The 2022 Year in Review | Middle Fork Salmon River Season

Below are some of our favorite highlights, memories, and community events that deserve to be recognized from the 2022 season.

Big Water

On May 1st, 2022 the Salmon river snowpack was just above 100% of average. By the end of the month, the snowpack had climbed to 238%. When the snow finally melted, we experienced exhilarating whitewater, wildflowers in full bloom, and lots of shared adventures that guests and guides will remember for many years.

Source to Sea – Libby Tobey

IRJ guide Libby Tobey kayaked over 1,000 miles from the sources of the Main, Middle, and South Forks of the Salmon, to the Snake and Columbia rivers and out to the Pacific Ocean. Her source-to-sea journey intended to highlight the critical state of Idaho’s salmon populations and two big opportunities to protect them: removing the four Lower Snake River dams and preventing the construction of the Stibnite Gold Project.

Ask any guests about Libby and you are met with big grins and words like patient, professional, fun, and teacher. She considers guiding to be as much about teaching as it is anything else, and her knowledge of water policy and Salmon migration is immensely appreciated by guests and guides alike. To learn about the latest news on the four Lower Snake River dams you can read her Salmon blog post.

Salmon Wave Park

It took over 20 years, from conception to the final pour of concrete, but the wait was well worth it. It is an incredible accomplishment for our Salmon community to come together and support this project. The goal seemed insurmountable at times, but enough people rallied behind it to push it through and make it happen. Of course, even if it was finished in the winter, the IRJ crew still got on the wave. The photo below is from the first surf on the wave at 10 degrees!

New Faces on the Crew

We had the opportunity to bring in two new crew members this past season, Dre and Maddie, and we’re so happy to have them as a part of the IRJ team. The difference between a good trip and a great one comes down to the guides. The crew worked tirelessly from June to September. They have a collective passion for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, and truly love to share its wonders with guests.

Camp Fun

Rafting trips aren’t only about rafting. For guests and our crew, it’s sharing the wilderness experience that makes these trips so memorable. Whether it’s being around the campfire, playing a game, or cracking jokes together, we’re lucky to have such wonderful people join us on these trips and make them so much fun.

Moment of Zen

Experience the spectacular wilderness landscape of the Frank Church Wilderness.

What We’re Looking Forward to

We had the opportunity to bring in two new crew members this past season, Dre and Maddie, and we’re so happy to have them as a part of the IRJ team. The difference between a good trip and a great one comes down to the guides. The crew worked tirelessly from June to September. They have a collective passion for the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, and truly love to share its wonders with guests.