Recreation

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The 2021 Boundary Fire burned 87,000 acres in the Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness, destroying several popular backcountry trails in its wake.Earlier this summer, the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation and the Idaho Trails Association worked to clear over 12 miles of impassable trail in the far eastern reaches of Valley County.A trail crew spent 15 days clearing Middle Fork Trail #4001, which begins at the Boundary Creek Boat Launch about 84 miles east of Cascade.The crew cleared about 12.2 miles of trail from the boat launch down river along the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.The Middle Fork Trail follows the river for 82 miles, ending where the Middle Fork meets the Big Creek tributary, about 22 miles south of Cache Bar on the Main Salmon River.The non-motorized trail is primarily used by hikers and horseback riders, who use the trail to reach the wilderness, said Ryan Ghelfi, executive director for the foundation that completed the trail work.“This trail provides access to one of the wildest places in the lower 48,” he said.

With a helmet, life jacket and plastic paddle in hand, Sara Belen Tena navigated the rapids of the North Fork of the Payette River for the first time on Saturday. “I had never done anything like that, and I have driven up to McCall using that road so many times,” said Belen Tena, who is from Meridian and works at the University of Idaho McCall Outdoor Science School in McCall.