The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1894-03-17
WONDERS OF CENTRAL IDAHO
A Sportsman's Paradise.

+ Ns-' - ~
and mostromantic. Having been APP
pointed by Governor Wiley as one OF
/ three commissioners to select routes for
proposed system OF wagon roads to be
constructed 10y the state to give outlets
to the great mineral belts of those al
most unknown mountains and valleys,
/ took trip through The heart Of the
state in the summer Of 1892, accompan-
led by E. I. Perkins, practical sur
yeyor, and force of FIVE men.
Our first regular camp was in Bear
valley, now in Boise county. The high
est mountain TO the southwest reaches
an allitudr of $3.50 feet and from it's
summit splendid view is obtained OF
the valley and the Cape Horn country.
Through the center of Bear valley runs
Bear creek, which is The head OF the
Middle Salmon. Skirted on either side
with meadows of luxnriant wild grass,
| the beautiful stream looked like silver
thread stretched across an evening
sky of many hues. Measured from the
rims of the surrounding mountains the
valley contains 900 square miles. To
the east is Cape Horn, point known to
all old prospectors of this portion of the
country as the point where all the In
dian trails through the state center and
pass. 70 the northeast Sheep mountain
looms up in grandeur; on this mountain
there are many mines of both gold and
silver, but it is difficult to take pack
animals over the high and rugged
mountains and through the deep gorges.
so that these mines are not so exten-
siyely work ell as their richness war
rants. Sulphur creek, which empties
Iintothe Salmon opposite Sheep mount
ain, is a beautiful, clear stream filed
with trout. Many weighing from two
to three ponnds were caught after The
evening work at camp was done. From
the mouth up for seven or eight miles
hot mineral springs are very abundant,
and the smell Of sulphur is eyeryw here.
This suggested the name of the creek to
an old trapper who had preceded US in
to the wids of he Salmon river mount
aims. Thousands of elk and deer visit
these springs, and good game trails lead
to them from all the coayons. In fact,
have meyer heard or read of a greater
game country. Deer were always in
every direction, sometimes approaching
within hundred feet of us out of pure
curiosity. Grouse and "fool chick ens'
we're also abundant. The latter is in
deed queer fowl 1t is about the size
Of pheasant, and fonnd in the marshes.
1t makes splendid food, the meat tasting
like that of a pheasant. On our ap-
preaching as if intending to pass, the
queer chick ems will not move and are
easily killed with sticks three or four
feet long. The name is we'll given.
1t was my lot to assist Mr.. Perkins at
the work of making maps. The labor
oftaking trangnlations for the purpose
of following up the route with correct
map was very d,fficnlt, but interesting,
indeed, as it gave US an opportunity of
seeing and enjoying the grandest works
of nature in America. Saddling our
mules and packing our instruments on
another, we would start for the summit
of the highest mountain with radius
of 10 or Is miles. Often these trips
were very toilsome, and many a time
we were obliged to leave the mules and
convey the instruments on our backs.
In the middle of July we were caught
in snow storm on The summit of a
mountain at the head of Sulphur creek.
The lightning played all round the
bultes and in ten minutes time they
we're as white as in midwinter. After
the storm all the clouds settled down
into the canyons and mini.ture valleys
leaving the buttes like hundreds Of
white islands upon troubled sea. The
scene was grand beyond description.
The extreme ruggedness and sublim-
| ity of the Salmon river mountains can
be understood only through illustrations
as to describe them would be very
ardnous task. The mountains are of
granite and loom 10 thousands of feet
above timber line. On every plateau
there is a beautiful clear spring. In
foot, there is water everywhete. AT
the attitudes of 5000 and 5000 feet There
are many lakes-some small, some
large. From one point in the Sawtoolh
range 81 lakes in varying sizes come
within the vision of the naked eye.