Along for the ride: Yellowstone - Idaho Lakes and Rivers

We cross over the Snake River into Idaho at Weiser, home of the annual National Oldtime Fiddlers Contest and Festival. I attended one in the mid 70's and according to the locals, it hasn't changed much since then. Glad to hear it's still going. It's a fun festival.

Like the sign says - Welcome to Idaho

Clouds build over the hills

After leaving town we follow the Weiser River as the road starts a gradual climb on our way to McCall ID.

Weiser River

Black Angus in their summer pastures

McCall has certainly become a prosperous resort town (might even call it "chi-chi") since our last visit many years ago. It enjoys a beautiful location in the mountains on the shores of the Payette Lake.

Downtown McCall

Payette Lake Marina

We wind our way through the streets of McCall to nearby Ponderosa State Park, where we find a nice campsite close to the Peninsula Trail that runs alongside the lake. We get hook-ups and showers for around $20 night as well as very good WiFi for less than $3/day - such a deal.

Our campsite at Ponderosa

Late afternoon on the Ponderosa trees

and on Payette Lake

There's lots to see and do at this state park. In addition to all kinds of water sports, the park offers many trails for hiking and biking. In fact, it's not unusual to hear the sound of kids learning how to ride a bike equipped with training wheels. The next morning, Peter takes his bike out for a spin while I work on posting blog pages. When he returns we decide to hike some of the trails he's explored.

Peter checks out one of many sandy swimming beaches

Pileated Woodpecker
was here

Lilly Pad Marsh

Water skiing on lake

Dog walkers

Twin fawns feed close to our camp

Feeling like I need a shower after our hike, I take off to the Women's Showers. As usual, I undress and remove my glasses before entering the shower with warm water running. In closing the curtain behind me, I see something about the size of my palm jump off and onto the floor below. Oh no! It's about the size of a cane spider (which are common in Hawaii). I calm down by reminding myself that spiders that size probably aren't in central Idaho. After searching the shower floor, I don't see anything, but during the course of the shower, my foot bumps up something squishy. Ugh - someone has probably left something on the floor.

Western Striped Chorus Frog

Once dressed and again have my glasses on, I notice a small frog sitting in the corner of the shower watching me intently. I wonder if I should catch him and put him outside where he belongs, but he appears to be fat and happy just where he is, so I leave him be. Later I learn he's a Western Striped Chorus Frog, common to this area. That evening, the rangers leave the door to the bath house wide open to let out extra steam from the showers. I check out the shower stalls. He's gone, probably hopped out to his home.

After an idyllic stay (yes, we'll be back to Ponderosa again), we continue up into the mountains following the Small Salmon River to Riggins ID, a favorite town of Salmon River runners. You may have noticed how we tend to mention various rivers we cross. When we were younger, we belonged to a river running co-op in the San Diego area. In the early 70's I was dating a guy whose friends were all busy making their own river kayaks in backyards. None of us knew what we were doing in the beginning, but we picked it up along the way through various adventures and mis-adventures. Fortunately, we managed to live through it all and surprisingly, many of us have remained friends to this day (although none of us with the original partners we started out with).

Up farther into the Idaho mountains

Small Salmon River

Riggins ID

Riggins sits at the confluence of the Small Salmon and the Main Salmon Rivers.We take a short trip down memory lane by visiting one of the main take-outs and put-ins for various river trips. While we are there, a woman stops her 4 wheel drive vehicle by me as I'm taking photos. She wants to know if I'd like to run a shuttle with her. I laugh and remark that running shuttles was one of my least favorite part of running rivers. We then get into a discussion as to our favorite Idaho river to run. We both agree it's the Middle Fork of the Salmon (also know as the River of No Return), for it's scenic beauty, fun rapids, and it's many hot springs.

The Main Salmon River

River runner changes clothes
in bushes by raft

Rafters on the Main

The clouds building over the hills remind me of gazing up at the sky during quiet stretches rafting Idaho rivers.

Back on the road, we pass the small community of White Bird ID where the first battle of the Nez Perce War was fought. It is also known as being near a river crossing on the Lewis and Clarke Trail.

Community of White Bird ID

The plain on the left is where the Battle of White Bird was fought

Our progress is generally upward as we travel to higher altitudes.

Up over a small pass

and down again

past ranches and farms

The towns begin to have a less polished modern and more rustic feel to them, making them more interesting to us.

Downtown Grangeville ID

Kooshia ID

Kooshia Elk welcomes visitors

From Kooshia ID, we turn onto Route 12 which generally follows along the Lewis and Clark Trail up the Bitterroot Mountains through Lolo Pass. Although we've both been on this stretch of road before, we find it exciting to be traveling the same route they took so long ago. We start by following the aptly named Clearwater River.


Clearwater River

Lewis and Clark Trail marker

Now that's a fancy ranch gate.
Wonder if there are any Bald Eagles around?

We continue following the Clearwater past the confluence with the Selway River, perhaps Idaho's wildest river to run (which I never got up the nerve to go on from all the stories told about it).