STORIES

Class IV is in Session

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is so much more than another meandering blue line on a crinkled map, more than place to dip a line, dunk your head or get your sinuses cleared by Class IV whitewater.
Outdoor
Middle Fork

Photography by Adam Barker

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is more than a river. It is so much more than another meandering blue line on a crinkled map, more than place to dip a line, dunk your head or get your sinuses cleared by Class IV whitewater. It’s expansive, dramatic, and fun for anyone who finds themselves along the river’s banks. In simpler terms, the Middle Fork of the Salmon is a gift for those that love the outdoors.

Every year in late May, Jared Hopkinson, owner of Rocky Mountain River Tours shares this gift with his guides. Some are veterans of the river, but most are young, wide-eyed, blank-slate greenies with a thirst for adventure. They’re looking to cut their teeth of one of the most classic wilderness experiences in the Continental US.  It will be their first time on the Middle Fork, and regardless of how many other rivers they’ve run in their modest guiding careers, this will no doubt become a life-long favorite. 

Adam Barker lives in Salt Lake City, UT. When not chasing his three boys through the snow, down the river or into the woods, he can be found on his bike, skis, with fly rod in hand or (gasp) shooting pictures.