July 1, 2010 Salmon River

Late yesterday we realized we had passed from the Pacific Time Zone to the Mountain Time Zone.  This is yet more evidence that our great adventure has passed the half way mark.  

This morning steam rose from the hot spring across the road.  Several cars are parked over there but I don’t think they are indulging in the hot spring.  It appears they spent the night there.  One thing I love about the west is that you can pull off the road at a wide spot and go to sleep if you want too.  No one chases you off.  Back east every pull off has numerous no parking signs.  Out here, if we don’t find a campsite, we can just pull off the road and go to sleep.  

Another major difference I see in the west is the domination of conifer trees.  There are very few to no deciduous trees on the mountainsides.  The mountains stay green all winter as opposed to the bleak look back east when all the leaves fall off.  One transplant bemoaned the fact that they don’t have any fall color out here like back east.  True.  But I don’t think winter would be so depressing if you look out and see green mountains instead of barren lifeless hillsides.

I love the northwest.  Had I grown up here, even though it is cold, I don’t think I would have left.  The sun shines most of the time once you get away from the coast.  I don’t think winter would be so depressing.  That is what I really hated about living in the northeast.  Winter was dark and cloudy for months at a time.  Everything was lifeless and dead.  Too many people strung along too few resources is another reason the east is unappealing to me.  The Great Smokey Mountains are beautiful in the summer but they are nearly as packed as Disney World over Christmas vacation.  Out here, it is easy to find s quiet secluded spot to call all your own for the day.  It can be done on the east coast but you will probably find a no parking or posted property sign when you get there.  Here much of the land is National Forest.  It is open to all to use and enjoy, not just a lucky few.

If it were possible, I would like to come out here to spend my summers.  We have found a few special places we would really like to return to.  They are not places you will find readily on a map.  They don’t have a horde of visitors each year.  Some of the most beautiful places in our country don’t have a National Park border spread around them.  I think many visitors out here streak past the best places to get to the tourist traps.  I am actually dreading Yellowstone.  I know what it will be before we get there,  Manhattan madness with bubbling mud and steam.  Call me cynical, if you like, that is how I see it. 

My lovely bride has just risen.  I will have to suspend my tale for a time.  

Some guys just pulled in and unloaded several tents.  They were eyeing our spot as they set tents up on neighboring sites.  I went out to get some drinks from the basement.  The older man came over to ask if we were staying there over the weekend.  He was delighted to hear we would be moving on this morning.  He has his whole family, which includes 20 grandkids, coming up for the weekend.  He was out putting tents on enough campsites for all of them.  That is something that is not normally allowed unless you occupy them continuously.  However, this campground only had two of us in it last night.  The host says it rarely has anyone in it so saving sites would be welcome in this case.

Two ravens were outside calling while I was taking my morning birdbath.  I told Darlie the one doing all the squawking sounded like it was a female hollering Frank.  Frank, you left your wet underwear on the bathroom floor again.  Frank, take out the garbage.  Frank, your feet smell.  I filled in the blanks for you.   Darlie said both of them were squawking but I didn’t witness it so I doubt her report.  It sure sounded like a female to me.

As we resumed our travel along the South Fork of the Payette River.  We passed several hot springs.  The canyon below narrowed creating very large rapids.  Darlie took at least three hundred rapid photos.  Rapids are rapids, for crying out loud.

Black volcanic rock jutted skyward from hills covered in green velvet.  The highway wound around the river, the canyon wall dropping away sharply.  The scenery is so beautiful you want to bring it all home with you.  Darlie is attempting to do that.  We had to reload fresh batteries in two cameras today.  Usually only one needs to be recharged.

The weather has been nothing less than spectacular.  Cool evenings with sunny warm days with a gentle breeze.  All along our route people have told us that we got there just at the right time.  “A week ago it was cold and rainy.”, they say.  We believe our steps are ordered of the Lord so why wouldn’t He lead us as the weather improves?

As we descended from the mountains, a broad green valley opened before us.  We found a nice place to pull over next to a meadow lined with lodge pole pines.  This would be our lunch camp.  

We walked down into the meadow.  The ground was soft and moist.  Splotches of yellow, lavender and white flowers accented the numerous shades of green.  There was an old woven wooden fence running around the meadow.  We stopped for a photo.  A couple of prairie dogs scampered around in the grass disappearing into their holes.

Our pleasant stroll changed to a made dash for the MH.  Tiny mosquitoes with huge hypodermic beaks attacked us like a hungry teen would his lunch.  It is amazing how something so small can put to flight something so large.  We ate our lunch from the safety of the MH while the pests buzzed around the screens.

While sitting in our lunch camp we noticed equal numbers of campers going in each direction on the highway.  All the campers we have seen have been from Idaho or Utah.  It reminds me of when we lived on the lake when we would get up in the morning and run our boat across the lake to fish on the other shore.  At the same time those on the other side were headed for my side to fish.  The grass always looks greener somewhere else.  The grass is greener here than at home but unless you have found contentment in your own heart you will never be satisfied anywhere.

As we resumed our travel along the green valley floor, snow covered peaks rose before us.  A sure sign we soon would be going up again.  We came to the small town of Stanley located on the banks of the Salmon River.  It is a tourist hub for rafters, hikers and campers of all stripe.  There was a small market there.  We were longing for some fresh fruit.  The prices were comparable to gold rush boom town prices.  We selected two bananas and an apple which will be eaten very slowly to get every dollars worth from them.

Sawtooth Mountains

This part of the Salmon river was traveled by Lewis and Clark.  Having been to Ft. Clatsop a short time ago, the expedition was fresh in our minds.  As I looked down the river I could imagine dugout canoes rounding the bend loaded with men and equipment.  Only a blip in eternity separates me from them.  They were courageous men.

A historical marker caught our attention so we pulled into the parking area to explore.  It was the Sunbeam Bathhouse built by the CCC during the depression.  The bathhouse collected water from a very hot spring.  The 180 degree water was cycled through a pipe laid in the river to cool it enough for a bath.  Some built homes near the spring.  They collected the water in barrels under the floor to heat their houses.

The spring still runs hot and strong today.  It boils out of the ground steaming hot.  Darlie said, “Stick your finger in it and see how hot it is.”  I just gave her the “do I look that stupid” look.  She walked downstream a short way and stuck her hand in.  She pulled it right back out and said,  “That’s hot!”  No kidding.  Who would have thought.

We met a young couple there.  They were from Washington state.  I was visiting with them about their travels when I noticed Darlie up high on the hill on the other side of the road trying to take a picture of something.  She slipped on the steep slope and fell on her butt.  I told the young couple I needed to go rescue my wife and took off up the hill.

After I had escorted her back to the highway we noticed the young couple had climbed into the back of their station wagon.  They soon emerged with swimming suits.  They descended to the river where there was a small pool at the point where the hot water enters the river.  They got in for a minute and got back out fairly quickly.  I don’t think the river water had mixed enough with the hot spring water.

We traveled on.  As we neared Challis the land became more arid.  Mountains were brown sparsely sagebrush covered lumps.  Some mountains were little more than giant piles of rocks.  The sides so steep rocks have cascaded down to form large rock piles at their bases.  Now I know where those expensive rocks come from that we buy by the pound in Florida.  Enterprising businessmen pile the nature cut rocks on large pallets, wrap them with plastic and ship them off for suckers that feel the need to own a rock.

As the day wore on, I began to wonder about our perfect campsite.  Each day the Lord has led us to a very special place.  Looking out the window that seemed impossible in this inhospitable environment.  I noticed the river down below us was lined with cottonwood trees, willows and other vegetation making it an oasis in the desert.

I told Darlie I wished we could find a nice camping spot along the river in the cottonwoods.  We rounded a curve and there before us was a Forest Service sign pointing the way down to the river to the Cottonwood Campground.  Tell me there isn’t a God in heaven.

Cooling her feet in the Salmon River in front of our MH.

The park is right on the banks of the river.  It is heavily shaded with lush vegetation and cottonwood, of course.  Our campsite sits right on the river bank.  The water is rushing by only feet in front of us.  Little puffs of cotton float down from the trees who are named for this springtime event.  Many species of birds fill the trees and bushes around us.  A deer came down to drink right across the river from us.  Yes, the Lord has once again led us to that very special place.