Sand Dunes & Big Springs

We had heard a lot about the sand dunes @ St, Anthony, ID., so we went down there on Thursday. They were formed from 2 extinct volcanoes and since it is so dry up here the area has turned to sand. The wind blows voraciously here and has caused the sand to form dunes.
They are a play ground for ATV and dune buggies. There is a campground on the BLM lands, where the people who like to do that sort of thing come and camp. Lots of toy hauler RVs.There is some debate in congress as to have these lands preserved and limit the use of the dunes. This could hurt this area if the people who like to play on the dunes are restricted from using them.We thought that we could park and walk on the dunes and take pictures of the ATVs.
We pulled int the day use parking area and proceeded to bury the front axle of the car deep into the sand on the road leading to the parking area. Ted, Donna and Brenda tried to push the car back out of the sand while I drove, no luck.A man with some young kids came along on ATVs and tried to help, again no luck. Two BLM people came along and with all of their help we finally got the car out. We needed to go back about 4 feet to get the front wheels on solid ground but the sand was unforgiving.

We had been wanting to do a leisurely float trip, but it has been so windy and cold that we couldn't go.Saturday the temperature came up to the high 70's and the wind died down, so we decided to go. We were taken to an area a mile or so from Big Springs where boats are launched for the trip down Henry's Fork. We rented an 8 man raft and 4 paddles.
We all are such experienced paddlers (not), that we weren't too far from the launch point that we were aground. We just couldn't get off of the gravel bottom.
Donna had on Crocs and no socks, so she got out and pushed us off of the gravel. We got going again and had no more groundings the rest of the trip.
It must have been a comedy to watch us go all over the river. We went from one side to the other. It was fun.
The trip normally takes about 3 hours to go the 5 miles back to the rental area, but with all of our paddling, instead of just floating, we finished in just over 2 1/2 hours.
Yesterday, Ted and Donna left for their leg home. We have had such a wonderful trip with them, but it was time for them to move on.
Ted has to go to Denver, for work, before they get home and they wanted to see Moab, UT.,and New Mexico this trip.

We went back to Big Springs yesterday afternoon. There were lots of people feeding the trout from the bridge.Big Springs is the head waters for Henry's Fork and it dumps into the Snake River.
The springs put out over a million gallons of water per day and is a constant 52 degrees. The water is so clear that the trout are visible from the bridge.
John Sacks came to this area in the 1930's and built a cabin just above the springs.
The cabin is a small 2 bedroom 2 story house made from logs. He cut the trees down and built the house by himself.He built a small building to house a generator driven by a paddle wheel from one outlet of the spring. He built all of the light fixtures and wired the house. The house went on the electric grid in 1942 at the cost of $24 per year.He was only 4'11" tall and the house reflects that.
The volunteers there are very knowledgeable and friendly. We struck up a conversation with them, and learned they are just starting out as fulltimers and plan to do so for 2 years.
We exchanged business cards with them, so we could follow each others travels on our blogs.
Today we are going down to Harriman State park and the Railroad Ranch.
Ted and Donna went last Friday and said it was a great time.

Ta ta for now.