NIC River Trip

What I learned on the river. By Dean Bennett

I learned that when Linda wakes up on the first night of a trip and says, “Dean, do you think it is going to rain? I don’t like that lightning.” I should get out of bed and get ready for rain.

After the first lightning flashes and about ten sprinkles the clouds opened up and a deluge of huge rain drops hit our cots. It only took me about five seconds to race down to the boat and snag the umbrella. Linda rolled up our bedding and we were able to escape the flood with minimal dampness on our sheets. I then took about five minutes to set up the tent and load everything back in out of the wet. Our first night on the river was proving to be exciting.

We put on the Lower Salmon River at Pine Bar and did a short float down to the beach on the left, just above Packer Creek. It was a fine campsite and our groups of folks from North Idaho College were excited about setting their first river camp. It was the 4th annual NIC Employee raft trip provided in conjunction with the Outdoor Program and we had just met most of the 11 hardy rafters earlier that morning.

We met at the college, drove down to the put in, rigged and launched the boats all by 1:30 pm that Thursday. The only problem we incurred what when our van headed on I-95 south over Highway 12 up the Clearwater, and spotted the other van traveling below us moving in the direction of Montana. We pulled over and waited for them in Lapwai and within a few minutes they were back on our tail. We found out when we arrived at the put in, that there was a huge controversy over a “GIANT bite out of a turkey sandwich” that distracted the driver which caused him to take the exit instead of following I-95.

Everything that first day went very smooth. We made camp, ate dinner, talked and laughed, and then went to bed; it was a wonderful day on a very beautiful river.

Friday morning we ate a hardy breakfast and loaded the boats. The plan was to get on the water, run Cougar Canyon and the rapids hidden within its walls, and then make camp somewhere around Billy Creek. The river was running pretty fast for this time of year. There was plenty of water and that made rowing very easy, but washed out most of the rapids. We sailed through the canyon to Snow Hole rapid and after scouting it, we made short work of it also. Lunch was provided on the first beach on the left below Snow Hole and we made short work of sandwiches, chips and cookies.

We floated down around the oxbow and attacked China Creek Rapid. Everyone did a fine job and we kept all boats upright. Once we were beyond the whitewater of China, we checked our watches and made a decision to continue on and try to find a spot to camp around the Billy Creek area.

Luck provided us a great beach on river right. It was located directly across from Rock Beach, where our friend Debbie was burred after her tragic death. After we set camp Linda and I took the ducky over and visited Debbie, found some rocks and left her with our thoughts.

July 24th was Linda's birthday.

Back at camp we helped make dinner and by that time we had fully noticed the one drawback of camping on that beach. Bees! The bees were terrible! Jess was the first to get stung, I was next and then Jess got hit again. You really had to concentrate to keep your cool as you ate. It took a lot of the fun out of our stay, but I guess that is part of the challenge of being on the river.

We fought the bees for breakfast and got back on the river in real good time. Our float was about three hours and we reached Frog Beach in the mouth of the Blue Canyon early and set our camp. Jon spent about an hour rigging the ducky into a floating bench. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon laughing and cooling in the river. It was one of the funniest times I’ve had in a long while.

As the sun dropped over the ridge we hiked the trail up to a point over the river where you could look down the Blue Canyon and up river over Rattle Snake Ridge. It was a beautiful spot and the views were fantastic. We hiked down and Jess had dinner all prepared for us. We ate and enjoyed the meal without a single bee in our camp.

Morning breakfast was quick and easy. We were packed and on the river by 8:30 am. The trip through the canyon was uneventful but as majestic as ever. We hit the Snake River and immediately was hit with a wicked upriver wind. We rafted the boats together and motored, without problems, down river to Heller Bar where our rigs awaited us.

I was asked how many times I have run this stretch of the river and I honestly cannot remember the number. Each time has been special and everyone I have traveled with have been great folks.