NOLAN FLOYD WOODS

NOLAN FLOYD WOODS Nolan "Red" Floyd Woods passed away on November 17, 2024, in Emmett, Idaho. He was born on November 20, 1939, in Mesa, Idaho, to Virginia and Nolan F. Woods Sr. He was the eldest of four children. Red's great-grandfather, Oziah Woods, traveled from Arkansas by covered wagon in 1883 with his son Elijah, Elijah's wife Elizabeth Sarah, and their families. They began homesteading in Gray's Creek near Indian Valley, Idaho, in 1883, and the family farmed and ranched in the Indian Valley, Mesa, and Council areas for over 100 years. Red graduated from Council High School in Idaho in 1959, where he played football, baseball, basketball and track. He was also active in rodeo, riding bareback broncs and saddle broncs. He had many fond memories of working for local ranchers such as Albert Campbell, OX Ranch, and Rollie Campbell. When he wasn't on the back of a horse, Red enjoyed fishing. He met Karen Rae McCracken while working for the Circle C Ranch in Rapid River, Idaho. Red was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1962 and served for two years. While in the Army, he was part of a tank crew. He once drove the tank, but his commander, thinking he was handling it like a bareback bronc, decided he was better suited to be the loader. After his service, Red continued working as a cowboy for local ranchers and married Karen on December 29, 1963, in Riggins, Idaho. Together, they had three sons: Todd, Alan, and Shane. From 1961 to 1969, Red worked for Circle C Ranch. He was part of a cowboy crew sent to winter grazing grounds in Pittsburg Landing on the Snake River in Hells Canyon. At the time, the area was only a cowboy camp, and when the snow closed the roads, it was a 12-hour horse ride to the nearest neighbor. They had to bring all their food and supplies before the road closed, supplementing it with fishing and hunting for deer and elk. They calved out about 500 head of cattle, working in 24-hour shifts with fellow cowboys Frank, Larry, and Jerry Clay. Karen cooked for the crew. In the spring, after the snow melted enough, the cattle were driven out of Hells Canyon, along mountain ridges to Race Creek, then to Riggins. From Riggins, the cattle were driven up Highway 95 to Rapid River and then to Whitebird Ridge for summer forest allotment grazing. They worked the cattle in the mountains until they reached Round Valley and the New Meadows Circle C home ranch, where the calves were shipped. In 1970, with Karen expecting and the two older sons needing to start school, Red decided the winter in Hells Canyon and the summer cattle drives were no longer practical. He took a job as a packer for the U.S. Forest Service, where he spent 22 years traveling wilderness trails on horseback and leading mules in the Salmon River District of the Nez Perce National Forest. Red worked on trail clearing and building footbridges, primarily in the 7 Devils, Gospel, and Elk City areas. As a farrier, he also shod horses and mules for the Forest Service. Due to the remoteness of the area, Red often worked 10-day hitches with fellow packers such as Ace Barton and Gary Solberg. In 1978, Red bought a jet boat to spend time fishing with his family on the river when he wasn't riding in the national forests. His skills as a guide soon became known, and he began taking people to the best fishing holes for salmon and sturgeon. From 1980 to 2007, Red ran a jet boat outfitting business, taking people on fishing trips and tours of the Salmon and Snake Rivers. He ran the Snake River from Lewiston to Hells Canyon Dam and the Salmon River from the Snake River up to the North Fork. In 1985, Red began helping with jet boat races on the Salmon River. He served as a sweep boat and safety boat, running the river to assist racers who had broken down or wrecked their boats in the rapids. He worked closely with Bob Abbott and other race members. After selling the jet boat business, Red retired to construction and logging, finding relaxation in driving heavy machinery and doing various jobs for several years. Red is survived by his wife of 60 years, Karen; his three sons, Todd (wife Kimberly), Alan, and Shane (wife Dianna); five grandchildren, Jake (wife Marissa), Matthew (wife Stephanie), Sarah Love (husband Remington), Sofia, and Garrett; two great-grandchildren, Kade Woods and Emory Love; and his sisters, Violet Clay and Cheryl Fujishin (husband Monte). He was preceded in death by his parents and his baby sister. Red did not wish for a formal funeral service. The family will hold a celebration of life at a later date. He will be laid to rest at the Riggins Cemetery.