Grandjean Valley

by Robert Bales

Title

Grandjean Valley

Artist

Robert Bales

Medium

Photograph - Photo

Description

A view from the overlook of the Grandjean peak and valley.
Before Idaho became a State in 1890, he built a winter cabin below Grandjean Peak on a site that later became occupied by Grandjean Ranger Station. Because of his European studies, he became a professional forester here. Then he served as supervisor of Boise National Forest from 1906-1922
Its official location is Grandjean, Idaho. You may see the name on the map, but you will never find a village, town, post office or even a tiny general store in Grandjean. There is a small marker with the name and that's it. The best we could come up with is that Grandjean is an area and not a definite spot.
Grandjean started in the early 1880's with a trapper named Emil Grandjean. He eventually became the Forest Supervisor of the Boise National Forest in the early 20th century. In the remnants of a Forest Service station, a colorful lady named Babe Hansen who was a guide and packer opened the Sawtooth Lodge in 1927.
The original lodge is still in use and serves as the lobby and kitchen for the current lodge. A small restaurant area has been added to the back of the original structure and serves as the focal point for guests at the Lodge. Meals are served from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Their huckleberry milkshakes are famous and can be enjoyed just about any time of day.
Accommodations are rustic and some of the cabins date back to the early Forest Service days. If you choose to go rustic, you will find yourself in a one-room log cabin with a wood-burning cook stove to provide heat during the chill mountain nights. Be forewarned that if you choose rustic, you will also find yourself in a cabin without plumbing and all the amenities that go with plumbing!
The rustic cabins are furnished in a minimal fashion. There's a peg for hanging a few clothes, a towel bar, a washbasin, a bucket for bringing in water, a table and two chairs. The bed is piled with quilts and comforters that will keep you toasty warm during the night. Temperatures, even in midsummer, can drop into the 30s and 40s.

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April 26th, 2014

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