Kayakers discover body of California man in an Idaho river, officials say

Kayakers were on Idaho’s Salmon River when they discovered a body, deputies said.

The Idaho County Sheriff’s Dispatch got a call Friday, July 8, from concerned kayakers who reported they found a body in the river about 3 miles from Island Bar.

“They were currently waiting at Island Bar,” the sheriff’s office said in a July 11 news release. “Deputies responded and were able to identify the person.”

The body was identified as Douglas Ensbury, a 58-year-old from San Gabriel, California. Deputies did not disclose additional information about Ensbury.

The sheriff’s office will continue to investigate the death.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Ensbury’s family as they navigate this difficult time,” deputies said.

The Salmon River weaves about 125 miles through Idaho. It’s been called “The River of No Return.”

The name comes from a time when boats could go down the river, but the water was too fast for the boats to get back up, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

This story was originally published July 12, 2022 at 10:46 AM with the headline "Kayakers discover body of California man in an Idaho river, officials say."