I was at Shepp Ranch, up the Main Salmon River of Idaho, in the middle of May and I fell unrepentantly in love with the place. How I was lucky enough to get connected with this place is no mystery. Idaho is like a really big small town and it shrinks down even smaller if you’re part of fire culture and then, if you’re related to smokejumping, it’s about the tiniest little universe you could imagine. Long story short, I have a friends who are friends with the managers of this ranch and suddenly, I found myself headed up river in a jet boat to meet those lovely managers and photograph the ranch.
Shepp is remote and currently operates as a guest ranch, fishing destination and hunting outfitter. It can be reached by jet boat or bush plane; one could also hike in or ride in with a pack string. It’s located 30 air-miles from Riggins on the banks of the Main Salmon River, up in the Gospel Hump Wilderness which is attached to the Frank Church Wilderness. We all know how I feel about the Frank so I won’t blather on about it until I cry in this post but in short, this is the heart of Idaho. This is the untamed, roadless, fathomless heart of Idaho. Go look at a map of Idaho. The massive green patch of space in the center of the state that remains undivided by highways, that’s what I’m talking about — wilderness area, public land. It’s for the animals, the trees and us. With that said, let’s talk for a moment about Idaho’s Salmon River. This river is designated as wild and scenic. This river canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon but slightly shallower than Hell’s Canyon. The break country that rises up from the water is exquisitely rumpled, creek cut, steep and woolly with conifers. This territory is owned by the elk, managed by the wolves, surveyed by the sheep and prowled by bobcats and lions. It’s terrific. You can feel it in your bones when you look up at the granitic towers that frame the waterway, a massive sense of paradise, the sharp edge of humility, true fairness — this wilderness treats everyone and everything the same.
Shepp Ranch is off the grid but isn’t self-sustained…but it’s pretty close and from what I understand the ranch owners are trying to switch the property over to solar power. For the time being, all electricity pours forth from a generator which is turned on for a short while in the morning and again in the evening (and occasionally during the day). It’s a quiet place. Work begins before dawn and when the sun disappears, work winds down for the day. There’s a lovely, natural life rhythm at Shepp, a rhythm I have always associated with living rurally, ranching and farming.
Christina keeps an enormous garden, various berry patches and an orchard. She cans and preserves continuously throughout the summer. They have a donkey stallion they are hoping to breed their own mules with as well as a couple horses (fabulous mountain horses) and a string of mules. Hens free range and are regularly knocked up by the roosters so new born chicks free range too, whenever they happen to hatch and show up on the property. Wes is always busy with something — preparing for the trapping season, cutting firewood, tinkering with whatever is broken, helping out neighbors.
One of my favorite things about the Main Salmon is the way ranches and farms are spread out over a big distance but there’s still an incredible sense of community. People who live out don’t think twice about helping each other out. The kind heart of humanity is very alive in this place and it’s beautiful to behold.
I think about Shepp all the time. Shepp is basically my dream ranch. It’s 104 acres and wilderness space rolls away in three directions giving the place a sense of infiniteness. I’m headed in again, in a moment. My summer season will be officially bookended with trips to this place and I’m completely delighted. Tomorrow night, after journeying by truck, jet boat, horse and mule, I’ll find myself with my friends, sleeping in the wind and stars at their high hunting camp. It’s going to be grand.
Until I return, I leave you with some of my favorite pictures from my last visit.
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