In August of 2005, a huge rain storm caused Cramer Creek to wash a large amount of debris into the river and create was is now known as Cramer Creek Rapid. Located half a mile above Cache Bar on the Main Salmon, the take-out most commonly used by Middle Fork trips, the rapid offers a thrilling end to one of the greatest wilderness trips in the world.

Blow-outs, as they are called, are not anything new to the Middle Fork, Main Salmon, or any river system for that matter. In the summers of 2000 and 2001, fires -large and many- swept thought the Frank Church Wilderness. Many of the fires were located in creek drainages within the Middle Fork drainage. As a result, trees and vegetation were burned and the soil became unstable. Years later we can look back at those fires and connect the dots to blow-outs throughout the canyon.

The list of recent blow-outs looks like this: Oreano Creek, Jack Creek, Lake Creek (the infamous "log jam"), Kitchen Creek (Main Salmon), Bernard Creek, and, everyones favorite, Cramer Creek. The way rivers change is an exciting process. Looking at the recent events on the Middle Fork and comparing the new rapids to old ones, it is easy to see how nearly all these rapids were formed. The history of a river is a spectacular thing to imagine, but when it comes down to it, watching the river change and write another chapter is a whole lot more fun.

Below: One good reason to hit it straight: