Oregon-based outfitter expands gourmet wilderness dining program to Idaho’s deepest gorge

The aroma of brown butter mingles with the roar of whitewater as Chef Matthew Domingo plates hand-picked morels over housemade pasta on a rock table beside the Snake River. Around him, the granite walls of Hells Canyon rise nearly 8,000 feet, creating North America’s deepest river gorge and the backdrop for what may be the most elaborate outdoor dining experience in the American West.

“I cured it, I brined it, and I started to butter poach it with a little bit of wine on bottom,” said Domingo, describing his preparation of fresh-caught salmon during a recent three-day Momentum River Expeditions trip through Hells Canyon. The meal featured Italian salsa verde, smoked potatoes with black garlic aioli, and a carrot-yogurt puree that would impress diners at an upscale urban restaurant.

This is Momentum’s second year operating in Idaho’s Hells Canyon, marking a strategic expansion for the Ashland, Oregon-based company that has built its reputation on world-class whitewater rafting. Now it’s doing the same with combining that outdoor adventure with gourmet wilderness dining.

Founded more than 20 years ago, Momentum has established itself as a premium operator across the American West, offering trips in Oregon, Northern California, Idaho, Arizona and Alaska. In its second season on The Snake, Momentum hopes to attract even more thrill seekers to Idaho’s rivers.

Strategic Idaho expansion

The decision to add Hells Canyon to Momentum’s portfolio reflects both practical business considerations and the company’s commitment to top notch wilderness experiences. The canyon offers what company officials describe as a perfect fit for their brand, showcasing dramatic scenery, manageable logistics despite its remote location, and the ability to deliver their signature luxury camping and charter experiences.

“Idaho has some of the best multi-day wilderness river trips in the world,” said Pete Wallstrom, Momentum’s founder and owner.

“Hells Canyon is super remote, but it has been popular for many years so the infrastructure to get in and out is pretty solid.”

The Snake River through Hells Canyon provides ideal conditions for Momentum’s gourmet program. Unlike some of the company’s more challenging destinations, the river’s characteristics allow for the elaborate meal preparation and luxury camping that distinguishes Momentum from standard rafting operations.

“It’s just a historic river trip,” Wallstrom said. “It really fits what we already were doing. Hells was just a perfect match with its scenery, history, length, uniqueness, and because it lends itself to doing our fancier camping and charter trips.”

The wilderness gourmet program allows chefs like Domingo to create restaurant-quality meals using portable kitchens and extensive logistical planning. Domingo, who has worked in Portland restaurants and previously served as executive chef at Traeger Grills, brings professional culinary expertise to one of America’s most remote locations.

“I have everything measured out inside my cooler to the exact container,” Domingo said, describing method required for wilderness gourmet cooking. “I have to take my menu and break that down into what lives inside of those coolers in order to make this work. It’s nothing different than restaurants that do outside events, except we’re doing it on the side of a river.”

The logistical complexity extends far beyond typical camping cuisine. Domingo creates multi-course dinners featuring items like pasta with brown butter and morels, butter-poached salmon with Italian salsa verde, and bacon-wrapped pork belly. Every ingredient must be pre-measured and packed to survive multiple days of whitewater transport while maintaining food safety standards.

“Every single bite I’m just like, where the hell am I?” said guest Andy Newbold of San Francisco, who joined his father Steven and brother Matthew on a recent trip. “I can’t believe we are eating this outdoors by a river. How does that happen?”

Guide expertise and operations

The success of Momentum’s Idaho operations depends heavily on experienced guides who manage both river safety and the complex logistics of luxury camping. Carly Mentink, one of the company’s guides, represents the caliber of staff Momentum employs across its operations.

“The camp cooks are incredible,” Mentink said. On standard trips, guides handle cooking duties, but the gourmet program adds a dedicated chef who begins meal preparation hours before guests return from the day’s rafting.

The company operates different service levels depending on the destination and trip type. Hells Canyon gourmet trips feature all levels of service, where guides set up and break down guest tents, handle all camp logistics, and support the chef’s elaborate meal preparation.

“This is the most luxurious one, where we do everything,” she said. “We set up and take down your tents. You guys just enjoy the experience.”

Momentum’s expansion into Idaho reflects broader trends in adventure tourism, where affluent travelers seek authentic experiences without sacrificing comfort. The company’s approach addresses this market by providing genuine wilderness access combined with luxury amenities that remove traditional camping barriers.

“Our mission is to create world-class outdoor experiences that are consistently among the best run trips anywhere and to protect our wild places by emotionally connecting our guests to the places that we love and call home,” Wollstrom said. “Our goal is to show and connect them to wild places in a way that they understand, appreciate, enjoy and feel comfortable with.”

The timing of the Idaho expansion proved strategic. In 2024, dam removal on the Klamath River eliminated one of Momentum’s signature base camp operations, making the addition of Hells Canyon particularly valuable for maintaining capacity and revenue.

“In 2024, the dams were being removed from the Klamath, so we were not on that river. It was a perfect time to add the Snake,” Wollstrom said. “We have grown slowly and intentionally since we started, and the timing was perfect.”

The company’s approach to growth emphasizes careful selection of destinations that align with their operational capabilities and brand positioning. Hells Canyon trips book early and fill consistently, similar to Momentum’s established operations on Idaho’s Main Salmon River and Oregon’s Rogue River.

Operational challenges and solutions

Operating gourmet dining programs in remote wilderness locations presents unique challenges that Momentum has addressed through years of experience. The permitting process alone took approximately one year due to the regulatory complexity of operating in protected wilderness areas. Momentum’s 20-year operational history and established safety record facilitated the approval process.

“Momentum has been around for over 20 years, and I have been guiding for over 30, so all that history and knowledge goes into every trip and itinerary we build,” Wollstrom said.

As Momentum continues operating in Idaho, the company is focusing expansion efforts on newly accessible rivers rather than additional Idaho destinations. The recent completion of the largest dam removal project in history on the Klamath River presents opportunities to explore previously inaccessible stretches.

“As far as new itineraries go, we are focused on the Klamath after dam removal,” Wallstrom said. “It is not often you get to explore stretches of river that have never been rafted before.”

For Idaho, Momentum plans to refine and perfect its Hells Canyon operations rather than pursuing additional state permits. The Snake River trips have proven successful in attracting the company’s target demographic: guests who “tend to rotate through our rivers each season” and book the four-day length as part of longer American West adventures.

As adventure tourism continues growing, Momentum’s model suggests that success lies not just in accessing remote locations, but in reimagining how those locations can be experienced without compromising either authenticity or comfort.