Stanley | The USA: Landscapes and Urban Spaces

The distance from Ketchum to Stanley was about 60 miles. Between the two settlements was only one other, a dot on the map called Obsidian about 12 miles from Stanley. We were in a remote area, but the road was excellent. The views of the mountains and forests were sublime and the late afternoon visibility was perfect. We ascended the valley of the Salmon River. The valley was sometimes very narrow, but on other occasions it widened to create meadows full of wild flowers not dissimilar to yaylas in Turkey. At 8,701 feet above sea level, Galena Summit was the highest we got. A descent began thereafter and we thought the views would be less engaging. However, for 10 miles beyond the summit, they were even more spectacular. To the west were the Sawtooth Mountains, a ridge of snow-smudged peaks almost as beautiful as the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. Far below was a wide valley with a fork of the Salmon River. The river ensured that agriculture was possible even at this elevated spot.

The descent from Galena Summit, Idaho

A succession of small lakes lay on the valley floor, and coniferous forest, wild flowers and lots of wildlife added to the area’s delights. We arrived in Obsidian, a small but dispersed community in idyllic surroundings. About 15 minutes later we were in Stanley, where, after checking the price for a room in three places, we agreed to stay the night in Mountain Village Resort. The room cost $100 and came without breakfast (however, there were vouchers for a free drink each in the resort’s bar and a 10% discount on one bill for two in the restaurant), but we could already tell that our night in Stanley would be one of the trip’s highlights. Moreover, tea and coffee were provided in the room and freshly baked cookies were available free of charge in reception.

Stanley nestled in one of the most beautiful natural amphitheatres I have ever seen. It was over 6,200 feet above sea level and surrounded on all sides by mountains. Officially, Stanley’s population was about only 70, but a lot of visitors and owners of second homes increased it during the summer. If the roads remained open, its population also increased in winter. In winter, visitors and the owners of second homes liked to engage in all sorts of activities involving snow and ice. There were second homes, small apartment blocks and various lodging options, an RV park included. At any one time, the town could be sheltering up to 1,000 people. Although we saw two African Americans employed, perhaps just for the summer season, in one of the town’s lodging options, in this case, log cabins arranged around the perimeter of a large patch of grass, the most recent census suggested that every permanent resident in Stanley was white. A significant number of Stanley’s permanent residents seemed to be artists, hippies or fiercely independent individuals who wanted to get away from it all so they could be as self-sufficient as modern life allowed. It was possible that the only thing uniting the artists, hippies and people seeking self-sufficiency was that they wanted nothing to do with the government, whether the government operated at the state or federal level.

Stanley, Idaho

The amphitheatre in which Stanley stood was, as I have already said, surrounded by mountains, the ones to the south-west being the mighty and very beautiful Sawtooth Mountains. The Salmon River ran more or less north to south and parallel with Highway 75. Highway 75 was the road from Hailey and Ketchum that crossed Galena Summit. Most of Stanley lay along or just off Highway 21, which led by way of many twists, turns and changes in direction from Highway 75 all the way to Boise, Idaho’s capital. North of Highway 21 was remarkably pretty Valley Creek, which meandered among meadows and small marshes. Small creeks joined Valley Creek from the west and south.

Stanley comprised of about two paved and ten gravel roads, none of which were very long. Because the amphitheatre was wide and Stanley’s population so small, buildings were dispersed quite widely with a dense concentration existing only along or close to Wall Street. The section of Highway 21 dividing the town unevenly into half (most of the town lay to the south of the highway) was the closest thing to Main Street because it was there that most businesses were found, a gas station included. The town had a small airport parallel with Highway 75, but how often it was used I cannot say. However, I am confident that it was used only by people with their own aircraft.

Two roads were well worth walking along, Valley Creek Road and Niece Avenue. Valley Creek Road led across Valley Creek and along the pretty valley in a north-easterly direction. I passed beside an interesting collection of wooden structures. Some were homes and others fulfilled industrial or commercial purposes (briefly, Stanley had attracted the attention of fur trappers and prospectors, but an insufficient number of beavers and only small amounts of valuable ore were found). Niece Avenue led in a southerly direction from what passed as the centre of the town. The road provided stunning views of the meadows in the south-west section of the amphitheatre and the Sawtooth Mountains beyond. By the time I got to the end of the road, which was gravel for most of the way, I had passed four or five large but beautiful modern houses constructed with logs. The houses appeared to be second homes belonging to wealthy families who probably came to Stanley for only a few weeks every year. Needless to say, each house was a considerable distance from its neighbour and they commanded exceptional views of the meadows and mountains.

Stanley, Idaho

When it was late afternoon and early morning, I found Stanley a very picturesque place. It nestled in beautiful surroundings, but the local people had created a settlement with many interesting and eccentric buildings. Wood, stone, corrugated iron and metal sheeting had been used to good effect. Many old metal signs advertising goods and services decorated the cabin walls and flags flew above a few houses. Very few gardens or back yards were kept tidy, but the clutter added to the attraction of the place. We felt privileged to spend the night in such an unusual place.