Edith Lake, ID

The problem of writing up a trip after 2 months of traveling is that things collide in your memory. In this instance, the beginning of the trail to Edith Lake gets mixed up with the one to Big Pine Lakes. Maybe because the trailhead and the initial a few hundred yards looked similar. I remember stopping at the trailhead, take picture of the trail map and walking into the woods. But I do that at all trailhead; my trailhead ritual wasn't particular to these two trails. Perhaps the fact that both trails had the body of water to the left at the beginning of the trail and then started ascending shortly after made their memories fuse. The trail to Edith Lake briefly skirted Pettit Lake and then veered to left to start the counter clock-wise loop. The Big Pine Trail had the Big Pine Creek to the left and then veered to the left in similar fashion.

So, I no longer have much memory of how I got to Edith Lake other than crossing the creek with a young couple. I got to the water's edge and was having a snack. It didn't occur to me that I had to cross it to continue. A couple came and thought I was looking for a way to cross. There was no obvious crossing. The water wasn't too deep -- about knee high at the deepest point -- so I figured we should just cross it. But the young man went downstream to look for an easier way. He eventually found a log bridge and we walked over it. It probably was easier just to ford the creek than walking over the gnarly log, but we kept out feet dry. We split up shortly after -- they walked faster than I did -- then I saw them taking lunch break by the creek. They must bush-whacked a few hundred yards down to the river when the trail started ascending. I was lying on a log and taking a break when they caught up with me at the junction to Edith Lake. They continued on and I never saw them again. I camped by Edith Lake and they must've either continued on or decided to turn back at the junction to Imogene Lake where the snow made it difficult to continue on.

A little birdie told me that there are good spots up on the top of the hill near the outlet. I climbed and voila, there was a few perfect tent sites. I took the dry one at the top that had view of the mountains on the other side of the valley and the Farly Lake in the valley in distance. Then I commuted to the lake for daily bathing with ice water. You can easily erase the memory of cold bath. 

I stayed here for two nights. I figured I could day-hike to Imogene Lake which was the original destination. I was exhausted by the time I got to Edith Lake and decided to camp there. The trail to Imogene Lake looked gruesome -- lots of switchbacks and steep climb -- and there was no way I could make it. Camping and then day-hiking to a spur trail usually works out really well and I was sure it would here. Turned out, the trail to Imogene Lake was impassible. The gruesome trail, probably with lots of rocks and steep fall-off one the side of the trail, was covered was snow. My foot fell through the snow as I climbed next to a boulder and dangled in the big gaping hole. That is probably how Kim Hong-bin, an experienced mountaineer, fell through crevice in Himalaya. It probably was a safe-looking stretch of the trail. The snow suddenly gave way, exposed the crack and he fell. I turned around at that point.

The collapsible 5L wash basin was the smartest purchase I made for the backpacking. I have to wash in the evening to sleep. Without washing, the sticky body stops me from falling asleep. I took the basin down to the outlet creek, scooped the ice water and took a bath. 

Tin Cup Trailhead

The first thing on my way as I drove into Stanley was the familiar looking meadows with creeks crisscrossing it.  It is familiar not because I've been here before, but because it is the picture that drew me to Stanley at the first place. How could anyone resist streams flowing through a picturesque meadow with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains? I would be the last one. I dream of streams whenever I have the most restful sleep.

It was Friday afternoon when I got to Stanley. And it was unlikely that I would find a campsite given the popularity of boondocking along Salmon River. I shuffled my plan and decided to do the Loop first. By the time I return to Stanley on Monday or Tuesday, campsites should open up. Then I'll camp out for a few days and do a few day-hikes from Iron Creek Trailhead. The change meant that I'd sleep for the night at Tin Cup trailhead where the Loop starts.

But I had to charge up the car first. I drove almost 200 miles from Boise, 60 of which was on gravel, and the car had only about 30 miles left. I pulled into Stanley RV and Basecamp, just across the meadow that Stanley creek runs amok in, paid $5. In return, they gave me 4 hours of charging time and an access to the shower. I then fixed pasta in the evening while charging. I took care of charging, shower and dinner there. What a bargain. Friendly pair named Joe and Sheryl made it a real pleasure. I'd repeat the process 5 days later when I came out of the Mountain.

The meadow along the Salmon River was another stunner.  It runs through the valley between Sawtooth Mountains and the ones that form Salmon National Forest. Animals are plentiful here. I encountered a large group of antelope-looking deer that I couldn't name at the entrance to Tin Cup Trailhead. Where there weren't wild animals, Cows were grazing.

I didn't do much in the town of Stanley. I needed groceries, but the Mountain Village Merchantile, the only grocery in town, was closed. The drove past it to the valley where the route 75 follows the Salmon River. Then I had to drive on dirt road for about 2 miles to get to the parking lot. I parked far from the trailhead where I thought I'd get the best protection from the sun, set up the car for the night, fixed dinner and went to sleep.

The Road to Stanley

The bullet holes on the bathroom door at Willow Creek Campground, where I stopped to take care of the morning business, were reminders that I was no longer in CA. Someone has made dozens of dents on the metal door, probably to entertain themselves. 

I continued on Arrow Rock Road along the Boise River. It then changed name to Middle Fork Boise River Road about halfway. I passed a gorge where the river raged and turned north before Atlanta. I don't remember the name of the road, but it appears to be Pheiffer Creek Road. One of the pictures I took was taken at the junction of Pheiffer Creek Road and Rabbit Creek Road. I know I followed the Boise River North Fork in the direction in flowed, past Fourmile Campground, after that.

It was unplanned discovery. The forest road 327, which became Rabbit Creek Road after the junction, followed the North Fork, a smaller and clearer branch of Boise River. In effect, I went up the Middle Fork and then followed down the North Fork on my way to Stanley. Then I turned north on NF-384, also known as Little Owl Creek Road to get to ID-21, known as Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway.

The Payette River was another unplanned discovery. The scenic byway runs mostly through, well, ponderosa pine forest.  Then it meets up with the Payette River at Lowman where it really gets scenic. I skipped the ponderosa pine portion of the byway and jumped to the Payette River.

It was a kick-ass river route that follows up the Boise River Middle Fork, down the North Fork and then up Payette River which flows somewhat parallel to Snake River and then joins it in Payette. It's a must-route for any river-philes likes me. It was one of the most scenic and memorable drive. I'm sure the 60 miles on the dirt road took a toll on my car, but it wasn't as bad as Hole in the Rock Road of similar length.

Blue Heart Spring and Boise River

Blue heart Spring was a small cove behind wooded peninsula and murky water. The entry to it is unremarkable and easy to miss. I was looking for a fork thinking that it was at the inlet of the box canyon. There was no canyon and the cove was behind a overgrown peninsula. I paddled a few hundred yards past it and then came back when there was nothing ahead.

I stopped at Ritter Island on the way to Boise hoping to hike to one of the thousand springs falls. There was a fall alright, but it was only a few hundred yards from the parking lot. I took a few pictures, spent some time at the spring fed Creek and then left for Boise. 

The 100 miles to Boise felt like an eternity and I could barely keep my eyes open. I plugged car in and then climbed into the back of the car when I got there. I did the planning for the Boise River and Stanley, and took a short nap. Then I grabbed food from Panda Express -- the same Panda Express we grabbed lunch from when we we here in 2019 -- and I was off to Boise River.

I swore that I wouldn't do dirt roads. Yet, here I was again on another long dirt road. This one was about the same as the one through Colob Terrace from Lava Point to Cedar City. About the same length as well to Atlanta. But I'm not going there. I may not have enough left in the tank to make it there and then turn around to get to Stanley. I'll split about 15 miles before Atlanta and head north to Stanley. Which means I'll be missing Chattanooga Hot springs. But there will be other hot springs along the way. Not the end of the world.

Boise river is quite a spectacle. Who knew Boise, which is missing Snake River, has even better one? I'm parked by it at Willow Creek Campground with a spectacular view of the river. But it is interested with mosquitos. I was having what I picked up at Panda Express, but I had to move back into car. I brushed my teeth and climbed into the back as soon as I was done. So much for enjoying the river.

The road to US-20 to Stanley may also be unpaved. I'll be driving on dirt road for 60 miles, if it is. 

Jackpot NV

The sign says 300 miles to Salt Lake City. I'm not going there. I'm going as far as Elko and the head north toward Twin Falls shortly after. 

Sharon, my sister, and her husband passed through here for sure. They probably have made all way to Salt Lake City on their first day. They must have, to make it to New Jersey in 4 days as they have. I can imagine how their conversation went as they passed here. I can hear his husky yet loud voice going "whoa" about the vast expanse of desertscape and brown mountains. And it no doubt would have involved God's glory and his creation. Then they would've told themselves they were glad they were leaving the West and going back to the east coast. The power of positive thinking that newborn Christians are famous for, no matter what the reality is that compelled them to move, lock stock and barrel, back to east.

That was 3 years ago, and he is now gone. He was diagnosed with Lymphoma shortly after and then passed away the next year. Sharon will be gone too in due time and there will be no one left to tell their stories. Maybe they told their stories to their children, and they will remember for a while. But then they'll be gone too and nobody will know that they passed here on that summer day. Just like my parents' stories will be forever gone when I'm gone. None of their grandchildren knows their story. None of them bothered to show up at their funeral either. 

I drove through the night and got to Jackpot at 10 pm. The campsite by Salmon Falls Creek was not accessible by a car -- I needed a high clearance vehicle to go any further. So I drove onto grass field by the trail and slept there. The creek wasn't much of use at 10pm anyway and I was going to leave to Twin Falls as soon as I get up in morning. 

Banbury Hot Springs, ID

The sun was setting by the time I got to Elko; I didn't get to see the scenery on US 93 last night as I was driving to Jackpot. But I guessed that it was getting greener as I got closer to the Idaho border. Signs were flashing for deer and there were overhead passes for animal crossing. There must be enough vegetation to support large animals. As I was leaving Jackpot, I did see it getting greener. Parched brown of Nevada faded as I left Jackpot and crop circles appeared soon. It was a sure sign that I was getting closer to the Snake River.

In the morning, I stopped at Casino 93, used their bathroom, grabbed free coffee and I was on my way to Twin Falls. At 8:30, I plugged in the car at the visitor center and used their bathroom to clean my face. Then I hopped over to Ross -- the shopping centers were right on the cliff of the canyon -- to get a sunscreen and then I was off to Shoshone Falls.

I had to give up the Cliff Trail to Shoshone Falls when I was here in 2019. It was 9 miles, in and out, and my limit then was 4 miles. But now that I have done 16 miles on Big Pine Lakes Trail, this was to be a walk in the park. I didn't even carry anything other than 1L of water. I was getting hungry after 11am and I wished I brought snacks. But I pressed on to the fall and got there around 11:30. I was back shortly at around 1:30.

I planned to do Blue Heart Springs in the afternoon. But I felt too tired when I was done with lunch at 3pm. I decided to check out Twin Falls downtown and then spend the night at Banbury Hot Springs. It's not a bad deal. I paid $10 for overnight parking and I have access to the shower. I'll do a snack for dinner -- I had a big lunch at Mo Betta -- and then go down to take a shower. I'll kayak to Blue Heart Springs tomorrow morning and then I'll be off to Boise.