2 - Johnson Creek to S.F.Salmon River

This run is more difficult at the top and gradually gets easier, making it suitable for a variety of skills and water levels. It starts out class V (IV at low levels) and ends as class III (II+ at low levels). Approximately 3 miles downstream of the confluence of Johnson Creek with the East Fork South Fork Salmon, the action begins with two long class V rapids called Flight Simulator. The first is near the road (visible 3.2 miles downstream from Yellow Pine or 0.6 mile upstream from the Sheep Creek Trailhead) and starts out easy and gets harder. The second is far down in the canyon and is hard to see from the road. In fact it is just plain hard. The standard class IV put-in is just above Caton Creek at Sheep Creek Trailhead. The road is nearby for the rest of the run and roadside scouting is easy. The river is active and some of the drops can be IV+ with enough water in them. Four miles below Caton Creek, after six miles of class IV, Deadman Campground makes a good take-out, put-in, lunch spot. The next five miles to the take-out are gradually easier class III, but you may chose to portage once or twice. You can continue down the South Fork Salmon to the end of the road for another four miles of class II if you like. Logistics: Set your navigation to Yellow Pine and determine what option is best to get there. You can come down Johnson Creek and approach the run from the upstream end. More commonly paddlers will come in on the Warm Lake Road and South Fork Salmon Road from Cascade (50 miles of paved roads) or the Lick Creek Road from McCall (35 mile dirt road) to approach the run from the downstream end. This option allows you to scout the entire run by driving the shuttle road on river right that offers a multitude of access points and easy road scouting. To get to the take-out: From the South Fork Salmon Road (paved) go up the gravel road toward Yellow Pine less than a half mile, cross the bridge and park. Intermediate put-ins: Deadman, Caton Creek, and SheepCreek Trailhead are marked by small wooden signs. To get to the put-in: From MP 47 continue upstream three quarters of a mile past the ranch/development to a dirt side road and park up the road (away from the river). This road is two and one half miles below the intersection of Yellow Pine Ave and Stibnite Rd. Be careful at high water: http://youtu.be/gAtAFYkjVmw