Anderson Ranch Reservoir - TRIP #2
On our previous trip we drove a part of the Anderson Ranch Reservoir, but it is so huge that there was no way to cover it all in a day. Often the distances are not all that bad, but due to the curvy and often unmaintained dirt roads, it always takes a lot longer to travel these roads. On this date we opted to go visit Featherville where a main attraction is the Featherville Motel-Saloon and Cyndie's Cafe (next door). The campground owner 'Steve' raved about it so we had to go check it out. The funny thing is that Steve is very (VERY) liberal and had no idea that Cyndie's is very (VERY) conservative, even selling M-A-G-A hats in the restaurant. The openly welcome handgun carry within the restaurant, as Idaho is an Open Carry state. Aside from Cyndie's, however, Featherville itself also has an interesting history. Another interesting town that has been recommended is Atlanta (Idaho), but the road to it was closed (due to a mudslide) so we opted to forgo that visit, rather than have to take a much longer detour.
The cows saying good-bye as we leave the campground.
Castle Rock
First view of the Anderson Ranch Reservoir.
Deer Creek is one of the small communities around Anderson Ranch Reservoir, where the Deer Creek Berry Farm is (and also sells excellent raw honey) which we bought.
The Boise River runs through it...
FEATHERVILLE. IDAHO
It was originally known as ‘Junction Bar’, Featherville was established as a stage stop on the way to the mining camp of ‘Rocky Bar’ (see photo). Featherville became a mining camp of it's own as placer deposits (*) were worked near the town site on the South Fork of the Boise River.
(*) In geology, a placer deposit or placer is an accumulation of valuable minerals formed by gravity separation from a specific source rock during sedimentary processes. Placer mining is an important source of gold and was the main technique used in the early years of many gold rushes, including the California Gold Rush.
-Biking
-Boating
-Cross Country Skiing
-Fishing
-Fitness
-Golf
-Hiking
-Hunting
-Jet Skiing
-Kayaking
-Mountain Biking
-Rafting
-Rock Climbing
-Sledding
-Snowmobiling
-Swimming
-Tennis
-Waterskiing
-Wildlife Viewing
Although the town has a few active businesses and many homes and cabins, there seems to be no remaining structures from the town's pioneer days.
Dredge tailings border the town site and the base of the dredge, which burned at some point, can still be seen in a pond just outside town. (See photo below)
Here died one of the last pioneers and full-time (year-round)residents of this land. Charles
Sprittles, born in Wakefield, England Nov. 25th 1881 and was a coach-maker
apprentice at age 14. Charles worked the mines in Casper, Wyoming 1916 till ???
He met and married Lulie Deane Wiley in Wyoming
and had 3 daughters and 2 step daughters from her previous marriage. Charles
left Wyoming and Lulie went to California with the girls. He came to Rocky Bar
sometime around 1932. Worked at the Triumpth Mine and the Hailey Mine in Sun
Valley and also was also a fight promoter and had a store in Rocky Bar called the "White Front Store" which included one gas pump. Charley walked everywhere had
no automobile. He was known as a miner and also known as the "Mayor of
Rocky Bar". This is also listed on his death certificate. Charlie's death:
In late November or early December 1963 Charley went to Boise to the doctors.
He hitched a ride back to Featherville where his companions tried to get him
back to Rocky Bar but the snow was too deep and could only get to within 5
miles of Rocky Bar. He told his friends that he wanted to continue on foot on
his snow shoes but they didn't want him to. He went on anyway. His Air Force
"fly-boy" friends from Mountain Home Air Base used to check on him by
flying over during the long winter months. They would also drop him food and
supplies. Anyway, they soon dicovered there was no smoke coming from his cabin.
Accordingly the sheriff began the search for Charlie. It snowed like crazy that
winter. On one search for Charley in March the crew had stopped, with along
with there large snowmobile to have lunch. They also built a fire. The
following month on April 14, 1964 the search was over. The search crew led by
his Deputy sheriff friend, Buster "George" Taylor came across the
spot where they had stopped earlier to have lunch, (about 2 1/2 miles east of
Rocky Bar) a snowshoe had now protruded from the snow as the snow had now
somewhat melted. Charlie was there with his shoes off and a sock in one hand
and the orange peels they left the month before scattered right where they had
left them during their lunch. Charlie was right beneath them the whole time.
His death was listed as heart attack. Charlie had always wanted to be buried
above his cabin in Rocky Bar but it wasn't allowed because it was National
Forest land. A memorial was erected by the citizens in Rocky Bar: "To
Charlie Sprittles Pioneer 1881-1964". He was buried on April 24th 1964 in
Mountain View Cemetary in an unmarked grave. Upon learning that there was no
grave marker his son purchased a grave stone. It states "Charles
Sprittles" Pioneer Rocky Bar 1881-1964.
Another of the Anderson Ranch Reservoir's attractions... Camping and RV'ing. There are many dedicated Forest Service dry camping areas, as well as just open beaches and open fields where campers and every imaginable type of RV just sets up camp, boondocking. As you can see there are all sorts of recreational vehicles from truck campers to big diesel pushers (like ours).
Mary at Cyndie's Cafe, owned by Cyndie and Pat Christensen
Cute horseshoe art.
Bill had the Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap with Onion Rings, which he recommends.
A sign at the Saloon, next to the Cafe.
Mary had the Patty Melt, which she recommends (two slices
of Swiss, one on each side of the patty) with tater tots. Yum!
This is the pond where lie the remains of the
original Dredge tailings that was the origins of Featherville.
We were headed towards Atlanta (Idaho), but had to turn around due to a road closure. Even in the summer there are mudslides and flash flooding from snow melts in the mountains.
Some of the area's attractions (especially in these back roads). Here an off-road motorcyclist and following him a 4-wheeler (polaris-type) vehicle.
One of the original remaining building of the Rocky Bar stage stop and mining camp.
Nothing and no one else left here, except a single (modern) residence across the street. Rocky Bar is now officially described as a Ghost Town.
Here died one of the last pioneers and full-time (year-round)residents of this land. Charles
Sprittles, born in Wakefield, England Nov. 25th 1881 and was a coach-maker
apprentice at age 14. Charles worked the mines in Casper, Wyoming 1916 till ???
He met and married Lulie Deane Wiley in Wyoming
and had 3 daughters and 2 step daughters from her previous marriage. Charles
left Wyoming and Lulie went to California with the girls. He came to Rocky Bar
sometime around 1932. Worked at the Triumpth Mine and the Hailey Mine in Sun
Valley and also was also a fight promoter and had a store in Rocky Bar called the "White Front Store" which included one gas pump. Charley walked everywhere had
no automobile. He was known as a miner and also known as the "Mayor of
Rocky Bar". This is also listed on his death certificate. Charlie's death:
In late November or early December 1963 Charley went to Boise to the doctors.
He hitched a ride back to Featherville where his companions tried to get him
back to Rocky Bar but the snow was too deep and could only get to within 5
miles of Rocky Bar. He told his friends that he wanted to continue on foot on
his snow shoes but they didn't want him to. He went on anyway. His Air Force
"fly-boy" friends from Mountain Home Air Base used to check on him by
flying over during the long winter months. They would also drop him food and
supplies. Anyway, they soon dicovered there was no smoke coming from his cabin.
Accordingly the sheriff began the search for Charlie. It snowed like crazy that
winter. On one search for Charley in March the crew had stopped, with along
with there large snowmobile to have lunch. They also built a fire. The
following month on April 14, 1964 the search was over. The search crew led by
his Deputy sheriff friend, Buster "George" Taylor came across the
spot where they had stopped earlier to have lunch, (about 2 1/2 miles east of
Rocky Bar) a snowshoe had now protruded from the snow as the snow had now
somewhat melted. Charlie was there with his shoes off and a sock in one hand
and the orange peels they left the month before scattered right where they had
left them during their lunch. Charlie was right beneath them the whole time.
His death was listed as heart attack. Charlie had always wanted to be buried
above his cabin in Rocky Bar but it wasn't allowed because it was National
Forest land. A memorial was erected by the citizens in Rocky Bar: "To
Charlie Sprittles Pioneer 1881-1964". He was buried on April 24th 1964 in
Mountain View Cemetary in an unmarked grave. Upon learning that there was no
grave marker his son purchased a grave stone. It states "Charles
Sprittles" Pioneer Rocky Bar 1881-1964. 
South Fork of the Snake River.
This lake (reservoir) is absolutely B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!
Unfortunately the photos do not do it justice.
A golden eagle flying overhead.
Open Range around the campground and small dam creating the small reservoir.
This is the Little Camas Inn at the corner of Hwy 20 and Little Camas Rd. (3 mile unpaved road to the campground). Everyone raves about the food, but we were not impressed. The only benefit is that we could take Roxy with us, sitting outside in back. The food at Cyndie's in Featherville was so much better.
In the distance Fort Running Bear RV Campground within the treed area. The white buildings on the left are a potato seed farm, neighbor of the campground. The small reservoir in the foreground is within the Camas Cattle company's lands but is actually managed by the Idaho Forest Service, with public access. Often RV trailers and tents can be seen lining its edges with boondockers. The area around it is Open Range, so often the reservoir and land around it need to be shared with the cow herds (and needless to say one has to watch where you step.
July 4, 2019
Wishing everyone a very Happy and Safe 4th of July - Independence Day.
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