Salmon River, Idaho Adventure Adventure for Women

August 16-21, 2011

Our first Salmon River Rafting trip was such a resounding success, we’re going to do it the same time in 2011! 

Join Sweet for a six-day rafting adventure on the Middle Fork of Idaho’s Salmon River, August 16-21, 2011.

It’s a feast for the senses:
SEE
A crystal-clear, free-flowing river, abundant wildlife and a starlit sky.

HEAR
The sounds of cascading whitewater, crackling campfires and the stillness of solitude.

SMELL
The fresh mountain air peppered by fragrant sage and pine mingling with the aroma of morning coffee.

TASTE
Fresh, plentiful, mouthwatering food prepared for you with many home-baked delights.

FEEL
The beauty of a pristine unspoiled wilderness, soothed by hot water springs and refreshed as the river lulls you to sleep.

DREAM
Follow your senses to this magical place of fiery dawns, a wild shining river and a mystical canyon. Slip away and join us for excitement and serenity and a memorable whitewater journey on Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

Get away from it all on the pristinely preserved Salmon River, where all motors are banned (that includes electric toothbrushes). We’ll wind our way down this gorgeous river in the second deepest canyon in the United States. Its remote location means it has been little changed by humans.

Expert Leaders
Gifted Guides and members of the Sweet team will positively elevate your experience by being educators, companions and friends.

Boats and Rapids
The rapids are rated at 1 to 4 on a scale of 1 to 6. You’ll run these rapids with the aid of experienced, professional, licensed guides. In state-of-the-art whitewater rafts, you’ll run Velvet Falls, Pistol Creek, Haystack, Redside and Rubber rapids. Most guests ride in oar-powered, self-bailing rafts. For the more adventurous, there is a paddle boat, no experience needed, as your boatman steers at the stern while you and your new friends paddle. If water levels permit, you can try out the single or two-woman inflatable kayaks. There is also a large baggage boat called a sweep boat that runs ahead of our group to start putting up camp for when we arrive.

Hiking and Hot Springs
There is plenty of time and numerous opportunities to hike and visit hot springs during your trip. There are six hot springs to visit in the river corridor and we try to camp at or near at least one during the trip. The hot springs at Loon Creek developed by Chinese miners are amazing! Time and logistics permitting, we hike to waterfalls, scenic grottos, Indian paintings and old miners’ cabins in a given day. The Middle Fork Trail runs 80 miles along the Middle Fork, so there is always the option to hike along the river as well from any camp. Many of the hikes bring you to elevations high enough to see a stunning view of the river.

Fishing
The Middle Fork is a fisherman’s paradise. It’s a blue ribbon fishery and all fish are natives, like cutthroat trout, rainbow trout and dolly varden. Special fishing regulations protect the Middle Fork and help restore the fish population. They practice catch-and-release fishing with no live bait and single barbless hooks. An Idaho fishing license is a necessity and can be acquired in Stanley prior to our departure.

Camping
This is by far one of the best parts of the trip, especially falling to sleep by the sound of the river. Camp on the beach or under a ponderosa. In the evening, we set up camp and have chairs to relax in by the campfire. We bring along a wilderness toilet, which goes somewhere private (usually with stunning views).

Food
There will be healthy and delicious meals, accompanied by lots of salads, fresh fruits and vegetables. From breakfast to dinner, you are sure to be impressed by the quality and variety of food options. Organic produce and products are used as available in central Idaho. Our goal is to eat healthy meals so that you feel good and refreshed with lots of energy for fun in this remote wilderness. Vegetarians and vegans are welcome. Please be sure to specify any specific dietary needs to your sales representative.

Environmental Awareness
A No Trace Policy is followed throughout the trip. It is a national program that asks all users to pack out what they pack in, leave places cleaner than they found them and leave natural and cultural resources intact. This is our way to join together to maintain and protect beautiful, fragile public lands.

$1,850 per person 

E-mail info@gaytravelpros.com (*Ask about payment plans)

What’s included?
- 6 days of river rafting
- Scenic flight from Stanley to day 1 put-in spot
- Wilderness camping equipment, including tents, two dry bags for clothing and equipment, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow and rain gear.
- Gourmet meals and beverages from lunch day 1 to lunch day 6. Some beer, wine and margaritas provided. You can purchase alcohol prior to departure that the crew will store for you.
- Nightly entertainment by your talented river guides
- Transportation back to Stanley on day 6
- All rafting equipment, including oar boats, paddle raft and inflatable Kayaks (when river levels permit)
- Seasoned guides licensed by the state of Idaho and First Aid Certified
- All U.S. Forest Service fees

What’s not included?
- Transportation to and from Stanley (rent a car or charter a small plane)
- Accommodations in Stanley the night of the 15th are not included, but guests must arrive on the 15th for a mandatory pre-trip meeting at 7pm.
- Optional tipping to guides 10 to 20 percent of trip cost depending on your level of satisfaction.
- Fishing poles are not provided. Fishing permits can be purchased prior to departure.

How to get to and from Stanley
- Fly into Boise, Idaho, on August 15, 2011.
- Rent a car and drive to Stanley, Idaho, for a pre-trip meeting at 7pm, August 15, 2011. Drive from Boise to Stanley is about three hours.
- Overnight at the Mountain Village Lodge (mention “Middle Fork River Expeditions” for a special rate)
- Plan to fly stay at the Mountain Village Lodge on August 21, 2011, return your car and fly out of Boise on August 22.

Lodging before and after our trip
Stay at the Mountain Village Lodge. Tell them you’re with Middle Fork River Expeditions for a special room rate on August 15 and / or 21. It’s mandatory to arrive in Stanley for our pre-departure meeting on the August 15. Book early as the hotel is the only one in town. For more information, call 800.843.5475.

Sweet Salmon River Rafting cancellation policy
If you cancel 90 days or more prior to your vacation, we’ll move your non-refundable $250 deposit to another Sweet vacation and refund the balance of any payments above your deposit within 30 days of receiving your cancellation. If you cancel 89 to 1 days prior to your vacation, we’ll move your paid balance to the vacation of your choosing less a $100 per guest.

Interest free, fee free monthly payment plan
With all the bad economic news streaming past you day in and day out, we thought we’d bring you some good news: Our interest-free, fee-free monthly payment plan. It’s simple and you can take your sweet time. After your initial deposit, equal monthly payments will be charged to your credit card up to 60 days prior to departure. We’ll email you an invoice each month when we charge your card. The best part is that it doesn’t cost you a single penny more to pay over time.

You deserve a vacation. Sweet wants to make sure you can afford one. E-mail info@gaytravelpros.com today.