If you drive north out of Boise you’ll probably use Highway 55. This glorious road winds its way over the ancient foothills surrounding Boise, up the Payette river canyon and skirts along the valley floor of Cascade and McCall. The highway then terminates into Highway 95 at New Meadows, Idaho.

The part of the drive I photographed is the Payette river canyon. The Payette is a world class whitewater destination. In the spring the river rages. Kayakers from all over the world recognize it as a “bucket list” run.

But in the fall the Payette river dwindles to a pleasant stream. The kayakers are all gone. It’s serene and pretty. I’ve driven up Highway 55 hundreds of times thinking that I need to get out of the car to take photos.

In 1991 I moved into a dumpy apartment in Mccall with some friends to work and mountain bike.

I was a photographer all throughout high school. I felt the urge to take photos of Highway 55 but at the time but I lacked the system to actually produce photography.

This was a time before digital photography and I’d need a darkroom to make photographs. I didn’t have one. So I drove up to Mccall looking around every bend down the river for the perfect view. It’s been over 30 years and I’m still looking down those bends in the river.

The day I took these photos the mood was dark. It was cloudy and it even started to snow during my last hour taking photos up there. If you click on the last photo you can see streaks of snow falling. It must have been unnerving for the drivers who saw me scramble down the steep embankments to get clean views of the river. I’m fine with a little gawking. It’s part of the world of landscape photography.

Boise is an amazing place to live. I love it here. My latest portfolio, My Private Idaho, consists of places that are personal to me. But places that are personal to me could mean nothing to someone else. Places are subjective to everyone who experiences them.

Highway 55 is one of those places that I’ve connected with. I’m certain there are others who have also connected with it.

The images will be available on my website soon. Thanks for stopping by!