Visit Stanley Idaho » salmon

Idaho Rafting:Not Just for Grizzled River Rats

stanleyidaho — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:41:34 +0000

Family Vacation Ideas: Idaho Rafting, Fun For The Whole Family!

Idaho boasts over 16,000 miles of rivers and streams, offering up some of the finest white water rafting opportunities available anywhere. The Middle Fork, the Snake, the Salmon, Hells Canyon, the Payette, the Owyhee, Jarbridge, the Selway – these and other Idaho rivers beckon thousands of visitors every summer. But not every white water rafter is a grizzled “river rat” – in fact, many families who have no white water experience whatsoever take to the river canyons for once in a lifetime wilderness vacations. Rafting vacations combine the excitement of traversing white water with an immersion in the natural world, a rustic camping experience, an education in Native American and pioneer lore, and perhaps even an introduction to fly fishing. There’s something for everyone (on many rivers, that includes natural hot springs – Mother Nature’s own spa treatment). Highly trained river guides make your family’s safety their first concern, in the water and out…and help your family understand and appreciate the wonders of the natural world. From 1/2 day trips to multi day trips Idaho rivers have it all. Its never too late to book a trip. So what are you waiting for? Idaho beckons!

Idaho: Mc Call Air, Idaho’s Premiere Air Taxi Service

stanleyidaho — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:05:30 +0000

McCall Aviation is an air charter company based in central Idaho. With a fleet of fourteen airplanes, McCall Aviation specializes in charters to the backcountry and city-to-city flights throughout the intermountain West. The company operates two full service facilities (McCall and Salmon) along with seasonal operations in Stanley and a counter and gate in Boise that provide passenger services for all of you folks wanting to fly to Stanley for your summer rafting vacation or perhaps a wedding.

McCALL AIR is the premier backcountry aviation company and city to city jet charters in the Pacific Northwest. Specializing in backcountry charter flights for the Frank Church River Of No Return Wilderness, Boise, Sun Valley and McCall Idaho areas and jet charters for city to city transportation.

. Whether it’s your backcountry get-away, your winter wonderland or your shot of white-water adrenalin, McCall Air opens up Idaho from the cities to the hidden airstrips.

Mc Call Air has extensive backcountry flying excursions throughout the year. Spring, summer and autumn months keep us busy transporting wilderness aficionados all over the Northwest for white-water rafting, hunting, hiking and camping fun. During the snow-filled winter months we serve backcountry ranches and communities by delivering groceries and mail. Scenic flights are available year-round as well. If you think Idaho is beautiful from the ground, wait till you see it from the air!

Al and Jeana of Solitude River Trips, Middle Fork of the Salmon River outfitters www.RiverTrips.com highly recomends Mc Call Air. Dan Scott the owner, Rod the chief pilot and the very capable office staff headed up by Vicki make it a first class experience.

Contact Mc Call Air: (800) 992-6559

Main Office

300 Deinhard lane
McCall, ID 83638

Idaho’s Historic Yankee Fork Gold Dredge: Millions In Gold Came From Streams Near Stanley But At A Cost

stanleyidaho — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:13:55 +0000

In the mid 1930’s miners who held claims on the Yankee Fork, a tributary of the Salmon River. The miners were looking for anyone interested in dredging their claims on the Yankee Fork. There were about two to three dozen claims involved. Tests indicated approximately $16,000,000 worth of gold was recoverable, they formed a company called the Snake River Mining Co., to manage the dredging. The dredge was built in 1939-1940.. The parts were shipped by train to Mackay, then hauled by trucks to Yankee Fork and assembled in 1940.

From 1940 until it closed in August of 1952, the dredge dug out rock and recovered gold by washing and separating the rock, dirt and gold. The Snake River Mining Company operated the dredge for several years until it reached a rock dike below Bonanza in 1949. At that time, they sold it to J.R. Simplot the potato magnate form Boise who operated the dredge from 1951 The dredge was then operated until 1952 when it ran out of mining claims on which to work. The dredge has not been operated since 1952.

The dredge is 112 feet long, 54 feet wide, 64 feet high and weighs 988 tons. The fine material was dispersed into 32 sluice boxes where the gold was collected by the mercury process. This was reportedly a very efficient dredge, taking out about 80% of the gold available.

The destruction of the Yankee Fork stream is hard to imagine until one sees the miles of boulders and pools formed by this giant dredge as it ate its way up the stream. Huge losses of trout, steelhead and salmon were lost in the devistation of the stream. In those days people thought more of jobs and money ( even today that mentallity still excists in soem areas) rather than the environment, and today we pay the cost. Fish have returned to the Yankee Fork but not in the numbers before the days of the dredge.

Mr. J.R. Simplot, the last owner, donated the dredge to the U.S. Forest Service. In 1979, The Forest service had no funds to maintain nor keep the dredge open as a visitor attraction. Former employees and their families formed an association to restore and keep the dredge open to the public. This group of volunteers has restored the dredge and it is open for guided tours.
The Yankee Fork Gold Dredge is open from Memorial Day 10:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M through Labor Day weekend.

DIRECTIONS:

Follow state Highway 75 for 13 miles east of Stanley, then turn north at the Sunbeam Dam onto the Yankee Fork Road and follow the dirt road for nine miles. The $3 fee for a guided tour is used for the preservation of the dredge and the heritage of the Yankee Fork.