Rafting in Idaho
- 41 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Not all trips turn out the way they are planned. Oftentimes this is a good thing. Sometimes it is not.
This is a recap of our trip rafting in Idaho and an incident that happened over a decade ago to our family. I bring it up today because it is something that could happen to another family, and it's worth sharing.
The Trip Inspiration
Several years ago, I read a piece by Tim Cahill in The Washington Post’s Travel Section about a fun, electronics-free rafting trip he took with his family. He described the scenery along the Middle Fork of the Salmon River as awe-inspiring and the rafting as fun-filled. I was hooked at no electronics.
Solitude River Trips is an adventure travel company located in Idaho. Their website showed pictures of several different types of trips ranging from, white water rafting and fishing to photography, all while moving down the Salmon River. The website is nicely laid out with plenty of photos, testimonials, and information on dates to head out on your trip.
That evening, I approached Brian with the idea of a rafting trip to get our family to escape from the hectic rigors of daily life. It would be a way to unwind. It would mean no contact with the outside world. The name of the location says it all - the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area.
When I mentioned the chance to go rafting in Idaho rather than touring another museum to our two then middle school aged children, they were on board immediately. “Oh boy, this is going to be so cool!”
Preparing for the Trip
Contact with Solitude River Trips is done primarily via email. Willi Cannell, the owner, got back to me right away after I filled out the initial request on line. We chose an August date for our trip because the river would be lower and not as technically challenging for four first time rafters.
Solitude sent us a list of what to bring and what not to bring. Though technically called glamping, you couldn’t bring unlimited amounts of anything because of weight restrictions on the supply rafts. This was not glamorous travel.
The Trip
We flew into Boise and then drove a rental car several hours to the meeting point. Both the drive and the meeting point were breathtaking, winding through pine forests that rose up majestically to the brilliant blue sky. We passed by streams, craggy outcroppings of rocks, and saw no other humans.
The weather in Idaho in August fluctuates. It can be very warm during the day and chilly at night. The company provided each traveller upon arrival at the meeting point with a small duffle bag to place items in for the week’s trip. We packed sweaters, thermal underwear, shorts, swim suits and bug spray.
All other suitcases, cell phones, purses and items that would not, or could not, make it in the duffle were left in a locked storage area until our return. No need to bring a wallet when there are no stores to shop in after all.
Our group consisted of parents and teens, couples and our family. We were told to be ready early the next morning for the plane ride to the start of our adventure.
Prop planes are loud and cramped. The engine was so loud that we all wore earplugs to protect our hearing. We spent the flight time looking out the front of the plane seeing what the pilots see - something most travelers can no longer do because of FAA regulations.
On our first day, we opted for the group raft to learn the ropes. The rapids were fairly easy but with enough movement to be exciting for all of us. When we stopped for lunch, the girls decided they would try to go solo in the afternoon. I loved watching the smiles on their faces as they paddled vigorously learning how to navigate the rapids.
We paddled to a rest stop, where we were given the opportunity to hike up the side of a mountain to an area with a natural hot spring. After paddling for several hours, the warm water felt wonderful on my sore arms.
That night we were given tents and a choice of where to set them up. They’re easy to erect and in short order we were snapping photos with my camera and exploring the area around us. It was very warm that day so we put on our shorts and explored.
The campsite was rustic but provided basic necessities. The toilet was set up with a privacy screen around the land side but with an unhindered view of the Salmon River. A little unsettling at first, but pretty darn beautiful once you realized no one was passing down the river to watch you. Our entire family thought the ‘loo with a view’ was amazing.
Dinners were served family style and the staff worked hard to make sure everyone was happy and satisfied. Rafting options were plentiful, with rafts for floaters, group rafts where everyone helped paddle and finally, the individual inflatable kayaks, for those who wanted the rush of navigating the rapids solo.
On day two Brian chose the solo experience and I joined a group raft. We hit larger rapids than before, and I was unprepared for when we collided with a large rock in the river. Over I went and I promptly forgot all the safety instructions about how to take care of yourself in the water.
I grasped desperately at a passing rock and was able to cling to it. This wasn’t even really rushing water but believe me it was hard to hold on! As the rafts passed me by, Brian tried to kayak back up to me but was unable to do so.
My unplanned dip became more exciting when a bolt of lightning struck a tree not far from where I clung in the water. Nature is amazing, seeing a bolt of lighting up close is both terrifying and awe inspiring. While the tree caught fire I remained stuck clinging to a rock hoping for help.
An accomplished rafter came down the river and safely guided me to the shore, where I waited until a raft could collect me. I thought the rafting emergency would be enough excitement for one trip but this was not the case.
That afternoon, when we landed at camp, our daughter seemed very dazed. She had acted unusually during the day, but with so much going on it was tough to stop and question why. The staff immediately moved her to the shade to rest.
Thinking that she had heatstroke, we gave her electrolytes to help rehydrate her. With the tents set up she moved into hers to rest until dinner.
What we didn’t know at the time was that all the encouragement to stay hydrated had flushed most of the sodium out of her body, causing her body to shut down.
There is nothing more horrifying for a parent than to find your child blue and unresponsive in her tent. Add to this that we were miles from civilization with no phones, cars, doctors, or hospitals, and it threw even the calmest of us into shock.
Here is where the employees of Solitude truly shined. Hearing my screams, one of the guides came running and immediately checked to see if she was breathing. He began keeping her stats in a notebook to pass along to the EMT whenever they arrived.
The events that followed are a blur. What I can say is that our guide stayed with us the entire time monitoring her blood pressure and keeping us all calm. They had a satellite phone and called in an emergency which triggered a helicopter to be sent.
Riding in a Helicopter
Due to the weight of paramedics and equipment on board, rescue helicopters can only carry limited additional weight during transport. As I flew up and out alone from the Frank Church Wilderness of No Return, I repeated prayers silently in my head. “Please God do not let her die.”
I was sitting next to the pilot looking out at the darkening skies, when he gently asked if I was alright. I think I said yes but was focusing on my prayers.
All I can remember is sitting in that helicopter with no cell phone, no identification, no insurance cards or anything else other than a daughter whom I was scared would die that night. I had no idea what hospital they were taking us to (Boise, ID or Billings, MT) and neither did Brian who had remained at the camp with our other child.
As twilight descended, Brian and our other daughter were flown out on a small aircraft to the parked car and our cellphones. Fortunately, communications between the two pilots allowed Brian to know to head to Boise.
The Hospital
I can’t remember much of what happened those first two days in the hospital pediatric ICU. I held her hand, tried to talk soothingly and reassure her she would be okay because I was there with her. Inwardly I was terrified, sleep deprived, and unsure of everything except my strong hope that she would come through this.
The staff and volunteers at St. Luke's Children’s Hospital in Boise deserve a huge degree of thanks. No one worried about medical insurance or proof of identification. They set me on a small sleeping couch next to my daughter and worked diligently to figure out what was wrong with her.
And the hospital volunteers there provided all kinds of help and kindness to both of us as we waited for answers and Brian’s arrival.
Back Home
We only made it two days of our six day rafting trip in Idaho that summer. But we learned a valuable lesson that applies to everyone. Though it is important to keep your body hydrated, it is equally as important to not over hydrate. Make sure to periodically add electrolytes into water so that you are replenishing your sodium levels.
Finally, Solitude River Trips kindly contacted us after we returned home and offered us a chance to come back the following summer for a repreat trip at a discount. Our family unanimously declined the invitation. One summer’s adventure rafting in Idaho was quite enough for a lifetime.