Hike down into Walton Lakes, Idaho
Two hikes in a row have started a hefty downhill, which the end of the day is uphill (shaking a fist at the gods). From a ridge near Tom Beal Park, you descend nearly 1000 feet to the first lake of the Walton Lakes. The trail is generally in great shape. The huckleberries were abundant […]
Jerry Johnson Hot Springs – Over Loved and Under Appreciated
Jerry Johnson Hot Springs is gorgeous, accessible, and, often, over-loved. From Highway 12 about 10 miles from the thriving metropolis of Powell, Idaho, you cross the Lochsa River on a pack bridge and continue along the trail for almost a mile and a half. The trail parallels Warm Springs Creek (apropos name) under a canopy […]
Weir Hot Springs
Weir Hot Springs is the secret that is, well, not much of a secret with the locals folks and, increasingly, travelers. Located along Highway 12 in Idaho roughly 20 miles west of Lowell (known for the terrific Lochsa Lodge), the hot springs are roughly a mile hike along Weir Creek to several pools, although the […]
Hiking Lee Ridge near Lolo Pass
Hiking the little used Lee Ridge Trail 295 starting at Lolo Pass at Packer’s Meadows is faint and steep, and the views and huckleberries are sweet.
Elk Meadows Sunday Drive
Vida and I took a spin to Elk Meadows, Packer Meadows, and, finally, Lolo Pass…a great Sunday drive. The Wildflowers
Weir Hot Springs and a Wonderful Day
The intense sun is warming the landscape and the snow is receding up the mountainsides. It is that odd time of year when you can’t really hike up too far, but you really want outside in that sunshine. The solution take a relaxing drive over to the Lochsa and hike to Weir Hot Springs. The […]
Beautiful Day for Jerry Johnson Hot Springs
A beautiful day demanded a hike, but most of the area hikes are gumbo-like mixture of slush, mud, and ice. So what to do? Take the short hike into Jerry Johnson Hot Springs in Idaho near the Lochsa River. The hike is a little less than a mile and half, and it is incredibly easy. […]
Wolves: God’s Perfect Mistake?
The bumper sticker on the truck tailgate reads “Smoke a Pack a Day” with wolves in silhouette with an overlay of scope crosshairs. To the left of this disgusting affirmation of violence is a the ubiquitous Jesus fish emblem. I stood and ponder this display of opposing paradigms illustrated upon the same canvas. One decal […]