OMG! Last weekend before school starts! 10 ideas for outdoor outings to beat the August heat!

 

Hi all,

It's kind of hard to believe, but summer vacation is on the wane, especially for families with school kids! There's only one weekend left before Boise Schools start up on Monday, Aug. 17. How have you done on your summer outdoor punch list?

This has been one of the most challenging summers ever because of COVID-19. Doing outdoor trips on a day trip-basis, close to home is smart and safe. Many people have missed out on planned trips out of state or out of country this summer because of COVID. 

For those who are looking for some last-minute ideas for outings this weekend, here are some recommendations ... temperatures are warming up into the triple digits, so many of these are geared to beat the heat:

1. Ride the ski lift to the top of Bogus Basin, Tamarack Resort, Brundage Mountain or Sun Valley and go hiking or biking from there. Good way to find cooler weather at mountain top-elevations! Spectacular 360-degree views off the summit! 

2. Go fishing - Go wade-fishing on the Boise River and stay cool. See the list of Idaho Fish and Game's Family Fishing Waters to find some other recommendations close to home.

3. Go SUP'ing, boating or swimming in a refreshing Idaho lake like Lucky Peak, Arrowrock Reservoir, Lake Cascade, Deadwood Reservoir, Payette Lake, Redfish Lake, or Priest Lake.

4. Float a river (day trip) - we're blessed with so many options here. Have you floated the Boise River this year? How about the Payette River -- there's the Main Payette, South Fork Payette or Cabarton run on the North Fork. Check with Cascade Raft, Idaho Whitewater Unlimited, Bear Valley or the Payette River Company about guided trips. The Payette's calmer sections are great for stand-up paddle boarding (SUP), sit-on-top kayaking and canoeing.

5. Climb a mountain - The pinnacle is to climb Mount Borah, the tallest peak in Idaho, but there are so many other options in Idaho, with dozens of peaks over 10,000 feet and 8 peaks over 12,000 feet. See Idaho mountain expert Tom Lopez's list of recommended mountain peaks. McCall mountain expert John Platt also has an extensive list of peaks and mountains that he's climbed.

6. Go backpacking in the Sawtooths, White Clouds, Pioneers or Big Lost Mountain Range. See Michael Lanza's recommended hikes in the Sawtooths in his blog, the Big Outside. See a recommended major loop in the White Clouds in Backpacker mag. For a great hike in the Pioneers, see my blog post about hiking Broad Canyon. 

7. Go camping on the North Fork or Middle Fork Boise River via Idaho City. Oodles of car camping areas up located up there, some with services and some self-support. Consult a Boise National Forest Map to find developed fee campgrounds with water hookups and rest rooms.

8. Paddle the Mid-Snake River to Shoshone Falls. You can rent kayaks or SUPs at Centennial Park in Twin Falls. Here's a recent post I wrote about that adventure.

9. Go rafting or jet boating in Riggins or Hells Canyon - Check with your favorite outfitter in the area to get out on the water.  Or check the IOGA web site. 

10. Go mountain biking on the Idaho Classics like Loon Lake, Fisher-Williams, Around the Mountain at Bogus, Ketchum-Sun Valley Trails, Galena Lodge Trails, or Jug Mountain Ranch trails. 

There you have it! Have fun and be safe!
- SS