# Middle Fork Salmon in Sept?



## BenC (Jul 9, 2009)

Has anyone put-in for the Middle Fork of the Salmon at Boundary Creek below 2ft. w/ rafts? I have a permit to put-on Sept. 1. By Idaho river runner standards, the level in Sept. is way too low to put-in @ Boundary Creek, but I think that 700cfs or so is plenty of water for some technical, Colorado boaters.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

Since I seem to be the only one around, I'll throw out some advice (will it ever stop raining here?)

Try searching the archives, there's lots of talk of levels, what can be done at what. While I've never done a late MF, basically people say if you can go super-duper light, with a small enough boat, and you have enough skills and preferrably someone who's been down before at low water, you can go from Boundary. Some then have gear, food, and libations flown into Indian Creek.


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## fdon (Jul 23, 2008)

Our group put 3 rafts and 1 cat on at Boundry last Aug. at a flow under 2'. The FS, a few commercial deadheads to Indian and even a couple loaded sweeps were in the eddy below the ramp with us. Have a look at Sulpher Slide and Pistol. The road closure from Stanley will be your biggest pain. We put on again Aug. 26th and look forward to the swim weather. It is a great time to be on the river.


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## disco (May 13, 2009)

*Low water Middle Fork*

We used to do self support duck trips late in the year (which is a great way to go), below 2 ft, and once added a couple support rafts. Go light and small with rafts and it can be done. How far below 2 feet is the question. 

Day 2 (below Pistol, above Indian Creek) is the worst if I recall. More gravel bars which required a bit of dragging or keeping your eyes open for the channel. It is bony, but a good technical rafter in a smaller boat will be fine. Scout when in doubt, and there are ways through.


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## Chip (Apr 7, 2007)

Got two Idaho Invasive Species stickers I'm not using— PM and I'll mail 'em to you, free.


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## fdon (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks for the kind offer Chip. I picked one up back in June and it is still intact after our MFS, MS, Selway and Lochsa adventure...laminated and hung with a ziptie.


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

I've done the Middle Fork a few times in early September, but always from Indian Creek. The lowest trip was at 1.5ft year before last. We're launching from Indian Creek on Sept 12th this year. Hopefully there'll be enough water. 1.5ft is our cut-off. Seems like this has been a higher water year, so we should be ok. Just got home from the Main Salmon on Sunday, and it wasn't your typical August Main trip. Was expecting to fry, but froze instead. Best advice I've ever gotten for the Middle Fork is to run your raft / cat tubes a little soft. Helps you "slime over" rocks instead of getting stuck.


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## cadster (May 1, 2005)

I remember starting at Indian Creek once and the commercials were still running empty sweeps from Boundary at 1.6'.

At the lowest start I've done from Boundary, The Chutes was the place for the most hang-ups.


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## mgpaddler (May 3, 2009)

I run the MFS all the time, sometimes five times a year. I start in May and end in Sept. It's a wonderful time to go. Early Sept. is best because it is usually perfect weather and great fishing. Later in the month can bring rain and snow. I have run a 17 and a half foot Maravia Monsoon with all the required gear and two passengers at 1.54 on the gauge. It wasn't the easiest trip but I only hung up at Sulpher and near Sheepeater where the river braids out. I would go with a smaller boat and run the tubes soft. Spread your load out over several boats and be good on the sticks. It is technical at low flows, but slow moving. If you do a lot of creeks no problem. You will chew up oar tips so plan on your spares for the first twenty miles or so then switch to your good oars. I launch on the first also and will be running solo for the first day. Look for a Green Maravia Spider launching late afternoon on the first. SYOTR


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

mgpaddler said:


> I run the MFS all the time, sometimes five times a year. I start in May and end in Sept. It's a wonderful time to go. Early Sept. is best because it is usually perfect weather and great fishing. Later in the month can bring rain and snow. I have run a 17 and a half foot Maravia Monsoon with all the required gear and two passengers at 1.54 on the gauge. It wasn't the easiest trip but I only hung up at Sulpher and near Sheepeater where the river braids out. I would go with a smaller boat and run the tubes soft. Spread your load out over several boats and be good on the sticks. It is technical at low flows, but slow moving. If you do a lot of creeks no problem. You will chew up oar tips so plan on your spares for the first twenty miles or so then switch to your good oars. I launch on the first also and will be running solo for the first day. Look for a Green Maravia Spider launching late afternoon on the first. SYOTR


Don't make it sound too easy now Mike. I have seen people have their ass handed to them on low water MFs. Myself among them. I tend to go lower than most though. 1.4 off the top. was a bit sticky in places. Good tip on the blades. I only broke one out there but that was at higher water. Don't ask it was dumb. Bent an oar badly last year in the first half mile. Oh well. 

I almost cleaned ping pong last fall, I was happy about that. Have fun. I'll be going later.

BTW - to the OP BenC - some of us Idaho boaters have no standards whatsoever.


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## coloriverdude (Jun 23, 2009)

*ISS Stickers*



Chip said:


> Got two Idaho Invasive Species stickers I'm not using— PM and I'll mail 'em to you, free.


Hi Chip, 
Still have the invasive species stickers? I'll be doing the Main in a couple of weeks. Thanks! Hal J.


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## yakrafter (Aug 7, 2006)

coloriverdude said:


> Hi Chip,
> Still have the invasive species stickers? I'll be doing the Main in a couple of weeks. Thanks! Hal J.


Did MF and Main this year...both managed by the Fed...they could care less about state stickers and told us so, we bought many and used none. 

Not disrespecting Idaho...just letting you know. 

It is not like the Grand and others, they check nothing, you sign in (without ID if I remember), and go boating. The ranger at the Main did not even get up from her desk (not being critical, just a fact).

Would like to see the Main at low water. It was quite washed in late June. Almost no moves required, except a little at ?chittam? before the take out. 

Boy do I want to do this trip again. 

Idaho is GREAT, but so are most places till you live there. 

FYI.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

yakrafter said:


> Did MF and Main this year...both managed by the Fed...they could care less about state stickers and told us so, we bought many and used none.
> 
> Not disrespecting Idaho...just letting you know.
> 
> ...


Funny after the Life jacket naziism at the Grand, you are not even required to wear one on the Salmon Rivers and they don't give a shit about the state sticker program. They have started to set up portable check stations at several places ( 28 total ) along the major arteries into the state. 
I heard of one guy with a ski boat getting chased down for not stopping at a check station. He was threatened with a huge fine (5k?) if he passed another check station without stopping.

rafters with rolled boats were not made to unroll them.


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## yakrafter (Aug 7, 2006)

carvedog said:


> Funny after the Life jacket naziism....... unroll them.


Thanks for reminder about the roadways, forgot about that possibility. Sounds like they are serious.

Hey when do we get to set up roadblocks to fine non-boaters?

Cannot wait to get back up there. If no MF or Main permits come to play again, sounds like we will still be doing an ID tour '10.

Carvedog, have you run Big into the MF? That is part of our current plan absent permits.


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## Sidnye (Dec 9, 2003)

I've stopped at a couple roadside stops. They are set up by Idaho Dept of Ag. 
They spent all of 1 min looking at the kayaks and the raft frame. The raft was rolled up.
They didn't ask to see stickers but we did had them.
They had what looked like a giant pressure washer in a trailer. Said it'd take the paint off a truck.
The feds have nothing to do with this. 
I asked a fed checking parking stickers on the payette about the invasive species sticker and she said she's not paid to check so could care less.
This invasive sticker deal isn't so much about the snails and such as it is about getting a data base for non-motorized boats (IMHO)
You had to buy on-line and they would mail them to you a month later. Rest assured that non-motorized boating registration will rear its head again next year.
Ok, off the soap box.
You'll have a great trip, but understand that the first 19 miles you'll be wading/pulling grunting etc as much as floating---especiallly if you have a heavy over loaded pig boat.


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## coloriverdude (Jun 23, 2009)

*Stickers*



yakrafter said:


> Did MF and Main this year...both managed by the Fed...they could care less about state stickers and told us so, we bought many and used none.
> 
> Not disrespecting Idaho...just letting you know.
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the info.....sounds like a non-issue - at least for NOW!


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

If you are launching from Boundary in the near future don't forget ( from the FS website PDF about the road):

Road Closure Aug. 15-Sept. 6 will require detour to access Boundary Creek.
The Boise National Forest will be replacing the culvert in Fir Creek with a bridge this fall, which will require a road closure of FS Road #579. To access the Boundary Creek Road, you will need to use the FS Road #582 from Lowman. The closure is expected to begin approximately August 15 and is expected to last until approximately September 6, 2009.


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## Soup76 (Aug 19, 2009)

Last year I was on the MF in mid August at 1.9 feet (the day we put on). We had a medium sized group and the skill level in the group varied from novices to experts. The less experienced paddlers had it pretty rough for the first day and a half. Don't under estimate it. Little FU rocks everywhere.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

yakrafter said:


> Carvedog, have you run Big into the MF? That is part of our current plan absent permits.


Stick with the dog. You'll get on. 

I have not boated Big Creek. Made it up there a few miles for some awesome fishing. It looks like an awesome run for sure.


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## lhowemt (Apr 5, 2007)

carvedog said:


> Stick with the dog. You'll get on.
> 
> I have not boated Big Creek. Made it up there a few miles for some awesome fishing. It looks like an awesome run for sure.


Let's do a highwater Middle/Main next year! I'm talking Jun 4 if we have good snow, maybe sooner if not. I don't want to miss the Lochsa peak. People were tossing in cancellations left and right, right before the peak. So if it's big again, it might be do-able via cancellations, or OPP's (other people's permits)


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