The new tack cabin is completed after many hours of labor (of love) and lots of help from friends and neighbors. We had a cabin raising in May and with 16 helpers we raised the hewn log walls and roof logs in one day. A big potluck followed with homebrew beer and an extra hot soak in the wood fired hot tub. Bandito and Fred (our two cats who provide rodent patrol) have moved into the new cabin and each has a bed among the saddle blankets and tack. Terry wants to build another cabin for a garden shed. Jerry is keeping the broad axes sharp and collecting logs for the next project.

In May, Pat and Kathy Farrell along with their son and other Florida friends and Jerry and Terry took a 5 day rafting trip down the Salmon thru the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. We saw mountain sheep, black bear, elk, deer and lots of eagles. We also saw a few snowflakes on our camps and rode some big rapids from an early spring run-off. May is a colorful time to be on the Salmon River with wildflowers busting out all over. River outfitters still have room on summer trips. A ranch stay at Indian Creek combined with a multi-day wilderness river trip is just about the perfect summer vacation.

October is for steelhead fishing. Terry is counting the days til she can get her new spey rod out and practice the nuances of the the difficult to perform single spey cast and the snake roll cast. We have a great package for the steelhead fishermen at Indian Creek Guest Ranch. Combine 3 days of guided fishing, 4 nights in a private cabin, great meals and plenty of fish conversation (lies). We still have room so bring your favorite fishing buddy and enjoy Indian summer, fall colors and a bright silver Idaho steelhead on the end of your line. Give us a call anytime. Hope to see you before too long.

Jerry and Terry

We finished hand hewing all the logs for the new tack shed. Terry moved the saddles, tack and the cats to the hay barn for a short stay while we fit the logs and get the roof on their new home. The horses are happy to nip at the emerging grass and are ranging with the cow elk that are also enjoying the green up. The first wildflowers to appear as the snow recedes are Sagebrush Buttercup and Glacier Lily. Mountain Bluebirds and Stellar Jays, both decked out in their own stunning shades of blue, are picking out nest sites and heckling the other feathered arrivals.

March also brings the spawning steelhead up Indian Creek to complete another cycle of their remarkable life that ranges from the far North Pacific Ocean to the steep streams of Idaho’s central mountain ranges. The spawning dance of a buck and hen steelhead in gin clear water is one of nature’s most amazing marvelous wonders to witness and it happens dozens of times along the ranch’s stretch of Indian Creek. A pair of golden eagles show up each morning along the steep ridge west of the lodge soaring and diving in their mating ritual. They nest near the top of the cliffs and hunt yellow bellied marmots and newborn mountain sheep lambs.

So it doesn’t matter much where you fix your gaze around here as there are limitless inspiring wildlife dramas and rapidly changing landscapes to enjoy. It will all be here this season if you can come for a visit. We open June 3rd this year and will stay open thru October to share this wonderful corner of Idaho with our guests. We hope to see you!

The really big news is a new summer schedule that will cater to families and groups only, allowing guests exclusive use of the ranch. Providing our guests with personalized experiences and taking care of all the details is what we do best. Guests will feel like they have their own private corner of wild Idaho. Terry and Jerry will continue to host and share their love of all the unlimited experiences available within the Salmon River country. Available “check in” days are limited so make your reservations early. We have added a few great new trail horses. A traditional hand hewn, log tack shed is under construction, and some new hiking trails are open for those who like to work off those hearty Indian Creek meals.

In September 2007, Indian Creek Guest Ranch is looking forward to helping with two, week long camps for children with serious illnesses. Participants will have the opportunity horseback ride, fish for rainbow trout, raft or kayak down the Salmon River, witness some spectacular scenery and wildlife and experience all the beautiful gifts that Mother Nature has to offer here at Indian Creek. We feel so lucky that we are able to give something back to some folks that have been dealt some tough cards.

Steelhead fishing kept us from getting our ranch work done in October. We landed our first steelhead on October 6 and it just kept getting better. Spey rods were kept at the ready and more than one frosty evening was spent by the lodge fireplace discussing casting technique or stealing fly patterns from each other. Our season’s biggy was a 35 inch wild male. One thing that we all agreed on was how important and urgent it is to coax those in charge of water policy in the northwest to continue salmon and steelhead conservation measures.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call at 866 394-2126 if you have any questions. We may be skiing up to our wall tent a few miles from here or swinging a broad axe on the new cabin but we are happy to return any missed calls.

We wish all of you a peaceful and healthy 2007 and if you are short of either of those you need to come for a visit!

Twin lambs are common and occasionally triplets are seen. Although the steep hills provide some safety to the newborn lambs, golden eagles remain a threat to the newborns until they get too big for Idaho’s largest bird of prey.

The eggs develop into tiny fry and swim out of the boxes into the creek in 30 to 40 days. These young steelhead remain in the creek for 2 years and the majority of these (called parr) will migrate to the Pacific in 2008. After 1 to 3 years of growing large from feeding in the ocean they will begin their arduous 700 mile journey back to Indian Creek.