IDAHO COUNTY, Idaho – On May 10, 2025, two individuals from a rafting group tragically lost their lives in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area. An SOS from a Garmin inReach device initially reported CPR was underway at a remote location between Double Drop and Wa-Poots, 19 miles from vehicle access, according to a release from the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office.
Later that afternoon, a text to 911 revealed a second person had also flipped into the river, requiring CPR. Life Flight confirmed the deaths of the two individuals at separate locations but could not transport them due to the remote terrain. Efforts by the US Forest Service to reach the area via mules were unsuccessful.
On the following day, Two Bear Air utilized a helicopter winch system to recover the bodies. They were transported to Cedar Flats and handed over to the Idaho County Coroner.
Names of the deceased are withheld pending family notifications. Sheriff Doug Ulmer expressed gratitude to Life Flight, Two Bear Air, the US Forest Service, Three Rivers Rafting, and Coroner Cody Funke for their assistance.
