SCENIC HWY 75 TO KETCHUM AND SUN VALLEY

June 25, 2013 - high of 55 degrees

Today we are heading to Ketchum/Sun Valley.  It is about 70 miles from Stanley.  Our goal is to get some great pics of the Sawtooth Mountains, experience Sun Valley, and see the Hemingway Museum and Memorial.

We head south of Stanley and immediately we can see the majestic Sawtooth Mountains to the west.  Today,  clouds kissing their peaks and we are hoping they will burn off by the afternoon.  

REDFISH LAKE


Redfish Lake was recommended to us while we were in Nampa as a great destination point while in the area.  The lake is just five miles south of Stanley.  There is a lodge and several campgrounds.  There are many indicators that this is a busy place during July and August.   We saw horseback riders, jet skis, walkers and fishermen.

Mt Heyburn (10,299 ft) and Grand Mogul (9,733 ft) are in the background.  There is a ferry service at the lodge that takes you to the south end of the mountains.


Hwy 75 has many turn outs and there are markers for historic events, creeks, gultches, and hot springs. This area has several hot springs.  We haven't explored them yet, but they are on our list.

HEADWATERS OF THE SALMON RIVER


Next stop was a quick photo opt on the north side of Galena Pass.  From this vantage point you could see the beautiful valley where the town of Stanley resides.   The Sawtooth Mountains are to the west and the White Cloud Mountains slightly to the east.







We also had a quick history lesson on the headwaters of the Salmon River:  In 1824, while searching the mountain wilderness of what is present day Idaho, known to them as Columbia District, for beaver, Alexander Ross came up the Wood River and discovered Galena Summit on September 18. Leading a large brigade of Hudson's Bay Company trappers, he wondered if he could get through unknown mountains and rocky defiles that obstructed his passage back to his base of operations at present Challis. Unwilling to turn back he pressed on to exploreStanley Basin and the difficult canyon beyond. When he reached Challis on October 5, 1924, he had traveled the route now followed by Idaho State Highway 75 from Bellevue to Salmon through mostly unexplored land.  (Thank you Wikipedia)

Ray's photo of the valley.

My photo of what I thought was the head water of the Salmon River - Ray disagrees.  He is might be right.  My second guess is a hot springs.

KETCHUM/SUN VALLEY

You know immediately that you are arriving in to an area of rich and famous...cell service.  Also, there are beautiful houses lining the highway to Ketchum.  My interest was Ernest Hemingway Museum and Ray's to replace a bike battery (The bike was manufactured in Ketchum).  We both failed.  The museum was closed just for the day - there was a note on the door.  The bike company was out of business.  Darn.

Ketchum reminds me of a town on the Oregon Coast.  It is full of shops catering to summer and winter recreation.  It also has galleries, restaurants, real estate, bookstores, and of course a Starbucks.

In the middle of Ketchum we take a left, stop at the first traffic light we have seen in 200 miles, and we're in Sun Valley.  The sign side the two towns were four miles apart but I think its more like one mile.

HEMINGWAY MEMORIAL

Best of all he loved the fall 
the leaves yellow on cottonwoods 
leaves floating on trout streams 
and above the hills 
the high blue windless skies 
…Now he will be a part of them forever.

Hemingway prepared this for a memorial he gave for a dear friend.

View behind the memorial.  Memorial is located on Trail Creek Road just beyond the golf course and shooting range.  

SUN VALLEY LODGE 

Our last stop was Sun Valley Lodge.  It was created in 1935 by the Union Pacific as the perfect American resort.  The lodge is grand. There is an ice skating rink, bowling alley, as well as restaurant, gift shop, etc.  We were not disappointed with our visit. 

Many celebrities visited the lodge over the years and their pictures line the hallway on either side of the lobby.  Ray is checking out the last letter written by Hemingway.  We really enjoyed looking at the pictures and seeing famous athletes and movie stars.

The village is next door to the lodge.  We did a quick walk though.  It is full of restaurants, gift shops, candy store and a fly shop.  Guess where we shopped?