river.
Location: Central Idaho
Trip Notes: Late August, Low Water, Fire Season
Theme: Natural and Human History Trip
Outfitter: Canyons Inc.
River School
As the guides strap our gear to the raft, I wonder if I made the right decision to bring my kids. I’m to cover this trip—a six-
day history tour on the Salmon River—for a magazine. My twin sons, Gabe and Dylan are scheduled to begin middle
school in eight days, and a “learning” vacation sounds a bit to them like starting school before the start of school. When we
return, we will have only a day and a half to prepare, register late for classes. How will we get back to a bedtime routine?
It occurs to me I’ve brought my kids along for basically a selfish reason: so I don't give up my last week of summer with
them.
My boys live half time with me, half time with their father. They are fun kids, and neither of us likes to give up our week.
Friends warn me that this could change at any moment—they are on the brink of puberty, and at any moment I may begin
begging their father to take them. But for now each of us still covets time with them, especially the last days of summer.
Once we push off from the bank, the current moves in but one direction, and there’s no turning back. We float into the
Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, and I surrender to our fate. For the next six days we will sleep on sand and
mingle with the guests and guides that make up our small society of twenty. Roger Rosentreter, natural history expert for
our trip, wears goofy red sunglasses and a perpetual grin as he paddles a big old-school kayak. I too have brought my
own boat and Roger keeps pointing to huge waves that surpass paddling ability. I’m reassured the boys won’t be the only
kids on the trip.
At camp we hear stories of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which historian, Cort Conley points out, was an epic 7,000-
mile river trip. As soon as its dark Gabe and Dylan and I find our way to our bedrolls. We sleep three-across on a tarp
under the stars, lulled by the sound the rushing river.
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