Years ago a group of conservationists began gathering annually at Redfish Lake near Stanley to discuss Idaho's wildlands.
This weekend, the gathering that became known as Wild Idaho! will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a host of panels, auctions, field trips, meals and live music.
The event, which is sponsored by the Idaho Conservation League and will feature a panel discussion with Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, begins Friday afternoon at Redfish Lake Lodge and continues through Sunday morning.
Simpson, who is the creator of the Central Idaho Economic Development and Recreation Act, which among other things would designate as wilderness over 300,000 acres in the Boulder and White Clouds mountains north of Ketchum, will speak Sunday morning.
There will also be updates on operations at the Atlanta Mine and Mercury in Idaho. The field trips will examine the status of salmon and steelhead returns, geology of the Sawtooth Mountains, wolves, and beetle killed tress in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
Registration closed May 5.