Hangin w/ Jerry

The lower sign no longer exists

It has been awhile since visiting, what I like to call, the highway 12 region. Three stellar soaks, all accessible off the same highway.

Sadly, Weir Creek was overrun with soakers. Not that I mind the company of fellow hot springers, but Weir Creek can only hold so many. Which lead to the logical conclusion - Jerry Johnson. I would have spent the whole week at Stanley Hot Springs, but fording Boulder Creek was out of the question.

Interesting to note; the trailhead to Stanley Hot Springs was actually posted clothing optional. While the signage that has been up at Jerry that states the hot springs and trail are both clothing optional has ... evaporated.

From what I've read, all National Forest in Idaho is in fact clothing optional unless otherwise posted. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway, visiting Jerry was an enjoyable reunion.


Source 2

I've never actually soaked at the second source pool before. This time, the temperature was just right. The soak was indeed stellar. Visiting early yielded to having the entire complex of hot springs to oneself for a handful of hours. Not bad, considering the waterfall pools at the first source were submerged.



All in all, Jerry was a great soak. I think the main reason why I has such a good time was that I didn't have to cart hardly any trash out (!). Remarkable, considering the nature of this particular soak.

Learn more about Jerry Johnson Hot Springs:

• View flickr pictures of Jerry

• The official IdahoHotSprings.com Jerry listing

• View 2008 video and 2006 video clips (2009 coming soon)
  

Pics of Jerry

More about Jerry...

Kirkham Hot Springs Kybosh

Kirkham natural Hot Springs in the Boise National Forest. This video is from visiting Kirkham on the way back from a trip to Stanley, Idaho. The hot springs campground was almost free from winter snow and signs of spring were plentiful. As always, pick up all trash and please don't bring glass to hot springs.

Trashed Trail Creek

Trail Creek, usually a stellar soak, and usually littered with a moderate amount of trash. This time however, the entire surrounding area was trashed. Is it really that hard to pick up after oneself? Why come out to the woods to begin with if that's the mindset?

View more info. about Trail Creek Hot Springs in Idaho

Mountain Village Resort Hot Springs

Mountain Village Hot Springs Resort in Stanley, Idaho pictures...



View the complete listing on IdahoHotSprings.com

Pics of Kirkham

Pictures from a recent visit to Kirkham Hot Springs in Idaho...



View Kirkham on IHS

The Fate of the Yellowstone Grizzly

BTW, Today is Endangered Species Day!

The following essay snippet was written by Doug Peacock, and is in support of returning Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections to Yellowstone Grizzly Bears.

Some 54 grizzly bears were known to have died in 2008, the highest mortality ever recorded; this number probably exceeds the extensive killings of forty years ago, when Yellowstone National Park closed down its garbage dumps and bears wandered into towns and campgrounds. The Yellowstone grizzly population sharply declined in the early 1970s and, consequently, the bear was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975.

In 2008, hunters and other humans shot bears in record numbers. People killed grizzlies because they could—sadly, a not uncommon human attitude in the American West—and since Yellowstone’s grizzlies had been removed from the protection of the Endangered Species Act, there were virtually no penalties for shooting them. Bear management had been turned over to the Fish and Game agencies of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana who tend to accept any hunter explanation of self-defense in grizzly country. In short, the grizzlies were easy to kill because their lives were made less valuable by delisting.

Continue reading - The Fate of the Yellowstone Girzzly on Counterpunch

Learn more about Endangered Species - Save Grey Wolves from Extermination - Stop Yellowstone Bison Hazing Operations