Council Idaho
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6/7/2016
Council is a beautiful place with geographic features and climate that make it the perfect locale for enjoying the transition zone where the Great Basin meets the timbered mountains. The diversity of vegetation creates an incredibly beautiful richness to the pastoral countryside backdropped by mountain peaks that keep their snow well into June. Gardening is very doable in the Council climate and winters are far less severe than nearby mountain communities of New Meadows and McCall, yet more severe than the Treasure Valley. The "down" side of Council is that it has suffered the economic distress of a small mountain community that has struggled with changing times and economy. For the most part younger generations have grown up and move away as there is hardly any job opportunities here or anywhere close enough to commute. The location is remote enough to be intirely inconvienient for accessing major shopping and other possible necessities such as drug stores (although there is now a pharmacy at the clinic) and major medical services. Life Flight is an important service here. There is a small clinic in town that provides a surprising array of services and a dentist. There is a small very well stocked grocery store. There is a NAPA auto parts store and a couple other businesses such as Whole Food's Starkey spring water bottling facility and a small wood products plant. There is a feed store now as well. There is also now a nice coffee shop along Highway 95 at the north end of town. The major employer is the US Forest Service. Council downtown sometimes seems to be half vacant and empty store fronts or only open part-time. The recent completion of a by-bass route for hiway 95 has routed traffic away from the center of town. There is definite opportunity here for the right business. The town is famous for its quilt show and Fourth of July porcupine racing. The pastoral beauty of the surrounding countryside is what Idaho used to be and what gave Idaho that unspoiled reputation which it is now harder to find. Council is a step back in time, has little infrastructure and is insulated by distance from convieniences that make it still a back country flavored lifestyle. It is about a 50 minute drive to McCall (in good summer weather) for some shopping and a small hospital, or an hour and a half and 71 miles to Ontario Oregon to major shopping opportunities (no sales tax). The surrounding Council valley area has many that have moved there to enjoy the quiet life and take the inconveninces in stride. There are a surprising number of expensive homes on acreage in the area while much of the residential area of the town itself often reflects the poor economy. The business center is mostly full of empty store fronts, and a couple thrift shops, two bars, a pizza place, a US Bank, a highly rated Chinese food restaurant you should try (Li's Kitchen) and a couple of cafe’s. Council is a small oasis that is mostly ignored. The resort towns have grown too expensive and the major cities in the Treasure Valley to the south have become one huge rat race of congested traffic and shopping centers, while Council rests sleepily and ignored and I will hate to see it ever become popular and be discovered as it is truly one of the last best underdeveloped places left in southwest Idaho. This is a fair assessment, some may not like the town, and as stated there certainly are issues, but it is a beautiful area.
Timber | Dufur, OR