Hiking Lost River Range, ID

From the road less traveled we take a side gravel road up to Two Springs Pass at 2300 meters through the Lost River Range just north of Mt Borah (Idahos highest peak). An earthquake in the 80s caused the valley bottom to drop 9 ft and the sheer line is still clearly visible for 20 miles. From the pass we hike through low forests to an alpine ridge with big gnarly whitebark pine trees.

A big landscape with an even bigger sky. And no other human being around. Except on the next day when paraglider pilot Gavin McGlurg crossed this range on a 387 km record flight to Montana. http://www.xcmag.com/2013/07/footlaunch-paragliding-record-falls-in-the-usa/

Wildlife Viewing Salmon River, ID

On the way back from Utah we found a nice camp spot at one of the river access sites to the Salmon River, up the side road to the Middle Fork take-out. After we finished dinner and settled in the camping chairs beer in hand Wildlife viewing program was on for evening entertainment. It started with a gaggle of nearly 20 mergansers. Never seen so many of these birds in one spot! The mergansers scurried away when a beaver surfaced splashing its tail. Meanwhile a little downstream a deer stepped into view. Its two fawns did some crazy jumps to get rid of annoying bugs. The program was completed by the appearance of two elk cows just upstream contently grazing and lifting heads occasionally to check their environs.

Gates of Lodore: July 7-11

Back from the Gates of Lodore run. The first time on this part of the Green River for us. A float and no whitewater to speak of at the current low water level, but excellent scenery. We float from one canyon to the next, every single one with different looks, different layers, dotted by trees. Cool rock faces, steep and thin rock fins at Steamboat Rock and Split Mountain. Nice being on a river again with old and new friends. But it was super hot down there, up to 38oC. Good thing the water temperature of the Green River was very pleasant (and not the icy temperature of the Colorado in Grand Canyon) so we could hang out in the river until it cooled down.

Our river trip ends near Dinosaur National Monument visitor center and we stopped by to check it out. This is the femur of a 150 million year old Camarasaurus. Pretty amazing - it roamed the earth when Pangea was drifting apart. Another 100 million years before the Rockies started forming. And very considerate of the kids (in us) … its allowed to touch some of the exhibits.