I was impressed with the Teton mastiff in Wyoming. If you haven’t stood on Galena Summit and looked over the Salmon River drainage, it must go on your list of things to experience. Looking west, 9 peaks, each over 10,000 feet tall, are a part of this rare and wild Idaho place called the Sawtooth wilderness. This area was first protected as a Primitive Area in 1937 with the 217,000 acres officially designated by Congress in 1972. This incredible Valley is also bordered by the White Cloud, Smoky and Boulder Mountains.
Idaho owes much to Senator Frank Church who worked tirelessly for our State and our Nation. Church recognized the need to protect and preserve this pristine area. It is interesting that Frank married Bethine on her family’s ranch on the Salmon River in 1947. Imagine the memories for the family and the pride of knowing this area that boasts the cleanest air in the lowest 48 states is forever preserved for our future generations. Frank Church said it best -” I never knew anyone who felt important in the morning after spending the night in the open on an Idaho mountainside under a star-studded summer sky.”
I did not forget about Redfish, a crystal clear glacier formed lake at the foot of the Sawtooth range. The lake is at 6550 feet above sea level and serves as a favorite tourist, camping, photography, boating, and hiking destination. The camping facilities are excellent. Yes, camping site reservations are necessary. We were there in mid October and the sun has a challenge in the high country, it gets cold in this Valley. Stanley, population 63, is one of the coldest places in the lower 48. Once in a while Big Piney, Wyoming will be colder but if you need a sure thing, bet on Stanley.
Redfish is aptly named. The Salmon River begins just below the Galena outlook and winds its way through the Valley and on for 420 miles until it joins the Snake River. The Salmon is often called the River of No Return as its rough waters and rugged canyons proved impassible for the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805. Each year the Chinook and Sockeye salmon travel over 900 miles to spawn in the Sawtooth Valley. The “redfish,” the now endangered Sockeye salmon, is known for its brilliant spawning color. Imagine the pristine lake teaming with brilliant red Sockeye in the not very distant past.
No debate about it—I hope we never take our environment or our country for granted.
Enjoy the week end. Mike