My first time down the Middle Fork

Submitted by Meredith Brezinski

A trip report of my first time down the Middle Fork of the Salmon. Our crew of 20 landed at Boundary Creek around noon the day before launch. I would highly recommend doing the short hike to Dagger Falls if you have the time — we got to see the salmon running and it was spectacular.

The Boundary Creek boat ramp is a beast. Big thanks to OWA Safety Director Will Brezinski, who rigged a rope system that made moving boats down the ramp smooth and easy.

We were able to launch 11 of our 16 boats the night before. And even with all of that work, the morning we put in was a full-on logistical circus. Rigging the last 5, shuttling cars, and managing a flotilla of boats tied together — we got ourselves into a bit of a mess when a few shoreline boats untied, causing some drifting before we were ready. Pro tip: don’t float into the first rapid still lashed to your neighbor.  The river level for this trip started at 2.55 and ended up at around 2.3 by the end of the week.

 

Sulphur Slide claimed our first pin of the trip — Karl (trip newsletter editor and boatsman extraordinaire) got lodged hard and needed a full Z-drag extraction. From there, the tension ramped up.

At Hell’s Half Mile, stress levels were high and the scout took a while. The rapid has changed a lot in recent years — if you can, scout from river right for a better angle. We had two people running mid-river safety, multiple boats stuck, and a lot of nerves. Eventually, everyone made it through, but it was a white-knuckled few hours.

Velvet gave us the biggest hit of the day. One paddler got stuck and hopped out to free his boat, only to fall in. He held on and swam about a mile before we caught up and got him to safety. In the rescue chaos: One boat got badly pinned, one passenger fell in (lost her helmet), one boat ended up perched 45° on a rock, one oar was lost, another snapped, and a tube popped and had to be patched at camp.

Miraculously, no injuries — just exhausted paddlers and a lot of repair tape.

We landed at Fire Island Camp for the night. It's a tricky one — swampy parking and hard to spot — but after the day we had, no one cared. We collapsed into sleep.

The next morning we only had to boat 6 easy miles to Dolly Camp, and it felt like a resort by comparison. Feet in the sand, sun on our backs. We fished, hiked, read, and reset. A true layover day, and much needed.

A smooth day of floating brought us to Lower Jackass Camp, where we ate like royalty on gnocchi and brisket. Energy came back.

We stopped at Flying B Ranch for a hit of civilization: ice cream, hot springs, and store browsing. Soon after, another rock pin — this time requiring tube deflation to escape. We made it to Little Pine Camp, ate chili verde and quesadillas, and played Two Truths and a Lie and Never Have I Ever well into the night. Favorite round: “Never have I ever climbed a mountain… I’ve only summited some hills.”

We woke up to rain — light at first, but it worsened through the morning. A soggy start made for tricky rowing.

At Big Pillow Rapid, one boat got stuck, and a second nearly stacked itself on top trying to avoid it. Then at Weber Rapid, a boat hit a hole hard — the rower came flying out, but the boat gracefully parked itself in an eddy below. The swimmer was fine, just shaken up, and said afterward how grateful he was to be with a group that got him out of the water fast.

We stayed at Cliffside Camp that night — soggy but cozy. Thai food warmed everyone up and spirits stayed high despite the weather.

This trip gave us the full Middle Fork experience: gear mishaps, a few unplanned swims, plenty of problem-solving, good meals, and a lot of laughs. The river tested us, and the group pulled together every time.

Thanks to everyone who pitched in — from fixing boats to running safety to keeping spirits up when things got tough. Couldn’t have asked for a better crew to share the river with.