Idaho Vacation - August 2008 IN PROGRESS
We spent a little over a week rambling through the Idaho Panhandle, camping mostly. The first two nights we spent at Farragut State Park, north of Coeur d'Alene.
The State Park campground, one of several there - The
Park is a huge attraction for hikers, cyclists, re-enactors, and, at one time,
target shooters, but the rifle range has been shut down due to neighbor
complaints.... a sad thing since the range is more than 60 years old.
Farragut State
Park
Here Ian assumes the position. For most of the trip,
he and Sarah had their noses in electronics.... happy campers they are not.
Sarah enjoyed our portable hammock.
Pretty Bayview ID, at the NE corner of the Park. It
feels very Alpine.
John molesting the Big Sailor at the Farragut Visitor
Center, which is located at the old Army brig.
John, Sarah, and Ian beside Lake Coeur d'Alene. The
trails are flat and groomed, and ideal for mountain bikes.
Another pic of the lake.
Sarah's usual driving position....
... and Ian's. We had a multi-outlet inverter running
in back. At least they weren't yelling and hitting each other. It was actually
kind of peaceful.
From Farragut, we meandered south, across Hwy 12 (Lolo Pass), and then south on MT 93 to Darby MT. I'm not sure why we don't have any pictures..... it was typical Idaho driving, meaning constant up and down, followed by constant decreasing radius curves. Trees everywhere.
We gassed up in Darby since we were headed across the Magruder Road Corridor, the most remote road in the lower 48 states. We had 5 gallons of gas on the trailer, but it was strictly for emergencies. The first 25 miles or so took us along typical National Forest valley roads, heading west toward the high mountains.
West Fork of the Nes Perce River, MT.
Another pic of the river, with an unknown tributary
coming in.
The first high pass we encountered, with a rather
threatening road sign. There is very, VERY little traffic along this route
during the week. After the high snows (above 8000 feet) have gone, there is a
surge of traffic across the Magruder Road until the first snow of winter. This
year the Road did not open until the first week in August.
Ian and Sarah check out the snow depth sign.
And Jac joins then to look at the.... thing (maybe a
radar reflector???)
The MT/ ID border.
After a long descent from Nez Perce Pass, we came to
the headwaters of the Selkirk River and the old Magruder Guard Station, in a
delightful meadowed valley.
Panorama of the Magruder Guard Station, which is no
longer manned permanently as a ranger station.
Two of the inhabitants rushed over to say hello.
The old cabin.
Jac tries out the Outdoor Throne.
The LX450 posing on the beautiful old CCC bridge over
Deep Creek.
We were accumulating "stuff" and Sarah here helps to
get the trailer lid fully closed. We carried firewood that was gradually burned
up while camping.
Jac and Sarah wade in White Cap Creek at Paradise
Campground, at the far north end of NFS 6223, about 12 miles from Magruder
Crossing on the main east-west route. This is perhaps the most isolated drive-to
campground in the lower 48 states. The drive in, along the Wild and Scenic
Selway River, is beautiful, if dusty. The Selway flows north and is "raftable"
for many miles starting near Paradise, and ending in the Loscha River at Hwy 12.
Selway River,
Idaho
"The Selway River wild and scenic section is one of the most coveted river trips in the continental United States, second only to the Grand Canyon in terms of permit scarcity. Thousands of paddlers apply for just 62 permits each year, and those lucky few who draw a permit are rewarded with 47 miles of high lonesome as they drift through the heart of Idaho's Selway-Bitteroot Wilderness. Only one launch per day is allowed during permit season, so you probably won't see another person until you reach the take out."
The rocks in the creek were a little treacherous, and
the water cold.
Ian tests the hammock.
Our campsite. We were alone with the mosquitos until
dark, when two pickup trucks hauling horse trailers arrived and set up camp near
us - they intended to head up into the Wilderness in the morning. The rain moved
in after dinner, and we all sat in the LX450 and watched a video until we were
ready for bed. The sounds of the horses kept Jac awake. In the morning,
everything was very wet but the rain had moved on, leaving chilly gray skies.
The Selway River.
One of many flower pictures that Jac took.
Returning to the Magruder Crossing intersection, we turned east onto the beginning of the Magruder Road. The following is taken from the official NFS Brochure:
"The 101-mile primitive Magruder Corridor Road winds through a vast undeveloped area, offering solitude and pristine beauty as well as expansive mountain views. The landscape is much the same as when the Nez Perce Indians and other early travelers crossed the area. The road has changed little since its construction by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s. It has also been known as the Southern Nez Perce Trail, Elk City to Darby Road, Montana Road and the Parker Trail.
The corridor was created in 1980 when the Central Idaho Wilderness Act was passed, leaving a unique road that enables a traveler to drive between two wildernesses: the 1.2- million-acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness to the north, and the 2.3-million-acre Frank Church- River of No Return Wilderness to the south. Together, they represent the largest unroaded block of land in the lower 48 states and are nearly twice as large as the combined states of Delaware and Rhode Island."
The Magruder Road Corridor strip map, WEST half.
Click here for a full sized (non-strip) Nez Perce National Forest map scan:
images_web\Family_Web\Idaho_2008\Magruder_Corridor-WEST.jpg
The Magruder Road Corridor strip map, EAST half.
Click here for a full sized (non-strip) Nez Perce National Forest map scan:
images_web\Family_Web\Idaho_2008\Magruder_Corridor-EAST.jpg
Magruder Road Corridor NFS Brochure.pdf
Magruder Road Corridor Location Map
- note: the track only shows the "hard part" of the
drive - those roads that can be classified Primitive or Un-maintained.
Magruder Road gps track - scanned from MapSource USA Topo
Magruder Road gps track elevation profile - the road does get waaay
up there!.
The primitive one lane forest road started climbing
immediately from Magruder Crossing, with very rare turnouts. The system passing
in the night felled this tree. Obviously were were the first vehicle to pass
this morning. And, naturally, John had neglected to bring the chainsaw.....
Sarah attacks the branches....
... and John uses the axe to attack the trunk. The
wood was really REALLY dense and the sharp axe almost bounced off. It was
difficult work. Sarah and Ian jumped on the truck and bounced until it snapped.
John drives the truck over the tree.
Looking back into Montana at a small forest fire. In
Idaho, one has to be continually aware of fires, since they can travel quickly
and route choices are extremely limited.
Pretty view from about 7000 feet elevation.
John waits by the truck while the family wanders off
to clamber over rocks. A trio of very well equipped Jeep Wranglers passed buy
and ogled the Lexus, a rare sight on these roads. Several motorcyclists on Dual
Sport bikes went by also. 4wd vehicles typically take two days to drive/ camp
this route, but often motorcycles do it in a day, since they can maintain a much
higher average speed.
Climbing rock.
Most of the drive actually has little scenery due to
the heavy tree cover. Where the trees have burned out, you can get some fine
peek-a-boo views, but when we arrived at Dry Saddle we found a magnificent
territorial view. Unfortunately it was gray and cold, and nobody wanted to stay
outside very long. Happily there was a pit toilet that was not too gross.
A couple of miles north of Dry Saddle we turned off onto a "4wd only" road that climbed steeply toward Burnt Knob Lookout. Unfortunately, with the trailer attached, we could not negotiate really bad terrain, and the track deteriorated rapidly, so John decided to turn around after about a mile - not an easy job with no room to back and fill.
Here John has disconnected the trailer as far off the
trail as possible with some rocks and a tree acting as chocks.
After hooking back up we were ready to go back down.
Jac elected to walk and take pictures since she could travel faster that way....
GPS data:
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Aug 16, 2008 |