Thursday, November 11, 2010
Camping Salmon River camping
Posted by Joe Weston on Thu, Nov 11, 2010 at 4:00 AM
Location: Salmon River
The idea was to get one last camping trip in before winter. So my friend
Ron and I decided to head over Lost Trail Pass to camp along the Salmon
River.
With motorcycles packed, we headed out Friday after work making quick
time of the ride as we chased the setting sun.
I had a couple of ideas of where to camp but as we made our way down the Salmon River to Shoup, Idaho, I hadn't realized that steelhead season was in full swing, and all the camping spots were overrun with RVs and fishermen.
Luckily my favorite beach with a little camping spot was still open, I think the fact you couldn't take a camp trailer down the steep bank worked in our favor.
We quickly set up camp and cooked dinner in the dark. A can of soup in the Jetboil hit the spot.
Fortune shined on us again as a rapid in the river had delivered a season's supply of driftwood to the white sand beach which we happily commandeered to keep the night's chill at bay.
Morning brought rain and indignant fisherman who wandered through our camp-site in their quest to find steelhead.
Another fire, for warmth as much as signaling occupancy, and a soggy breakfast took up much of the morning as we waited for the rain to clear and the sun to crest the cliff on the opposite side of the river and begin drying things off.
We left the Salmon in sunshine. The rain would chase us over the pass and back to Hamilton thankful for heated grips. It would also be the last good ride of the season.
