# Post season Grand Salmon 2021



## WyBackCountry (Mar 20, 2014)

Seeing as how I’ve never won a lottery permit, I decided to impatiently wait for 8am MST this morning for next years post season. Was able to score MF launching on 5th, out @ Korn on 11th. Launching main on 12th, out on 19th. The post season gods were looking down upon me for once 🙂


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Good for you!!

There are some pretty beaches between Cache Bar and Corn Creek, too. Camp on the river and just check in with the ranger at Corn Creek on the morning of the 12th and keep going!


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

I just did a 14 day trip this September turning the corner and will be doing the same thing next year. It's an amazing trip. But the real Grand Salmon is to keep going, Boundary Creek to Heller Bar. 312 Miles I believe.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

I'd be intrigued to do Salmon City to Heller.


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## mrdecember (May 18, 2016)

What's the MF like in Sept? We just got off the main a couple weeks ago and I've never been on the MF. How big a boat can you take down?


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

I have a friend who just got off September Middle-Main, said it was incredible.

You can run a fairly large boat, you just need to not take the kitchen sink. Run light on cargo and soft tubes.

There are several threads here on the buzz about low-water Middle trips.


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## SpudCat (Aug 24, 2020)

That's awesome. I have this dream (or something like that) of one year doing a 'Super Salmon' from the Stanley area all the way down to Heller Bar on the Snake. 400+ miles of Salmon River goodness.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

SpudCat said:


> That's awesome. I have this dream (or something like that) of one year doing a 'Super Salmon' from the Stanley area all the way down to Heller Bar on the Snake. 400+ miles of Salmon River goodness.


Way to raise the bar!!

I haven't ever looked at the river up near Stanley...usually driving in to Boundary at night. What's the flow like??


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

Super Salmon might be an issue with spawning closures. Not sure of the timing but something to consider.


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## WyBackCountry (Mar 20, 2014)

It’s a non issue, they wouldn’t have let me reserve that launch date in the first place.


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## WyBackCountry (Mar 20, 2014)

I have a buddy who did exactly that about 2 years ago on a post season launch, but like me he paddles a packraft. He launched 3rd week of Sept on Marsh right off hwy 21.


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## SpudCat (Aug 24, 2020)

MT4Runner said:


> Way to raise the bar!!
> 
> I haven't ever looked at the river up near Stanley...usually driving in to Boundary at night. What's the flow like??


Did some runs in my little boat (9' fishing cat) up there in mid-late July this year. It gets bony. Downstream of Stanley is definitely better. We floated from Alturas Lake down to almost Sunbeam. It was an adventure in dragging in some spots and pinballing rocks in others even in the little boats. But a great time! Early season downstream of Stanley is no problem. Plenty of commercial day trips on that stretch.



Conundrum said:


> Super Salmon might be an issue with spawning closures. Not sure of the timing but something to consider.


Closures are all later in the season when it's too low anyway. I'd want to start something like this early to mid-June and ride the receding snowmelt wave. Figure with good flows and a handful of big rowing days it could be done in three weeks.

Maybe summer 2022...


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## Infidien (May 27, 2013)

We've done a few Boundary Creek to Heller Bar trips, mostly pre and post season in order to line up permits. My favorite method for low water is to self-support kayak to Corn Creek then swap to bigger boats. We've seen some people struggling on the Middle Fork in rafts and it's really hard to carry enough beer in a kayak to get to to Riggins. The road section from Carey Creek to Hammer Creek is better than it looks on paper with some good rapids and camping.


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## ColoradoClimber97 (Apr 20, 2017)

AzPackrafter said:


> Seeing as how I’ve never won a lottery permit, I decided to impatiently wait for 8am MST this morning for next years post season. Was able to score MF launching on 5th, out @ Korn on 11th. Launching main on 12th, out on 19th. The post season gods were looking down upon me for once 🙂


PM sent


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## cupido76 (May 22, 2009)

Is the post season the non permit season? I didn't see a month describesld for the launch dates.

Or am I walking face first into a joke post?

I'm in canada... I honestly don't know everything about the permit system.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Exactly. After the lottery permit season. You still need a permit, but you can pretty well sign up for them online.


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## cupido76 (May 22, 2009)

^^^
Can you even run the middle fork in january?

I would assume almost no water or completely frozen at that time of year?


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Well...I recall that one of our fellow Buzzards has done it in late December!








Winter MF Salmon TR (With Photos)


At first, I was looking for some sort of trip in Idaho to spend a few weeks on. Initially, I was planning on a North to South ski/hike traverse of the Frank Church Wilderness from Stanley to Lolo Pass. But, then the real world happened and only a few weeks before I was supposed to start, I...




www.mountainbuzz.com




Some water, not completely frozen.


It's doable in April (assume that's about when this video was shot)





But more to the point of your question, permit season runs May 28 to September 3. Pre- and post-season permits are first-come, first-served and are released Oct 1 of the prior year. they were pretty well gobbled up for May and September, but you could get an October launch. April is "doable" (like the skiing raft guides did in the video) but you have to float Marsh creek and watch for log jams.

Nov-Mar you're pretty much looking like a drag/hike/ski/float like the December TR.


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## cupido76 (May 22, 2009)

Right... I remember that thread now.

That looks like type 2.5 fun to me.

The april trip looks better.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Or Type 4?!


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## Wallrat (Jan 19, 2021)

SpudCat said:


> That's awesome. I have this dream (or something like that) of one year doing a 'Super Salmon' from the Stanley area all the way down to Heller Bar on the Snake. 400+ miles of Salmon River goodness.


I've been trying to sell my buds on that, but no go. If you really want to do it, and need some company, I'm interested.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Anything Worth Doing!


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