by Rachael Marczak “How common are bears around here?” “Any recent bear sightings?” On a daily basis, I get maybe half a dozen variations of these questions, whether it’s at the desk at the Visitor Center or over the phone at the Ranger Station. Frequently on hikes, I’ll hear the ringing of a bear bell […]
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What’s in my pack?
Living here in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, gives me ample opportunity to hike. Some of my hikes take a few hours while others take me multiple days. Every hike is different, different mountains, lakes, wildlife, flowers, trees and trails. What doesn’t change is what is in my pack. Every hike I go on no […]
Salmon in the Sawtooth: Olympic Champs!
I grew up prowling around the mangroves of Florida with my dad. Fishing, paddling, and swimming were my preferred weekend activities, and as a Florida native, the opportunities were endless. Five years ago I moved to Idaho sight-unseen, knowing little about the state. Quick research yielded some fun facts to spout out to my […]
No Admission Fee: The Beauty of Public Lands and Free Museums
No Admission Fee: The Beauty of Public Lands and Free Museums By Megan Nelson During my time at the Stanley Museum, I have noticed visitors always ask the same questions when they first walk through the door. The questions range from mundane to inquisitive, but perhaps the most common question asked is “do we have […]
Light Bulb Moment
“History is an unending dialogue between the present and the past.” -E.H. Carr The subject of history has a reputation as dusty as the objects studied by historians. Regurgitating names and dates and events conjure up fond memories of afternoon naps taken on the hard top of a high school desk for multitudes. I’m a […]
Don’t Take the Sawtooth Mountains for Granite
“As we passed on, it seemed those scenes of visionary enchantment would never have an end.” -Meriwether Lewis Named for their easily recognizable jagged peaks and U-shaped valleys, the Sawtooth Mountains encompass 678 square miles across 4 counties. The “sawtooth” formation is due to the lifting and erosion of the Idaho Batholith. What is a Batholith? […]
A walk with old friends
“A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled surfaces. We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it. We need a refuge even though we may never need to set foot in it. We need the […]
How the Peaks Got Their Names
The name of the mountain range that runs through this region is fairly self-explanatory; the jagged peaks resemble the sharp, crooked teeth of a saw blade. The Sawtooth Mountains run 43 miles long and 25 miles wide, covering 678 square miles. Within this range, there are 57 peaks that are over 10,000 feet high, and […]
An Evening Excursion
These long days provide for longer adventures. After a day of work, there are still plenty of hours of daylight left. The Sawtooths offer endless peaks, valleys, lakes, and streams for exploring. As the snow slowly recedes with the warmer weather hikes to higher elevations are slowly opening up. I am eager and impatient to […]
Flying Balloons
It’s almost a right of passing, at least in my neighborhood growing up. You go to a restaurant with your family, the restaurant hands out balloons to any kids who ask for it. That kid gets the balloon and almost immediately after leaving the door the balloon magically slips out of their hand and floats […]