Selway River Adventures with Doug Proctor

The Selway is protected by the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

An episode of the The Trail Less Traveled podcast, hosted by Mandela Leola van Eeden, titled "Selway River Adventures with Doug Proctor" was published on January 17, 2026 and runs 34 minutes.

January 17, 2026 ·34m · The Trail Less Traveled

Summary

Doug Proctor grew up just outside Cincinnati, Ohio, where his love for rivers was seeded early in life. As a boy he spent years canoeing with his family and through the Boy Scouts on class one rivers across southern Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. At the age of 12 he embarked on his first extended canoe trip—a two-week wilderness journey in Kentucky that helped shape his lifelong passion for river travel and backcountry adventure. In 1977 Proctor began his professional guiding career, leading whitewater rafting trips commercially on the New Riverand the Gauley River, two of the eastern United States’ premier whitewater destinations. Over the next 35 years he built extensive experience as an outfitter in West Virginia, guiding trips through challenging Class III and Class IV waters and cultivating deep skills in river stewardship, guest experience, and wilderness logistics. His love of rivers and adventure didn’t stop in Appalachia. His guiding has taken him to Grand Canyon, Alaska, Chile, Costa Rica, Idaho, and numerous rivers in both the eastern and western United States. These experiences helped refine his craft as a guide renowned for both technical competence and a commitment to sharing wild rivers with thoughtful guests. Today Proctor is co-owner of Selway River Adventures, a wilderness rafting outfitter based in Stanley, Idaho. With his partners he operates under one of the extremely limited commercial permits on the Selway River, a nationally designated Wild and Scenic river flowing through the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. Trips are typically five to six days long, weaving technical whitewater with solitude and natural beauty few river runners ever get to experience. Proctor now lives in Stanley with his wife Cathy and their dogs, drawn to Idaho by the remarkable concentration of great rivers in the region. Guiding river trips for over 40 years, he views sharing his experience with guests and friends as not just a profession but a deep passion—one rooted in the rhythms of wild water and the stories those rivers tell. Show notes: 00:03:51 - The Selway River: Permit System and Access00:05:56 - From Boy Scouts to River Guide Entrepreneur00:07:56 - Class 6 Rafting Company Origin Story00:09:59 - Selway River: Protected Wilderness and Rafting History00:12:24 - Early Spring Wildlife and River Adventure00:15:41 - Protecting Rivers and Wilderness Areas00:17:56 - Selway River Adventures Trip Overview00:19:38 - First-Time River Trips Need Only Willingness00:21:41 - Wildlife Abundance on the Selway River00:24:23 - Salmon Extinction Crisis and Dam Removal Solutions00:26:27 - Selway Lodge History and River Adventures00:28:21 - Epic River Adventures in Alaska and Beyond00:30:19 - Doug's Eighth Grade Singing Trauma00:31:53 - Three Pieces of Life Advice and Conservation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Description