If you're looking for the best hot springs in Idaho, Goldbug's the place to go. Bailey and I spent last night at these phenomenal hot springs. They are located between Challis and Salmon near mile marker 282. The description claimed the hike was three miles long and grueling, but it seemed shorter and easier to me (possibly because Bailey and I kept good conversation the whole time). The majority of the hike was exposed and hot (90s) and the last half mile or so of the hike was pretty rough with steep rock steps. The hot springs are well worth the hike though (I would argue they're worth a twenty mile hike). There is a cold creek coming down from the mountain that mixes with a hot spring gushing forth. People have piled up rock dams and created picaresque soaking pools. The temperatures vary; we felt a very hot pool that we probably couldn't have soaked in for more than a few minutes, hot tub-like pools which we frequented, and cooler pools which had mixed with more of the cold water. The depth of the pools was perfect, just about to the shoulders when sitting down and everything was nice and clean. Bugs were not bad. A couple mosquitoes but not nearly as bad as the other trips I've been on this summer. There were no ticks. We did see two huge hobo spiders though: one on the path up and one in the rocks next to our fire while we played cribbage.
There are a few little camp sites above the springs and in all I think they could hold four tents. I want to do another trip up there sometime soon.
The most perfect moment came last night as Bailey and I were soaking and staring up at the stars. They were breathtaking with no light polution and a new moon. As we were gazing up, we saw the most spectacular shooting star, almost like in the movies. It shot up across the sky and was so bright that Bailey and I just gasped together.
Beautiful trip, I highly recommend.
I'll post pictures tomorrow, my camera's in my car and I don't want to get out of bed to go get it.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Backpacking Palisades
So I've decided already to give up on my previous goal of an artist a day; I decided it would distract from writing about stuff that may actually matter. Like what happened in the past few days.
Backpacking to Upper Palisades Lake and Waterfall Canyon
My girlfriend Bailey and I hiked into the upper lake (6.6 miles) and set camp. The path up wound along a creek (it was really high with snow melt) and past lower lake (much smaller than upper) After setting camp, we attempted fishing. I haven't fished since I used to with my father when I was little. Our amateur fishing attempts failed the first night and we went to bed disappointed. The second day, we swam in the lake for a bit. It was really cold. We got onto a large log on the shore and pushed it into the lake. I was hoping it would float to the middle of the lake with us on it, but it ended up against the shore again; it was still an exciting adventure though. That afternoon, we attempted a day hike into Waterfall Canyon. Despite having a topographical map, we missed the turnoff to Waterfall Canyon because we were distracted by a group of canvas tents apparently belonging to elk hunters. Realizing we were on the wrong trail, we free hiked to the top of a mountain and were able to see the canyon we should have been in. By that time, thunderclouds were moving in and we hoofed it back to camp.
That night, I fished again. I covered the hook completely with salmon eggs this time and caught a fish very quickly. I laid that one on a log and cast again, hooking another fish on my first cast, but it got away. Then Bailey caught one, too, after hooking one that got away. It was a very lucrative evening of fishing and we had two eight-inch fish for dinner. Cooking them proved difficult, but they turned out fine.
The hike out in the morning was difficult. Bailey and I were sore and the 6.6 miles seemed twice as long; it didn't help that it was raining pretty hard for the last mile and a half. All in all, Upper Palisades Lake is a gorgeous area. I wish we could have found Waterfall Canyon; we found the turnoff later, but by then we were worn out and too tired. Maybe I'll go back there another year and find Waterfall Canyon then.
Backpacking to Upper Palisades Lake and Waterfall Canyon
My girlfriend Bailey and I hiked into the upper lake (6.6 miles) and set camp. The path up wound along a creek (it was really high with snow melt) and past lower lake (much smaller than upper) After setting camp, we attempted fishing. I haven't fished since I used to with my father when I was little. Our amateur fishing attempts failed the first night and we went to bed disappointed. The second day, we swam in the lake for a bit. It was really cold. We got onto a large log on the shore and pushed it into the lake. I was hoping it would float to the middle of the lake with us on it, but it ended up against the shore again; it was still an exciting adventure though. That afternoon, we attempted a day hike into Waterfall Canyon. Despite having a topographical map, we missed the turnoff to Waterfall Canyon because we were distracted by a group of canvas tents apparently belonging to elk hunters. Realizing we were on the wrong trail, we free hiked to the top of a mountain and were able to see the canyon we should have been in. By that time, thunderclouds were moving in and we hoofed it back to camp.
That night, I fished again. I covered the hook completely with salmon eggs this time and caught a fish very quickly. I laid that one on a log and cast again, hooking another fish on my first cast, but it got away. Then Bailey caught one, too, after hooking one that got away. It was a very lucrative evening of fishing and we had two eight-inch fish for dinner. Cooking them proved difficult, but they turned out fine.
The hike out in the morning was difficult. Bailey and I were sore and the 6.6 miles seemed twice as long; it didn't help that it was raining pretty hard for the last mile and a half. All in all, Upper Palisades Lake is a gorgeous area. I wish we could have found Waterfall Canyon; we found the turnoff later, but by then we were worn out and too tired. Maybe I'll go back there another year and find Waterfall Canyon then.
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