Exploring the American Wilderness and Other Adventures

Coeur d’Alene – McCall, Idaho Roadtrip

If I am paying attention, I discover that I have met and am meeting a wide array of incredible people. And if I am paying attention, those people notice. Last year I was leading a women’s only hiking group called Hikerbabes, which I no longer participate in because I could not reconcile myself with their for-profit status and how that seemed to mean that although I was strictly a volunteer, I had to accept behaviors that are unethical. During that time, I met a woman, JM, who was basically a unicorn to this northern-Minnesota-born and bred trailer park trash: she is a remote program manager for a tech company that permits her to live anywhere in the world. She is incredibly bright, kind, generous, brave, very tall, and has brilliant red hair and classic porcelain skin.

And she randomly sends a message: Are you comfortable with heights?

From that message, a trip of a lifetime was born for me. She had won an opportunity for a unique Idaho adventure and wanted to share it with me and two other people who might be important to me. I chose GV and MR; it was an epic time for all of us.

After stopping to stretch our legs at the Virgil Philips Farm, right before you get to Moscow, Idaho from Coeur d’Alene, we drove a couple more hours to go see the lookout at Heavens Gate, in Hells Canyon and in the Seven Devils Mountains, a place I have always wanted to backpack. Once you leave Highway 95, the drive to the trailhead was quite an adventure on its own and had GV questioning whether we felt like this was worth it. She did recently say that hanging out with MR and me was like her own personal Cocaine Bear, and obviously, we said that we did think it was worth it. And it was. We drove straight up into the clouds and saw NOTHING. We did catch our first snow of the new season, and brilliant fall colors, we met an incredible ranger couple who were manning the lookout, but we saw nothing except clouds.

We drove a few more hours and stopped at Zim’s Hot Springs just before we made it to McCall. It was interesting. I think I will sum it up by saying that there was a seemingly unattended baby sleeping on the office/recreation area floor, and the hot springs pools did not have showers, but they did have unidentified items floating on the water. Was it a comforting experience? No. Would I do it again? Oh yeah, definitely. But, maybe also with camping on their property and being in an altered state.

Once we got to McCall, we were hungry, and the end of the day loomed ahead of us. We first tried McCall Brewing. It was not accommodating to dietary preferences, but they are the second oldest brewery in Idaho, which seems strange because it was established in 1994, so it still felt like a great place to stop. We finally had dinner at Salmon River Brewery, which was very busy, and had delicious beer and an excellent menu.

The following morning was the entire reason for this adventure: a unique flying experience over the Sawtooth Wilderness with the Sawtooth Flying Backcountry Flying Service. Our pilot was a crusty old retired man who we loved to pieces. He appeared to have no care or concern over our fascination with how old this airplane must be. He knew the mountain ranges and lakes without effort, or maybe he was counting on our inability or unwillingness to fact-check him. Either way, he was extremely charming, and everything about him made the experience amplified.

Save water, drink champagne. We discovered this sort of hidden eatery called The Brunchette On the Lake. From the lakeside, it would be evident, but from the streetside, it was less. It was really special. the food was incredible, but their devotion to creating an entire experience out of you sharing mimosas with your brunch party was something else entirely.

We had time, and our adventurous spirits wanted to make the most of our time away from home, so we found a hike that took us to Goose Creek Falls in the Payette National Forest. The hike was not too difficult and took us through a lush forest nearing the changes of the autumn season. To get to the waterfall, though, we had to climb down a steep rocky side, and MR and I were the only ones who opted to do the extra struggle for the improved waterfall views. We did end up getting yelled at by a man for being down there. Not because of any wilderness safety or preservation principles but because we were interfering with his desired photos. Insert all the comments right here about men and their self-appointed entitlements, and also try to argue with me on why there is a need for marginalized communities to have safe groups to participate in within our shared wilderness spaces.

Burgdorf Hot Springs was our final adventure. Burgdorf has been a National Register Historic Site since 1961, and the agreement made between the US Forest Service, Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Fish and Game, and The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will ensure it remains so. Burgdorf is located in the mountains of the Payette National Forest, and in the winter is only accessible by snowmobile or a very long snowshoe hike. It is an incredibly rustic location with no cell service, non-electric cabins, and do-it-all, do-it-yourself couples who manage the entire property together. The hot springs pools are well-cared for, and the rustic changing rooms are directly off the pool deck, heated with a wood furnace.

I have mentioned here that Barbarian Scientist have a dating competition. It is loads of pressure and even more fun. I have been winning the date competition for a long time because of the date I facilitated in McCall. It has everything that he had thus far missed out on from moving from California to the Inland Northwest: all the scenic mountain views, hot springs, and snow piled higher than he had ever seen (driving along Highway 95 showed him snow that was built taller than houses), hot springs, and his favorite was speeding through the mountains for 100 miles on a snowmobile and learning the culture and etiquette of that specific sport. After having experienced a trip there when it is not winter and a trip there in winter, I would say that unless you go there to do a scenic flight, winter is the key time to visit!

Since then, JM has moved to England and is spreading her energy to new fortunate people. I am so happy I was paying attention because someone like her will notice if you are and will move on if you are not. I loved this once-in-a-lifetime (for me) adventure, but I loved the most being caught up with these three powerful women who see me as a peer, reminding me that I am also powerful and how special it is to be seen. Because of this savage illness, I might not ever backpack the Seven Devils, but because of these special people in my life, I have gotten to see it in an incredibly special way that will not ever be forgotten.

“We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.” —Paul Coelho