Time zones
Calgary and Banff are Mountain time, then Kelowna and Whistler are Pacific time, no change through Leg 4. On Leg 6 you lose an hour crossing back into Mountain time at the Riggins Time Zone Bridge. Leg 7 is entirely Mountain.
The flight pinch point
Leg 4's YVR → Spokane hop is a 1:00 PM departure landing 4:45 PM — confirm the routing and connection time, since it isn't a common direct city pair.
Rafting
Half-day Salmon River trip out of Stanley, departing 2:00 PM Thursday. Confirm exact duration and shuttle pickup with the outfitter — it sets the pace for the rest of the leg's drive to Ketchum.
Booking
Reserve Walla Walla wineries, dinners and lodging early — late July/early August is peak season. Same for Shore Lodge in McCall and the Fairmont/Delta hotels on the Canada leg.
Day-of-week luck
Silos & Social (closed Sun), The Double L in Riggins (closed Sun–Mon) and Stanley Baking Co. (closed Mon–Tue) are all open on the legs this trip reaches them.
Stanley vs. McCall
Waking up in Stanley instead of McCall is possible but costs an ~8.5‑hour driving leg from Walla Walla. McCall is the more comfortable base; Stanley is the more spectacular setting.