What you’re doing next summer: a river trip with Boundary Expeditions

Review by Jack Reaney

After floating along in September 2023, I want to share three distinct elements to the Boundary Expeditions experience: 

First, the pristine, awe-striking beauty of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is a time capsule. 

We landed—in the smallest airplane I’d ever climbed aboard—on an airstrip in Idaho’s Frank Church Wilderness of No Return, and for five days, saw no sign of the outside world except a couple other guided and private fly-fishing groups. A pterodactyl could have swooped across my raft. 

Second, the Boundary staff must be the most unified and professional group of outdoorspeople I’ve ever met. 

I don’t see how anyone could match the level of service that guests are treated to when moving at three miles per hour on a Boundary trip. It’s camping, yes, but with three hearty meals, an open bar, nightly campfires and early morning coffee, trout-hooking and rapid-running while guides set up tents at the next incredible campsite further downstream. All this and more, orchestrated behind the scenes by an experienced and hard-working team of bantersome guides who clearly love their job. 

“We love rivers,” one guide responded when a guest asked why they’d do such hard work all summer long. 

Third, away from the world of emails and messages, the five-day trip forces nothing but human contact—and a special bond emerges. 

My own awkward small talk with strangers lasted about a day, before strangers became friends and began laughing at each other, pushing one another to try the inflatable kayaks and “the shredder,” sitting side-by-side at meals full of eye contact and curiosity. 

I learned that one stranger sold thousands of unique spray nozzle attachments in his career. Another was nicknamed “Merch” in high school. One couple shared mutual friends from Big Sky, and I kayaked through class-II rapids with a 70-year-old man, sharing laughter at his inability to hear safety instructions. The stories of genuine connection go on. 

I write with deep sincerity that for any families, couples, friend groups or individuals with time and money to spend on a guided backcountry river trip, you should not look further; one Boundary Expedition and you’ll be passing this message along.

Boundary has a few limited charter trips left for summer of 2024. Book online at boundaryexpeditions.com.