LOGISTICS, PlANNING YOUR TRIP

THE NUTS & BOLTS

Who Should Go 


Trips on the Selway River are exciting wilderness adventures. You don't need prior whitewater experience, but you do need an adventurous spirit and reasonable fitness. Age limits are teens and up. You should be in good physical condition and able to cope with normal camping routines. Meal preparation and cleanup is done by the guides. Guides are trained in first aid and are eager to help you in any way with an emphasis on adapting to and enjoying your surroundings.

You are required to carry your personal gear short distances and learn to erect a simple tent and sleep on a comfortable pad in the tent. A portable toilet is provided. Our camping equipment is the best and our camping style is considered by most to be deluxe. S.O.A.R. Northwest River Co.’s first priority is to keep you safe, and as comfortable as weather and your wilderness surroundings will permit.

Selway River Trips begin and end in Missoula, Montana.

Missoula, Montana is the closest connection for major airlines to the Selway River; thus the beginning of our adventure will be meeting together as a group in Missoula. YOU MUST ARRIVE IN MISSOULA THE DAY BEFORE YOUR TRIP BEGINS! We strongly suggest you stay at The Doubletree Inn Edgewater, which has a free shuttle van from the airport. The Selway River Trip Orientation meeting will be held at the Doubletree Edgewater beginning at 6:00 PM the evening before your trip. If your travel arrangements do not allow for your arrival by 6:00 PM, let us know and we will make special arrangements. You may leave your extra luggage in a hotel locker during your trip and, if you are driving, you may leave your vehicle in the motel parking lot.

We depart the Doubletree at 7:30 AM on the morning of your launch date. Our van will take you to the river put-in at Paradise Guard Station, a 3-4 hour drive on good roads. While making the trek from Missoula to the Selway River put-in at Paradise, we will make a limited number of last minute stops for fishing licenses, tackle and liquor if you desire. Our return to Missoula at the end of the trip will begin after we arrive at the take-out at Race Creek. At approximately 2:00 PM on the sixth day we will load into the Northwest Magic Bus for a scenic trek up the Lochsa River and over Lolo Pass to Missoula. Our arrival at the Doubletree Hotel Edgewater will be approximately 6:00 PM.

PLEASE NOTE:

If necessary due to water conditions, we may go to the Hamilton, Montana airport for a backcountry flight into an airstrip on the Selway River. A flight into the river is required when water conditions prohibit safe passage on the upper 13 miles of river. In these conditions there will be an additional $150 flight fee per person. The flight is short, but spectacular and gives you a remarkable perspective on the thousands of square miles of wilderness that surround your Selway River adventure.

Air Service to Missoula

Northwest, Delta, United and Alaska/Horizon Airlines provide commercial air service to Missoula. Lodging in Missoula: We have reserved space at the Doubletree Edgewater Hotel for our guests

( YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESERVE A ROOM YOURSELF - WE HAVE BLOCKED ROOMS FOR YOU).

Rooms are blocked at a $90 per night rate (not included in trip cost), single or double. We will send you a "Room Type Questionnaire" when we send your final invoice. Then we will verify your exact needs. Transportation to the Hotel from the airport is provided. There are contact phones in baggage claim at the Missoula airport to call for a shuttle to the hotel. The Doubletree is a Hilton Hotel, offering the best accommodations in Missoula. There is a quality restaurant on site, and it is located on the Clark Fork River with excellent walking paths from the hotel to downtown and nearby Univ. of Montana.

GEAR:

GEAR PROVIDED BY SOAR NORTHWEST:

SOAR Northwest River Co. provides a dry bag, tent, a 20 degree sleeping bag, and sleeping pad for each guest. For day use, we provide a waterproof metal can for cameras and other personal items as well as a splash / paddle suit to wear on the water. You should decide on personal gear using the WHAT TO BRING LIST below.

If you are interested in purchasing river specific gear, or just in need of layers, we have provided links to some great sources: Of Course, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. There is also a reputable outdoor clothing store within walking distance from the Doubletree Hotel and we will also stop on our drive at an outdoor store for licenses and last minute items.

If you need additional gear, we highly recommend NRS

WHAT TO BRING:


Sleeping Gear

We provide a very comfortable sleeping pad for each guest. The pad provides 4" of foam padding and insulation for your sleeping bag. If you are a couple, you can use our sleeping pads to create what we call the Perfect River Bed. Instead of sleeping bags, you can bring sheets for a standard double bed (fitted bottom, standard top), plus a fitted mattress pad from your local discount or department store. The pad and bottom sheet fit over the two pads, holding them together the same size as a regular double bed. Bring a blanket and two pillows and you are sleeping like home! The sheets, mattress pad, blanket and pillows take up the same amount of room in your dry bag as two sleeping bags.

What to Wear and How to Pack

                                


At the orientation meeting the night prior to your trip, you will be given a large, waterproof "Dry Bag" for your use during the trip. This Dry Bag, when used properly, will keep your sleeping gear and clothes dry each day we are on the river. All the clothing you bring on the trip must fit into this Dry Bag.
At SOAR NW, we recommend that you prepare yourself for three basic scenarios: 1) a cool day on the river, 2) A warm day on the river and 3) Time spent lounging in camp. Take care of these, and you are free to let the river and the canyon work their magic.
Let's talk for a minute about dressing for the river. Layers are the thermostat of the wilderness. As you get ready for your river trip, think about dressing in layers. By adding and subtracting layers you can keep yourself perfectly comfortable. 


Layer #1


If it is cool out, you should have a layer next to your skin that is close-fitting and thin. An underwear layer made of a synthetic fiber such as polypropylene works best. Synthetic fibers maintain insulative properties when wet. You do not want to wear cotton on the river. The evaporation of water from a wet cotton layer will actually make you colder! If it is hot and sunny, river shorts, shirt and footwear are all you will need.


Layer #2


The next layer should also be made of a synthetic fiber such as fleece, but should be a bit heavier in weight. If the weather turns warmer, you can always peel this layer off. Wool works as well.




Layer #3




The outer layer is what is known as the "barrier" layer. This layer should be waterproof and loose-fitting enough to give you good range of motion. The idea of this layer is to seal out water and wind, and seal in the warmth generated by your body. 
Extra Stuff
You're not done yet! You can lose a tremendous amount of body heat via your head, so a warm hat is a must on those cooler days. Your feet WILL get wet, so a pair of neoprene or synthetic fiber socks to wear with your river sandals or river shoes will help keep you warm. If you are the type that gets cold hands you can also find gloves made of neoprene and/or synthetics. 


In Camp




From jackets to shirts and pants, there are numerous options. If by chance your long underwear got wet, your second pair will come in handy. Cotton is ok in camp but don’t forget your dry bag space is limited.

S.0.A.R. Northwest River Company
S.0.A.R. Northwest River Company