The River of No Return

"If you listen, you can hear it call...

There is a river called the River of No Return

Sometimes it's peaceful and sometimes wild and free

Love is a traveler on the River of No Return

Swept on forever to be lost in the stormy sea..."

(Song Trivia: Marilyn Monroe's singing voice was dubbed by Gloria Wood)

Lewis and Clark called it "impassable," Native Americans called it "unrunnable," gold miners called it "forbidden," the railroad called it "impractible," but once Captain Gulicky courageously ran heavily loaded wooden boats just one way down the river, it became known as "The River of No Return."

At the end of each trip, the broken boat was sold for scraps and the river runners found another way home - thus giving the Salmon River the nickname we know today.

The Salmon River is the longest undammed river in the lower 48. Traveling 425 miles in all directions - going north, then east, south and to the west, the Salmon carves through 2.4 million acres of primitive wilderness cascading 7,000 feet from the headwaters before dumping into the Snake River at Hells Canyon. It is the only major river in the U.S. contained entirely within one state.

The river is surrounded by the largest wilderness in the U.S. outside of Alaska. It took eight years, 18 Congressional hearings with 66 versions of a bill to protect and create a National Wilderness System.

Idaho Sen. Frank Church sponsored the bill that became a reality in 1964. Twenty years later his name was added creating what we now know as the Frank Church Wilderness Area in central Idaho.

Home to 370 species of animals and birds (77 mammals, 23 fish and a few old "hermits") it includes four National Forests, a variety of plant life all protected for everyone to enjoy. Wolves were introduced to the wilderness in 1995 and now there are at least 115 wolves recolonized, forming 12 known packs.

The River of No Return is also a 1954 "Western" starring Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum. It's no surprise that the producers wanted to make this Idaho location the first movie filmed in CinemaScope.

It is somewhat of a travelogue and a bit of a nature film. Originally, in May 1952 it was promoted and budgeted for filming on location in Idaho, but was later moved to Canada.

It was reported that Marilyn preferred her basecamp at the Banff Springs Hotel to roughing it in the wild. Rivers and water were more accessible there. Some long shots with stunt doubles were filmed on the actual rapids of the Salmon River, while other shots with the stars were filmed in tanks at the studio. Frequent rains, Monroe's near drowning, an injured ankle, Mitchum's heavy drinking all made editing difficult since the sequences did not match.

If you travel north to Alberta, Canada, outside Jasper to Lake Maligne, you might recognize a famous view seen in the film where Monroe is paddling a canoe - it is one of the most painted and photographed locations ever.

We should all thank Syd Albright for his contribution to the enrichment of our community by providing readers a factual and historical perspective. Just as rivers converge; history, wildlife, weather and people all tell the story of our land. No matter where you go, there is something to explore and summer vacation can provide the extra time. Enjoy!