Blood, Trauma, and Biohazard Cleanup in Challis, ID

Challis is the largest city in and the county seat of Custer County, Idaho, in the central part of the state.

Challis was founded in 1878 and named for A.P. Challis, a surveyor when the townsite was laid out, and its post office was established the same year.

The 2020 census counted 902 residents in Challis, a 16.6 percent drop from 1,081 residents in 2010, and the 2010 census counted 502 households in the city.

The city sits at an elevation of 5,214 feet and covers about 1.95 square miles, with ZIP code 83226.

U.S. Highway 93 runs through Challis to Salmon in the north and Mackay in the south, and the junction with State Highway 75 to Stanley lies just south of town, with both highways forming the Salmon River Scenic Byway.

On October 28, 1983, the 6.9-magnitude Borah Peak earthquake heavily damaged the Challis-Mackay region, and the earthquake's two fatalities were in Challis, where a storefront fell on two children walking to school.

On March 31, 2020, a 6.5-magnitude earthquake centered 45 miles west of Challis became the second strongest earthquake ever recorded in Idaho.

Twin Peaks Sports, the I.O.O.F. Hall, and a number of other Challis buildings are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, most as a result of an Idaho State Historical Society study of the town's historic resources.

Challis has a semi-arid climate with cold winters, hot summers, and low precipitation, and its recorded temperature extremes run from minus 34 degrees to 103 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lawrence Henry Chamberlain, dean of Columbia College and vice president of Columbia University, is a notable person from Challis.