Northfork Notebook
Do you remember the record high temps we had about three or four weeks ago? Well, that may have been our spring ... and early summer! I turned on the Weather Channel and saw a 26 degree reading at midday, the North Fork is runnin’ higher, and off color with wood debris once again makin’ its way downriver. Then there’s the South Fork that drains the urban areas of the Silver Valley, depositing lotsa rain water from the storm drains, runoff; consequently, a person standin’ at the confluence below Enaville can many times see a definite “line” between the two waters before they mix. River levels have once again “spiked” upwards on the Cd’A River system as well as the St. Joe. This Saturday is free fishin’ day in Idaho, and, with a li’l help from Mother Nature, we would expect many kids and families, fishin’ poles in hand, on local rivers as well as the catch-and-take ponds located throughout the area.
Free fishin’, end of school for most students, many families will be pullin’ out for a weekend while many will take a well-deserved vacation. This comin’ weekend is a li’l slim on organized activities as many gear-up for next weekend for Gyro Days in Wallace as well as Father’s Day next Sunday, June 17.
Have to mention that the new zipline attraction in Wallace saw more than 50 participants for their initial weekend of operation. Tickets can be purchased at their office in Wallace, located in the Wallace Inn ... space where the gift shop had been.
The Route of the Hiawatha has seen good numbers for the first part of the season. Shuttle buses will begin service this Monday during the week as well as the ever-popular weekend outings. The 13-mile plus downhill bike ride with tunnels and trestles and shuttle back up is an activity you’ll remember.
It came to the public’s attention that a fence had been installed by Fern and Shadow Falls that inhibited views from walkin’ around one of the favorite areas. I was “assured” by a Forest Service person that the fence would be taken down quickly ... not a conspiracy kind of guy ... but we’ve sure had troubles lately gettin’ to some of the most popular areas, roads, etc. I know there’s a group in our area workin’ to form another group to look into their issues.
I spoke with Rick at the Valley Fishin’ Hole in yes ... uptown Smelterville. He looked on the Fish and Game website and they will have staff members and volunteers at the Lucky Friday Pond above Mullan as well as the Steamboat Pond on the North Fork this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon to assist wannabe fishermen and others. They will provide use of the fishin’ poles during the time period as well as use infrastructure technique. I’m hopin’ Mary has had the opportunity to “plant” these ponds as well as others.
Mary works out of the Mullan Fish Hatchery and is a very important part of the fishin’ season as she puts a tanker loaded with “triploids” and finds them a new home in local waters. The Fish and Game used to also “plant” local rivers with fish, mainly triploids that are a rainbow strain that does not reproduce ... but, fiscal cuts, protection of the west slope cutthroat strain eliminated that part of the program. Anyway, last weekend there were a lotta fishermen at the Clee Creek Pond, located jus’ across the road from the Avery Creek day-use area. The trail takes you right by a historic ranger cabin that has been renovated and can be rented through the Forest Service rental program along with the Li’l Guard Lookout and the historic Magee Ranger Station ... Oh yeah, anyone catch the KXLY story midweek about a couple of campers in the Bumblebee area that shot a cougar ... gave it three chances to get away, but it kept comin’ back ... that’s two chances more than I would personally give a cougar, particularly with so many campers and children in the area.
Roger and his yellow limo crew on the ol’ side had one final full week of sightins’ ... short week before school ends this week. The big news is that this is the time of year when wildlife are havin’ babies, droppin’ newborns. Rog watched a small calf elk on wobbly legs being coaxed into the brush near the Lazy T Cap Ranch. The baby’s legs were very wobbly, could have been hours, if not a day old. They also spotted a young baby moose that didn’t look over a day or two old. Further upriver, a local family has a number of critters and their were two young calves cavortin’ around the field. Catch sight of elk and deer earlier in the mornings, later in the evenings.
Son Andy was comin’ across the Mission Flats midweek and caught a glimpse of two bald eagles in the lone snag ... we’ve had numerous sightins’ of a bald or two on the North Fork as well as bicyclists caught a look at a golden eagle. Goin’ upriver this past week I was slowin’ down to allow a mama duck and a dozen or so chicks across the roadway when a red-tailed hawk swooped down and plucked one of the chicks off the ground. The hawk gathered and began to fly off with the chick when it dropped back to earth ... may not be jus’ cats that have nine lives!
Don’t forget Ride-the-Wall Thursday, June 21, a great event that provides an excellent 13-mile bike ride to celebrate the longest day of the year, the official beginning of summer ... well, with a Leap Year we should have hosted the event a day early, but for the previous umpteen years the event has been on the 21st.
The ’Pit is open Thursdays through Mondays, while Tuesdays and Wednesdays we are closed. We are servin’ a seafood buffet on Friday night that includes Pacific Wild Salmon and oysters we purchase from the coast on a weekly basis and prepare ... pretty pricey in the stores right now! We are also serving buffet breakfast on Saturdays as well as Sundays from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for the summer season. We are also servin’ our favorite Chuckwagon barbecue on Sundays beginning at 3 p.m. The Chuckwagon is very popular on Father’s Day, probably start it a li’l earlier that day.
Lots goin’ on, went to a spring music program at Canyon School the other night ... Kenzie, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree ... in mom Joy Persoon ... excellent program. Thanks from the kids, parents and others ... See you on the North Fork.
By JOE PEAK