After four fun filled days in Missoula it was time for me to head south. I've always wanted to check out the Sawtooh Mountains and Sun Valley area of Idaho. My friend Dan, who I've sailed with in the Carribean, has a place in Hailey, Idaho. We've stayed in touch over the years and now turned out to be the perfect time to take him up on his open invitation to drop in for a visit. Like me, Dan has developed an aversion to cold weather so he spends his summers in Idaho and winters in the Carribean working as a captain on everything from tugs to reasearch boats.
I had a really good time in Missoula and felt like my time there may have been a little short but the American West has so much to offer for a hiker and lover of natural outdoor beauty like myself. There's so much to see and do with the prime months being July until sometime in September when the mountains get their first snow. For those seeking the high country its a short season and the clock is ticking. Do or don't do? Who knows what next year will bring? Might as well go for it now. I seem to have shaken the indecision of July and find myself on a nice kind of road trip with a good flow. Driving to Alaska still tugs my interest but now it's a little late to consider such an option. I'm quite content hiking trails and peaks withing closer regions I've never been. It's all good.
Yesterday I rallied on my way down to Idaho and hiked to the top of Trapper Peak, the highest mountain in the Bitteroot range of Montana. A drive up a narrow forest service road followed by a steady hike/climb of 4 miles with a 3,800 ft. elevation gain lead me to a rocky summit affording excellent views of the surrounding rugged mountains. I've got my hiking legs back so the ascent went quickly as I didn't feel a need to take a break until I reached the summit. Once on top I hung out for an hour before descending.
With Trapper in the bag I followed highway 93 south to Salmon, Idaho. As I neared Salmon I drove into a river valley canyon under skies heavily tainted red, brown, and black from a nearby forest fire. With few cars on the road there was a eerie feel to it all as the smoke seemed to descend the further I drove into it. I rolled into Salmon as ash swirled about. I asked a local where the fire was. She replied a name of some canyon like I knew where it was and said the smoke was getting worse.
I continued south out of Salmon with lungs full of smoke searching for a light at the end of it all. Sure enough the smoke began to lighten. Looking in my rearview morror the sky was taking on a darker shade of black. Like a thunderstorm except there were no clouds. Just smoke. I turned west off 93 at Chalis and headed towards Stanley where another fire was burning. Fortunately the smoke was not near as bad. When the road turned south and I could see the Sawtoothed ridges of the Sawtooth range. Really impressive looking mountains. Unlike other ranges I've seen. It's really interesting how varied the mountains can be in the western states of the USA.
It was a little longer of drive than aticipated but I made Hailey before dark. Dan was happy to greet me as he was finishing up a project of removing a fire place insert that had been installed sometime around 1890. Dan has owned the home for a few years and each summer does a little more to return it to a more original state.
Of the remaining Western Victorian homes most have been victims of bad improvements starting around the 1960's. Vinyl siding over shingles over original siding. Hard wood floors hidden by shag carpets. Plaster walls covered with wood paneling. Shody kitchen and bathroom improvemets with leaks that cause wood rot. Etc. Etc. You get the idea. What were people thinking? Often times these old homes are found in areas that were depressed before they became trendy.
In the fixing up process some interesting things have surfaced including a couple of syrup cans that I estimate are around 100 years old and a gun powder tin from 1924. Also, a few bottles etc. Dan keeps hoping he might find an old jar of coins or something.
Dan, being one of the nicest easy going people you could ever meet gave me quick, Mi Casa Su Casa, tour before we went out to grab some dinner. I'm not sure how long I'll be in the Sun Valley area. Today its just nice to hang out with sunny beautiful weather and comfortable temperatures. Actually, it's kind of cold in the mornings.
Included with this post are some photos of my hike up Trapper Peak.
1 comment:
So much to see..so little time.
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