Esalen Couples Massage Workshop on the Main Salmon River
Esalen® Couples Massage & River Rafting Trip On Idaho’s Wild and Scenic Main Salmon River with Nora Matten & Middle Fork River Expeditions
JUNE 27- JULY 2, 2018
$1799/person
Do you long to connect with yourself and your loved on a deeper level? Have you ever wanted to learn massage and/or dreamed of going on a river rafting trip?
Come join Nora Matten, Esalen® Massage Teacher and Therapist and Middle Fork River Expeditions for a trip of a lifetime on the Salmon River in Idaho. James Ellsworth, owner of Middle Fork River Expeditions and Nora Matten have brought together their love of connection through nature as well as touch.
Our mission is to help you reconnect with yourself and your loved one in new ways; to give you the opportunity to unplug from modern society and reconnect to yourself and your partner through the flow of the river, the power of nature and the art of touch.
What –The workshop and river trip will consist of daily morning meditation, grounding exercises, gentle movement/ yoga practice to help us come into our own experience and prepare our bodies for the day of river rafting and massage. After breakfast you will head down the river in the vessel of your choice; paddle raft, inflatable kayak, stand-up paddle boards, or you can ride comfortably on an oar raft in our luxurious “Queen of Sheeba Paco Pad Couch”, effortlessly taking in the scenery. In the afternoons we will set up camp in a scenic camp site and come together for approximately a 2 ½ hours Esalen Massage class.
Where – The Salmon River, also called the River of No Return, runs through the 4.7 million acre Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, the largest road-less area in the country and is one of the most pristine and untouched terrain in the US. The river is famous for it’s large sandy beaches that are ideal for camping, the warm water, fun and easy whitewater and the best hot spring in the Pacific Northwest. These unparalleled characteristics make it an ideal destination for an Esalen massage class.
Itinerary – Upon launching our rafts at Corn Creek, 3200 feet above sea level, we will journey into the pristine heart of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area. We will encounter Killum and Gun Barrel rapids on the first day, which are both easy Class III wave trains. In the afternoon we will set up camp and have our first 2.5 hour Esalen Massage class followed by a first-class meal. Each day will bring new discoveries: exciting rapids like Black Creek,Big Mallard, Bailey, 5 Mile, Split Rock, Elkhorn and Growler rapids, historical sites such as Buckskin Bill’s homestead and Jim Moore’s place (maybe you’ll find the fortune he buried in the hillside!), and the much anticipated Barth Hot Springs. Avid hikers may enjoy challenging hikes to Rabbit Point or Indian Creek, where the beautiful views are well worth the effort taken to get there. We will stop and visit with several families that live along the river year round and they will share their stories of living “off the grid” in the wilderness and take us on a tour of their homesteads. We may get the chance to try on bear, bobcat and wolf head dresses at our stop at Yellow Pine homestead.
Massage Class – The massage class will consist of brief demos, lecture, hands on guidance and plenty of time for supervised practice. You will learn to nurture your partner with you loving hands and discover the pleasure of cultivating a practice of loving, non-sexual touch in your relationship.
Intention – A present, attuned and tender touch can do wonders for any relationship by easing stress, releasing tension and supporting connection and intimacy. This trip will help couples discover new ways of relating with, and nourishing each other. During this six day adventure you will discover yourself and your partner anew through nature and the art of touching with presence, sensitivity, and listening hands.You will learn how to enter into your partners field with sensitivity, how to listen with your heart and hands to what your partner needs and wants and how to use this attuned touch to express your love.
Often our partner’s needs and desires are different from our own. While I may like soft and light touch, my partner may like deeper contact. We will discover the differences and you will be supported in giving in an attuned way while being aware of and honoring your own boundaries, needs, and sense of wellbeing. For some of us it is easier to give and harder to receive. As the receiver you will be encouraged to open to what is being offered and receive the love that is being given. Cultivating a practice of non sexual, sensual touch and expressing our love through touching with presence sensitivity and listening hands helps us to let go of everyday stresses and come into deeper contact with ourselves and our partners.
What to bring – Besides appropriate layers of clothing and personal items ( packing list will be provided), please bring your favorite poem or song. Massage tables/ sheets and oil will be provided. Middle Fork River Expeditions will be providing fresh and healthy meals and all camping equipment, so you will be camping in style.
Cost – $1799 per person
How to Reserve Your Space
Please call James at 1-800-801-5146
or email him at middlefork@idahorivers.com
SCHEDULE
June 26th
Please arrive in Salmon, Idaho the night before the trip begins. Salmon is a 5-hour drive from Boise and a 2-hour drive from Missoula.
Pre-trip Orientation at the Stagecoach Inn (208-756-2919) at 7:30pm the evening before the trip begins. We will get acquainted, answer questions, and have a short orientation to show you how to pack the waterproof gear bags we provide for your personal gear. Please arrange with River Shuttles (208-756-4188) to shuttle your vehicle from the Stagecoach Inn to Carey Creek, which is the take-out for the river. Please note lodging at the Stagecoach Inn is arranged on your own.
June 27
We meet at 7:30am at the Stagecoach Inn for a 2-hour bus ride to the Corn Creek put-in for the Salmon River of No Return. We will stop after 45 minutes to get last minute items (fishing licenses, beer, sunscreen etc.) at the North Fork Store. Upon launching our rafts at Corn Creek, 3200 feet above sea level, we journey into the pristine heart of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area. We will encounter Killum and Gun Barrel rapids today, which are both easy class III wave trains. In the afternoon we will set up camp and spend about 2.5 hours learning Esalen Massage. Evenings are free and to be enjoyed relaxing by the campfire, listening to the guides sing and play guitar and watching for shooting stars.
June 28- July 1 – Each day brings new discoveries: exciting rapids like Black Creek, Big Mallard, Bailey, 5 Mile, Split Rock, Elkhorn and Growler rapids, historical sites such as Buckskin Bill’s homestead and Jim Moore’s place (maybe you’ll find the fortune he buried in the hillside!), and the much anticipated Barth Hot Springs. We will stop and visit with several families that live along the river year round and they will share their stories of living “off the grid” in the wilderness and take us on a tour of their homesteads. We may get the chance to try on bear, bobcat and wolf head dresses at our stop at Yellow Pine homestead. Each afternoon we will set up camp and have about 2 ½ hours to learn Esalen Massage. The evenings are free and to be enjoyed relaxing by the campfire, listening to the guides sing and play guitar and watching for shooting stars.
July 2
We float for 5-6 miles this morning after running challenging rapids like Chittam and Vinegar Creek and arrive at the take-out at Carey Creek around 9-10am. Please have your car shuttled from the Stagecoach Inn in Salmon to Carey Creek with River Shuttles (208-756-4188). The cost is ~$360 plus $50 gas. The drive from Carey Creek to Boise or Missoula takes 5-6 hours. Do not schedule any flights before 7pm this evening. A good option is to drive 2 hours and overnight in McCall, and drive the remaining 3 hours the next morning to Boise for flights after 1pm. The Super 8 in McCall (208) 634-4637 has clean rooms or the Hotel McCall (866-800-1183) is a more expensive and a very nice hotel.
If driving, your car will be waiting for you and you can be on your way.
If flying, we can provide transportation (2 hours) to McCall, Idaho ($50/person charge), arriving by 2pm for flights (~$200) with Sawtooth Flying Service (800-798-6105) back to Boise, arriving by 3-4pm.
We can also drive you all the way from Carey Creek to Boise (5 hours), Idaho (additional $100/ person charge). Anticipated time of arrival back to Boise is approximately 6:00 p.m., but unexpected events could delay us so if you plan on flying out this evening please arrange flights for after 8pm. We recommend you stay another night in Boise and fly out the next day to avoid complications in flight connections after the trip. We recommend the Best Western Vista Inn ((800) 727-5006) which is right next to the airport and has a shuttle service. There is also a nice restaurant adjacent to the hotel for dinner.
Please let us know if you would like ground transportation on July 2 to get to McCall or Boise, otherwise we will assume you are shuttling your car to the take-out point at Carey Creek.
Come join us!
Warmly,
Nora & James