March 2, 2016
We hiked up China ditch in the Wilson Crk drainage. We had to hike in 1 1/4 miles to the trailhead, the two-rutter was eroded out from the Soda Crk fire. 330,000 acres burned last year and it torched every inch here.

The mining barons contracted (enslaved) Chinese labor to channel the tributary creeks down to hydraulic mining sites downhill by the Snake river. The ditches eroded and the BLM finished filling in and made a great hiking trail.

The amount of hand labor that went into the excavation and the stacked rock walls is amazing. A lot of the 1880 rock work is still intact and supports the trail.

I thought I was a hard worker. I thought I had worked my ass off on the rigs, on my own land, these people worked at a level that I can't imagine.

    The Soda Creek fire burned over 53 square miles, an irregular amoeba on the BLM maps. Down to the irrigated flats near the river and all of the sage brush foothills and canyons for 40 miles.

    We drove up a little ways on our side of the valley one night last summer and could see the fire 20 miles away, half the horizon in flames.
    Below shows the inferno along Wilson Creek. It burned every molecule, even the stumps.

In some of the SW exposures the landscape seemed almost Martian, only dirt and rocks.

It was a good hike, humbled by the power of natural fire.
Jennifer had an appointment so we hauled ass out and made it back to Eagle by 3:30.
The nice thing was the green sprouting....life again...nature responds.

April 2016
4-4-16
Drove to Succor Crk SP in Oregon. We went via Homedale, ID & good route for here but not for Leslie Gulch. Beautiful Owyhee scenery.

Drove up a two rut track and came to a mined pit with white layered sheets of mineral. Looked it up and it was a small zeolite mine; ancient layers of volcanic ash that had been flooded and pressed into sheets by geologic time. We hiked downstream on Succor Crk until high water blocked us. Then we hiked upstream to a high ridge.

I looked for geodes but only found one that was only rock, no crystals, when I cracked it open. Really nice Spring day hike.

We stopped in Homedale and had great Mexican food at Del Rio Resturante. All around nice day.

Bruneau Dunes April 2016

April 2016
4-19-16
First camp of the year. De-winterized the camper the day before. On the rd by 12:30 & at Bruneau Dunes SP by 2:30. Set up on site 29 & it's good. 25, 27, or 31 would be good. Delicious quiche dinner. Great to be camping.
4-20-16
Drove south on hwy 51 & then west on Wickahoney (plenty water) @ mm 45. We hiked down into Big Jack's Creek Wilderness area, beautiful but real gut buster.

You walk on the sage brush flats for 3/4 m & then you drop down 900' into the canyon. It's really steep. We came across a big bull snake laying on the trail and had a 2 min freak out. Big Jacks Creek at the bottom is really gorgeous.

I fly fished a little and caught 2" minnows. The cliff walls have ferns growing in the cracks and swallow nests under the overhangs.

It was a real life experience walk. We were all dragging ass by the time we made it back to the truck.

Tired that night and early to bed after a good dinner of Falls Brand polish dogs.
Slept really good even with the wind hollowing. We planned to hike again but decided a recovery day sounded better. Drove up the south side of the Snake to Hammett and nothing special. Fueled up in Mountain Home and drove down to the Bruneau Canyon Overlook and picnicked while we enjoyed the view.

Even though we had been to the overlook before the vista is amazing.

This was a great first camp and the Big Jack hike is a real lifetime memory. We did a laid back breakdown, drive home, unloaded, cleaned the camper and put it in storage by 3:30. Great time.

June 2016
2nd camp of the year at Smokey Mtn. CG, site 7, City of Rocks NR. 4 hr drive and OK setup.
2nd day we hiked from Parking Lot rock.

Great hike. Up Stairway and along Creek Side.

Back to the truck and drove to Emory Pass picnic area. Nice lunch in a little aspen grove. Headed back to the CG and they sprayed magnesium chloride on the road which packed the underside of the truck. Really packed.
On the way back to the CG we finally found the Window Arch.

We drove to Circle Creek Overlook. Nothing really special. Good sites at Smokey Mtn CG 20, 23, or 17 or 19 would be OK.
Next day we went to the North Fork Spg trailhead at Emory Picnic Area.
Fantastic hike, 4.2 rt. Love the views winding thru the rocks 1st mile. Incredible views.

Drove out on "Magnesium Chloride" again, to the hot springs pools at Almo that felt great. Wonderful trip.

Great trip, 500 miles, $100 for gas, $75 for camping. We had a great time.