Salmon River of Return

Mike Curiak and Andrew McLean, Middle Fork of the Salmon

In September 2012, Mike Curiak, Jim Harris, Andrew McLean, Tom Turiano, Moe Witschard and I utilized packrafts to challenge the century old idea that paddling is a one-way event in the Frank Church—River of No Return Wilderness.

The massive 2.36 million acre Frank Church—River of No Return Wilderness Area is one of the largest protected wildlands in the contiguous United States. Combined with the adjacent Gospel Hump Wilderness and surrounding Forest Service roadless areas, it is the heart of a 3.3 million acre (13,000 km²) roadless wonderland. The Salmon River threads through its core.

Moe Witschard, Main Fork of the Salmon River

Early trappers and explorers, including Lewis and Clark, feared and avoided the Salmon River and its deep canyons. It took the discovery of gold in the 1880s for westerners to fully navigate its turbulent waters. Thirty-foot flat-bottomed barges supplied mining activities. The Salmon River was too swift for these barges to return up-river, and hence the name “River of No Return.”

Tom Turiano enjoying some “Smoked Salmon”

Starting near the confluence of the Middle and Main Forks of the Salmon, we descended 60 miles through the heart of the wilderness to the confluence with the South Fork.

Jim Harris, South Fork of the Salmon River

Mike Curiak, South Fork of the Salmon River

After an out and back side trip up the South Fork we spent two and half days hiking roughly 35 miles over Horse Heaven Ridge and Chicken Peak to the confluence Big and Monument Creeks.

Horse Heaven Ridge

View from Chicken Peak

Twenty-five miles of paddling on Big Creek, and 20 miles on the Middle Fork, returned us to where we started.

Moe Witschard, Big Creek

Mike Curiak, Big Creek

Tom Turiano and Moe Witschard, Middle Fork of the Salmon

Mike Curiak, Middle Fork of the Salmon

Andrew McLean, Main Fork of the Salmon River

We paddled about 115-miles (blue lines) and walked 35-miles (red lines).