Dodging the fire smoke could be a challenge in the Idaho Mountains! Silver City in the Owyhees might be a good call?

Screenshot of fire/fire smoke situation Thursday afternoon via AirNow.gov

Hi all, 

It seems challenging at best to plan a trip to the mountains with the fire smoke issue being a moving target throughout the state of Idaho. 

Above, you can see the latest smoke map from airnow as of Thursday afternoon ... in McCall, we've gone from nearly clear skies and sunny weather this morning to more smoke haze and less healthy conditions outdoors in the afternoon.  

Weekend forecasts are calling for mostly clear conditions Saturday and Sunday in McCall, Stanley and Ketchum/Sun Valley, with more of a northerly airflow, and still very warm temperatures in the high 70s and mid-80s. But all of that depends on how the fires burn in the coming days between now and then and where the smoke plumes go.  

One thing we do know is that you'll want to avoid the Four Corners Fire zone west of Cascade, and points north of Ketchum from Baker Creek to the Sawtooth Valley because of the Ross Fork Fire, now burning more than 30,000 acres in the Sawtooth Range. See article in the Mountain Express about that blaze.  

Area closure map for Ross Fork fire 

Be aware that the Ross Fork Fire has closed a number of trailheads in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. See news report with full list of the closures here. 

If you want to avoid smoke altogether, you might consider heading up to Silver City in the Owyhee Mountains. I've detailed several hikes and bike rides in that area in my blog and Owyhee Canyonlands guidebook. 

Sawpit Mountain Loop - 8.5-mile hike, rated moderate to strenuous. Start and finish in Silver City. See my post and article in the Idaho Press with details about that hike. This hike is featured in my guidebook on the Owyhee Canyonlands.  

Jim Young on the Silver City Skyline Tour (SS photo) 

Silver City Skyline Tour - This is a 16.8-mile advanced mountain bike loop that circumnavigates the Silver City Valley on the ridgetops and mountain tops above ... super scenic ride! See my post with details and a map about that ride.  

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A cool volunteer opportunity is coming up in the second half of September to sweep and check on trails and camping areas in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. It's a collaborative project led by the Idaho Conservation League, the Sawtooth Society, Idaho Rivers United, the Sawtooth NRA and more! See flier below for signup info. 

I also just blogged about ICL's Wilderness Steward program ... that may be something else people would like to get involved in next year.  

-SS 

Smoke is supposed to clear by Sunday ... Big cool-down coming ... Bow season starts Aug. 30 in many locations

Hi all, 

Quite honestly, I don't have a lot to say this week. It's been really smoky for much of the last 5 days, and that sure puts a damper on my interest in going outdoors for a hike or a bike ride. Idaho DEQ has been recommending laying low mostly this week to avoid damaging your lungs. Swimming is a little better to at least cool off. 

I took advantage of a brief window of opportunity Wednesday morning and went for an early-morning bike ride. The brief rainstorm Tuesday night seemed to push the smoke out of the valley a bit. It remained pretty clear that morning to feel safe for an outdoor outing.

The good news is that a frontal system is supposed to move through Idaho Saturday night, and drop temperatures about 15-20 degrees by Sunday. The high temperature in Stanley is forecast to be 68 degrees F on Sunday, and 66 degrees F in McCall.

Hence, Sunday should be a great day to get out for a walk, run, hike or bike ride in the cool weather. If you head out camping this weekend, make sure to bring some warm clothes for Sunday morning! 

Another tip is that Sunday (Aug. 30) is the beginning of big game archery season in many parts of Idaho, depending on the big game unit. That means there will be a lot of people in camo and face paint out roaming the woods on foot, by truck or ATV/UTV. Just a head's up that you are likely to run into bow hunters for the next 30 days, following by rifle seasons. Consider putting something bright on your dog if you're going out in the woods. 

Here's a link to the NOAA Smoke Map. 

Otherwise, let's hope the skies stay clear for a few days, with more of a Northwest flow vs. a Southwest flow, which has been pushing smoke from California and Oregon into Idaho.
-SS