We spotted a bald eagle, osprey, and other birds but not a single other float party. It was a blissful day. Howard's plunge near the take-out got our hearts beating as the lead cat got pushed hard into the rock on the bottom left causing one passenger to swim and the other to quickly jump on the high side to prevent a flip.
The next weekend we hit the Middle Fork of the Boise above Arrowrock Reservoir. The float from the confluence of the North Fork and the Middle Fork down to Willow Creek Campground is an easy float with some fun wave trains and beautiful scenery. Our group of 40 were floating in opposition to the proposed gold mine near Atlanta, ID upstream of Boise and in the headwaters of the city's drinking water supply. It's an annual trip that I've loaned my boat for (check out this post from last year's trip or this one on Idaho Conservation League's blog to learn more about the issue).
Here's Bill and his two kids who I floated the Middle Fork and the South Fork of the Boise with on two weekends in a row. Jack and Isabel enjoyed their first rafting trips and definitely preferred the white water of the Middle Fork over the mellow float of the South Fork.
The third weekend we hit the South Fork of the Boise just below Anderson Ranch Dam. This stretch is known for its fly fishing and easy access. It's only an hour and 15 minutes from Boise and the roads are easy traveling compared to the unbelievably bumpy and windy road out the Middle Fork of the Boise. We had never been and realized that next time we should float the canyon section below Danskin Bridge or have double the flow for the section we floated below the dam.3 weekends and 4 days of rafting. This is why I love Idaho so durn much! Now I've got the bug to do some longer trips on any number of wonderful river stretches we have here in this amazing state. And it's known as the potato state?! What a misnomer!
