August 24th
I left the airstrip camp early, hoping to beat the heat on the 4,500 ft of climbing to Moose Pt. Ouch. I paced myself well, but man, its tough to find your legs the rest of the day after that initial effort. The lower portion of the trail was partially burnt and steep, but the grade settled down and the contours were friendly. A few blowdowns to negotiate but nothing like compared to the previous days effort.
Throughout the morning I could hear planes coming and going from the airstrip far below. Just after leaving the drainges past Grizzly Saddle, and as the huckleberries thickened, I heard a deep WOOF and some bashing of bushes as something sizeable moved downslope. Immediately I put WD on-leash and then simply waited. Another WOOF and then I caught the head of and shoulders of a standing black bear about 20 yds away. I repeated the mandatory `hey bear' greeting a few times as the bear tried to zone in on me. Then a whine from above...a single cub was scampering up a thin pine, but fortunately I was not between the two.I moved up trail slowly, continuing to offer my morning salutations. WD whimpered a bit, as the bear was back on all fours and moving away from us. No problems, and I promised to lay off her huckleberry stash...
Once the elevation was gained, the day was pretty mellow, mostly minor undulations along great trail. A very pleasant day although the temps were warm.
Dropping into Long Prairie Creek was a fast ~3 mile descent through charred timber. Fortunately most of it was still standing so the going, while not always clear, was straightforward. At one point I stopped to check my maps and...no maps! Ugh. The last time I remembered looking at them was at least 20 mins back. I dropped the back, unsaddled WD and we both took off back up the trail at a brisk pace. Frustrated and feeling stupid, I was relieved to find them in about half the distance I had anticipated. I have a good map memory, but probably not one good enough for the next ~65 miles!
Back to the packs, we took a short break before briskly setting off again with the intent of heading Long Prairie Creek and climbing to a saddle for camp...~22 mile effort.
The lower half of Long Prairie Creek was also torched, but it gave the place a unique look. In dense timber stands you do not really get a feel for the wrinkles and shape of the land. Meadows and granite outcrops dotted the terrain, and a marshy creek ran its length.
Halfway up, the forest returned, somehow spared the spark of fire. Along with the plant life came the bugs, and the skeeters were out in force. We followed black bear tracks briefly as we continued a minor ascent towards the Selway Bitteroot Wilderness southern boundary.
Leaving the wilderness, we climbed to the intended camp saddle at the jct of the Archer Peak Trail. Although it is much drier here and a slight wind blows, the bugs are still pretty aggressive.
No doubt after today, sleep will come quickly regardless.
Nice to be higher as well, simply to be able to see the sun set.
BrianAugust 25th
~6 miles along and down Patrol Ridge brought me to Warm Springs Bar and an easy ford before a steep 1/2 climb to a dirt rd.
The ICT follows the rd for a few miles before heading over to Lynx Meadows, joining Elk Mtn rd and then dropping down into Bargamin Creek. The rte looked fine, but rather mundane from a topographical sense. Thus I called an audible and decided to simply cross the rd and start a 4,000 ft climb to Three Prong Mtn, traverse its craggy crest and then re-join the ICT ~10 miles later north of MacArthur Lake where the ICT climbs to the ridge from Hotspring Creek. No doubt the views would be better and the terrain certainly more thought provoking.
On my morning descent, I had noticed a small whiff of smoke rising from the drainage below Three Prong Mtn, but judging by its location and the ridgeline, I did not think it would come into play. So...upward we climbed in the thankful shade of Fir and Ponderosa. No jcts were signed and the existing trail was a bit different than on my maps, but the going was straight forward. The actual rte dipped briefly into a shallow drainage so the water break was a welcome suprise...even the more so since I was not carrying any. Less weight, less exertion, less need for water or calories.
The last bit of trail to the ridge was straight and steep as the wind picked up and I could smell smoke in the air. Damn...had I misjudged the size/location of the fire? No worries as I walked the ridge south and the drainage to the west came into view... smoldering trees far below. Gratefully no threat.
The more immediate concern was the cross country ridgeline in front of me, a snaking, rocky affair that did not appear as direct as I had thought. Go figure.
The first crinkle in the ridge was a steep sloped, granite capped mtn that did not present any challenge other than the physical ability to breathe deep and walk up it. However, Three Prong looked a bit beastly...with rocky spires and turrets guarding its summit and steep, exposed flanks to the east and west. An obvious early descent from the ridge to a snowmelt tarn was an option, but the direct ridge looked like the most fun, and certainly Class 3...meaning a helmet would be good and a dawg might be ill advised. Opps...looks like I got it backwards! But, with my hat chinstrap tightly secured and WD's packs in my backpack, we started up the northern spine of Three Prong Mtn. WD and I proceeded in making quick time to the first obstacle, a narrow exposed outcropping that led to a deep left to right cleft in the ridge. From that point it was a thin steep ramp of rock to the top of a turret. Of course as we started out, the wind picked up which always makes things seem scarier than they are. But no problems...as long as WD kept moving he did not have time to recognize his exposed position or what he had just jumped over or traversed in his want to follow me. Canine manipulation at its finest.
The ridge continued with similar obstacles and obstructions, a few that required me to lift WD to a point where he could gain enough traction to scramble upward. Finally we crested the summit and looked back north at our improbable line of travel...excellent! It is good to mix it up now and again and I also avoided ~4 miles of rd in doing so, not to mention gazing at the ridge from far below all afternoon. Consequently, somewhere along the ridgeline was mile 450...halfway along the ICT!
Lunch break was just past the `technical' portion of the rte and I counted 6 plumes of smoke on the horizons. Fire season indeed.
The goal for the evening was to make it to Burnt Knob Fire Lookout in hopes of finding an unlocked door. Fire Lookouts are always in great locations and I've wanted to stay in one for some time...fingered crossed that Burnt Knob is the one!
The wind continued through the afternoon as we made our way along the remainder of the ridgeline, down granite talus and across grassy saddles. The views were expansive despite the smoke in the air, and the Selway Bitteroot Wilderness to the east looked quite impressive with its craggy peaks and defined topography. South of me, I could see the vast area of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness unfolding ridgeline upon ridgeline before me. Not hard to find the motivation to walk with such incentive.
After re-joining the ICT the trail wound through charred forest...indistinct at times but a few cairns now and again clued me in...not that it mattered as the Burnt Knob Fire Lookout was easily visible.
Just before ascending the final steep ridge to the Lookout I dropped down to Burnt Knob Lakes, a grouping of small lakes nestled within the steep cirque of Burnt Knob. We took a break at the upper most lake to rest up and also filter enough water for the evening and ~17 miles of dry trail tomorrow. Loaded down but motivated by the Lookout, I decided that instead of backtracking to the trail, I'd climb up a 1,000 ft gully just to the south of the peak proper. Better aesthetics and a great capstone to the day. The only pace I had left to choose from was my granny gear, but it is always reliable and we soon made the ridge after hop-scotching through granite boulders, slabs, and steep grassy slopes. WD was entertained by Pikas and Marmots on the way up.
I hiked over to the Lookout and was excited to discover a simple door latch with no lock and a cleaned up interior. The wind was really howling so the 15 x 15 interior was a welcome reprieve as were the 4 steel cables that anchored the Lookout atop Burnt Knob! There is also a chair inside which may sound ridiculous to mention but to sit on something other than a rock, a log, or the ground itself is s real treat.
Dark clouds are rolling in with the storm front so we'll see what it brings for tomorrow. Hopefully no lightning...
It'd also be nice if the wind mellowed out...sleep would be easier without all the shutters banging around!
Although very physical, today was an absolutely fantastic day on the trail. Probably the best so far.
BrianAugust 26th
Between the howling winds, banging shutters, and foundation chewings of the local marmot population, earplugs were mandatory last night! I awoke early despite being in the darkened confines of the shuttered fire lookout. The morning was gray and the clouds blew past the front door window with alarming speed. The stairs and railing were coated in a thin veneer of ice and small patches of snow/hail marked the ground outside.
I quickly ate and dressed, all my layers of clothing were mandatory to get me out the door and into the weather. I knew once I dropped a few hundred feet into the trees, I'd be better off. Packed up and storm ready, I opened the door....WD was immediately discouraged, but I shut the door as he tried to nose his way back inside.
On our way, we descended rapidly along the rd, around a switchback and into the trees below the ridgeline. Although it was still cold, the wind was reduced significantly and the morning became much more tolerable. A mile later we swung uphill along the Magruder Corridor rd which splits the Selway Bitteroot and Frank Church Wilderness areas from one another. Another mile and I turned off the rd at an unsigned jct and climbed to a ridge to find a well maintained and well graded trail heading south. Excellent! Easy walking and the sun was beginning to beat back the clouds.
The terrain itself was quite stunning as rolling forested slopes rose and fell in all directions... their upper flanks typically a mosaic of colorful granite slabs or talus.
The storm front had brought in a bit of moisture as well, which amplified the colors and texture of the vegetation and freshness was in the air. Quite simply it was a beautiful morning!
The trail itself made steady progress along ridgelines and shallow saddles, staying high and above the few lakes that dot he terrain. The low humps of the Gospel Hump Wilderness rose on the western skyline.
We made god time and about mid morning we arrived at the Sheep Hill Fire Lookout where I met Rusty, the seasonal lookout. He invited us into the wood stove warmed outlook and served up hot tea, bread, apples, cheese, homemade pie, and a chocolate cinnamon cake.
Not being in any real rush, the morning soon turned into the afternoon and Rusty invited me to stay for the evening. Initially I thought I'd push off around 2 pm so I could camp on the Salmon River and have short day into Whitewater Ranch for my resupply, but the thought of spending another evening in the high country, in good company, and with a full belly was an easy decision to make.
Rusty was pretty happy to have some company and due to the weather, the fire day was likely to be slow. He'd only seen a handful of people all summer...2 of which were the folks responsible for his resupply. No backpackers, a few fisherman...thats it.
After a range of conversation and some guitar playing, Rusty and I cooked and shared our respective dinners and WD found a warm spot by the woodstove before we all called it a night at 8 pm.
I think I only walked ~12 miles today, but I know I enjoyed the rest as did WD.
BrianAugust 27th
I left the lookout just before six...surprised that I managed to turn down Rusty's offer of tea and pancakes!
The morning was cool, but a ~6,000 ft, 7 mile descent to the Salmon River was on the schedule and the temps would be warming up quick.
The trail was in fine shape until just above Croton Pt where it became vague and intermixed with steep game trail. No problems as the destination was obvious, but the steep, loose terrain was tough to slow down in. I did spot a black bear climbing towards the huckleberries just as the trail improved and contoured above and then through the old Croton Ranch and airstrip before dropping quickly to the Salmon River.
Thankfully the skies were overcast so the temps were still cool along the rivers edge and I made steady progress with the remaining 9 miles to Whitewater Ranch arriving just before noon. I was slowed a bit on the remaining miles as ripe blackberry bushes began to appear trailside.
At the Ranch I met Steve and his retriever Elliot. Steve is one of the co-owners of Whitewater Ranch and despite being obviously busy with chores, made time to introduce me to the place, and was interested in hearing about my hike. Meanwhile, Elliot was trying his damndest to get WD to play, but in typical aloof Heeler fashion, the more attention WD got, the less interested he became.
Once I got settled in, I went with Steve down to the river to help collect river rock for the fireplace mantel he was building in the mainlodge.
Just before a hearty dinner of porkchops, salad, potatoes, and bread, I picked a 1/2 gallon sized bucket and filled it with blackberries...a treat I was looking forward to munching on throughout my much anticipated rest day tomorrow.
Over dinner I learned more about the history of Whitewater Ranch and the Salmon river corridor and shared good humor with Steve. Not only is it great to meet interesting genuine people, but to interact with someone who is so obviously content with his situation and future plans and is outwardly happy is always a pleasure.
After dinner, we both retired for the evening...Steve and Elliot to his camper trailer and WD and I to a soft mattress in the `Dale Cabin'.
BrianAugust 28th
My rest day started early as I left bed and headed to the Main Lodge. I wanted to make blackberry pancakes for Steve and I and by the time he rolled in to start his laundry list of chores the coffee pot was ready and the pancakes stacked. I love pancakes, and all the better when loaded with ripe fruit!
After doing the dishes and chatting some of the morning away Steve got started on his chores and was nice enough to honor my request to allow me to mow the lawn. We fired up the John Deere and I set to work while WD chased the mower for a bit before finding some place to rest.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing, talking with Steve, eating a hearty lunch and getting a final tour of the entire 120 acre Ranch. Steve's parents showed up and his Dad gave me the rundown on the hydroelectric system.
Whitewater Ranch was first homestead in 1897 by the Churchill's from Minnesota with the original intent of searching for gold. That turned up little and it was not long before they switched gears and began supplying produce and goods to other miners in the area. Extensive orchards and livestock kept the Churchills busy and the mining outfits well fed.Mr Churchill lost his left hand in a mining accident (which Steve found when he cleaned out one of the outbuildings on site!) and was subsequently outfitted with a hook. He died an unfortunate death when he drowned after falling off a sweep boat in the Salmon River. His wife remarried twice before passing away and her gravesite is on the property.
After a handful of owners since the 1930's the Shotwell's (homestead Twin Falls in 1900) bought the run down ranch in 2006 and have been HARD at work every since restoring the original structures and making huge improvements throughout the Ranch. Many of their guests at the Ranch are river runners, families, and the occasional hunting group in the Fall. While being 35 miles from the nearest paved rd might seem an inconvenience, the peace and quiet of the Ranch itself is surely worth the drive.
One of the coolest features of the Ranch is the Pelton Hydroelectric System. Pelton was an entrepreneurial type who designed a vastly superior small scale hydro power system for the mining boom during the California gold rush. Amazingly, the ranch uses a Pelton system that was manufactured in 1897 and it runs like a top pumping out 32000 Kw of power on 100 ft of stream channel elevation loss! It was a real treat to have Steve and his father give me the rundown on the system and it was easy to tell they were very proud of the operation.
It seems on every hike I stumble across some location or town that plays into the romanticism of the west for me...independent, self reliant folks who make the best of the situation and simply thrive at the challenge of figuring out things beyond their expertise. The Shotwells and Whitewater Ranch represent that to a T on this trip. Amazing people, in an amazing place, accomplishing a ton with strength of character and good humor.
Thank you Steve for your gracious hospitality and friendliness during my brief layover!
After our goodbyes I tossed on the pack and hit the trail, heading down the Salmon River 4 miles before crossing the Campbell Ferry Pack Bridge and hiking through the historic Campbell Ranch. A few miles of contouring back upstream I found a nice campsite at the base of the 4,000 ft climb to Trout Pt that the day begins with tomorrow.
This next section of trail looks to have a few challenges ahead...namely the trail going over Lookout Mtn and the trail going down Marble Creek. Both have been confirmed as being overgrown and full of downfall.
I left Whitewater today to gain a few miles on this section and I plan to simply hike as far as possible each day prior to these trouble spots as it may take a considerable amount of time to negotiate both. Fingers crossed it will not be as bad as I expect.
In other trail related news, there is a 40,000 acre fire burning south of the Sawtooths that appears to have torched a portion of the ICT...I guess we'll see to what extent in about 2 weeks time...
Thanks for reading.
Brian
