Idaho's river outfitters offer a variety of exciting scenic river adventures, including rafting, canoeing, and kayaking on the state's prime 3,100 whitewater miles. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) recently reintroduced a bill that would further enhance opportunities for Idaho visitors to experience the beauty and tranquility of these remote and pristine areas. The Owyhee Initiative (OI) legislation, if passed, will permanently protect 517,000 acres of wilderness and designate 384 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers, including the Jarbidge/Bruneau and East and South Forks of the Owyhee River system, traditional outfitted streams. The initiative is aimed at resolving longstanding Owyhee County land management issues while providing environmental protection for the region as well as economic stability to area businesses.

River Odyssey West in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, has offered the best in outdoor travel vacations, including whitewater rafting, fly fishing, canoeing, and guided hiking trips for more than 27 years. Peter Grubb of River Odyssey West (www.rowadventures.com) says his 1 to 7 day trips in the Owyhee and Bruneau area are for "curious people who are looking for a vacation that's different." Grubb believes the OI is vital in preserving this majestic region. "There's no mandate to manage the place with any sort of preservation mandate, so there could be all kinds of environmental damage done," he explains. "That's why we need the protection."

Additionally, the bill is designed to allow river outfitters to maintain their current operations. "The language that has been drafted by the OI Work Group, with the input of outfitters and guides, basically says we'll continue river and outfitter operations as they now presently exist," says Lindsay Nothern, Senator Crapo's spokesman. "There will be obviously some changes in terms of accessing the river at different points but people can still get in and get out."

The IOGA and its member businesses also believe they will benefit from the attention the proposed legislation brings to the area. "I think it would be good thing a positive thing," says Jon Barker of Barker River Expeditions (www.barkerriver.com) in Lenore, Idaho. "We have those regions that are remote. It will draw attention to them. It would highlight that region and get them interested in an outfitted trip."

Barker's trips feature class four and five rapids and tranquil floats through towering rhyolite cliffs in the desert canyons. Barker asserts that his expeditions offer, "a sense of solitude you can't get on most trips." When not in the water, these vacations provide those with an adventurous spirit fun, exciting places to explore, including vast plateaus, riverside flats and beaches, Native American history and hot springs.