Strainer Death on Marsh Creek

Posted April 1- Missoula Whitewater Community – Zach Wolfe PSA wood update on MF Salmon and Marsh Creek: Flows were 3.6ft -A wind storm hit the upper MF and Marsh Creek sometime this winter. There is a LOT of new wood, and it’s pretty bad wood. We portaged four times on Marsh, and boofed over at least as many logs. High water will fix some of the wood, but make some of the new wood very dangerous. There is a new log jam on Marsh Creek (44.43632, -115.20455)caused by three green trees blown over crossing the entire creek. It’s in the middle of a rapid that starts upstream around a blind corner. We got out just above it on river left. This was fine with our flows, but it will get pushy and more dangerous quickly with higher flows. Also make sure to look at the “crux” rapid on Marsh (44.44343, -115.21628). There is very bad wood in the middle of it that you would not see until you were committed. There was a fine line just left and over it, but bad consequences if you missed your line On the MF there is a lot of new wood that is partially in play. It will mostly clean up with high water, but be heads up the entire length of the river. There is a very dangerous log below Stoddard camp, just above otter bar camp that crossed 3/4 of the river and is in the main current. It required us the sneak down the left of the river. It was mostly unseen until we were very close to it. I didn’t take any photos, and I don’t have any other pins. One kayaker has died after getting stuck under some logs on Marsh Creek, reports the Custer County Sheriff’s Office. Author: Zoe Tuttle KTVB7 Boise ID May 7, 2026 CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho — Several Idaho agencies worked together on a multi-day rescue of a group of kayakers from the Marsh Creek area. According to a social media post from Custer County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began on May 5, around 7:50 p.m. The Valley County Sheriff’s Office alerted Custer County to reports of a kayaker stuck under logs on Marsh Creek. Just five minutes after receiving the report, Custer County Search and Rescue were deployed. The social post states that around the 8:39 p.m. time frame, the sheriff’s office was told that CPR had been started by other kayakers in the group. Air St. Luke’s Medical helicopter was dispatched from Wood River; however, the terrain did not allow for a landing. That’s when the Idaho National Guard was deployed. The National Guard was able to retrieve the patient and bring him to an ambulance at the Boundary Creek parking lot along Highway 75. The patient did not survive the incident. At this time, the name of the deceased has not been publicly released due to pending notification to the family. Then, on May 6, the Spokane Valley Sheriff’s Office provided a helicopter to resume search-and-rescue efforts, helping get more of the rafting party out of the wilderness. Law enforcement explains that the rafting group still had to get equipment down the river, so some group members were replaced by new members. On May 7, around 11:30 a.m., efforts continue to retrieve the eight remaining rafting members. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office extends its condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

Posted April 1- Missoula Whitewater Community – Zach Wolfe

PSA wood update on MF Salmon and Marsh Creek: Flows were 3.6ft -A wind storm hit the upper MF and Marsh Creek sometime this winter. There is a LOT of new wood, and it’s pretty bad wood. We portaged four times on Marsh, and boofed over at least as many logs. High water will fix some of the wood, but make some of the new wood very dangerous. There is a new log jam on Marsh Creek (44.43632, -115.20455)caused by three green trees blown over crossing the entire creek. It’s in the middle of a rapid that starts upstream around a blind corner. We got out just above it on river left. This was fine with our flows, but it will get pushy and more dangerous quickly with higher flows. Also make sure to look at the “crux” rapid on Marsh (44.44343, -115.21628). There is very bad wood in the middle of it that you would not see until you were committed. There was a fine line just left and over it, but bad consequences if you missed your line

On the MF there is a lot of new wood that is partially in play. It will mostly clean up with high water, but be heads up the entire length of the river. There is a very dangerous log below Stoddard camp, just above otter bar camp that crossed 3/4 of the river and is in the main current. It required us the sneak down the left of the river. It was mostly unseen until we were very close to it.

I didn’t take any photos, and I don’t have any other pins.

One kayaker has died after getting stuck under logs on Marsh Creek, reports the Custer County Sheriff’s Office.

Author: Zoe Tuttle KTVB7, Boise ID

May 7, 2026

CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho — Several Idaho agencies worked together on a multi-day rescue of a group of kayakers from the Marsh Creek area. According to a social media post from Custer County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began on May 5, around 7:50 p.m. The Valley County Sheriff’s Office alerted Custer County to reports of a kayaker stuck under logs on Marsh Creek. Just five minutes after receiving the report, Custer County Search and Rescue were deployed.

The social post states that around the 8:39 p.m. time frame, the sheriff’s office was told that CPR had been started by other kayakers in the group. Air St. Luke’s Medical helicopter was dispatched from Wood River; however, the terrain did not allow for a landing. That’s when the Idaho National Guard was deployed. The National Guard was able to retrieve the patient and bring him to an ambulance at the Boundary Creek parking lot along Highway 75.

The patient did not survive the incident. At this time, the name of the deceased has not been publicly released due to pending notification to the family.

Then, on May 6, the Spokane Valley Sheriff’s Office provided a helicopter to resume search-and-rescue efforts, helping get more of the rafting party out of the wilderness. Law enforcement explains that the rafting group still had to get equipment down the river, so some group members were replaced by new members.

On May 7, around 11:30 a.m., efforts continue to retrieve the eight remaining rafting members. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office extends its condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

Report ID#77666

Description