Idaho Treasure Hunters

Location of Idaho historical marker:  U.S. 12 – Milepost 67.6

A Massachusetts Congregationalist, Smith Spent two years here learning the Nez Perce language and starting a mission.

Coming here May 10, 1839, to study with Lawyer, an important Nez Perce leader, he stayed to work on an Indian dictionary and to hold daily religious classes each spring and winter.  After spending six months in a "mere hovel,' he finished a comfortable home and started a garden of several acres.  But he never got used to pioneer life here.  Leaving Kamiah April 19, 1841, he moved to a mission in Hawaii.

I realize when you saw metal detecting during the winter months in the title of this post you figured I had lost my marbles, but no, they are still intact.  Besides, if I do lose them, I'll make sure they are steelies so I can find them with my metal detector. 

Here in the Treasure Valley area of Idaho the ground gets too hard for metal detecting by mid November.  A fellow metal detecting member of Idaho Treasure Hunters and personal friend stuck a screwdriver in the ground about a week ago and was able to only penetrate about 2" of soil.  Unless we get some un-seasonally warm temperatures, the ground won't thaw enough for decent metal detecting around here until mid April or so.

With that being said, you are surely scratching your head on how you are supposed to go metal detecting when you can't get any depth off your probe or digging utensil.  Well, you don't have to.  In fact, if their is snow on the ground, all the better for metal detecting!  Snow is moisture, and moisture helps conductivity.

I, for one, hate snow.  I grew up in Indiana and saw more snow in one season than I have seen in ten years here in the Boise area, but normal people like snow.  They like to sled in it, ski in it, roll around in it, and best of all, drop their valuables in it.  I prefer to view snow from a distance on a mountain top….

When you drop something in the snow, you might as well kiss it goodbye until Spring unless you are fortunate to see EXACTLY where it dropped, or if a item of jewelry or other metal object you just happen to have your metal detector in your car.

So where do you search?  All the obvious places that you normally search in the summer months, especially parks and school grounds with hills used for sledding.  When the city plows your streets, check the piles where they dump all the snow.  If the piles are too high to check, wait until they melt down a little, or totally disappear.  You may be able to just pick rings, necklaces, coins, etc., right off the surface after the snow melts.  When walks get shoveled, it is either thrown in the street or back in their yard.  Who knows what might lurk underneath?  Check near parking meters as well.  Movie theater and mall parking lots are another good source.  Again, watch where the plows dump all the snow, and go metal detecting!
 

Location of Idaho historical marker:  U.S. 12 – Milepost 52.5

An Old ferry near here took thousands of eager fortune hunters to a trail that climbed out of this canyon to rich gold fields discovered at Pierce in 1860.

You still can follow their spetacular route to Weippe Prairie, where in 1805 Lewis and Clark met a Nez Perce band that helped save their expedition.  Continuing on, you can reach Idaho's Oldest public building – Pierce Courthouse, built in 1862.  Take State Highway 11.

(The court house has been refurbished since this picture was taken)

Location of Idaho historical marker:  U.S. 12 – Milepost 47.4

On their way way in 1805, Lewis and Clark descended into Clearwater Canyon on an old Indian Trail Across from here.

After more than a month's search, they finally reached a westward river where they could use canoes.  From here they continued another 16 miles with their packhorses before they found a campsite with trees suitable for making canoes.  But at this point, they had finished their difficult mountain passage to navigable Columbia water.

Location of Idaho historical marker:  U.S. 12 – Milepost 28.3

In 1898, After rail service from Lewiston reached Lenore, a tramway was begun to ship grain from Camas Prairie (1,600 feet above) to a new freight stop directly across the river.

Previously, grain wagons descended a long steep hill from the prairie.  Gravity moved full tram buckets down, sending empty back up the cable loop.  By 1903, the completed system carried up to 100,000 bushels of grain each year.  In 1937 a fire destroyed the entire system.