Go soak up some sunshine and Vitamin D this weekend!

Male ferruginous hawk by Todd Katzner

Hi all, 

The weather forecast looks pretty sunny and warmish for a mid-February weekend in Southwest Idaho. Afternoon high temperatures will be the high 40s in the Boise Valley and Snake River areas, and 30-35 degrees in the mountains. 

My recommendation for my Outdoor Tip of the Week is to go soak up some of that sunshine while playing outside.

1. Skiing/riding in the sunshine at Bogus Basin, Tamarack, Brundage, Soldier Mountain or Sun Valley should be fantastic this weekend. All of the ski areas have excellent snow coverage. 

There are a few events going on too such as "Super Diva Day" at Brundage on Sunday, and Tamarack has demo days going on for riders and skiers on Saturday and Sunday. Tamarack also has free s'mores apres ski around the fire in the Village on weekends. 

Sunsets on the Greenbelt can be quite spectacular. 

2. Go for a bike ride or leisurely walk on the Boise River Greenbelt. Note that several sections of the Greenbelt are closed temporarly. I ran into three closures on a bike ride this afternoon. One is near Veterans Park Pond, where some type of construction is going on. Another is by Ann Morrison Park to the 9th Street bridge on the south side of the river, where they are replacing lights. A short section by the Riverside Hotel was closed today due to some construction work. 

Morley Nelson 

3. Head down to the Morley Nelson - Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, south of Kuna. Nesting birds of prey should be returning to the canyon right about now and the males will be trying to impress the females with courtship flight. You could take a ride or walk on the Snake River trail between Swan Falls Dam and Celebration Park while you're in the 'hood. Don't forget the binoculars and your bird book. 

4. Take a scenic wildlife-watching drive up to Banks on Idaho 55, turn right on the Banks to Lowman Road, and watch for herds of mule deer or elk in the winter range areas on the mountains above. Bring your swimsuit if you might want to stop at Pine Flats, Kirkham or Bonneville Hot Springs. 

5. Find your own adventure maybe at Big Creek Summit between Cascade and Warm Lake or head up Idaho 21 to More's Creek Summit and Beaver Creek Summit. Good launch point to make your own trails. 

Once you've gotten your outdoor fix, you can head home and watch the Super Bowl on Sunday. Should be one heck of a game! 

Have fun! 
- SS

Biking season is coming on! Five easy greenbelt bike rides to shake off the cobwebs

The heron and cormorant rookery along the Eagle Greenbelt is a sight to behold. 

Eagle Greenbelt pedestrian bridge. I took my snow bike out there. 

Drew on his three-wheeler on a greenbelt ride with Dad in west Boise 

Biking on the Greenbelt through Municipal Park 

Here's a fun group pausing for a pic by the ParkCenter pedestrian bridge 

Hi all,

Spring weather is trying to get some traction in the Treasure Valley, but wet and cool wintry weather has made it challenging, even almost half way through April! On Friday and Saturday of this weekend, the weather forecast looks promising for sunshine on Friday with a high of 50, and partly cloudy to cloudy conditions on Saturday, but no real chance of rain, with temperatures hovering around 60. Sunday could be rainy and wet.

For my outdoor tip of the week, I'm recommending some easy bike rides as inspiration to dust-off the bike in your garage, wipe off the cobwebs and get that baby into good running condition.

Here are five easy rides that provide a tour of discreet sections of the Boise River Greenbelt from Eagle to Lucky Peak. All of these rides would be great for families and kids, and all ages and abilities. Pick a route that strikes your fancy.

1. Eagle Greenbelt Loop - Distance: About 7 miles. Best bike for the ride: mountain bike or cross bike. Tread: pavement and dirt. Start at the greenbelt parking area by Glenwood and Marigold next to the Boise River. Ride west, taking the underpass at Glenwood, and continue through a housing area next to the river. Stay on the south side of the river at the pedestrian bridge and continue past the gravel pits, Boise Wastewater Treatment Plant and the heron rookery to Eagle Road. Go right on the shoulder of Eagle Road and ride on the paths next to the busy highway. Pick up the greenbelt in several hundred yards and ride east. Cross the pedestrian bridge and then you'll be riding on a paved pathway on the north side of the river. Follow that path through several dirt sections and then on pavement through a couple of subdivisions. Cross the pedestrian bridge to the south side of the river, turn left and return to the start at Glenwood.

2. Glenwood to Esther Simplot Park - Distance: 7 miles out and back. Best bike for the ride: road bike or any kind of bike. Tread: pavement. This ride could be done as a loop if they're able to restore the pedestrian bridge by Plantation, but in the meantime, it's an out-and-back ride on the Garden City side of the greenbelt. Start by the Glenwood and Marigold greenbelt parking area. Ride east on the Greenbelt for a mile to the bridge washout site. Follow the paved path on a detour around some private property on Remington Street and return to the greenbelt going east. You'll pass under the Veterans Parkway bridge and continue another mile to Esther Simplot Park. There's a pedestrian bridge there where you can cross over and tour around the park as you wish. Watch kayakers or surfers on the play wave. Return to Glenwood to finish the ride.

3. Bridge to Bridge Loop - Distance 9-mile loop. Best bike for the ride: road bike or any kind of bike. Tread: pavement. This is cool route because you can ride on both sides of the river for the loop, and enjoy the pedestrian bridges on the book-ends of the route. Start in Esther Simplot Park. Pick up the greenbelt pathway over by the Boise River and pedestrian bridge. Ride either on the south or north side of the river and go east toward downtown. Enjoy all the underpasses and ride along the river to the ParkCenter pedestrian bridge. Cross the bridge and return to Esther Simplot Park.

4. Municipal Park to Marianne Williams Park - Distance: 9.5 mile loop or about 8 miles out-and back. Bike bike for the ride: road bike or any kind of bike. Tread: pavement. This is a pretty route going through Warm Springs Golf Course and riding along the river on the north side, and a tour of residential paths on the way back. Start at Municipal Park and ride east on the greenbelt. In Warm Springs Golf Course, ignore the right-hand spur going over to the pedestrian bridge. Continue on the north side of the river out to Marianne Williams Park. Follow signs for a temporary detour around a pathway that's closed due to construction. Ride over to Eckert Road. Turn right and ride to Barber Park. Go west on the paved pathway through the park and continue going west through a number of subdivisions. Eventually the pathway busts out of the housing and onto the side of ParkCenter Boulevard. Turn right on River Run Drive next to Baggley Park and follow the bike lane along River Run back to the main greenbelt. Keep going west to Broadway. Take the highway bridge across the river and drop into the path going east on the north side of the river to return to Municipal Park.

5. Eckert Road to Lucky Peak - Distance 10 miles out and back. Best bike for the ride: road bike or any kind of bike. Tread: pavement. This ride can be a little more challenging depending on the wind, but it's fun to go out to Discovery Park next to Lucky Peak, and this is the eastern end of the greenbelt. Start in Harris Ranch and park by Lucky 13 or in Barber Park. Take the greenbelt along Eckert Road and then go east on the greenbelt out to Lucky Peak. You'll have to detour around the path east of Idaho State Parks because that pathway is still under reconstruction. Past that area, you'll pass under the huge Idaho 21 bridge, go by Diversion Dam and then cruise along next to the river on the final approach to Discovery Park. It can be windy in this area. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at Discovery Park and retrace your steps to the start.

The whole Boise River Greenbelt and 30 more road-biking routes are detailed in the Boise Road Cycling Guide, a fold-out waterproof and tear-proof map with rides in the Boise Valley, Meridian, Kuna, Nampa and Emmett. Boise Road Cycling Guide is available for retail sales at George's Cycles, Idaho Mountain Touring, Boise REI, Bob's Bicycles and stevestuebner.com.

Have fun!
- SS

Take a 4-mile nature walk with your sweetheart or your family along the Boise River in E. Boise

Here's the map for the nature trail loop. Start at either Bown Crossing
or the East ParkCenter Bridge or by Barber Park in East Boise. (Click map to enlarge)

The scene on the nature trail just east of the E. ParkCenter Bridge. 

The new natural trail. 

Hi all,

Well, it's a little past Valentine's Day, but I wanted to share a cool new walking loop that I've been enjoying with my sweetheart, Wendy, and our dog, Huck, as the weather begins to slowly warm up in the Boise Valley. It's a lovely place for an easy-going stroll (no hills) and a great place to see wildlife.

It's supposed to snow Friday night, so if you're inclined to go skiing, snowshoeing or whatever, by all means, head for the mountains and enjoy some fresh powder.

But you have to check out this new hiking opportunity that's been made possible by the construction of the new Marianne Williams Park near Bown Crossing in E. Boise and property donations by the Harris family.

Many people have been aware of the nice gravel natural trail on the south side of the river that runs from Barber Park to the ParkCenter Greenbelt (three miles total one-way). The trail is a great place for wildlife-watching in general and eagle-watching in the winter, and it's a quiet place to go walking or running because the trail is not paved, and no bikes are allowed.

With the creation of the new Marianne Williams Park in East Boise, there is now a nature trail on the north side of the river as well. It also is lined by cottonwood trees the whole way, and the trail passes by a series of wetlands that will be chock full of bird life in a couple of months. About a mile from Eckert Road, the natural trail in Marianne Williams Park merges with a new section of paved Greenbelt and continues west to the East ParkCenter Bridge and continues west.

The nature trail loop on both sides of the river is a little less than 4 miles total. It takes at least an hour and a half at a casual pace. If you're watching for birds, it might take more like 2 hours. After you're finished, you can head over to Bown Crossing and have lunch, dinner or a beverage of choice at several different establishments including Flatbread Pizza and the Tavern. You're also close to Lucky 13 if you park at Barber Park off of Eckert Road.

If you want to go farther, keep going west under the East ParkCenter Bridge and continue another 2 miles or so to the big orange ParkCenter pedestrian bridge. Longer-distance runners may prefer to take the longer route.

Great blue heron 

While you're walking or running, watch for the following wildlife species. Bring your camera and binoculars. Teach your kids how to identify these species:

• Great blue herons. There's a large heron rookery on the south side of the river, just east of Bown Crossing. There must be about 15-20 nests in the rookery. The birds are beginning to move into the nests right now. You are virtually assured of seeing herons on your walk. Herons are fish-eaters.  
• Kingfishers. You'll hear the tell-tale rat-tat-tat call of kingfishers as they dart across the Boise River. 
• Red-winged blackbirds. You'll see the blackbirds moving into the wetland areas in the coming weeks. They love the cat-tail wetlands. 
• Kestrels. I have seen many kestrels on the nature trail in recent weeks. They are pairing up, mating and establishing a cavity nest. See my video about our backyard kestrel nest box. Kestrels are the smallest member of the raptor family. Also known as "sparrow hawks." 
• Red-tailed hawks frequent the area. They are a very common hawk in the Boise Foothills and the Boise Valley. They like to eat mice. I think there are several red-tailed hawk nests in the vicinity of the nature trail loop. 
• Great-horned owls. There are several owl nests in the nature trail area on the south side of the river. These birds are very predatory in nature.
• Wood ducks. The males are very showy in coloration. Watch for them on the river.  

Wood duck 

In case you missed it last fall, here's a GoPro video of the new Greenbelt pathways in Marianne Williams Park. It'll give you a feel for the size of the park. It's big! 

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The Boise Bike Swap is happening on Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This is a great opportunity to pick up a quality used road bike or mountain bike, bike wheels or parts It's being held at the Westgate Shopping Mall, 7670 W. Fairview. It costs $3 to get in. Get there early! The event is free for kids under 10. Sellers show up at 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. on Saturday to sell their used bike stuff.
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In case you haven't heard any of the ads, this is the magic week when you need to renew your Bogus Basin season pass for the best price available. The passes are $229 plus tax for the 2013-2014 season. It's a great deal, and it's important to support your local community ski area. Act quick because the offer expires on Feb. 24. 

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Idaho Fish and Game needs volunteers to plant bitterbrush beginning on Saturday, March 2. More planting will occur on subsequent Saturdays through March. Transportation and tools are provided. Volunteers should wear sturdy shoes, bring gloves and dress for the weather. 

To sign up, contact IDFG volunteer coordinator Michael Young, michael.young@idfg.idaho.gov or 327-7095.  For more information go to: http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/about/volunteer

Have fun!
- SS

New hot springs pool opens in Idaho City; explore new section of the Greenbelt "out west"

The Springs pool (courtesy The Springs)

The Trey McIntyre Project paid a visit (courtesy The Springs)

Looks wonderful! 

Hi all,

There is still some decent cross-country skiing, backcountry skiing and snowshoeing at the Idaho City Park and Ski Areas, Pilot Peak, Freeman Peak and Sunset Mountain northeast of Idaho City, but you will have to hunt much harder than usual for fresh powder.

We haven't had any significant new snow in several weeks. But it's still going to be kind of warm and sunny this weekend, particularly on Saturday, so it'd be fun to head out for a little snow adventure, and then come back to Idaho City and hit the new hot springs pool called "The Springs" on the way home.

The Springs just opened on Thursday. Pool hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and closed on Tuesdays. Pool fees are $16 for adults, $8 for children under 12. Be sure to make reservations before you head out for your recreation outing. A lot of people are stoked to try out the pool; there will be a lot of competition to get in (they're going to control the numbers). The main pool is 80 feet by 40 feet, and it's kept in a range of 98 to 100 degrees F. And the hot tub adjacent to the pool is kept at about 104 degrees F. Sounds fun!

Big heron rookery near the Boise Wastewater Plant ... the birds are starting to move in! 

Something else you might enjoy doing this weekend is heading out on a brand new "secret" section of the Boise River Greenbelt on the south side of the river, downstream of Glenwood. You could start at Veterans Park, Willow Lane, or at the parking area next to the Glenwood Bridge near the Fairgrounds. Be sure you're on the south side of the river when you head west of Glenwood.

Thanks to Don Stockton and everyone who worked on the pathway project 

The paved pathway on the south side used to go about 1.5 miles west of Glenwood and fizzle out. Last fall, the Foundation for Ada/Canyon Trail Systems (FACTS) paved a long extension on the south side that goes for several more miles. I rode it Thursday afternoon on my mountain bike. I continued when the pavement ended, and rode a two-track and singletrack dirt path that took me all the way to Eagle Road!

Dirt pathway goes by some nice wildlife ponds 

Go check it out, you won't believe how nice it is. You'll get a scenic tour of the old gravel pits, the Boise Wastewater Treatment Plant, a big heron rookery, lots of ponds and wildlife habitat areas, and more!

Boise River splits below here into the North and South channels ... 

The trails in the Boise Foothills are really muddy right now in the afternoons. Please stay off those trails and go for a Greenbelt adventure. You won't be disappointed.

Steve talks about his outdoor tips every week on Friday mornings about 7:10 a.m. on 94.9 FM The River with Ken and Tim. Here's the audio from this week's program. 
- SS

Gotta love that snow-plow service on the Greenbelt; great for walking, running, biking

Thanks to the plowing crew at Boise Parks & Recreation, the Greenbelt is mostly clear of snow ...

It's certainly cleaner and drier than our driveway ... 

And many side streets in Boise 

Boise State pathway still has some snow ... 

Wait until the afternoon to head out for your Greenbelt adventure, let the ice melt ... 

Boise State walk bridge 

Hi all,

Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I've been feeling a little cabin-fever creeping up on me lately ... especially during the multi-week deep-freeze in January. It didn't feel right to do anything but cocoon around the fireplace, try to stay warm and try not to fall on your butt or head when walking across slippery black ice in your own fricking driveway. Mother Nature hit us hard these past weeks!

So I found myself pedaling with glee on the Boise River Greenbelt today, enjoying an outdoor cycling experience in 45 degree weather, with partial sunshine. It felt almost like 60, considering what we've been used to with temps in the single digits and teens.

Here's the audio from Steve's appearance on 94.9 FM the River this morning, discussing winter riding on the Greenbelt ...

The pathway was wet in many places, even standing water in places, but practically no snow anywhere on the pavement. Frankly, the pathway is more clear of ice and snow than lots of side streets in Boise! It's certainly more clean than my own driveway :) Thanks to Boise Parks & Recreation for taking such great care of our Greenbelt and thanks to Boise taxpayers for footing the bill!



In the next 10 days, the forecast calls for temps near or above 40 in the afternoon in the heat of the day. That means more melting and totally decent weather conditions for biking, walking, running, walking the dog, taking the babies for a stroller walk, whatever! Well ... I wouldn't go out on roller blades quite yet ... too many puddles and standing water. Also, wait for the day to warm up. Don't go out early in the morning unless you have to commute ... it'll be slick and icy.

For future reference, here are the city's guidelines on Greenbelt winter upkeep:

1. Boise Parks & Recreation plows 20 miles of the Greenbelt path throughout the winter except the natural area between Barber Park and ParkCenter. 

2. Plowing begins when approximately 1” or more of snow falls. 

3. Snow-plow service runs seven days a week, except for Christmas and New Year’s day. 

4. De-icer is used on bridge approaches, bridges, and certain sections of the path that have a steep incline (Orchard/Garden Street) and areas that are habitually in the shade. Staff de-ice using a mag chloride product that is environmentally friendly.

I'd recommend bundling up and heading out to whichever section of the Greenbelt that you like to hike/run/ride. For a longer workout, going from Municipal Park out to Lucky Peak is a great bike ride. It's 18 miles roundtrip to Discovery Park at the base of Lucky Peak Dam. 

Another option is to do a loop ride in the inner city section of the Greenbelt. Today, I rode from Veterans Park to Warm Springs Golf Course and the ParkCenter pedestrian bridge, crossed over to the south side, and rode back via ParkCenter, Boise State, Ann Morrison Park, across the walk bridge, and back. Distance is about 12 miles.  Travel time is 45 minutes to an hour at an active recreational pace. 

My guidebooks, Mountain Biking in Boise and the Boise Trail Guide detail numerous Greenbelt hiking, running and biking sections that you can enjoy. See more details at stevestuebner.com. 

I wasn't able to confirm whether Garden City has been plowing its sections of the Greenbelt, so I can't confirm whether the pathway is open and clear of snow between Lake Harbor and Glenwood, or from Glenwood to the end of the pathway several miles to the west. 

Dress in layers for your Greenbelt outing. You'll need to wear long underwear with a pair of light rain pants or sweat pants. My riding shoes got soaking wet today, so you might want to wear warm socks! A couple layers on top and a wind shell will take care of your upper body. Carry a headband or a skull cap to keep your ears warm. It may or may not be needed, depending on when you go. 

An outdoor bike ride sure beats riding the trainer or spin bike indoors, staring at walls! But it will be wet out there while the snow melts ... fenders are a great feature!  
   
Have fun!
- SS