Jul 02, 2009
Caldera Folks
 
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Welcome to Henry’s Fork Country

What do the communities of Island Park, Ashton, and St. Anthony have in common that makes this area so unique? The Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, of course!

And so we bring you the first ever recreation guide to this area: Henry’s Fork Country, and its accompanying Web site, HenrysForkCountry.com.

The Henry’s Fork’s headwaters include the tributaries of beautiful Henry’s Lake, a trophy trout fishing water near the Continental Divide at the north end of Island Park, and Big Springs, which puts out an amazing 120 million gallons of pure water a...  [more]

Welcome to Henry’s Fork Country 
 

What's goin' on?

Thursday, July 2
• Volunteer meeting for the All American Sawtelle Stampede
, 7 p. m., Island Park Lodge. The Stampede has a record number of entries this year and the committee needs all the help it can get with registrations, timing, and water stations. Please come to this meeting and pitch in to make it the best Stampede ever!
Island Park Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, 7 p.m. at the City Building in Last Chance. Click here for the agenda.

Saturday, July 4
  •  All American Sawtelle Stampede
half marathon, 10...  [more]

What's goin' on? 
 

Fun run organizers waive late fee

ISLAND PARK, ID. — Organizers of Island Park’s fun run, the 13th annual All American Sawtelle Stampede, have decided to waive the event’s $10 late fee as a way to help anyone concerned about money because of the economy.

Registration for this year’s event, which begins at 9 a. m. Saturday, July 4, is going great, and a record number of participants are expected, says Event Director, Connie Funkhouser.

“We want to share our success with anyone who may feel the late fee would be a hardship,” Funkhouser said. “But we do...  [more]

Fun run organizers waive late fee 
 

Flat Ranch Visitor Center announces summer programs

ISLAND PARK — The Nature Conservancy's Flat Ranch Preserve and Visitor’s Center will once again host weekly nature and conservation programs. Here is the July schedule:

Living with Wildlife in Island Park: BBQ and Bear Proof Bins, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 1. Celebrate the second year of the Island Park Community Bear Proof Container Project!  Greater Yellowstone Coalition and Island Park Advocates for Responsible Development invite you to an evening of education, good food, and bearproof containers. Reservations required. Contact Carroll Sweet at 558-0138 or Scott Christensen at (406)-586-1593.

Owls of the...  [more]

Flat Ranch Visitor Center announces summer programs 
 

Harriman announces outdoor concert series

ISLAND PARK — The Mountains & Strings chamber music retreat and public concerts return to Harriman State Park this month with performances by students and teachers from all over the country, and by world renowned violinists, Eric Grossman and Jenny Oaks Baker.

Harriman State Park is the perfect place for young string players to experience chamber music, friendship, and the beauty of nature, and for visitors to enjoy concerts in a stellar outdoor setting.

Each student at the retreat is assigned to a quartet or trio and receives coaching from professional performers and...  [more]

Harriman announces outdoor concert series 
 

Learn about invasive species at Blue Ribbon’s all day event

WEST YELLOWSTONE — Craig and Jackie Mathews, owners of Blue Ribbon Flies, will help show anglers how they can stop invasive species from ruining Yellowstone area fisheries at a special all-day invent at their shop. They’re calling it Yellowstone Park Foundation Day, and it’s set for 9 a. m. to 4 p.m. Friday, July 10. Blue Ribbon Flies is on 305 Canyon Street.

The shop is hosting the event with the Yellowstone Park Foundation (YPF), the...  [more]

Featured Stories Sections
 
Henry's Fork T-s at the News shop  
The Island Park News on line store has a new shirt design just in time for the warm weather.

The Henry's Fork Country shirt sports the osprey logo used on the new Henry's Fork County Recreation Guide and...

Mesa Falls Scenic Byway  
The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway begins where the Teton Scenic Byway reaches its northern end in Ashton, at the junction of U.S. 20 and Idaho 47. From there, the route travels through the town of Warm River toward its main...

Fifth graders get smart about the area's natural resources  

Chester Wetlands Day

By ANNE MARIE EMERY MILLER

FREMONT COUNTY — The Henry’s Fork Foundation, in partnership with the Teton Regional Land Trust, hosted an outdoor education day for local fifth graders on Wednesday, May 13. This annual field trip is known...


Restoring & maintaining log and wood siding  

By STEVE REHBERG

ISLAND PARK — When people think of Island Park, they picture a rustic log cabin tucked away in the deep forest or at the edge of a river or lake. Logs have been the building material...


IPLF announces summer craft fair dates  

ISLAND PARK — It’s time to think summer and get to work creating crafts and fine art for the 8th annual Island Park Library Friends, Inc. Arts and Crafts Fair.

Registration is now open for the popular three-day event,...


Painted buffalo herd to roam one last summer in West Yellowstone  

View the herd at the Yellowstone Historic Center Thursday, May 21 - Thursday, June 4

WEST YELLOWSTONE — Don’t miss the final summer of the Painted Buffalo Herd in West Yellowstone! Three years of hard work, event planning, merchandise...


How Island Park got its name   
Some folks believe Island Park got its name from the early phenomena of floating islands on Henry's Lake recorded by the well known photographer, William Henry Jackson. Others believe it was derived from the islands on the winding Snake River....

U. S. Army Winter Training Base - West Yellowstone, Montana  
By TOM HOWELL

PROLOGUE
Since the 1940's, generations of locals and tourists in the Island Park, Idaho area have driven by the old concrete footings and what appears to be two...

Snow machines in the gardens: The history of snowmobiles in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks  
By Michael J. Yochim
From Montana: The Magazine of Western History,  Autumn 2003

Shards Of metal lay on the snow next to the machine, and the acrid smell of gunpowder permeated the air. The snowmobile was seriously...

A brief history of fly fishing  
By Lerrina Collins

Understanding a sport’s history often enhances our appreciation of the sport. Take fly fishing. It is a big draw to our community, contributing many dollars to our coffers each season. Did you...

Ashton: Gateway to Yellowstone’s remote Bechler Area & much more..  
The Ashton area is a wonderful place to live or visit! One of the community’s most outstanding assets is the magnificent views of the Grand Teton Mountain Range rising out of the gently rolling farmland to the southeast.

There...

A memorable day on the Fork  

By STEVE TRAFTON

ISLAND PARK - When I was a teenager with a college professor father, I lived three years in England. On one day each spring we made the trip south to Hampshire, getting up early in the...


Bison tosses Yellowstone visitor  

YELLOWSTONE PARK — A 50-year -old woman from Spain was butted and tossed in the air by a bull bison at Canyon in Yellowstone National Park Wednesday  morning.

The woman and her husband were using a pay phone in...


Scientists to search for new life in Yellowstone  

Yellowstone National Park will receive a half million dollars in federal funds to match a private donation enabling the park to conduct a groundbreaking research project that could find new life in the park.

The federal grant is part...


The Cult of the Secret Huckleberry Patch  
By Elizabeth Laden

Many huckleberry moons ago, during my first summer in this country and when I lived in West Yellowstone, my source of local wisdom was an old timer named Bud McCray.

He...

The amazing white pelican  
By Elizabeth Laden

A wonderful bird is the pelican,

His bill can hold more than his belican.

New Discoveries Protect Endangered & At-Risk Species   

Scientists are using new and creative ways to help protect endangered and at-risk species and the ecosystems they — and humans — depend on for survival.  

This includes the use of new tools such as DNA testing to...


Unsolved Murder of Angie Dodge  

Mother still seeks closure of her daughter’s murder case (Story written in 2008)

June 13, 2009 will be the 13-year anniversary of Angie Dodge's murder.

Visit the Web site...


 

Community
  For Sale: Island Park resort property full of memories    
 Who is an Island Park-er?   
 Fort Henry Historic Byway   
 Campaign launches to save snowmobile program   
 Teaching kids to love the outdoors   
 Sacred ceremony to honor wild buffalo   
 Give us back our gas tax   
 Island Park   
 My country, my W Ketchup   
 Ashton: Small town America   
 Environmental Education: The Solution to Planetary Survival?   
 Sawtelle Stampede registration open   
 Geographics and Demographics   
 Historical Society creates Island Park Banner   
 Surfing Henry's Fork Country: Chambers on line   
 Island Park News shop now offers the Island Park Flip Mino   
 Amusement park...or national park?   
 Engaging Energetic Employees   
 Helping suicidal people   
 Suicide protections   
 Volunteer Ambassadors Needed    
 A Tribute to Michael    

History
 Old time residents on the Buffalo River   
 Storytelling is part of the caldera's charm   
 2007: Island Park turned 60 this year   
 A brief history of Mack's Inn   
 A history of the 7 Bar Ranch   
 Extraordinary Island Park People   
 A history of Warm River   
 A mountain, a developer, & an Indian   
 A history of the Bear Gulch Ski Basin   
 Remembering the Ott Harris Family   
 On the west wall of the St. Anthony Post Office...   
 Flight of the Nez Perce through Leadore & Island Park to West Yellowstone   
 When Bars Were Called Resorts   
 Cows on the Buffalo   
 A Forty Year Look Back    
 Railroad Ranch: The Island Park Land & Cattle Company   
 I. P. Bills Island: 1938 - 2008   
 A short history of Aspen Ridge   
 The Paiute princess   

Island Park Area Attractions
 Caribou-Targhee National Forest   
 Big Springs & Johnny Sack Cabin   
 Henry’s Lake State Park   
 Henry's Lake Hatchery   
 Harriman State Park   
 Mesa Falls Recreation Area   
 Island Park Reservoir   
 The Flat Ranch   

St. Anthony Area Attractions
 St. Anthony - The county seat & base for great recreation   
 Fremont County Courthouse   
 The Doughboy & Clyde Keefer Memorial Park   
 The Sandbar Swimming Area   
 The Henry's Fork Greenway   
 Skater's Haven   
 St. Anthony Sand Dunes & Egin Lakes Recreation Access   
 Fremont County Golf Course   
 Civil Defense Caves   
 Sand Creek Wildlife Management Area   

St. Anthony FREE Fisherman's Breakfast
 Fisherman’s Breakfast tradition continues   

National Parks
 What Makes an Old Geyser Faithful?   
 A last trip to Yellowstone   
 Grand Teton Construction Update   
 New Multi-Use Pathway Opens for Public Use    
 Park Service announces three fee-free weekends   
 Polaris & pronghorn collide in Grand Teton   

Critters
 There's a bear in my campsite   
 Common myths about bears   
 Please help prevent wild bears from becoming garbage bears   
 Hiking in Bear Country   
 The West's fascinating, vanishing pronghorn   
 Feeding birds...or bears?   
 Wild bison could be heading to Island Park   
 Keep Your Pets Safe This Summer   
 Blessing the land in buffalo country   

Centennial Valley
 Elk Lake Resort: Remote & rewarding   

Unsolved Crimes & Missing People
 Unsolved crimes & missing people in southeast Idaho   
 In Loving Memory of Angie Raye Dodge   
 Angie Dodge case: Convicted killer, mom of victim seek justice   

Henry's Fork Foundation
 Trout Numbers in the Caldera   
 The Caldera Project   
 Looking back at the '03 drought   
 Henry's Fork Foundation looks at successes   
 24 years working for the river   
 Buffalo River fish passage   
 All about winter survival   
 Sediment in the Henry’s Fork   
 Buffalo River fish passage   
 Winter flows and wild trout below Island Park Dam   
 Rainbows in the Fork   
 Into the weeds: Aquatic macrophytes   
 Aquatic insects of the Henry's Fork   
 A look at the dam’s impact on the Henry’s Fork   
 The Henry’s Fork’s riparian habitat   
 To stock or not to stock?   
 Henry's Fork Foundation News: Trout survival factors