This week’s installment of Russell and Hannas’ adventures. Read the whole book by going to http://www.amazon.com/author/edwardlehner

I continued on into a canyon along the Salmon River towards the town of Challis, then Stanley, seeing rafters on the river along the way. The Sawtooth Mountains appeared to west, living up to their name, rough and craggy looking. They looked like I felt: rough, craggy, dark, foreboding, lonely, empty, and scary. 

I continued on to Stanley where Highway 75 turned south into a wide expansive valley of grass and sage that ran up the high rolling hills to the east and bordered by the Sawtooth Range on the right. I drove through Smiley Creek, by the headwaters of the Salmon River (aka. The River of No Return), up over Galena Pass, and then, downhill all the way, until I saw a National Forest Information Center and pulled in. 

I got information on campgrounds and trails in the area. I decided to stay in a Forest Service Campground north of Ketchum and found a spot for a week’s stay. The next day, desperately needing to do laundry and get groceries, I went into Ketchum seeing nothing but sports stores, bars, galleries, and restaurants. After asking a local, I found a grocery store and laundromat. I stocked what I could for a week and drove back north to the campground.