Go climb a mountain in memory of John Platt - we will miss him greatly!

Dave Beck, left, John Platt and Ruby camping in the mountains above McCall.
(photo by Dave Beck) 

Hi all, 

Last week, I woke up in McCall, packing up for ski trip in N. Idaho. And I saw some posts on Facebook saying, "RIP John Platt." 

And I'm like, what? No way! John Platt was the strongest outdoorsman I had ever met. He had a huge zeal for adventure. He climbed a new mountain almost every day. You were lucky if you ever had the opportunity to go on an outdoor adventure with John because he's so witty, smart and always looking at the bright side when things might look bleak. 

The sad news is that John had indeed suffered a heart attack and died after going xc skiing on a low-key adventure at Jug Mountain Ranch. Wow. He was 66. 

I feel fortunate that I knew John, going back to the mid-1980s, when he and Chris Haunold opened Idaho Mountain Touring in downtown Boise. More about that in a moment. 

John atop Castle Peak in the White Clouds with two friends (courtesy splattski.com)

In the meantime, I want to encourage outdoorsy people everywhere to go climb a mountain in memory of John ... His web site, splattski.com, has tons of free information about his many outdoor and peak-bagging adventures in Idaho and elsewhere. Go check it out and plan your next adventure. 

Tom Lopez, a good friend of John's who did peak-bagging adventures with him all over the West, sent me a list of the top 20 people with the number of peaks they've climbed just in Idaho. John ranks #4, with 583. Lopez, author of the excellent guidebook, Idaho: A Climbing Guide, has notched an even 800. 

How many Idaho mountain peaks have you summited? How many arfe on your list? These guys are totally amazing! 

See the Idaho Statesman's article about John's life. Very well-done. Here's a link to his obituary, also very well-done. 

I loved this line from the obit: "By the time John rode his one-speed Sears bicycle over McKenzie Pass at the age of 9, he was giving his parents both grief and glimpses of the adventurous man he would become."

This was when his family lived in Oregon. His father had a long career with the U.S. Forest Service and frequently took the family camping. 

John developed solid outdoor skills at a young age as an aspiring bike racer and technical mountain and rock-climber. After he graduated from Boise High, he moved to Oregon to live closer to the bike-racing scene in Corvallis. His younger brother, Tom Platt, and Mike Cooley, followed him there and also got involved in bike-racing. Tom and Mike would later take over ownership of George's Cycles in Boise. Read my long-form feature about that history. 

John didn't do anything half-assed. He was the first bike racer to finish the arduous Bogus Basin Hill Club in less than an hour. He won the event three years in a row, in 1976, 1977 and 1978. Think about how many riders must have been inspired by his training and quest for excellence. 

When I moved to Boise in the mid-80s to write for the Idaho Statesman, I started a ski column, printed weekly. I wrote something about xc skiing at the time, and how I was noticing a new trend of people skiing faster than ever before on xc ski trails via skate skiing. I participated in a few 25K races in Colorado before I moved to Boise, skiing on classic gear, and clearly, if you were going to race, skate skiing was becoming the way to go. 

I remember John taking me under his wing and introducing me to skate skiing on the Bogus Basin Nordic trails. He gave me some free rental skis from IMT, and gave me a free lesson on skate skiing. It was a gentle way of showing me that this is the future, and you might as well embrace it! And of course, he was very good at it, very fast, because he always seemed to be in excellent physical shape! He just kind of floated through the mountains with seemingly no effort. I was impressed. 

The bottom line, John was always up for an adventure, and he was often willing to share the adventure with others. 

"He was all about finding adventures in the mountains," says friend David Beck. "No idea was necessarily bad. If you think about all of the people he touched with his adventures, it's just incredible - either through the trips provided on his web site or the trips he did with countless people over the years." 

Dave Beck and John Platt spent 5 solid years climbing peaks in the Lick Creek range and in other locations around McCall after Platt retired from Trek bicycles. "We probably slept 25-35 nights out on the ground each year together," Beck says. "I counted myself as an adopted Platt brother. There's just so many good things to say about him, and how he touched so many people over the years through outdoor adventures."

Lopez and Platt have bagged many a peak together in Idaho and the West. They used to go truck camping in Death Valley and bag peaks in that area during the winter. 

Wendy and I were spending a number of days exploring Death Valley for the first time in 2016. John saw one of my posts on Facebook, and he recommended a perfect day hike to a walk-up peak. We did the hike the next day. 

Thimble Peak provides awesome views of Death Valley.
John's description on splattski.com was spot-on. 

 

At the summit of Thimble Peak. 

This is what Tom Lopez said about John on tapatalk.com, an Idaho outdoor forum.

"John seemed destined to live a long life. The last time I climbed with him in late fall, he was unstoppable. We descended through 500 vertical feet of nearly impenetrable alders, with John leading the way like a bull moose. One of his nicknames was the "Alder King," because he dragged so many of us through alder patches. Another was "Lick Creek Johnny" because of his prowess at exploring the Lick Creek Range. ... I will grieve his loss for as long as I am kicking." 

John also gave back to his community through volunteerism. He's been a great volunteer for the Idaho Trails Association for a number of years. He also volunteered for Valley County Search and Rescue. I've seen him volunteering at the McCall Remastered Nordic race just about every year. The first time I did the 75-mile Cascade 4 Summits road ride, there was John at the aid station in Landmark at the top of the half-way point in the ride ... "I was like, thanks for volunteering, John! I'm surprised you're not doing the ride!" Well, they were short on volunteers in that location, and there was John, ready to help. 

Last June, I needed help during the work week to spread out trail-surfacing materials on the new Heinrich Demo Trail for Valley County Pathways. I asked John on short notice if he could help out, and he showed up with his brother, Tom, and some other friends. They put in a solid half-day of work before moving on to the next thing ... I was grateful for his help! 

John Platt is on the left, scraping road mix out of the mud buggy;
Tom Platt is on the right.  

Beck says when he and John would summit a new mountain peak, they would play a game called "NTP" or Name that Peak. They'd look around 360 degrees from the peak they're standing on, and see if they could name all of the peaks. Platt had an amazing encyclopedic knowledge of the mountains, and he often took pictures of mountain peaks from different angles to ensure he could recognize them from all angles. 

When you go to splattski.com, you'll see all the references to the peaks he's explored, along with a fun narrative about the day's adventure, the people who went along with him, etc., and you'll have a better understanding of just how well-traveled the guy was. It's a lifetime project, and you better not waste a single day! 

Here's John's wife, Julie, and daughter, Jasmine, climbing up the face of Danskin Peak, where they ran into a thick patch of manzanita shrubs. He said he caught a little bit of hell for that! (courtesy splattski.com) 

Here they are on top of Danskin Peak, with Jasmine showing a sense of humor. You can probably surmise what Julie was thinking.  

"I thought I'd be able to hike with John for another couple of decades, but his life was an example of a life lived to the fullest," Beck says. "A life well-lived."

When you read about his life in the obit, you'll see he and his wonderful wife, Julie, raised two daughters, his father Richard is still going strong in his 90s. And as I mentioned earlier, he touched so many other people's lives through many outdoor adventures and volunteer activities. 

I hope you might be inspired by John's story. If you do try an adventure on splattski.com, remember that all of these outdoor trips are a pretty major deal, if not a really big deal. Read up on the trip carefully and make sure you're ready ... that's what John would say. 

And if you'd like to donate to a charitable cause in John's memory, the family recommends the Idaho Trails Association or Valley County Search and Rescue.  

Art Troutner, left, friend Steve, and John atop Cervidae Peak on New Year's Eve,
an annual tradition. (courtesy splattski.com) 

- SS

Stueby's Christmas recommendations - Outdoorsy gifts for him and her

Hi all, 

Christmas is just a week away! It's time for my annual Christmas gift ideas for the outdoorsy him and her.

This year's list includes recommendations for our friends at Idaho Mountain Touring, Boise REI, and McU Sports about the latest popular and trendy items.

Now, on to the gifts!

1. Covid-approved neck gator for skiing/riding at ski areas. There are quite a few styles and colors available. I have several in my quiver, and you should, too. Here are some face masks from Hoo-Rag ... you can buy 4 of them for $31.

See these mask options from IMT - Outdoor Research and Airband Masks with filters + for active users, cycling ,running etc. 

2. A warm, cozy Carhartt vest from D&B Supply, or a Patagonia down vest from Idaho Mountain Touring, Boise REI, Greenwoods Ski Haus or McU Sports.

3. Socks - Lots of color, designs and patterns, Smart Wool comfort made in the USA. Everyday Compression to support people standing on their feet, and it doesn't take 3 men and gorilla to put your socks on. 

4.  Lights for your campsite. REI recommends Revel Gear Trail Hound lights ($25) - it's a 30-foot string of colored LED lights that could provide a festive feel for your campsite.

5. Lights for your bike, your head or your body. The Bontrager Ion 200-1000 human light ($100) looks like it could light up the trails as if you're on a professional movie set.

6. Ski gloves - It's nice to have several pairs that work for various tasks such as driving, xc skiing or snowshoeing (thinner weight), and alpine skiing (warmer). I have a pair of the Hestra Heli-Insulated gloves pictured here ($155), and man are they nice! Always keep my hands warm! Mine are mittens with a trigger finger. For xc skiing and lightweight use, look in the work glove section of May Hardware in McCall or a local Maverick service station.

7. Snowshoes - It takes a lot of time and money to master the art of skiing or snowboarding, but just about anyone who can walk can strap on a pair of snowshoes and do great! It helps to bring a pair of ski poles for balance. There are many different brands available. Price range: $50-$150 for snowshoe-pole combo sets. You might be able to find a new or used pair at the Boise Outdoor Gear Exchange. Chris from IMT recommends these super-light TSL snowshoes with Boa closures. They're made out of carbon fiber. Prices range from $69 and up. Nice gift for a serious snow-shoer, but they also have kids models priced right at $39.95.

8. Winter hats - Can't go wrong in this department, but it's always nice to find a winter hat that has personality! Similar with gloves, it's nice to have different winter hats for situations when it's relatively warm or you're working up a sweat (thinner weight), and when you need a bomber warm hat that keeps you warm in single digits or sub-zero weather. Remember that wool ultimately rocks in the warmth department. Another helpful item is a facemask for the really cold days on the mountain. I also love the smart-looking ballcap-style hats they make for women.

9. Patagonia trucker hats - Chris at IMT: These are Red Hot!- every age loves them -- men, women and kids.

10. Headlamp - For outdoorsy folks, it's about as easy to lose a

headlamp as it is to lose a pair of socks. Especially if you're a family of outdoorsy folks ... everyone borrows your headlamp and it never comes back! You can snag a headlamp for $25-$50, and it has great value for your camping trips, night hiking, river trips, backpacking, even for use around the home! My favorite brands include Petzl and Black Diamond. Get a bright one and you'll appreciate it! My latest Black Diamond model runs on 4 AAA batteries and it's really nice and bright.

11. Dog accessories from Ruffwear. How about an insulated coat for your pup? $79.95. Those things are so danged cute!

12. Guidebooks! - Ha! Always a thoughtful item in the stocking or under the tree ... my guides are available of course, from Boise Trail Guide, Owyhee Canyonlands, Paddling the Payette, updated for SUPers, and Boise Road Cycling Guide, plus my biography on the great champion for birds of prey Morley Nelson, Cool North Wind, in memory of all of his achievements related to the creation of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. Plus I recommend Matt Leidecker's guides for the Sawtooths, White Clouds and Middle Fork Salmon River.

13. Capilene tops, long underwear - For any outdoorsy person who's active, getting out and exercising several days a week, you can quickly run short of tops and bottoms after they get pitted out and pitched into the laundry. So it's nice to have a deep supply of different tops especially ... lightweight, midweight, expedition weight, etc. These items typically run $25-$75. REI and Patagonia make gear with lasting value. Take a look at smart wool, too. 

14. Buck knife or Swiss Army knife - These items also have a way of disappearing. But especially guys appreciate having a knife handy for all sorts of things. A single-blade Buck knife is really sleek and cool, and the multi-tasking Swiss Army knives are always a hit. Boise Army Navy has a great selection of knives.

15. Hydro Flask - Previously known as a water bottle, the hydro flasks available today can be used for drinking coffee on the go, taking a long a nice hot cup of tea or hot chocolate on an outdoor outing, or actually packing plain old water. Hydro Flask is a brand by itself, but there are many other brands that make quality stainless steel insulated cups and containers. Pricing is in the $10 to $25 range or more. 

16. River Gear - Pick up some accessories or a new SUP, hard-shell kayak, inflatable kayak, canoe or raft at Idaho River Sports, Cascade River Gear, AIRE in Meridian,  or Boise Army-Navy.

It's probably safe to say that we're all ready to bid 2020 goodbye because of the Covid-19 pandemic. So thankful to see vaccinations coming online for our health care workers and all of us who will need that ASAP. Gives me hope that things could return to "normal" sometime next year. It may be months before the vaccines are available to the average person. 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
- SS  

Steve talks about his weekly outdoor tip on 94.9 FM The River on Friday mornings with Ken and Deb at about 7:40 a.m. Please listen in!

Forest Service opening campgrounds beginning next week in preparation for Memorial Day weekend

Elena, left, just finished her MBA at Boise State, and Quinn finished his junior year at Colby-Sawyer College. 

Hi all,

I am assuming that people are chomping at the bit to go camping, and next week, the Forest Service is opening a wide array of campgrounds in the Boise National Forest beginning on Wednesday, May 20, in the Cascade Ranger District around Lake Cascade, Warm Lake and the South Fork of the Salmon River.

More campgrounds will open later in the week in the Idaho City, Lowman and Mountain Home districts, and Forest Service officials requested that the public remain patient as they work to open the campgrounds and remove downed timber and other debris prior to Memorial Day weekend.

The opening of campgrounds is good news for Idaho campers who have been yearning to go camping in the national forest where there are camping facilities, water and rest rooms. Forest officials recommend that forest visitors should follow the state's Recreation Responsibly guidelines in terms of going in groups of 10 or less, practicing good hygiene, wear PPE and maintain social distancing of at least six feet from strangers. 

Up to now, mainly day trips have been emphasized for hiking and biking, and campgrounds and rest rooms have been closed.

More updates:

• Idaho State Parks are open for day use only. State Parks will be opening campgrounds for Memorial Day on May 30. 
• The famed Middle Fork of the Salmon River and Main Salmon-River of No Return will be re-opened for public use on Saturday, May 16. Permits are required through recreation.gov. 
• Access to the desert rivers in Idaho, the Payette River, non-permitted sections of the Salmon River, are open. Desert river flows are on the wane for rafting ... Owyhee River flow was 700 cfs today (1,000+ cfs is best for rafting), and Bruneau was falling below 800 cfs (1,000+ best for rafting).
• Yellowstone National Park will begin a phased reopening starting on Monday, May 18, with access from the south portal, north of Jackson Hole, Wyo., and the east entrance via Cody, Wyo.  
• Can't see as much detail as to what's planned for campground openings and other facilities in the Payette National Forest or Sawtooth National Recreation Area at the moment, but keep checking to see what is planned as Memorial Day approaches.

Mountain snow is melting, and that is opening up more hiking and biking trails and forest roads.
The U.S. Forest Service interactive map showing what facilities are open and closed is still mostly red with closed sites, but it should be turning more green next week and beyond as facilities begin to open for the summer season.

It's really fun to hike up to the top of the Grand Ronde River canyon for excellent views.

Wendy and I took our kids Quinn and Elena on a 4-day trip on the Grand Ronde River in Eastern Oregon last week, and it felt wonderful to get out of town and go camping on this scenic river just 3+ hours from Boise. We had great weather for the trip.

Flowers galore!

But it was cold at night, and with plenty of firewood along the river corridor, we had a great campfire each night and also each morning. That just felt wonderful hanging out around the fire, feeling the warmth of the fire, the wonderful smell and sounds of the campfire, and swapping stories into the night.

Remember to respect other people when you're out visiting our public lands or going camping in the coming days or weeks. In other words, give them personal space out of respect for their health and safety and yours.

Let's continue to flatten and crush the COVID-19 curve in the weeks ahead!
- SS  

Just as spring comes to Idaho, we're told to stay inside ... If you go outside, please practice social distancing ...

Hi all,

In several outings recently, I've been watching the shrubs and trees beginning to bloom, the showy blossoms of fruit trees leading the way.

Spring is about new life and renewal, but with the coronavirus spreading throughout Idaho and the world, everyone is concerned about potentially catching the virus or even dying from it.

If you are not a believer that COVID-19 is real threat, read the op-ed by Dr. Brett Russell of Ketchum, who caught the virus and felt its impact in a severe way. He is recovering, but he told his story so well. Very scary situation.

Our best strategy is to shelter in place, cocoon at home with your loved ones, and try to keep the contamination rate to a minimum. Gov. Little has announced a statewide shelter-in-place order effectively immediately.

Fortunately, we can go outdoors, but try to avoid the popular and crowded areas. Keep a safe distance of at least 6 feet, and avoid large groups.   

Wendy and I went on a Greenbelt ride yesterday, and I saw this sign posted next to the pathway near the Plantation pedestrian bridge.

"Stay Safe" - Do your part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Link to state COVID-19 page.

• If you are sick, go home
• Follow social distancing recommendations and stay 6 feet apart.
• Avoid group gatherings 
• Wash and sanitize your hands often. 

"Failure to adhere to these guidelines could lead to closure of City of Boise parks and trailheads."

OK, so let's all do our part to hunker down and beat this damn virus.

I am not going to recommend any particular destination this week. Our neighboring counties have issued orders advising people to stay away. I have seen those messages from Owyhee County and Valley County. We need to respect their wishes as much as possible.

Find ways to enjoy the outdoors close to home. Get a breath of fresh air. Avoid popular parks and trailheads. Time your trips to avoid crowds. Go early in the day. Late in the day. Mid-week. Keep your social distancing to safe levels. Let's beat this thing!
 
- SS  

Stueby's last-minute camping and river-floating tips for Labor Day weekend

Stay cool! Go boating on the Cabarton reach of the Payette River! 

How about a spin around Redfish Lake? 

Sit on top kayaks are a perfect choice for the weekend ... 

Lick Creek Summit area, Payette National Forest ... near McCall.

Hi all, 

Labor Day weekend is upon us, the typical last weekend of camping in the summer season, so I'm dishing up some last-minute tips for the three-day weekend. 

Before we get into the camping ideas, both Bogus Basin and Brundage Mountain have some fun stuff going on this weekend. 

This Saturday, Sept. 2, marks the final Music on the Mountain at Bogus Basin for the summer. The event, sponsored by 10 Barrel Brewing Co., will feature live music throughout the afternoon in the newly landscaped base area outside of the Simplot Lodge. Fun Zone activities, including summer tubing, bungee trampoline, gem panning, and climbing wall, will operate from 11 am to 7 pm., and so will the Deer Point Chairlift. Single ride tickets are $15 and a full-day pass is $30. Get up there early in the morning, do a hike or a bike ride, and then kick back in the afternoon and enjoy some live music. 

The music lineup is as follows: 

1:00 – 2:45 pm Sono Fuego

3:00 – 4:45 pm Hot Pursuit

5:00 – 7:00 pm Voice of Reason

At Brundage, the Bluebird Chair will be running from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm Thursday through Monday. Lift fees are $15 for one ride, and $35 for a full day. 

On Friday night, Sept. 1st, Brundage is hosting a Dinner and Music event, featuring the Emily Stanton Band, a Soul R&B artist. The event starts at 6 p.m. They're serving a cajun crawfish boil for dinner. The event costs $25 each. 

Now, on to the camping ideas and other Labor Day ideas ... since it's going to be warm in Boise this weekend, with temperatures in the high 90s Saturday and Sunday and maybe 100 degrees on Monday, it would be nice to cool off at higher elevations in the national forest! You might even want to go paddling or boating on a lake or a river!

Cabarton run on the Payette River as it flows below the Rainbow Bridge ID 55

• Float Cabarton on the Payette River one more time - The flow is 1,500 cfs, which is the typical summertime flow on the North Fork of the Payette River. Get a group of friends together or hire an outfitter and go float Cabarton, the best day trip in SW Idaho. It's got a little whitewater, swimming in the flatwater sections, and great lunch spots along the way. 
• Float the Boise River, Swirly Canyon on the South Fork Payette, or the Main Payette. There's only a few more days of raftable flows on the South Fork Payette Canyon and Staircase runs, so it'd be good to nail those runs before the flows go away. These are Class 4 runs best done with outfitters or experienced boaters. See my guide, Paddling the Payette for information and waterproof maps. If you run the Main Payette, use caution at Go Left, and scout it from the highway on the way to the put-in. Lots of rafts are flipping in there.
  
  

• Cascade area - Stolle Meadows and Landmark are my favorite camping areas in this neck of the woods. There are tons of primitive car-camping spots in both locations, east of Cascade, off the Warm Lake Highway. Plus, there are hot springs in the vicinity. The main road to Stolle Meadows #474 is closed due to a bridge washout, but you can take the Warm Lake cutoff #427 to the meadows. Once there, you can take the road south up to a trailhead for Rice Lake and Rice Peak. Nice and easy hike up to Rice Peak, and you can explore ridge tops from there ... In the Landmark area, there's a little-known mountain bike loop from the McClure Trail to the Buck Creek Trail ... it's kind of obscure, so not sure how much downfall is on the trail. 

  

  Lick Creek area in the Payette National Forest 

• McCall area - Camping, hiking and backpacking in the Lick Creek area NE of McCall should be fabulous. Some of the nice mountain lakes up there include Box, Snowslide, Duck, Hum, Enos and Thirty-three lakes. Pick up a Payette National Forest map or a McCall Adventure Map to get the details for access. Also, check my blog from earlier this summer on five easy-to-access kid-friendly mountain lakes in the McCall area. 

  

  Stanley Lake 

• Stanley area - I'm sure the Stanley area will be hopping with lots of campers at Stanley Lake, Redfish Lake, Pettit Lake and points along the Salmon River. Backpacking in the White Clouds should be dandy, particularly from the East Fork side, being a three-day weekend and all. Don't forget the Marsh Creek Trail as another potential destination ... great hiking and fly fishing spot. Hike up to the junction of Bear Valley and Marsh Creeks, and there's a huge glory hole right there. 

  

  North and Middle Forks of the Boise River ... car-camping mecca 

• Idaho City area - The North and Middle Forks of the Boise River work great for car camping. See my post from last week.  
• Salmon River beaches - Should be fab upstream of Riggins. Pick your spot, bring your rafts and kayaks, and your volleyball and bocce ball sets. Get there early! The prime beaches will be taken early. 

If you're staying in town, I'm hearing that some people will be taking in the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic, going on from Thursday through Sunday. There are supposed to be more than 5,000 balloon launches.

Also, Labor Day weekend is chock full of big sales at your favorite outdoor retailers in the Boise area, places like Idaho Mountain Touring, George's Cycles, Boise REI, Greenwood's, McU Sports, Alpenglow Mountain Sport, Idaho River Sports, and Shu's Idaho Running Company, all have some fantastic clothing and gear on sale right now. Great deals! Go get 'em! 
- SS

New detailed guide now available for Boulder-White Clouds; Go see North Fork Championships - Big Whitewate Fun!

Matt Leidecker is a professional photographer and explorer.
I recommend his new guide on the Boulder-White Cloud Mountains

Matt checks out the scenery in the BWC's. He covered 526 miles
and 127,000 verts in researching the guide for hiking and biking.  

Top of Jerry Peak (Matt Leidecker photo)

Sapphire Lake (Matt Leidecker photo)

Castle Divide and Castle Peak (Matt Leidecker photo)

Big Boulder Lakes (Matt Leidecker photo)

Hi all,

After a wonderful week of cool unstable weather, things are smoothing out this weekend, at least on Friday and Sunday. A small chance of rain (20%) is forecast for Saturday, with highs in the 70s in Boise, but I wouldn't let that keep you from going out to watch the North Fork Championships on the single gnarliest section of the North Fork of the Payette River, near Banks, Idaho.

Here's a video teaser about the event.

It's amazing to watch these world-class kayakers leap into the North Fork from the Red Bull boat ramp, right at the top of Jacob's Ladder Rapids, and not only negotiate the steep, chaotic rapids, but also follow a distinct line through slalom gates to win points ... or not. Any slight change in the river currents or a paddle stroke can screw up your line!

The event starts at 1 p.m. Saturday along Jacob's Ladder Rapids, about 8 miles north of Banks, on Idaho 55. Get there early to get a sweet viewing spot on the banks of the river! Tomorrow afternoon, there's a BoaterX race on S-turn rapids on the North Fork, starting at 3 p.m. Six kayakers race through the rapids and the fastest two advance to the next round. Should be wild!

Matt Leidecker 

This week, I also wanted to call attention to Matt Leidecker's new guidebook, Exploring the Boulder-White Clouds - A Comprehensive Guide. Talk about being Johnny on the spot! The Boulder-White Clouds Wilderness was created by Congress last August, and Matt has his book ready for retail sales as the summer recreation season kicks into high gear. Kudos to him!

He's been running a Kickstarter campaign in hopes of raising $4,000 to cover printing costs of the guide, and lo and behold, he's surpassed his goal with $6,252 in contributions -- presales revenues for people who pre-ordered books, maps, note cards, photographs, etc. It's a great concept to fund a guidebook via Kickstarter. It worked also for Mark Lisk and me to cover printing costs for our award-winning book, The Owyhee Canyonlands - An Outdoor Adventure Guide.

As anyone knows who has a Matt Leidecker paddling or hiking/biking guide, he really digs into the subject matter and produces a very comprehensive guide, with all of information you would expect about each trail, high-quality photographs, maps, history and geology. The BWC guide is no exception. He covered 526 miles, climbed 127,000 vertical feet on foot or bike over 50 days of exploration. "I wanted to give people the best overall picture of what's out there," he said in an interview with Boise State Radio.

He has detailed descriptions and maps to every drainage in the Boulder-White Clouds area, inside and outside the wilderness, including the new Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness between the East Fork of the Salmon River and Trail Creek Road, an area that many hikers haven't explored. I look forward to doing some trips in that area in the future. You can tell from all of Matt's descriptions that he's been there. Besides following trails, he provides off-trail hiking suggestions in places. I also liked a concise wildflower guide in the back of the book with color photos - that's handy!

East Pass Falls (Matt Leidecker photo)

BTW, here the big-picture online wilderness maps from Congressman Simpson's office, it will help with trip planning: White Clouds Wilderness, Hemingway Boulders Wilderness, Jim McClure-Jerry Peak Wilderness.

For destination backpacking in the White Clouds, consider heading into the backcountry from the Fourth of July trailhead and hiking to Chamberlain Lakes. Take a side trip to climb Castle Peak! Or, hike the Little Boulder Trail to the Boulder Chain Lakes -- this is a very popular area in July and August. Same goes with the Big Boulder Creek Trail to Walker Lake and then Sapphire and Cove Lakes above there.

While those sterling high mountain lake areas are tough to beat, get a copy of Leidecker's guide to discover some more off-the-beaten path locations in the BWC area. I've always wanted to do the Big Casino-Little Casino loop on my bike (19.4 miles, 3,976 verts), or try to climb the Boundary Creek Trail to the Casino Lakes. I've hiked Boundary Creek just part way up until we hit snow, and the views into the Sawtooths across the valley is spectacular! All of those trails are rated "H" for "Hard."

The other place you have to go in the BWC's is Railroad Ridge! I did a post about driving up there in my Ford F-150 after Wendy had knee surgery several years ago. I also included RR Ridge in my Top 5 car-camping spots last summer. We got there when the wildflowers were peaking, and it was utterly spectacular! I scrambled down to Crater Lake to fly fish, while Wendy hung out and enjoyed the flowers. And then we camped at 11,000-plus feet there on the bare ridge, feeling like we were on top of the world. Very cool place!

Railroad Ridge with flowers going off everywhere! SS photo. 

For more information about where to buy Leidecker's BWC guide, see his web site. The new guide also is available at Idaho Mountain Touring, McU Sports, Boise REI, Backcountry Pursuit, Outdoor Exchange and Lonecone.
- SS

Lots of things to do over Labor Day weekend; What sounds best for you? Avoiding the smoke Part III

Fire/smoke map from NASA dated Aug. 28, 2012

Hi all,

We've got a three-day weekend coming up for Labor Day weekend, and there are lots of fun things going on in SW Idaho. With three major wildfires burning well over 100,000 acres each, the big challenge still is trying to avoid the smoke. We might call this week's post "Avoiding the Smoke - Part III."

Two weeks ago, I recommended Priest Lake, N. Idaho bike trails and McCall. Last week, I recommended some spots in the West Central Mountains and provided a number of useful, if not critical resources for determining where it may not be as smoky in SW Idaho and Central Idaho.

Here's Irene on the summit of 12,140-foot Mount Breitenbach

Thanks to Facebook, I am noticing that a lot of people are boldly going where they want to go regardless of the smoke! Watch for an upcoming column soon on Irene Vogel, who is climbing all of the 12,000-foot peaks in Idaho in one field season! I think most, if not all of those peaks are in the Pioneer Mountains and the Lost River Range. Her pictures look kind of smoky, but the high peaks appear pretty clear. She's going for the summit of Leatherman Peak this weekend to finish off her journey. Go Irene!

Fires burning slowly on the bank of the Salmon River ... no big deal! (courtesy Ted Kielley) 

I also saw that Ted Kielley did a week-long trip on the Main Salmon in various amounts of smoke and haze, but he felt that it was a trip of a lifetime! I put out a news release for the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association last week, pointing out that Middle Fork trips are still happening without incident, the road is still open to Boundary Creek, and outfitters like Mystic Saddle Ranch is still offering horseback trail rides in the upper Wood River Valley and the Sawtooths, and guests are happy! 

"We are fully open for our trail rides, and there are no fires burning in the Sawtooths," says Deb Bitton, co-owner of Mystic Saddle Ranch. "I was at our corrals in the upper Wood River Valley yesterday, and it was a glorious day with no smoke in the air. There's still a lot of good fishing to be had in the high mountain lakes."

I think the main thing to remember is that "Conditions are changing on a daily basis." 

Leo Hennessy, who is a trip leader for the Idaho Outdoors Yahoo Group, has been traveling to different places every weekend for the last month. "I'm trying to thread the needle of smoke and haze between Sun Valley, Stanley and McCall, and all I can say is, "It changes day to day. It seems to be the most clear around McCall and Lick Creek, and that's where I'm going this weekend." 

Leo is going with a group that's backpacking into the Prince Lakes. It's very steep and challenging, trip leaders forewarn. If you'd like to tag along, see the invite on Idaho Outdoors.

He Devil Peak (courtesy Summit Post)

Pete Zimowsky asked four guidebook authors for their recommendations on high alpine lakes to explore this fall in the Statesman, and those folks recommended a number of hikes in the Bighorn Crags, Sawtooths, Seven Devils and Pioneers. Smoke-wise, I think the Seven Devils might be the best bet this weekend.
Smoke considerations aside, all of the popular campgrounds at Redfish Lake are open. See the Sawtooth National Recreation Area web site for a full report. Another good spot might be the Bear Valley and Elk Creek areas north of Lowman. That's a great spot for camping,  canoeing and wildlife-watching.  

Blue Lake near Snowbank Mountain (courtesy Dave Williams, from Boise Trail Guide)

Another option this weekend might be to go camping in the Lake Cascade area and take in the bluegrass festival in Round Valley nearby. You also could go hiking to Blue Lake or on the high ridge by Snowbank Mountain (you can drive to the top), go biking on the Eagle's Nest Trail (get free sample  trail/map download from my book Mountain Biking in McCall), or go boating on the Cabarton stretch of the North Fork Payette River. 

Well, hopefully these ideas will provide inspiration this weekend. If  you're stuck in town, I bet a ton of people will go to the Barley Brothers beer fest in Meridian Friday and Saturday. And plus, there are a number of great Labor Day sales at Boise's outdoor retailers. Idaho Mountain Touring, Boise REI, Greenwood's, McU Sports, Alpenglow Mountain Sport and Idaho River Sports all have some fantastic clothing and gear on sale right now. Great deals! 

Have fun! 
-- SS 

Here's a hodge-podge of Idaho outdoorsy things to do this weekend or on spring break

Bruneau Dunes State Park

Great views when hiking in Succor Creek State Park

Leslie Gulch has many unique rock formations

Pruitt's Castle on the Lower Owyhee River

Big white sandy beaches on the Salmon River

Hells Canyon!

A Cooper's hawk

Hikers, runners and mountain bikers were everywhere in the Boise Foothills Thursday evening.

Hi all,

Oh. my. word. Suddenly the weather shifts to the dry and warm side in the Boise Valley for two days, and the trails are trying out rapidly in the Boise Foothills. You can bet the same thing is occurring in the Snake River canyon and the Owyhee foothills.

Wendy and I took our puppy "Huck" on the Kestrel-Red Cliffs loop in the Boise Foothills on Thursday evening, and the trails on the 5-mile loop were bone dry. We loved feeling the warm sunshine on our faces, hiking comfortably in shorts, and seeing all of the hawks and songbirds. We saw a pair of Cooper's hawks, kestrels, bunched-up robins migrating through, the sweet call of meadowlarks, and many other birds flying around. Spring is here! Yay!

The weather is looking fabulous this weekend, with temperatures pushing into the low 70s. It was in the low 60s today (Thursday), and it felt like 80. That will open up the possibilities for lots of things.

Here are some Idaho staycation suggestions for the weekend and Spring Break:

• Outdoor multitasking mania - It's that time of year when you can sneak in a little spring skiing in the morning at Bogus Basin, and then go play golf, tennis, road biking, mountain biking, or kayaking/rafting on the Payette River in the afternoon. You could probably work in more activities than that if you're creative. See my previous blog on the topic.
• Camping in the desert. With temperatures warming up quickly, it should be safe to go camping in the Snake River canyon below Swan Falls Dam, at Succor Creek State Park, Leslie Gulch or on BLM lands on the front side of the Owyhees. A high-clearance 4WD vehicle is recommended, because there is still a chance of rain in the forecast. You just never know this time of year.
• Go camping at a developed campground in the desert. If you'd like to pick a sure thing, head for Bruneau Dunes State Park and hike around on big sand dunes. It's a great spot for families and kids. You won't get stuck on muddy dirt roads here ... the park roads are all paved.
• Spring beach camping on the Salmon River. Maybe you didn't plan a trip to Mexico or Bora Bora this year. But you can still sift sand through your toes on the banks of the Salmon River, 10 miles upstream of Riggins or more, there are many beaches to consider for camping. Do a little day trip rafting, kayaking, steelhead fishing or hiking on the Wind River Trail.
• Spring hiking, camping or backpacking in Hells Canyon National Recreation Area via Pittsburg Landing, near Whitebird. See my previous blog about this trip. Hells Canyon is usually the warmest spot in Idaho.
• Float the Owyhee River. The Owyhee was flowing only 1,200 cfs as of Thursday evening, but this warm weather will bring it up some more. I bet there will be some early-birds launching on the Lower Owyhee River tomorrow or Saturday. See my previous blog on this topic.
• Go corn skiing in the backcountry. Go early before the snow gets too sloppy. Banner Ridge, Pilot Peak, Sunset Mountain, Copper Mountain and Stargaze yurt are all good locations for backcountry skiing and snowboarding. Bring plenty of sunscreen!
• Float the Payette River. The North Fork of the Payette River was cranking Thursday afternoon (we had a good glimpse on the way back from McCall) at 1,700 cfs, and the Main Payette was runnign at 3,400 cfs. There will be some early birds floating Cabarton in the snow, and a bunch of rafters and kayakers on the Main Payette. Spring boating is happening.
• Go steelhead fishing on the upper Salmon River between Corn Creek and Stanley. There are only a few weeks left in the season, and the fish are moving upstream to spawn. The nice weather should make for especially nice conditions for steelhead fishing. Check the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association web site for a guide, if you need one.

Hopefully those ideas will inspire a little adventure!

- SS