Our wives were kind enough to drop us at the end of the plowed road. They would then ferry a car around to Selway Falls, Idaho. This would require a 3 hour drive over Lolo Pass, down the Lochsa River, and finally to the end of the road on the Selway River. Our trip would take us 17 miles over the Nez Perce Pass on cross country skiis and then down 54 miles of river to Selway Falls.

Joel and I set out eagerly pulling our sleds in the warm late winter day. After 6 hours of hard pulling we stopped for the evening at the summit of the pass which was about 9 miles from the drop off. It was very difficult pulling both for elevation gain and poor snow conditions for skiing.

We quickly set up camp and after a quick meal were asleep before our heads hit the pillow. Exhaustion is better than any sleeping pill I know. Our plan was to spend an additional day at the summit to explore and to rest before the long pull to the river.

The third day was a classic late winter day in western Montana. The temperature was around 32 degrees Fahrenheit with intermittent snow squalls. We had hoped to glide down hill easily, making the 9 miles to the river not too challenging. Well---the weather did not cooperate making the snow quite sticky requiring us to pull hard the entire distance despite the fact we were losing elevation.

Finally after 12 hours of grueling work, Joel and I arrived each pulling a sled, excited to put in on the Selway River and begin the easy part of the adventure. Again, exhaustion overtook us and we quickly made camp just off the road because of the wet and unstable snow.

The next morning we crawled out of the tent sore everywhere. Yesterday's ski really took its toll on us. As I exited the tent I noticed immediately something out of place. Parked on the side of the road in a six wheel Polaris ATV----with a key in the ignition. The nearest road is 18 miles away so we are certain this machine has been here awhile. But to have a key in the ignition!!

Not far up the road is Magruder Ranger Station that is unmanned in the winter. The famous station is rich with history and has been maintained by the forest service. After skiing around the station our thoughts turned to getting on the river in our kayaks. The headwaters of the Selway are near this famous station. As we approached the river for the first time our hearts sank. Not enough water to float even a small kayak! The low flow can be explained easily. First, the spring thaw had not begun, and the headwaters of any river is always a small stream or rivulet.

We would have to follow the road downstream until more creeks joined the river and increase the water flow. The only problem was the road was completely free of snow because it was on a south facing slope. We were going to have to move our equipment down river 6 miles to have sufficient water flow to kayak. With one hundred and fifty pounds of equipment it would take us two trip each to move the equipment. In order to move our equipment into place would require 48 miles of hiking before we could kayak the first one hundred yards. Frankly, hiking that kind of distance was going to be a show killer for the entire trip.

Our thoughts then went immediately to the ATV with the key in the ignition. Would it start. The engine came to life immediately after pushing the starter button!! The fact that the machine had a small flatbed was a Godsend. We immediately loaded ALL of our equipment on the back and we both climbed on and drove the six miles to the put in point. We then drove the ATV back to the starting location and placed a ten dollar bill in the gas cap for rental charges! We now had only to walk together the 6 miles to our equipment.

This section of Selway River in Idaho is 47 miles long and is rated by American Whitewater as a class IV section. It is a lottery river that is very difficult to draw out on. But because we were attempting the river before the permit season we did not need a launch permit.

The same day we moved the equipment down to Indian Creek launch site we loaded the kayaks and headed down river. Immediately we hit difficult sections in the river that only a kayak could negotiate. At one point we round a bend and caught two cow elk in the river drinking. They were shocked to see us and began running downriver with abandoned fear. We back off because we did not want the elk to injure themselves by slipping on the rocks in the river. What a treat to sneak up on elk in a boat.

This long and tiring day was about over and we needed to find a campsite quickly before the sun set and the temperatures began to drop. We donned our Kokatack Drysuit that the company has lent us as a sponsor. We quickly found a nice campsite in a burned area to stay the night. As we approached the shore we noticed hundreds and hundreds of elk and deer on the hillside grazing. Apparently this is their wintering grounds and they do not seem to be bothered by people on the river.

Unfortunately I do no have a photo of our fully loaded kayak. It was quite a scene to see cross country skis strapped to the top side of each tube and an inverted snow sled behind us as we paddled through whitewater. A unique way to carry equipment, but it worked.

Because we were the first paddlers down the river there were no river reports to research. The Selway is a pool and drop river. Before each rapid the water is calm and serene, however, the loud report from upcoming rapids causes your heart to beat faster each time. As far as scouting, we were fully aware of the difficult named rapids and pulled over to walked the shore to determine the best line. On some of the smaller rapids we would stand carefully in the kayak and look down stream for logjams or sweepers that could cause problems.

Due to the low water condition (March) the river has very strong hydraulics and boulder fields. On one particular rapid Joel successfully negotiated a particularly hydraulic only to have it suck him upstream into his claws. Needless say, Joel went for a swim, but with his Koketack dry suit and PFD, he not only was buoyant but warm and dry.

Because of poor snow conditions on day three and having to ferry our equipment to Indian Creek due to low water, we lost a day of paddling. With this in mind we decided to push hard by paddling in slack water and putting in long days on the river. The 47 miles of river is normally run in 3-4 days. I don't know if it is a record, but we completed the 47 miles in two days.

The Selway River is a unique natural treasure in Idaho. Although kayaking in a dry suit in March in not the norm---we had the river entirely to ourselves. That, my books, is the best part of the entire trip.

What was wild about this trip was we began is late winter snow conditions and ended the trip with warm days and buttercups on the banks of the river. What a contrast. The dry suits were uncomfortable the last day of paddling.

You can put in for a river permit through the Forest Service's automated river registration. Your chances of drawing out are not very good, however, if you are up for a very different kind of whitewater experience, consider a winter descent.

Paddle On!