Looking for September Trip Beta

Where to go, O where to go?

A few friends have got a chunk of time planned in the second half of September to go north and we’d like to make it a packrafting trip. We’re coming from all the way down in New Mexico. While I’ve been to MT/WY/ID before for landlubber activities I’m hoping for this to be an opportunity to do a river trip that “gets me hooked”. I know I know, this is a VERY late season trip and most rivers are low but it unfortunately can’t be done any earlier. It sounds like there might be more flow this year than normal, so maybe some rivers will still be okay in September. Hell, I’ve done the legendary Taos Box at 150 cfs. I am willing to accept that whatever we do might not be in optimal condition and that a certain amount of shenanigans will be involved. Let’s just say we’re in it for the suffer-fest.

So, fellow northerners, could you throw us out some ideas???

Here are some of our criteria:

  • Total of 6-10 days
  • Solitude preferred!!
  • Even better if it’s a loop, or there’s a hired shuttle - we’d prefer to take 1 car
  • Either all-river (Selway? Salmon?) or something mixed (Winds/Green? Absarokas?)
  • Up to Class 3+, but we can portage or run shorter 4’s
  • Amount of rafting that justifies bringing the packraft, even if there’s butt dragging

Thanks!