Returning to Idaho City for a girl’s summer weekend, the previous winter wonderland had melted to reveal a pine-green forest beneath a brilliant blue sky. I quickly spotted owner Shelly Heffington’s friendly face we pulled up to Majestic Mountain Ranch. She welcomed us into a generously-sized, five-bed accommodation with an expansive kitchen that provided plenty of room to gear up for the weekend ahead. Laughter filled the air as we applied temporary flower tattoos to compliment our western attire and glasses clinked in a round of cheers before we set out to join the event of the summer, the Jack PIne Round Up Rodeo!
Perched on the stands with the rest of the town, we had a perfect view of the entire arena which was set amongst a backdrop of layering pine trees and a moon that rose as the sun set, casting a beautiful glow upon the arena before the lights took over and offering a reprieve from the summer heat. In between rounds of cowboy ragdolls holding on for their lives on bucking broncos, the face-painted rodeo clown in oversized pants bantered playfully with the audience and flag girls rode proudly in unison. A delightful chaos briefly ensued when chickens were chased down by children scampering across the dusty arena floor, determined to catch a prized pet. Cowgirls whipped around barrels on their agile horses with impressive speed, followed by brave cowboys who attempted to master the insurmountable bull ride!
Ready to fill our bellies and quench our thirst, we followed the rest of the crowd to the Gold Mine Saloon where reliable owners Steve and Steve made sure we kept warm by the fires as we belted Jolene along with talented musician Kimmi Bitters whose shimmering yet sultry voice brought us back in time.
Sleeping long past sunrise, we enjoyed a satisfying outdoor lunch the following day at the seasonal and elevated dining spot, Boco Social, before visiting the eclectic and quirky Boco Sluice Box, which has a fascinating and haunting history. In lieu of hitting the nearby trails, we relaxed the afternoon away in the patio hot tub while conversing with Shelly about her exciting plans for the addition of new cabins and expansions that would allow for more events to take place in this peaceful and inviting atmosphere.
Pressing repeat from night one, we returned to the rodeo and Goldmine, feeling more like locals by the hour. Scotty Mac and the Nugs kept the party going with their lively rendition of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire, sung by a young man with a deceivingly deep voice! He finished just in time for nature’s symphony to take over. Thunder pounding in the distance, light rain drops cooled our skin as we stared up at the sky, getting glimpses of the incredible light show while singing along with Garth Brooks’ bellowing, “The Thunder Rolls.”
As the refreshing summer storm slowly faded and the sun rose the next morning, we begrudgingly packed our things, thanked Shelly for her hospitality and stopped for a sweet treat at the updated Sarsaparilla Ice Cream Parlor. During the short trek back to Boise, we reminisced and started plotting our return for the next Jack Pine Round Up this summer, August 23-24, 2024!