Since I live by the motto "see what I can see, do what I can do" I just returned from a river trip to the wild northwest. Idaho to be exact, the Middle Fork of the Salmon river which flows out of the Sawtooth mountains, right thru the middle of the Frank Church Wilderness.  Turned out to be a really long drive to get there, but well worth it to see a completely different part of the country.

   The mountains are completely different, much rockier with fewer trees since the tree line is much lower at those northern latitudes. A bit colder than I used to as well. We put on the 10th of June and the high for the day was in the low 60's and the low was in the 30's. Suffice it to say that my toes and a few other vital parts were a little bit chilled. 

  Launched into a river that is created by snow melt. Crystal clear and bitingly cold. The river banks are filled with a mix of ponderosa and other pines, many scarred by the evidence of the let it burn out fire fighting policy. Lots of dead poles, toppled trees and a few springing back to life after 30 years of a natural forest protection policy. It was really enlightening to see how forests can actually heal and restore themselves.

  The combinations of open grasslands and wild blooms mixed with the pines brought back memories of the open spaces painted by western artists such as Charles Russell and Fredric Remington. Open mountain spaces that I had never seen before in this country.

  The river has been one of the main avenues of travel for miners and hunters for years, with small placer mine cabins and homesteads. It was hard to imagine the brutality of a winter spent along that river. As cold as it was in June, January with multiple feet of snow would be life threatening. 

  I am still amazed at the beauty and ferocity that we can find all across this country, we just have to go out the door and look for it. Makes me want to head right back out again.