With a year-round population of 100, Stanley, ID is the West at it's best: 2 espresso stands/shops (we may buy our clothes at Goodwill but I won't drink crappy coffee), 3 fly shops, 5 restaurants/pizzerias, 2 gift shops, and one crummy bar. What else do you need? How about beautiful 11,000ft. mountains, amazing fishing, a random hot spring off the side of the road that sits in the Salmon River, and a great person to enjoy it all with? That my friends is a Cline vacation!
It was cold and rainy the majority of the weekend. Needless to say, we had a blast! The Sawtooth Mountains were spectacular, especially when lightening would strike and thunder rolled through the valley. The fishing was impossible but couldn't have been more picturesque, the food was fabulous, and the cabin was perfect. I posted way too many pictures but we had too much fun to not share them all.
Watching a kayaker maneuver rapids on the Salmon River.
Our cabin: Pistol Creek
A trout at the fish hatchery in Salmon. A very informative tour helped us appreciate what Chinook and Sockeye salmon and Steelhead trout go through to fulfill their genetic destiny(traveling 900 miles to the Atlantic only to turn back for another 900 mile swim to spawn a few years later).
Where they raise fish to release into the river.
At an 8500ft. pass.
A big antelope
Flowers
Bizarre clouds forming at our fishing hole
Headwaters of the Salmon River. Too cold to catch anything but a beautiful place to learn some technique (not to mention drink some Summer Honey, smoke a cigar, and get hailed on). I now understand why Justin loses so many flies; I lost 3 this day.
Redfish Lake. A few miles from Stanley where Sockeye salmon return to spawn.
Goodbye Stanley. We'll be back.
The most random hot spring I've ever seen or heard of found just north of Stanley. Hot spring water is piped out from under the road and into the cauldron. In case it gets too hot you can use the nearby bucket to add some cold river water to cool the water down. We had our turn to boil in the witch's brew at 10:30pm Sunday night under the starry sky. Life without kids is grand!
Our last fishing stop on the way home. This is all there is to Ellis, ID: a post office and mosquitoes. We didn't stay long.
We are indebted to Nana and Papap who held the fort for us while we were gone. They tolerated lots of carousel rides and ice cream in an effort to keep Madeleine and Parker content. It was nice to come home but we are eagerly trying to plan our next getaway.
Where they raise fish to release into the river.
At an 8500ft. pass.
A big antelope
Flowers
Bizarre clouds forming at our fishing hole
Headwaters of the Salmon River. Too cold to catch anything but a beautiful place to learn some technique (not to mention drink some Summer Honey, smoke a cigar, and get hailed on). I now understand why Justin loses so many flies; I lost 3 this day.
Redfish Lake. A few miles from Stanley where Sockeye salmon return to spawn.
Goodbye Stanley. We'll be back.
The most random hot spring I've ever seen or heard of found just north of Stanley. Hot spring water is piped out from under the road and into the cauldron. In case it gets too hot you can use the nearby bucket to add some cold river water to cool the water down. We had our turn to boil in the witch's brew at 10:30pm Sunday night under the starry sky. Life without kids is grand!
Our last fishing stop on the way home. This is all there is to Ellis, ID: a post office and mosquitoes. We didn't stay long.
We are indebted to Nana and Papap who held the fort for us while we were gone. They tolerated lots of carousel rides and ice cream in an effort to keep Madeleine and Parker content. It was nice to come home but we are eagerly trying to plan our next getaway.
I've been working hard this past week to install my garden fence to keep out dogs, deer, cats, skunks, kids and any other plant damaging creature :) Granted, it isn't much of a garden yet as there isn't much growing in the 20x50 ft. space (Jeremy, I'm sorry for balking at your 20x40 ft. garden) but I have lots to transplant. It may seem kind of late to be starting a garden but June in Montana has been very wet and cold so I'm not that far behind.
Justin and the kids indulged in scoops of white mint Oreo while my efforts were rewarded with a special scoop of Coldsmoke: a flavor that uses Kettlehouse brewery's awesome Coldsmoke beer. I know...beer ice cream? It's really good! 
The work in the basement has finally finished so we've reinhabited the space and are so grateful for having it! We're hoping to install a window or two down there to make it more inviting this summer when it gets too hot to play upstairs. Plus I'm now motivated to pick out some paint and make that space more personal.
