I had planned on spending an hour or two in tiny Challis, Idaho, but ended up there for the better part of the week. My van had a bearing act up on the way into town which is never a good feeling, but thanks to good luck and good karma, I found two excellent mechanics to get us back on the road. John and Scott took good care of my van and became friends along the way, but the age of my van and the remoteness of Challis meant we had to wait a few days for parts to come in. I passed much of that time at the town’s wonderful library, reading in the park or hanging out at Shyla’s Hideaway or Bux’s across the street. All of these things were a blessing and I’m truly grateful to have landed in such a pleasant little town during a time of distress.
The land on which Challis would come to occupy was once the seasonal hunting ground of Shoshone and Nez Perce Indians. Fur traders came through in the early 19th century looking for beaver, and the ranchers that still occupy the area would follow. But, like so much of the west, it was a gold strike that caused the area to really take off. Gold was discovered in 1873 on the Yankee Fork of the Salmon River and miners rushed in from all corners of the globe, inevitably followed by saloonkeepers, shop owners and prostitutes who relied on the miners’ trade. Challis was founded in 1878 and named after the man who surveyed the townsite. It became a central supply town for the surrounding mines, a role it still fills today. With a population of just over a thousand people, Challis is the largest town and the county seat of Custer County. I wish I had taken more photos while I was there as it is quite a scenic town, but I had a lot on my mind and wasn’t in the mood. I did take some though, and I hope you enjoy these photos of Challis, the gateway to the Yankee Fork.