STANLEY 2010 -- LOON CREEK CORRIDOR.

If you live in Idaho and don't own this book -- you should! It profiles some really awesome trips -- including the one we took through the Loon Creek Corridor to Pinyon Peak Lookout! (Oh, yes, you knew there HAD to be at least one lookout adventure during my Stanley visit)! Dad had been reading through his copy of this book and found this loop he was really excited about. Let me just say, I am SO GLAD I went on this trip! The views were A-MAZING! However, I say I am glad I went because I might not ever go again! It was a LOOONG trip on some VERY rugged roads. Near the end of the drive, I had had it! My guts were so tired of being bounced around! It was a super cool trip -- we just should have taken TWO days to make the loop! Again, I can't imagine making the trip with anyone but Mom and Dad! They are THE greatest adventurers! I feel so blessed they passed along their passions for adventure, the outdoors, and laughter! I simply love being in the woods with them! And now I give you, the Loon Creek Corridor . . .

THE YANKEE FORK

(Sunbeam, Bonanza, Custer)

JACKSON AT SUNBEAM

I LOVE THIS PICTURE OF HIM!

ROCK SHOPPING THROUGH THE DREDGE TAILINGS AT BONANZA

A BONANZA CAIRN!

CUSTER.

I LOVE THE JUXTAPOSITION OF THE DAINTY LACE CURTAINS AND THE WEATHERED WOOD.

CUSTER CHICKENS!

(aka spruce grouse)

HECLA MINE

DAISY ENJOYING THE "OH MY GOSH VIEW"

I LOVE THIS PICTURE OF HER TOO!

ENOUGH OF THE MINING ALREADY!

LET'S GET TO THE LOOKOUT!

AFTER BUMPING AROUND ENJOYING THE BUTTERFLIES AND THE WOODS, WE CAME AROUND A CORNER TO SEE . . .

THIS!

I SWEAR, THREE "HOLY SHITS" WERE UTTERED IN UNISON.

PINYON PEAK LOOKOUT IS ON THE VERY TIPPY TOP OF THAT SNOW COVERED PEAK. LOOKING AT THE MOUNTAIN, WE ALL WONDERED HOW, OH HOW, WE WERE GOING TO GET UP THERE?!

THESE ARE THE FINDS TRUE ADVENTURES ARE MADE OF! I LOVE FINDING TREASURES SUCH AS THESE!

AND FORTUNATELY SO DO MOM AND DAD!

:)

OH MISS SADIE!

THE TRIP WAS SOOOO LONG AND BUMPY THE DOGS WERE WORN OUT BEFORE WE EVEN GOT TO THE LOOKOUT!

GETTING CLOSER TO THAT PEAK!

PINYON PEAK

A LONG WAY FROM EVERYTHING!

GETTING TO THE LOOKOUT WAS SUCH A SWEET VICTORY!

STANDING ON THE TOP OF THE WORLD . . . YEAH, THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING!

POTTY WITH A VIEW

DON'T YOU THINK I JUST BELONG ON A LOOKOUT?!

MOM, DAD AND I SUCKING IN THAT THIN MOUNTAIN AIR!

THE ROAD.

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT RUNS RIGHT ALONG THE RIDGE. NO, IT IS THE RIDGE!

SCARY! FANTASTIC!

FELTHAM POINT LOOKOUT

WE HIT ANOTHER LOOKOUT ON THE WAY BACK DOWN!

A DOUBLE WHAMMY!

TOO BAD THE CABIN HAD BEEN DESTROYED.

:(

REALLY, WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO LOOK AT THIS VIEW FOR A SUMMER?

LOOKOUTS ROCK!

I LOVE THESE SWEET PICTURES OF DAD AND JACKSON.

BY THIS POINT IN THE TRIP POOR JACKSON'S BACK WAS BOTHERING HIM.

HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING AROUND BUT STILL WANTED TO GO.

I THOUGHT IT WAS SUPER SWEET OF DAD TO PACK HIM AROUND WITH HIM SO HE COULD STILL ENJOY THE ADVENTURE!

THE END!

THANK THE LORD!

WHAT A RIDE THOUGH!

STANLEY 2010 -- SAWTOOTHS.

After Mom joined Dad and I in Stanley, she and I spent a day seeing Stanley -- as in the actual town of Stanley. My very favorite store in the WHOLE world, Riverwear, is in Stanley so we HAD to do some shopping there! I think I ended up in that store three different times before my vacation was over! :) If they were open in December, I would drive there JUST to do my Christmas shopping! Yeah, I LOVE it THAT much! After our shopping spree, we stumbled upon the elementary school -- where their sign reads, "Home of The Lawn Chairs!" The area adjacent to the school is one of those places I found myself going to again and again. The views -- amazing! After seeing the views, I decided to do sunrise/sunset sessions there just to see the dramatic lighting changed the mountains.

MOM AND DAD ENJOYING THE SUNSET FROM THE COOL SWING

CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER PLACE FOR A PICNIC TABLE?

WHAT A VIEW!

SUNSET

I LOVE THE PICTURES MOM TAKES OF ME TAKING PICTURES!

THEY ARE REALLY REFLECTIVE OF WHO I AM!

:)

SUNRISE

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ARRIVE RIGHT AT SUNRISE BECAUSE IT WAS TOO TOO FOGGY!

BUT I THINK WATCHING THE FOG BURN OFF WAS EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR!

GOING . . .

GOING . . .

GONE!

MOM SWINGING AGAIN!

WHOEVER THOUGHT TO PUT THAT SWING THERE . . . SIMPLY BRILLIANT!

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!

A PERFECT MORNING FOR A GRAND ADVENTURE . . .

COMING UP NEXT . . . THAT GRAND ADVENTURE!

STANLEY 2010 -- STANLEY LAKE.

My first full day in Stanley was a solo day for me. Dad had to work and Mom had yet to arrive. Although I am never one to be disappointed by solo adventures, I was bummed that it POURED rain the entire day! It didn't stop me from exploring though -- it just kept me from seeing as much as I would have liked! The dogs and I spent most of the day in the truck (especially since the heater ran out of propane shortly after Dad left for work)! I learned my way around the area and by the end of the day, had a list of places to visit again in the sunshine! Stanley Lake ended up being one of my favorite places to visit -- rain or shine! Since it was largely deserted, the days I spent at the lake were fabulous! There is just something to be said for feeling like a lake that beautiful is yours and yours alone!

A SOGGY MOUNT MCGOWN AND I

DURING MY SOLO ADVENTURING, I HAD DISCOVERED WHAT I PRESUMED WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL OVERLOOK HIGH UP ON THE MOUNTAIN OPPOSITE THE LAKE. THE RAIN AND THE CLOUDS OBSCURED WHATEVER VIEW THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SO I WAS EAGER TO RETURN WHEN THE CLOUDS HAD LIFTED. THE NEXT DAY MOM, DAD AND I RETRACED MY ROUTE TO WHAT WAS INDEED, A VERY PRETTY VIEW OF MOUNT MCGOWN.

MOM AND DAD

THEY REALLY ARE THE BEST ADVENTURERS . . . EVER!

SUNSHINE MAKES ME HAPPY!

AFTER DRIVING TO THE TOP OF ELK MOUNTAIN, WE DROVE BACK DOWN TO STANLEY LAKE WHERE WE OOGLED CATERPILLARS, WILDFLOWERS AND OH, YEAH, THE MAGNIFICENT VIEWS!

STANLEY LAKE.

FALL 2010.

STANLEY 2010 -- REDFISH LAKE.

I have to admit, I don't think I have EVER been so excited about visiting my Dad on one of his job sites! In addition to working on the Landmark and Elk Creek Guard Stations, he was also awarded the bid for some work in the Stanley Ranger District. In early September I was able to spend FIVE amazing days with him there in the shadows of the majestic Sawtooths (or is it Sawteeth?). This trip was easily the highlight of my summer! I love the Stanley area and was especially tickled to find that the tourists really clear out after Memorial Day! We practically had the mountains to ourselves! Mom too was able to take a long weekend so the three of us PLAYED HARD! We went on so many adventures and I took so many pictures, I have decided to do MULTIPLE Stanley posts! Be sure to check back to see all the posts from my grand adventure! The photos in this post are from my final bittersweet hours in the mountains. We enjoyed a still, quiet morning at Redfish lake!

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and have my senses put in order.

--John Burroughs