Middle Fork Salmon October 2023 - Post Slides

October Middle Fork Salmon
The goal was to go light and fast and see how quick we could do the trip without it being totally wiped out each day. We weren’t sure what the top was going to look like considering all the slides recently so we were prepared for the worst.
Boundary to Cache Bar ~ 100 Miles
3 Days 4 Hours 30 Minutes
- ZERO Portages
- River Level 1.80ft - 1.67ft
- 30 Hours of Paddling
- 1 Oar Boat, 1 Paddle Boat, 3 IKs
(All self-support)
- 2 swims
-1 "rescue"
- 12 Jalepeno Poppers
- 30+ Cups of coffee
- And a few more beers than that
Thanks to Joe Anthony and Jeff Krochmal for some additional video and to Ben Mors, Ben Gira and Sam Hammond for being down for such a trip!
​⁠​⁠​⁠ @AireWaterSports
​⁠​⁠

[@jaya2137]

That guy in the oar rig has some impressive skills

[@chrisgehard2222]

Dang!! Sulphur Slide was SPICY in the oar rig! Textbook use of the back ferry all the way down. Dude in the small oar rig making it look easy. Kudos!

[@billbrunt1236]

Brian, thank you for your efforts in recording this and others of the amazing reformations of the top of the middle fork! I ended up doing a self shuttle solo trip down from the top, launching September 25th 2023. I will be up the relive that trip of my life by viewing this video. Thank you, thank you! I also did a 4 day 0 Portage with 1 swim in Kramer. Also, a big shoutout to Outfitters: Far & Away and Helfritch, for buck sawing out the logs.

[@thewhitewaterstate]

That’s sounds like a great trip! Glad you liked the video and thanks for info about Far & Away and Helfritch. We knew somebody had sawed some logs but we didn’t know who, so thanks to them!

[@Jezacharda]

Great video. Awesome to see that the upper section is passable!

[@thewhitewaterstate]

Thanks! Upper is pretty good right now, we’ll see what the winter and hopefully some high water will bring. Lots more changes to come I’m guessing

[@user-fl6dy8rm8y]

Thank you for another great video Brian!

[@thewhitewaterstate]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@johnprendergast1338]

Me and a bunch of guys did the Middle Fork back in the 80s ,Twice ....The best river trips I ever went on ...

[@butchbrown8333]

You guys must be living right. That looks like awesome weather for October.

[@thewhitewaterstate]

It was absolutely perfect weather! We lucked out big time! And that means next time it’s going to snow for sure! 😂

[@SegoMan]

@@thewhitewaterstate I showed up to a pre-season Yampa with a double Mr heater and 5 gal bottle of propane to run it. I was ridiculed until the 8" of snow fell that night LoL Great vid I have done the main 3 times but no middle.. Some Day..

[@followxiaofei]

Awesome footage, thanks for sharing.

[@ryanloebach764]

Great beta! Definitely captures the character change. Anticipate another change once the river rises due to 2024 runoff.

[@thewhitewaterstate]

Absolutely!

[@johnrflinn]

You don't know what you've got till it's gone.

[@at1970]

The blowouts have completely changed the river. Glad I did it a bunch when it was still the middle fork. You think you’ve “saved” an area, but there’s no getting away from what’s happening to the planet.

[@brianarthur1252]

nice job. We will see what winter does to the logs

[@johnrflinn]

I wouldn't want to swim the rapids.

[@matthowarth4498]

It's going to be a good season for the air taxis on the Middle Fork in 2024 with all the outfitters not being able to run from the top!

[@ericshedlarski2336]

why can't they run from the top?

[@morganrambo]

@@ericshedlarski2336blow outs

[@barriersisplaying1500]

First

[@thewhitewaterstate]

Congrats son 🎉😂

[@turdfurgeson8006]

I'm glad you know how to float down a river because you rafters don't know how to drive on dirt roads.

[@mitchellrussell9963]

Look at the loss of habitat due to fire. You want to know where your deer and elk are??? They are not. You lose animals when you lose habitat.