It was with the snow rapidly melting here at home and a forecast of rain and temperatures into the 40’s that I left on my annual winter trip in search of fresh snow.

Sunrise Fence

I traveled the snow-less Clearwater River corridor up the Wild and Scenic Lochsa finding snow in the upper reaches of the
Bitterroot Mountains at Lolo Pass.

From there I traveled south on Hwy 93 through Challis and followed the Salmon River all the way into Stanley, just in time to catch sunset over the Sawtooth Range.

In the morning I witnessed an amazing display of mists dancing around the peaks as the sun came up. Balancing myself and tripod on a 5 foot snowbank surrounded by such beauty, it was easy to ignore the frigid temps for the brief light show.

From Stanley I looped through Garden Valley and rejoined Hwy 95 at New Meadows. I found some abandoned barns and buildings on the country roads of the Camas Prairie around Grangeville.

At Lewiston I completed my circle of Idaho and the rains which I had avoided on my entire loop since leaving home, once again commenced. It was a quick but successful trip!