Whatever the arrival of winter means to you, I hope you have all you need to celebrate and find time to relax. If you’re still out there preparing, I understand because I think I might be chopping wood for the foreseeable future. Make sure to wave when you pass me on the ridge road. Continue reading
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, there is still plenty to do here in the valley before we wade into the approaching holiday fervour. Continue reading
Long my favorite season, I relish the days as the sun rises later each morning to burn off the chill and the shorter evenings bring with them the smell of wood smoke. Before we get caught up in the whirlwind of the holidays, and the eventual winter gloom, we first get the fleeting respite that is September. Continue reading
On August 17th, I will get my chance at fair redemption. The Lemhi County Fair kicks off that Saturday and lasts through the week. The closing day is Saturday, August 24. Events will include the Family Fun Night-Alcohol Free, Horse and Dog Races & Ranch Rodeo, the Salmon Stampede PRCA Rodeo, and more. Continue reading
“The earth laughs in flowers.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson Wildflowers are generally associated with late spring and early summer, but Salmon has always been unconventional. July is halfway over and temperatures are climbing; the last of the balsamroot blooms may be wilted memories, but the lavender is in full bloom! On Saturday July 20, Shannon and Doug Weaver are hosting the 6th Annual Lavender Fest in Carmen, just four miles from downtown Salmon. There will be lavender wares, lavender lemonade, lavender picking, live music, and much more. While you’re here, download a wild plants app and walk one of the nearby trails in search of other late-season wildflowers. Just north of downtown Salmon sits Discovery Hill, or Disco to the locals. Here you will find over 32 miles of trails for hiking, biking, trail running, and frisbee golf. Other great trails in the area include the Goldbug Hot Springs trail, the … Continue reading
The Lemhi offers something for everyone—it’s approachable and kind to newcomers, yet it’s pristine and complex enough to satisfy even the most discerning anglers Continue reading
Ten years ago, the best looking man I had ever seen told me about Salmon River Days. I was in no place to be making plans for the holiday weekend—Fourth of July was almost two months away and Salmon was 250 miles from where we were working together at the time, but, as I said, most handsome man I’d ever seen. It was my first summer in Idaho, and I had never even heard of Salmon. When the holiday rolled around, I had the weekend off, and the lure of fireworks, a demolition derby, dunk tanks, and a parade down Main Street proved more than I could resist. I loaded up the rig and started the drive. Next thing you know, I was at Arfmann’s Four Seasons buying a USA t-shirt and some light-up sunglasses. This year the events start on Thursday, July 4, and continue through the weekend. There … Continue reading
The days are getting longer, and school is out for summer. Although I look forward to the lazy summer afternoon and slower pace that June brings, I also vividly remember some of the boredom I experienced during summer breaks as a kid. Continue reading
“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” – Henry James, qtd. in A Backward Glance, Edith Wharton Summer is fast approaching and with it the pleasant leisure of the summer afternoon. Although many recognize the summer solstice as the official start to summer, the Farmers’ Almanac also references another date: the meteorological beginning. This beginning is based on the annual temperature cycle and occurs on June 1st. As someone who is continuously trying to fit everything in, I am going to advocate for that June 1st date. After all, there are a lot of summer events kicking off in June, and if we wait until June 21st, we will miss so much. It seems the Lemhi Valley Farmers Market also recognizes the earlier date as the 2019 opening day is Saturday, June 1st. There will be local produce, ready to … Continue reading
Salmon, Idaho has long been a base for anglers, river runners, and snow sports enthusiasts. Most people immediately think of outdoor sports when they hear the name of this Lemhi County town; not that the locals mind, heck it’s half the reason most of us live here. Or half the reason most of us live here, half the time? I am a Salmon resident, not a local. The locals might kill me just for hinting that I might, possibly consider Salmon my home. For eight years, I have called Salmon home in the summer only. As a seasonal worker, the winters have led me elsewhere. This winter, however, I finally got to spend most of my time in Salmon. Although I love fishing, rafting, and skiing, sometimes I do other things. As Walt Whitman said, “I am large, I contain multitudes.” My first winter in Salmon, I found that while … Continue reading