The first stop was a gondola ride at Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, Idaho, about an hour away. This is a popular ski resort in the winter, and a mountain bike and hiking haven in the summer. From the gondola base at 2,300 feet elevation to the gondola summit at 5,700 feet elevation, it's a 3.1-mile trip, which is why they advertise themselves as North America's longest gondola. I would add that it's also the steepest ride I have ever been on. The final climb looked like we were almost vertical.
 |
| the first section took us over this ridge and down into the valley |
 |
| riding through the valley on the other side |
 |
| the final steepest ascent with Kellogg in the distance |
 |
| magnificent views from the summit |
The scenery was breathtaking as we dangled over the tops of the tall fir trees, slowly inching our way upward. If I were braver, I could have touched the cones at the very tops of the pines as we passed them.
There are numerous ski runs and more ski lifts at the summit. The map showing the various ski runs is like a maze.
 |
| enjoying a beverage on top of the world |
Our next stop was in Wallace, a small town along I-90 where time looks like it stood still once the mining boom ended in the 1960's. This area grew and thrived thanks to the discovery of silver, lead, and zinc.
We had a late, al fresco lunch, enjoying the grand buildings around us, a legacy of a once-thriving town nestled in the mountains that provided a lucrative source of income.
 |
| with Karen and Rod |
On the way back to the car, we noticed these intriguing signs on all four corners of an intersection:
And this marker was in the middle of the intersection:
Here's the explanation: