Trails are open at Bogus! Bogus Creek Lodge is open Sat-Sun; chairlift service starts July 3

Around the Mountain at Bogus! 

Trailhead for Deer Point Trail #91 

Round the Mountain tracks 

Classic view of Around the Mountain ... you'll ride over a few rocks her and there ... 

Hi all, 

It's kind of funny -- it was hot last weekend, and I saw lots of people hiking, running and biking at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. I went up there to beat the heat, and I rode the Around the Mountain Trail -- rated No. 1 by IMBA in the whole state of Idaho! -- and it was fabulous!  

And now this weekend, when Bogus is opening the Simplot lodge during the day 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the weather is cooling off, and the highs are forecast in the 60s at Bogus. Nevertheless, my outdoor tip this week is to go up to Bogus and go hiking, running or biking. I'm recommending two awesome loops routes in particular, Around the Mountain and Bogus Basin Contour Special, but there are many other options to enjoy. Bogus has a new trail map that's available at the downtown office. Ridge to Rivers also has a trail map of the Bogus area online. 

Note that Bogus will have some items available for sale in the lodge such as sunscreen, bike patch kits, energy bars and bike shuttle tickets, in addition to food and drink, a full bar, billiards and darts! Good idea!

Also note that Bogus will fire up the Deer Point chairlift for weekend operations all summer long on Saturday, July 2. That's a totally new thing! Single rides cost $10, all day passes cost $25, and summer season passes cost $99. Hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bogus is building some new easy trails at the bottom of the mountain for kids and to add more trail options from the top of Deer Point lift. That's great to hear! 

Trail closure location (courtesy Land Trust of the Treasure Valley)

One more important note: The popular trail from the big pullout on Bogus Basin Road near MP 13 that leads to Eastside, Stack Rock and Sweet Connie is closed for up to two months because the landowner is logging in the area. You can still access Eastside from the trailhead near Bogus, and then you can connect to Stock rock and Sweet Connie from there. See press release for details. 

Now, here are the details on those two wonderful loops that circumnavigate Bogus Basin from two different vantage points. Both of them are featured in my book, Boise Trail Guide: 

• Around the Mountain Trail - Distance: 9.8 miles. Difficulty: Intermediate for biking, moderate to strenuous for hiking and running. Tread: All singletrack. Travel time: 1.5-2 hours biking, 2+ hours running, 4 hours hiking (fast pace). Check out the 360-degree virtual tour of this route on the IMBA web site. The beautiful thing about this hike/run/ride is that it wraps around the forested mountain of Deer Point and continues to snake across the landscape to the Pine Creek side of the mountain and then Superior and then back to the front side. The route has about 1,500 verticle feet of climbing and descent. Start at the base area and pick up the Deer Point Trail #91 near the quad chairlift. Climb that trail a mile and then peel right on Around the Mountain #98. You'll climb for a couple of miles and then go downhill through a series of banked corners and switchbacks and then climb through the forest over to Superior and then you'll end up on a cat track that climbs to the top of Morning Star lift. Descend to the bottom on Morning Star trail or Sunshine. I saw a lot of flowers popping along the route last Sunday, and there was lots of creek water and springs for dogs. 

  

  Kelley Bachman on Elk Meadows Trail at Bogus 

• Bogus Basin Contour Special - This one is shorter and easier, but it still circumnavigates the mountain at a higher elevation than Around the Mountain. Distance: 5.75 miles. Difficulty: Strong intermediate for biking; moderate to strenuous for hiking and running. Tread: All singletrack. Travel time: Slightly over an hour biking, 1:10 running, 2.5 hours hiking. For this route, you take Deer Point Trail #91 all the way to the top, two miles and 750 feet of gain. Take Elk Meadows Trail #94 and climb over to the backside and follow Elk Meadows on a highline singletrack underneath the Pine Creek chairlift through fields of flowers. You'll drop out on a two-track road at the end of Elk Meadows, contour over to the Superior side of the mountain and climb the switchbacks to the lodge return trail to the Pioneer Lodge or to the top of Shafer Butte for the best views and best workout. Bring a lunch and enjoy your time up there. Take Tempest or Lodge Trail to the Pioneer Lodge, and then Morning Star or Sunshine to the bottom. Vertical gain is the same as Around the Mountain: 1,497 feet.   

Enjoy the trails at Bogus! 

Also, Saturday is Free Fishing Day statewide. If you'd like to take your young kids fishing, this is the perfect time to do so. Idaho Fish and Game brings their fishing trailer to various ponds that are stocked with fish, and they provide fishing poles and tackle for your kids. More information here. 

- SS

Camp overnight at Bogus Basin; Go hiking, biking or running in the cool hours the next morning

Kelly Bachman enjoys Elk Meadows Trail at Bogus Basin 

Lupine and penstemon 

Wendy and Liz hiked up summit via Lodge Trail from Pioneer Lodge 

Looking off to the rooftop of the Boise National Forest 

Looking north over to Mores Mountain 

Trail-runners by Stack Rock (courtesy The Pulse)

My son Drew on the Deer Point Trail 

Hi all,

I camped at Shafer Butte Picnic Area a few weeks ago with some friends on a Friday night, and it turned out to be a great way to beat the heat. Bring your mountain bike, hiking shoes or trail-running shoes and go for an adventure the next morning during the cool hours of the day. If you have time, spend a couple of nights up there, and you'll really be able to cover some ground.

Getting there: Take Bogus Basin Road from the north end of Boise  to Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. Keep going on the dirt road past the day lodge and for several miles past the Nordic Lodge, and you'll see a signed turnoff for the Shafer Butte Picnic Area.

Here are some suggestions on mountain biking, hiking and trail-running trips in the Bogus Basin area:

1. Hike to the top of Mores Mountain - Since you're already there at the trailhead at Shafer Butte Picnic Area, this is the most obvious and convenient hike close to camp. Very kid friendly. It's .75 miles to the top and 400 vertical feet. There is some educational information on the interpretive trail by the trailhead -- stuff about plants, flowers and shrubs.

2. Mores Mountain - Bogus Basin Contour Trail combo mountain bike ride - Ride the Mores Mountain Trail from the picnic area/campground. It's mostly downhill, and it has a bunch of whoop-dee-do's in the trail for a little air time. Go left at the junction with the Boise Ridge Road, climb back to the base area of the ski resort, take Deer Point Trail #91 to the top, pick up Elk Meadows Trail #94, and contour around the backside of the ski area. After the Elk Meadows singletrack joins a contour road, follow the road under Superior Chair #3, and then take the switchbacks to the top of Bogus for a great lunch spot. Then take the switchbacks back to the contour road junction, and drop down to your campsite at the picnic area. The ride is about 14 miles and features several thousand feet of vertical gain. Here's a Shafer Butte trail map for reference.

3. Trail-runner special: Twin Peaks at Bogus Basin Loop - This is a 9-mile trail run. Rated strenuous. Do the Mores Mountain Loop, and when you return to the picnic area, climb a dirt road and the switchbacks to the top of Shafer Butte. Then descend back to your campsite. The run takes about 2 hours, and it features 2,509 feet of vertical gain. Thanks to Lynette McDougal for logging this one for my Boise Trail Guide. 

4. Hike, bike or run Freddy's Stack Rock Trail - This route is 9.5 miles, from the turnout on Bogus Basin Road that accesses Freddy's Stack Rock Trail and Eastside Trail. The parking area is close to mile 12 on Bogus Basin Road. Drop down the singletrack from the parking area to Eastside Trail. Go west on Eastside and do the loop around Freddy's Stack Rock Trail. Retrace your tracks to the trailhead. This hike/run/bike ride is fairly strenuous ... it features 2,676 feet of vertical gain. The route is featured in the Boise Trail Guide and Mountain Biking in Boise. 

5. Mondo mountain bike ride - Ride the Mores Mountain Trail, take the ridge road back to the Bogus base area, climb Deer Point Trail #91, then go right at the top over to Deer Point and drop down the Boise Ridge Road .9 miles to the Mahalo Trail via Forest Road #275C on the left. Do the Mahalo Loop, turn left when you reach the Boise Ridge Road, and descend a couple of miles to the Dry Creek Trail turnoff on the right. Descend Dry Creek Trail about 8 miles to Bogus Basin Road. Return to Boise.

6. Long hike - For those thirsting for a longer day on the trail, go to the top of Shafer Butte from the picnic area via the two-track road and the switchbacks to the summit. Here's a Shafer Butte trail map for reference. Take "the Face" Trail #93 downhill to a saddle, and follow "Shindig" Trail #92 to the bottom of Bogus Basin. Then climb Deer Point Trail #91 to Elk Meadows #94 and follow Elk Meadows around the mountain back to a dirt road that descends to the picnic area/campground. This would be a good trail-run, too. You've earned your dinner!

There you have it! Beat the heat and enjoy the trails at Bogus Basin. I bet there are still a few wildflowers to be found.
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Reminders on fun events coming up:

• BAMBA movie night and fund-raiser for the proposed Terrain Park at the Eagle Cycle Park, Aug. 15.
• Tour de Fat - Aug. 17 
• Bogus Basin Hill Club - Aug. 17
• George's MS Wine Ride - Aug. 25

- SS