# Lower Salmon- Crowd Control?



## Hans n Franz (May 2, 2017)

Planning at Lower Salmon trip this summer either last week of July or early August (read: peak season). We are flexible with dates within that range meaning we could leave midweek if advantageous. We have a good sized group of rafters and want to take our time.

My Question is: how bad are the crowds at that time? Is it very bad camp compitition or are most groups able to find good sandy beach sites if they get up at a decent hour?

Does anyone have strategies to beat the crowds during the busy weeks?

Thanks!!!


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## jbomb (Apr 10, 2015)

Seems to me the end of that river always feels way more crowded than the start. For the least amount of crowding I would recommend timing your takeout for Thursday or Friday to get ahead of the rush.


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## seantana (Mar 5, 2015)

The last couple time we went (first week of Aug), we launched on Weds and Thurs, respectively, which put us a couple days ahead of the weekend launches and jet boat traffic. There will be groups on the river, but there are a lot of beaches to be had as long as you're flexible. It's a great stretch of river.


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## dirtbagkayaker (Oct 29, 2008)

There are lots of camps if your not too picky. The crowd is just like every other crowd. If you put in friday, saturday, or sunday. You can expect to be fighting the whole trip because you'll be the "rush hour" traffic. Put in on tuedays, wenessday, or thursday and its a completely different river. 

IF your fighting the crowd. Be on the water by 9am and find camp by 2pm and you'll be good to go.

If you think you'll sleep in, you pay for it..


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

I've been down there when it has been super busy at the end of July. We stayed at Geneva beach on the Snake for our last camp and had 3 other groups camp with us including jetboaters partying all night. The whole trip was crazy trying to find a camp. The camp by 2pm advice is good advice. We were scrambling everyday trying to find a spot if we got up late. The takeout was nuts as well. We waited for the ramp but ended up just taking off on the side of the river near the parking lot.


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## donutboy (Sep 13, 2015)

*That's why I go in September now.*

We have gone the past 4 years in middle to late Sept and it has been a blast with NO ONE out there....


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

Mid week launch, short first day if you weekend launch, sleep in only on layover days. Or, jet boat shuttle so you don't have to take so much time on the snake and you can have easy days on the Salmon.


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## Hans n Franz (May 2, 2017)

Thanks everyone for the advise!


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## seantana (Mar 5, 2015)

Conundrum said:


> Or, jet boat shuttle so you don't have to take so much time on the snake and you can have easy days on the Salmon.


Or bring a motor. Although, I feel everyone should row the Snake at least once.


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## Pigpen (Nov 8, 2017)

seantana said:


> Or bring a motor. Although, I feel everyone should row the Snake at least once.


It's funny you posted this. I've been thinking about rowing it the next time I float that section, and just add a day (or two) onto the itinerary to enjoy it.

I've only done it once and motoring Snake Lake was fun, but I'd like to experience it on the sticks.


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

Pigpen said:


> It's funny you posted this. I've been thinking about rowing it the next time I float that section, and just add a day (or two) onto the itinerary to enjoy it.
> 
> I've only done it once and motoring Snake Lake was fun, but I'd like to experience it on the sticks.


I am the opposite, every time I say, next time I am bringing a motor for lake snake but end up always just rowing. There are some great camp spots along the Snake, between the Salmon and Heller Bar. Last year we had the "pimp cave" camp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJxPzCixDQU&t=6s


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## Pigpen (Nov 8, 2017)

shappattack said:


> I am the opposite, every time I say, next time I am bringing a motor for lake snake but end up always just rowing. There are some great camp spots along the Snake, between the Salmon and Heller Bar. Last year we had the "pimp cave" camp:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJxPzCixDQU&t=6s


There's a good chance I might be there this October. I don't have any permits for the fall. I'll have to find that one, it looks like a great camp.


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## DoubleShadow (May 2, 2013)

We always called that camp "poop cave" cause all the jetboaters pull in there and take a shit inside the cave. That place is covered in human feces.


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

DoubleShadow said:


> We always called that camp "poop cave" cause all the jetboaters pull in there and take a shit inside the cave. That place is covered in human feces.


I don't think that is currently factual at all. I have two dogs, one has the nick name of shit neck, in a long line of shit necks, that will find human feces within 50 miles of camp. They found none at Pimp Cave, hence I call bull shit on your claim. Furthermore, one of the folks on this trip has run guided jet boats on the lower salmon and Hells Canyon for 15 years with a 50 Ton Coast Guard Masters License, and he also calls bull shit on this claim. Not only was there no shit in this camp, there was not even any micro-trash, we even all commented on how clean this camp was compared other camps we had previously in the trip. There is even some commentary in the video if you listen closely where there is discussion that camps kept getting cleaner and better as we went downstream. The only single drawback that occurred at this camp was that I was hammered and slept on my aire landing pad on my boat that night and lost my pillow in the middle of the night, kind of like loosing Wilson on the deserted island. WILSON!


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## DoubleShadow (May 2, 2013)

Sorry dude but there was shit all over that place when I was there. I sure things can change with high water. But last time I was there, there was a fire ring up in the cave and toilet paper everywhere along with shit. The place looked super cool but upon closer inspection was a garbage dump. This was like 6 years ago so I'm glad it seems better now.


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

On other maps i have this camp is referred to as Nez Perce cave .


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## shappattack (Jul 17, 2008)

DoubleShadow said:


> I sure things can change with high water. This was like 6 years ago so I'm glad it seems better now.


August 2017, clean as a whistle, I would think you would have asked your self why we would have been camping right there at the cave if there was shit all over the place.

And it was august, which means that not only was it not used regularly by jet boaters to take a shit, it was not used at all by jet boaters to take a shit, at least since the prior high water several months before. 

What a shit show


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## DoubleShadow (May 2, 2013)

shappattack said:


> August 2017, clean as a whistle, I would think you would have asked your self why we would have been camping right there at the cave if there was shit all over the place.


Look at those shit eating grins. Maybe your dog ate it all. I'm still calling it poop cave.


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