Condoing in McCall

After leaving Missoula, on Monday morning, we headed southwest over Lolo Pass and back into Idaho. Driving the 100 mile Northwest Passage Scenic Byway (US 12) from the Montana border we followed Lewis and Clark's path toward the Columbia River. It was a very interesting and beautiful drive but slow. The drive wound through the mountains to the town of Kooskia. From there we drove south following the Little Salmon River to McCall where we spent a week in a condo.

We even had a one car garage.

 Our three bedroom, sleeps 10 unit was part of the
Aspen Village Complex.

Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
The Snake River divides Idaho and Oregon within Hells Canyon and the National Recreation Area. We spent two days exploring Hells Canyon. The first day we followed the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway from Brownlee Dam, proceeding north, passing Oxbow Dam and finally Hells Canyon Dam and the end of the road at Hells Canyon Visitor Center.

Boat Launch North of Oxbow Dam

This paved road followed the Snake River north for 22 miles.

The scenic byway crossed Hell's Canyon Dam.

Just beyond the Dam the road terminated at the south
end of Hell's Canyon National Recreation Area.

We found the Pancake House and Christmas Store
in McCall. We didn't eat breakfast here but
ate dinner there twice.

A Day in Boise

Idaho State Capital Building built in 1905

The Rotunda renovated 2007

The Senate Chamber

The inner dome called the oculus, or eye of the dome.

Kurt rang this Liberty Bell replica.

After lunch at Chipotle we went to the Peregrine Fund, World Center for Birds of Prey. The main purpose of the center is to help restore rare species through captive breeding and releases. One of their success stories is the Peregrine Falcon. Current projects include the California Condor and the Aplomado Falcon. We enjoyed a live demonstration with "Bob" the American Kestrel as well as a Falcon Heritage Tour which explained the ancient art of falconry as well as an Arab falconry exhibit.



California Condors are highly endangered.
Only 22 individuals remained alive in 1982.



On our way to and from Boise we followed the
Payette River Scenic Byway.

Hell's Canyon National Recreation Area Jet Boat Trip
On Thursday morning we drove north to the small town of White Bird and met our tour company, Killgore Adventures, for the Hell's Canyon Wild River Tour through the Wilderness Area. This tour took us south on the Snake River through the biggest whitewater rapids and the deepest, most rugged part of Hell's Canyon. We traveled 32 miles upstream (south) to the Hell's Canyon Dam and Visitor Center. While at the Visitor Center they provided a very nice box lunch. After lunch the boat returned back downstream (north) to our launch point.

Our launch site, Pittsburg Landing, in
the National Recreation Area.

Homer, our trusty captain did a good job guiding the
boat around all the rocks and water hazards.

Our tour stopped at two historic sites, Kirkwood  Ranch
and Sheep Creek Cabin, accessible only by boat.

The afternoon was very warm and we got very wet
on the Wild Sheep Rapids, a class V, where we all
donned our life jackets.

Hell's Canyon Dam viewed from the River.

Outfitters and ranchers along the river get their
weekly mail delivered by boat.

Our last stop was the beach.

Payette Lake and Upper Payette Lake
McCall is located on the south shore of Payette Lake. We spent Friday and Saturday touring this beautiful area.

Picnic lunch on Upper Payette Lake

Ponderosa State Park on Payette Lake was only
two blocks from our condo.

We found a decent Mexican Restaurant with a great view
in McCall.

Wildlife Canyon Scenic Byway
Returning east to Camas National Wildlife Refuge on Sunday we drove three separate scenic byways, Wildlife Canyon, Ponderosa Pine, and Salmon River Scenic Byway.

A Weekend Trip to Missoula

Saturday, August 8, we drove to Missoula, Montana, for the weekend. Our stay at the Red Lion Hotel in the downtown area was very nice. We had never stayed at a Red Lion before. This hotel was very centrally located.

St. Francis Xavier Church, built in 1892 is the tallest church in town.

The inside reminded us of the painted churches in Texas.

National Elk Foundation

The Elk Foundation has been protecting critical
elk habitat since 1984,
financed largely by hunting permits.

Record Setting Mounts in the Trophy Room

Smoke Jumpers Base

We took a tour of the Smoke Jumpers Base.

Utilizing a fleet of fixed wing aircraft, including this
Turbine DC-3, Twin Otter, and a Shorts Sherpa,
firefighters and equipment
can reach anywhere in the country.

Fort Missoula Historical Museum

This fire tower lookout, built in 1933, was relocated in 1983
from Sliderock Mountain about 40 miles
southeast of Missoula.

This outdoor museum contains examples of many artifacts,
including the tipi-burner, train station & train
including a lumberjack's library car, schoolhouse,
and a homestead cabin.

National Bison Range National Wildlife Refuge

This almost 20,000 acre refuge is one of the oldest in
the system. We took the 19 mile Red Sleep
Mountain Drive seeing not only bison but pronghorn,
deer, elk and a trumpeter swan family.

This refuge was established in 1908 to protect the vanishing
bison population. Currently, this herd numbers
between 350-500 bison.

Museums, Museums, Museums!

During our several months of touring in Idaho, we visited quite a few museums. These are some of our favorites.

Potatoes are grown all across southeastern Idaho.
One third of the nation's potatoes are grown in
the county where Blackfoot is located.

 THE MUSEUM OF CLEAN - Pocatello
Who would have thought that you could make a museum just for "Clean", but Don Aslett opened this 74,000 square foot collection dedicated to that purpose. This is a very interesting interactive museum with everything that affects life, like clean air, clean water, clean language, clean health, clean bed, floors, politics, jokes, teeth, art… and how about clean arteries? There are many collections including, vacuums, toilets, tubs, washers, brooms and trash cans. Don Aslett took us on a personal tour of the museum and pointed out some of the more interesting exhibits.

MUSEUM OF IDAHO - Idaho Falls

A special National Geographic exhibit
"Real Pirates" is here through November.

VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL - Idaho Falls


We visited here on the 4th of July.

LEGACY FLIGHT MUSEUM - Rexburg

P-51 Mustang Bob Hoover's "Ole Yeller"

P-51 "Section Eight"

TETON FLOOD MUSEUM - Rexburg
This museum is dedicated to the Teton dam which broke June 5, 1976, just 6 months after it was completed.  Some of us remember this was a world class engineering disaster. The collapse of the dam resulted in the deaths of 11 people and injured over 1,000. Over 13,000 head of cattle died and several towns were covered with water. This dam cost $100 million to build and the collapse caused up to $2 Billion in damage. We happened to visit on June 5, the 39th anniversary of the flood.

We visited the remains of the Teton Dam site,
several miles northeast of Rexburg.
The crack prone porous rock supporting the dam
 led to its demise.

Lewis and Clark Back Country Byway and Adventure Road

Friday, July 31, we took a day trip to Lemhi Pass National Historic Landmark. This 36 mile scenic loop along a gravel road is through mountains, evergreen forest, high desert canyons and grassy foothills. The loop begins and ends in Tendoy, Idaho, about 20 miles south of Salmon. This Byway traces the path where Lewis and Clark crossed the Continental Divide in the Bitterroot Mountain Range.

We saw this moose on the way to Tendoy.
We also saw a bear near Lemhi Pass,
but he was too fast to take his picture.

 

The Corp of Discovery arrived here August 12, 1805



Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Sharkey Hot Springs
is a good place to stop along the Byway for
a picnic and a quick dip.