Winter Plant Adaptations The first sign of fall is often associated with dying gardens and colorful forests, but not all trees change colors and wildflowers die. What causes the leaves to change? Which plants will come back next spring? Over time, plants have adapted to their environment, and in the Sawtooths especially, these adaptations are […]
Naturalists
Winter for an Elk
Have you seen elk in the winter? Elk have many adaptations to help them get through the cold winter months.
Sawtooth Stories: Robin Garwood, Wildlife Biologist
Sawtooth Stories: Robin Garwood, Wildlife Biologist The Sawtooth Mountain Range is an inherently wild region, which has been abundantly clear ever since the first Euro-American settlers arrived in these lands during the 1800s. The historically massive herds, schools, and flocks of Idaho are a thing of the past, but there are still people that strive […]
An In-Depth History of Vienna and Sawtooth City
An In-Depth History of Vienna and Sawtooth City The Sawtooths are home to more than spectacular views, hikes, and wildlife; they are also home to unique stories from the past. One way to experience the history is to explore the region’s ghost towns. The two ghost towns of the Sawtooth Valley are Sawtooth City and […]
A New Approach to an Old Issue: An Examination of Qualitative Research on Wolf Predation
A New Approach to an Old Issue: An Examination of Qualitative Research on Wolf Predation The reintroduction of wolves into Idaho in 1995 has generated debate for years, but Jeff Vance Martin’s recently published study, Peace in the valley? Qualitative insights on collaborative coexistence from the Wood River Wolf Project, takes a different approach to […]
Sharing is Caring: What the Rise of Social Media Means for Wilderness
Take a moment and consider the last time you spent time in nature. Was your interaction face-to-face, or did you spend much of your time peering through a screen? Neither is right or wrong: while some outdoor recreationists may scorn technology on backcountry adventures, others find joy in capturing experiences via camera or smartphone. When […]
Interview with an Archaeologist
Interview with an Archaeologist Hi! I’m Aspen Arnold, the 2021 Historic Specialist at the Stanley Museum. Recently I had the opportunity to interview the Forest Archaeologist for the Sawtooth National Forest, Doug Baughman. As a student of anthropology, I was excited to hear what someone in his position does day to day on such a […]
We all have to go, so let’s make sure we go the right way
We all have to go, so let’s make sure we go the right way I certainly poop. I’m willing to bet that you poop, too. We all poop because pooping is just a natural part of being a human. When we recreate in natural areas like the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, it means that there […]
Current Salmon Trends: Salmon’s Continued Struggle to Escape Extinction
Current Salmon Trends: Salmon’s Continued Struggle to Escape Extinction The number of salmon that return to the Sawtooth Valley today are far lower than their historic numbers. There are many contributing factors to their struggle, beginning in the 1800s with overfishing, and then with logging and ranching that further degraded their habitat. Later into the […]
Con Artists in the American West
Stories of the American West are extremely romantic. They tell of pioneers on the Oregon Trail, mountain men, and horse-riding cowboys. It all adds to our society’s picturesque imaginings of the “Old West.” One thing to remember about the West is that it represented boundless opportunities for those hoping to improve their lot in life. […]