BERRY BERRY HOT IN THE CANYON . . .

It has been very hot in the canyon - up in the 90s, sometimes 100ds on my little LL Bean thermometer every day since I have arrived.  We have had one thunder and lightening storm which promptly started a fire 2 miles due east of the ranch at Rattlesnake Point, just adjacent to Rabbit Creek.  Smoke jumpers from the Grangeville smoke jumper base were immediately parachuted in and had the fire under control and out within 24 hours.  Helipcopters came to the ranch to take out their gear and Mike jet boated the young jumpers back down river.  I didn't get to see and meet the handsome young smoke jumpers as I was napping.  Just goes to show you what age 62 will do for you!

The hot weather has also caused a bumper crop of strawberries, raspberries and cherries.

Mike picks the cherries.

Mike on the ladder picking cherries . . . . ..

I de-pit and wash them.

 

Cherries being washed . . .

I get the pits out of the cherries with a little German made machine.

Lorrie at the picnic table de-pitting the cherries . . .

Note the black lab, Coot, at my feet :-)

Lynn then  uses her magic and cans the cherries and makes jam out of the strawberries and raspberries.

Lynn in the canning process . . . . .

 

On the stove . . . .

 

Ah, the finished product of all our labors . . ..

We have raspberries for breakfast every morning :-) Maybe one more pick of raspberries..  The strawberries have gone by.  The blue berries are now ripe and Lynn has been making some blueberry deserts for the guests with lemon curd.  Apricots are on the way . . . 

MANES 'N TAILS . . . .

ARRIVAL OF NEW MARES

Shepp Ranch got two new mares last week.  Wesley Gregory (one of our hunting guides for bear, elk and mule deer) and Tim Hull rode across the mountains with the new horses and a pack horse.  They camped out up top one night and arrived at about 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Wesley with his mount . . .

 

The new mares . . . I named the dark one Olivia  ..

It was a  very hot (over 100 degrees) 2 day ride over the mountains. we bring them tall glasses of lemonade when they arrive.  They spend the night and leave around 6 a.m. after a big breakfast to head back. 

 

A cowboy laces up for the trail . . ..

 

 

Tim Hull packing up the pack horse for the ride back . . .

 

Ready for the trail . . .

 

 

 

And the pack string heads out . . .

 

I follow them up the mountain a ways to get some aerial shots of the River and the ranch.

 

View Lynn's Shepp Ranch gardens from up above . . .

 

A view of Shepp Ranch barns from up above . . .

 

 

Sunrise looking upriver from up high . . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

JET BOAT UP RIVER . . .

Friday we had  twelve day tripper guests.  Day tripper guests get a special a jet boat ride up river.  Mike picks up the guests at the "end of the road" boat ramp at Vinegar Creek  on the Salmon River just outside of Riggins.  They stop first at Polly Bemis Ranch before arriving at Shepp Ranch for lunch.  Next they tour the ranch and then we all get in the jet boat for a wild ride up river.  We take one of Shepp Ranch's three jet boats, the thirty-one foot twin engine.  Most of the 12 guests ride in the back of the boat standing against the railings.  I sit in the co-captain's seat across from Mike. It is a nicer bouncy ride over the rapids as the seat has springs underneath and a cushy seat.

                                        Shepp Ranch jet boat "Marybelle" on route up river . . .

Mike (manager and outfitter and jet boat captain) driving the jet boat up river . .

 

Jet boats were first seen on the Salmon River in the mid-sixties.  The beauty of the jet boat on the rocky, rapid filled Salmon River is that there is nothing jutting below the bottom of the boat to come into contact with rocks or gravel.  The jet engine pulls water into a large opening and forces it out  through a very small opening, thus creating the power to move through the fast moving water.

The dogs like to perch on the bow to take in the action.  They seem to instinctively know when a rapid is coming up and get back down into the inside of the boat without prompting.

Springer spaniel Cane (sounds like Connie) is our compass and guide . . .

The Salmon River is the second deepest canyon outside of Hells Canyon.  It's depth is 6,000 feet with the river being at 2000 feet about sea level and the Sheep Eater Lookout, the rim of the canyon is at 8,000 feet. 

In the far distance you can see Sheepeater Mountain at 8000 feet which is the outer rim of the canyon ..

Mike stops the boat to show us a cliff where the big horn sheep have made the narrowest of trails for themselves across the bare rock.

Cliff with 3 big horn sheep trails crisscrossing the rock - zoom in to see closer . . ..

We go through many sets of rapids to our final destination at another ranch/lodge Mackay Bar which is 10 miles up river from Shepp Ranch. We stop there for water, ice cream and a rest in the shade and then head back down river to Shepp Ranch where I disembark.  Mike then takes the guests back to Vinegar Creek to complete their wilderness experience on the Salmon River.

Mackay Bar Lodge . . . Notice the rafters taking off to go down river . . .

 

 

Jet boat with guests on back railing . . . .

 

A good day was had by all!  Some guests say next time they will be back for an overnight stay.

 

I always enjoy meeting and getting to know our guests. They come from all walks of life and have wonderful stories of their lives to share with us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAIL DAY . .

Every Wednesday is mail day on the Main Salmon River.  Since there is no road transportation in or out of the ranches mail is brought in by mail plane.  Our service comes through Arnold Aviation out of Cascade Idaho, about 80 miles due south of here by road or I don't know how far in aviation miles.  There are about 20 stops on the mail route.  The plane can also bring any special fresh produce or other groceries if ordered and it will fit in the plane.  The plane is usually a Cessna 185 - with four seats with the back seats taken out or a Cessna 206 which is larger.  The plane first circles our ranch to check for any livestock or other critters on the air strip - elk, deer, big horn sheep or whatever and then comes back for a landing.

Mail plane taxis to a stop on the air strip . ..

 

We go out to meet the plane with the jeep to unload mail and groceries and whatever else we have ordered in.  Thirty some years ago when I was here mail day was so very exciting because it was the only way to receive mail and there was usually a two week turn around.  It was waiting with baited breath to receive a letter from a child or spouse or lover or whomever.  Now we have satellite e-mail, facebook or Skype so there is no wait and not the excitement there once was. 

 

Mail bag used for outgoing and incoming correspondence

 

We put any outgoing mail in our mail bag and receive another one back with our incoming mail.  In the winter if the plane cannot land on skiis, the pilot will drop this mailbag for us on the airstrip.  We go out to meet the plane and greet our pilot, Ray.  Sometimes he will come back to the lodge for a cup of coffee, but not today.  It is too hot and he has to keep going before the air temperature is too hot and he can no longer make landings or takeoffs. Today he is here at 10:00 a.m. and we are not the first stop. 

 

 

The landing . . .

 

Mike unloads mail plane with our mail and other stuff . ..

 

Our mail man Ray with controls in mail plane . . .

 

Mike and pup Cane (sounds like Connie) with truck loaded up from mail plane and headed back to the lodge. ..

 

Mail plane takes off from Shepp Ranch airstrip headed for next ranch, Mackay Bar . . .

 

We go back to the lodge with the mail and sit down at the picnic table to read and enjoy.

 

Mike and Lynn (Managers of Ranch) opening mail and other stuff at picnic table at the lodge . ..

 

And so, I received one letter this first mail day from Jen Lesser who is now living in my Vermont cabin.  Please write if you can.  A hand written letter means so much and promise I will write back.  my address is:

Shepp Ranch

HC 83 Box 8000

Cascade ID 83611

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



EARLY MORNING HIKES . .

Every morning I get up an hour before I am expected in the kitchen to take a 3 mile walk on the River Trail.  I start out at the ranch.  This is my view looking down river - west of the ranch.


View from lodge looking down river . . . .'

Next I cross the Crooked Creek Bridge which flows into the Salmon River just west of the ranch.

 

 







View of Crooked Creek from the bridge . . .

Crooked creek is a fast flowing creek coming out of the mountains.  It powers our generator during the months when it is not frozen.  During the winter the ranch uses a gas powered generator for a few hours each day to keep the freezers cold and to laundry etc etc . ..

 

Still walking west on the trail I now cross the air strip.  We have an airstrip about a 1/4 mile long just for private small fixed wing aircraft and the mail plane which comes in once a week on Wednesdays our USPS mail and any groceries we order in.  I will fly up river on the mail plane next week to White Water Ranch (where I lived 35 years ago) to visit friends.  The only transportation in and out of the ranch is fixed wing small aircraft and/or jet boat or the river trail via horse or mule.

 

                                                        Looking up the air  strip/runway . . .

 

Now I walk about a mile on the river bluffs a few hundred feet above the river.  The view is always breathtaking and I say a word of thanks to the spirits of the River that I am here in this most beautiful place . . . .

 

 

                 Early morning sun on the mountains looking down River from the River trail  . . .

 

The Indian translation from which the name of Idaho came is "Sun coming over the mountains." 

 

The trail is narrow and pitches and rolls and is close to the edge of the bluffs . . . . One has to pay attention.  It is actually safer to ride a mule on these trails, as opposed to a horse, as the mules are more sure footed.

 

Looking up the River trail . . .





 

I walk about a mile and a half, or thirty minutes and then back to the ranch.  Going back, on the right side of the River is the Polly Bemis Place.  Polly was a young Chinese woman brought to the United States at the age of 19 in 1872.  Her feet were originally bound and thus she always had to wear boys shoes.  She came an indentured slave via San Francisco with Hong King and was taken to Warren Idaho to work in the mining saloons.   She was won by Charlie Bemis in a poker game in Warren and he brought her down to his place on the Salmon River and eventually married her.   Their original cabin burned and after Charlie died in 1919 a second cabin was built for Polly.  This cabin is still there with many of Polly's belongings.  The creek there has since been named Polly Creek. Charlie died first and Polly lived to age 80.  You can Google her at Polly Bemis to find out more of her fascinating story.

 

Looking up river to Shepp Ranch on left and Polly Bemis Place on the right . . . .



 

And then it is back to Shepp Ranch for 7:00 a.m. to start breakfast for whomever might wish to partake of eggs, bacon/sausage/ham and fresh muffins or biscuits.

 

Looking up River towards Shepp Ranch on the left . . .

 

And thus ends my early morning River hike.  I hope you have enjoyed this hike with me. It is my time of meditation and reflection.

 

 



 

 



 






ARRIVAL AT SHEPP RANCH

My river transportation to Shepp Ranch - Jet Boat

Cat Yentl and I left Boise at 5:30 a.m. Thursday June 26th to catch my jet boat at Vinegar Creek  at 11:00 a.m. on the Salmon River 26 miles up river from Riggins Idaho.  We stopped in McCall for a cup of coffee and then on to Riggins and the River Road.  Stopped again at the Wind River Bridge to visit my fiddle playing friend Linda who is visiting her sister and brother-in-law who live there.  We arrive at Vinegar Creek boat landing at 10:59 a.m.  Our jet boat is waiting with Mike, Shepp Ranch manager/outfitter, some guests coming into the ranch and a painter who will paint some buildings there for a few days.  Above is a picture of my jet boat.  It takes us about 30 minutes to get to Shepp.  We go through numerous rapids with Mike expertly maneuvering us with skill and aplomb.  It's incredibly bumpy, noisy and there are three of the ranch dogs on board as well and Yentl goes berserk in his carrier. The river is incredibly beautiful as always and it is a lovely, warm and sunny day.

I am so happy to finally be here and have a lovely little cabin to make mine and Yentl's home for the next five months, through the end of hunting season in November.  It is very cozy.  I have hung up my woven wall hanging  of snowflakes from my friend Amy that hung in my cabin in Vermont.  With it, Yentl and I feel as though we are home again.  Yentl escapes for 3 hours from the cabin but miraculously reappears.  I thought after driving 2,700 miles how could he be lost and perhaps be eaten by some wild critter this night.  But he shows up on the porch very pleased with himself.

My cabin at Shepp

 

 

                                                   Woodstove inside of my cabin at Shepp

 

I have a nice loft up top for storage.  I didn't bring too many things and some things I left in storage for saving space in the Yaris I wish I now had.  I settle in and go down to the kitchen at 6:00 p.m. to help prepare for dinner . . . . part of my work as cook's helper.  I do whatever the cook, the other ranch manager Lynn gives me for tasks. She is wonderful and fun.  Dinner with guests here is always at 7:30 p.m. and by the time we finish and clean up it is close to 9:00 p.m.  I must be at the kitchen again at 7:00 a.m. to start the day.  The air has cooled from it's high today of 98 degrees.  I can hear the River running loud from my cabin and it lulls me to sleep.  It is the sweetest, most beautiful music of all.