Next Monthly Club Meeting & Program

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

Camellia Room
at Heather Farm Community Center
1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek

Doors Open at 6:30 p.m.
Meeting Starts at 7:30 p.m.
Invites to the Online Session to be
Sent to Members via Email

The Middle Fork (Salmon River): A Catalyst for Wilderness Protection, with Jake Baker

Presentation to be Made Person

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho is known as The River of No Return, but today’s fly fishers do return…over and over. The DVFF counts many members who say it’s one of the best dry fly experiences they’ve ever had. Credit the West Slope Cutthroat trout who prefer looking up and can’t resist big flies. Solitude River Trips hosted Al Peterson, Larry Blazer, Dan Madison and Brian Lindblom last summer and all endorse the trip and fishing. Join us for an in-person presentation by Jake Baker and prepare to be tempted to sign up for what many refer to as the trip of a lifetime.

A river trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is an adventure unlike any other. Surrounded by 2.3 million acres of wilderness, the remoteness of the river corridor is unmatched. One of the original eight rivers protected by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968, the Middle Fork was identified as one of the nation’s greatest natural treasures. Following President Jimmy Carter’s trip down the Middle Fork in August of 1978, the area surrounding the river was identified for further protection. In 1980, the River of No Return Wilderness Area (Renamed the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area in 1984) became the largest contiguous wilderness area in the U.S. outside of Alaska. Today, the Middle Fork of the Salmon River offers a unique wilderness experience. Traveling down a free-flowing river hundreds of miles from roads and technology reminds us not only of what is important to us, but of the importance of protecting these wild places. 

Beginning at 6,280 feet above sea level, the Middle Fork descends over 3,000 vertical feet on its path through the Salmon River Mountains. This drastic drop in elevation allows the river to showcase a variety of unique ecosystems. Just below the put-in at Boundary Creek, the river travels through a high alpine forest of Lodgepole Pine and Douglas Fir. At mile 25, as the river passes Indian Creek, a semi-arid environment begins to dominate the river canyon. Here, towering Ponderosa Pine trees line the river corridor, providing perfectly shaded camp sites. Below the Flying B Ranch, the river undergoes yet another dramatic change as it plunges into the Impassable Canyon. Named for the inability to establish a through trail, the Impassable Canyon is the third-deepest canyon in the United States. As the river cuts through the 98-million-year-old Idaho Batholith that covers 13,500 sq. miles of central Idaho, towering granite walls rise towards the sky. This dramatic ending is fitting for such a magical and special river, marking the finish of a bucket-list whitewater rafting or fly fishing trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

Our presenter, Jake Baker, grew up in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. and began running rivers with his parents at a mere 18 months old. He spent his childhood exploring the seemingly endless rivers of California during the summer and skiing its impressive mountains during the winter. Jake attended the University of Nevada, Reno as a Division 1 ski racer and graduated with a degree in Journalism. During college he began his guiding career, following in the footsteps of his river guide parents. By his early 20s he was traveling the world in search of whitewater, both in a raft and whitewater kayak. A once in a lifetime opportunity landed Jake a job on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in 2021, where he immediately fell in love with the Idaho wilderness. After 14 years of river guiding and managing rafting companies, Jake’s lifelong dream of owning and operating his own river outfitting business came to fruition in 2023 when he became co-owner of Solitude River Trips. He now happily calls Salmon, Idaho his home.