Lower Salmon River Rafting Itinerary

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Boats

As on most of our trips, on the Lower Salmon river we offer a variety of river crafts. Orange Torpedo Trips is best known for inflatable kayaking with 80% of our customers choosing this as the way to go down the river, but on this trip we offer 3 types of river craft on this trip. Watch the video see our 3 types of boats.

Torpedo

Learn to paddle your own inflatable kayak (Torpedo). We have guides in “Torpedo’s” teaching you how to paddle and leading you through the rapids in a 4 to 1 ratio. If you happen to fall out the guides have you out of the river in seconds. 40+ years of doing it and tens of thousands of satisfied returning customers prove that it is fun and safe.

Paddle Raft

A more traditional type of rafting, paddle rafts are a great way to go if you still want to do some work, but think the torpedo is just a little to much. Work with a team of your friends paddling the big boat through the rapids as the guide sits in the back to help navigate.

Oared Raft

Hop on an oared raft and ride in luxury. This is the relaxed way to travel. If taking in the scenery and letting the guide do the work is how you vacation then hop on board. This is how kids 4-11 years old will usually travel, safe and exciting.

Lower Salmon Rafting Itinerary: 4-day

Day before start date: Fly into Lewiston, Idaho. From the airport take the hotel shuttle to the Red Lion Hotel. You should plan to arrive and check in prior to 7 PM the night before the trip starts. At 8 PM we will have an orientation meeting in the lounge area of the lobby. At the orientation the Head Guide will talk about what to expect, give some river history, answer any last minute questions, and hand out your equipment, including your clothing bag. As the meeting concludes the Head Guide will inform you when to meet the following morning.

Day 1: Meet your Head Guide in the lobby at the assigned time. It’s important to eat breakfast prior to meeting as it will seem like a long time until lunch. It is a two-hour bus ride to the put-in for the trip. When the group arrives at the put-in, the remaining guides and all of the river equipment will be waiting to meet you. Hop out, load on the sunscreen and get ready for some Lower Salmon fun! The Head Guide will give you a thorough safety and paddling orientation before you climb in your river craft and take the first strokes down stream.

We begin the Lower Salmon with great rapids like Roller Coaster and Big Foot Island before your first riverside lunch prepared by the guides. After lunch, we enter Green Canyon and the biggest white water so far. Rapids like Demon’s Drop and Right Way are a great introduction to for the next three days’ action. Camp will be on one of the many big Lower Salmon beaches where you can swim, throw the Frisbee, or just relax with a cocktail while your guides prepare a delicious three-course meal. After your fresh baked dessert, play a game of cards with the kids, or relax with a glass of wine, before lying back under a sea of stars to catch some shut eye.

Day 2: Start the day off right with a hot breakfast and fresh baked cinnamon rolls. Then take your time, pack your gear, load up on sunscreen, and get ready for another great day on the Lower Salmon river. A nice morning with some fun rapids leads to Cougar Canyon, where more white water awaits. After navigating Upper and Lower White House, the group will pull to shore and spend the rest of the day re-running, swimming through, and trying to surf the waves of Lower White House rapid. This is a great time to shoot video of the kids trying to surf or swim through their first rapid. If you have youngsters who have been riding the raft, this is a perfect opportunity to let them go in the front of your boat or a guide’s and hit some waves from a Torpedo.

When you’re done surfing, or get tired of watching the guides fall out of their boats trying headstands, you can float around the corner to camp. Camp will provide another great time to relax with your family or friends, relive the highlights of the day and take in the stunning scenery. Watch out! Tonight is one of the theme nights at Orange Torpedo Trips! Guides will provide frozen treats to help keep you cool.

Day 3: Wake up and get ready for white water! Today boasts the most exciting white water of the Lower Salmon including two Class IV rapids. The morning starts right off with Bodacious Bounce, Half and Half, Gobbler, and climaxes with the thrilling Snowhole! After the exciting morning, the afternoon will seem like a breeze with fewer rapids and lots of time to swim and enjoy the hot weather. Camp tonight will be another large beach where games of capture the flag and ultimate frisbee have been known to happen. Look forward to more delicious food, good wine, and plenty of time to relive the highlights of the day with your new friends, old friends, family, and the guides.

Day 4: The final morning of paddling. A quick breakfast and you’ll be on the water headed towards civilization. As we continue down river the walls start to rise as we enter Blue Canyon, the steepest and deepest gorge of the trip. The Slide and Sluice Box will give you a great ride before you get to Eye of the Needle and the end of the Lower Salmon River. We meet the Snake River at the bottom of Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in the country.

At the confluence say goodbye to your torpedo, it’s time to load up on the jet boat. This two-hour ride, gliding down the river skimming past rocks and flying over waves, is the perfect end to an exciting vacation. The jet boat will drop the group in downtown Lewiston where a shuttle awaits to drive you back to the Red Lion.