Day 41, September 22

Day 41, September 22

Locations: Bruneau Dunes; Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway; Stanley; Salmon River Scenic Byway; Mt. Borah

Miles driven: 496

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I lied awake a half-hour before getting up at 8:40. I left camp at 8:52 and made the drive over to Bruneau Dunes State Park south of Mountain Home. This is a place I was really looking forward to seeing and photographing on this trip, but I wasn’t sure if the dunes are a sunrise or sunset spot. Obviously, I was too late for sunrise today as I just couldn’t get out of bed any earlier, but I left the option open to come back here tomorrow morning as I had quite a bit I wanted to see today. I planned to head up to Stanley via the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway that starts out of Boise.

I arrived at the dunes at 9:39 where there is a $4 entrance fee. The skies were clear, save for a few contrails and it was a very pleasant morning. I took a number of snaps and climbed a lower dune. At this point I was planning on being back here for sunset tonight where I was planning to climb, or at least take pictures from, the tallest, 470-foot dune, but I’d have to see how the day unfolds. I left the dunes at 10:25 and fueled up in Mountain Home just up the road to the north.

I arrived at the eastern edge of Boise at 11:25 where I turned northeast on Highway 21 for the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway. From here, it’s 125 miles to Stanley. I knew that if I were to head back down to the Bruneau Dunes tonight, it would be another long day of driving. There are, in fact, a number of ponderosas along the route which the name suggests, but what really blew me away were some incredible reds on a few of the hillsides near Lowman. For a number of years now, I have really wanted to see the Sawtooth Range in person. I have seen a bit of video and still footage of these mountains, and to say I’ve been there would be cool. At one point along the byway, there is a scenic pullout with a view over to the backside (west side) of a section of the Sawtooths. After taking a few snaps from here, I drove around the northern end of the range and then back into Stanley Lake where I walked the shore for a bit. From here, I drove through Stanley, a much smaller town than I envisioned, and on to Redfish Lake. Based on what I was seeing to this point, I pretty much figured I wouldn't be making it back to the Bruneau Dunes as I was already scouting out a place here to shoot sunrise from. After visiting Little Redfish Lake as well on the same road, I decided I’d come here for sunrise as it offers a better chance for a reflection being a much smaller lake. I also happened to notice a side forest road near the entrance to these lakes that I would come back to and check out camping options.

After checking out Redfish and Little Redfish Lakes, it was time to check up on another item I was really wanting to see on this trip—Mt. Borah, Idaho’s highest peak, at 12,662', in the next valley over to the east. So, I went up the Salmon River Scenic Byway to Challis to make my way over to Mt. Borah. You can see the peak from the north side of Willow Creek Summit framed through the foreground mountains, but the views really open up just on the other side of the pass to Borah and the rest of the Lost River Range about 25 miles south of Challis in the Thousand Springs Valley. Immediately, I thought Highway 93 should be a scenic byway. This is awesome country! After descending the pass, I took a right onto Sage Creek Road, then turned onto Trail Creek Road and came back out on Highway 93. There were a number of roads in the area and I knew right away that I could spend a considerable amount of time in this area, and I knew that when I ever made it back to Idaho, this valley is the first place I'd explore further. I definitely found my calling here in Idaho. I would have to come back over tomorrow when I have more time.

I fueled up in Mackay just a little ways further south, which sits in a nice setting, and left there at 6:15. I drove up to Doublesprings Pass which heads over to the next valley to the east and goes directly north of Mt. Borah. It didn't look like there was going to be a sunset tonight, and, in fact, was a dud, but overall, the Canadian Rockies could sure learn a lot about Idaho’s weather! I drove back out to 93 and then headed back over Willow Creek Summit to Challis and back down to Stanley.

I pulled into a great campsite at 9:20 at start of Redfish Lakes Road along Forest Road 210 which goes to the left (north) that I had seen earlier in the day. The camp spot was not even a half-mile in which makes for a real nice, quick five-minute approach to Little Redfish Lake where I will shoot sunrise tomorrow. There were a couple others also camped along the road. I went to sleep a short while later.

9:56 AM — Bruneau Dunes State Park and the tallest, 470-foot dune