A few ideas for Christmas-New Year's break in SW Idaho - skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and hot springs!

The scene at the top of Deer Point Chair on Thursday afternoon in the sunshine. 

Hi all, 

Mother Nature has been quite stingy when it comes to delivering the snow so far this year. Ullr the Norwegian snow god may very well still be in a deep sleep!

So that makes it a little more difficult to find things to do this Christmas-New Years holiday break. Here are a few outdoorsy ideas that I've been thinking about:

• Downhill skiing at Bogus Basin, Brundage, Sun Valley or Tamarack. All four resorts are open 7 days a week. Check on the latest conditions and see what runs and lifts are open to make your choices. 2-3" of new snow are forecast on Friday PM/Saturday. Sunny skies are forecast on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 
• I skied the front side of Bogus on Thursday, and Ridge and Showcase seemed to have the most continuous snowpack thanks to snow-making and north-facing slopes. Bogus may reopen the backside this weekend. Warm temperatures above the inversion are making things challenging. It was 44 degrees up there today. Felt nice! 
  
  
• Sun Valley just opened the Warm Springs side of the mountain with top-to-bottom skiing. The River Run side of the mountain was open to start off the season. 

  

  People skiing on lower Warm Springs when the new lifts opened
   on Wednesday. (Courtesy Sun Valley)  

  
  
• Brundage is waiting for more snow before opening the new Centennial quad chairlift, but it's operating 7 days a week with the Bluebird Express, Bear Chair and bunny hill. 
• Tamarack is running the Summit chair for 1,000 verts on the upper story of the mountain and the Discovery beginner chair.     
• Go find your own hiking adventure on snowshoes, snow boots or hiking shoes and trax for gripping in the ice. Head for a mountain pass where you can find access to your own adventure. I saw that Mores Creek Summit has a snow depth of 17 inches as of today, 2 less than several days ago. It's been warm up there too ... 44 degrees today. I've seen people hiking Mt. Cervidae over by Lucky Peak (go early when the trail is frozen)  
• All-weather trails on Ridge to Rivers trails or my expanded list of all-weather trails in the region. My list includes Bruneau Dunes State Park and Eagle Island State Park trails. 

  

  Gold Fork Hot Springs on a quiet day. 

  
  
• Go soaking in a hot springs ... Gold Fork is accessible by vehicle (vax cards are required), you need a snowmobile to reach Burgdorf (rentals can be arranged in McCall), and there are others to consider such as Zims near New Meadows, Miracle Hot Springs near Hagerman, Mundo Hot Springs near Cambridge and the Springs in Idaho City. Reservations are required for many of these developed hot springs. And then there are other primitive springs such as Kirkham and Bonneville and others in the Boise National Forest. 

There you have it! Hope everyone has a marvelous Christmas holiday! Here comes 2024! 

- SS  

Winter is coming to the Idaho Mountains! Are you ready?

We could be skiing at Bogus Basin by Thanksgiving! Wendy on Paradise. 

Hi all, 

In case you haven't noticed, winter weather has been moving into the Idaho Mountains in the last week or so. On Tuesday, 7-9" of new snow fell at Bogus Basin, Tamarack Resort and Brundage Mountain Resort, and there's another major weather system coming in on Friday and Saturday. It's an atmospheric river system, so it's expected to be a hum-dinger! 

Atmospheric river weather system is forecast to bring 200% of normal precipitation.
Courtesy Idaho Daily Snow, OpenSnow.com

Weekend forecasts through Monday are calling for 14" at Bogus, 17" at Tamarack, and more than 24" at Brundage. Sun Valley is projected to get 10" by Monday. 

These snowfall amounts will land on top of an existing base above 6,000 feet. 

Suffice it to say that winter is coming, and right now, it's coming fast! 

And the question is, Are you ready? 

It may be possible to begin snow-shoeing, xc skiing or backcountry skiing by mid-November, certainly Thanksgiving, if the existing pace continues! 

Again, are you ready? 

If you're a downhill skier, have you secured a season pass yet? Get online and look into a lift ticket-package that works for you at Bogus Basin, Tamarack Resort, Brundage Mountain Resort or Sun Valley. Maybe even look into Soldier Mountain near Fairfield! 

What about your backcountry gear? 

Do you have a pair of snowshoes and ski poles ready to roll? How about xc ski gear? Backcountry set up? Skis, boots, bindings, skins, ski pack, avalanche gear, etc. Make sure everything is dialed and ready to go!  

I recently sprung for a new pair of backcountry boots ... can't wait to try them out! Very expensive, but I think they'll be really light and comfortable. 

BTW - The BBSEF Ski Swap is this weekend! Great place to find the best deals on ski gear and clothing. Plus the reps from Bogus, Tamarack, Brundage and Soldier will be there to answer questions and sell season passes. 

Ski Swap Sale hours are:

Friday, Nov. 4, 1 pm - 10 pm
Saturday, Nov. 5, 10 am – 7 pm
Sunday, Nov. 6, 10 am - 3 pm

Gear checkin starts today (Thursday) 2-8 p.m. 

I find excellent deals on clothing, skis and equipment almost every year. I highly recommend going to the swap ... plus it's always fun to run into your friends while looking over the goods. They serve beer, wine and food at the swap as well. 

Some of my favorite Boise retail shops that can outfit you with winter gear include McU Sports, Greenwoods Ski Haus, Idaho Mountain Touring, Boise REI, Eco Lounge, and the Outdoor Exchange.    

I'm hoping the string of winter storms continues, and we can go either backcountry or downhill skiing by Thanksgiving! 

New snow forecast through Monday, Nov. 7, 
European ensemble model. 

See you out on the snow! 
- SS 

Oodles of workout tips to get your body ready for ski season!

A powder day at Brundage Mountain

Hi all, 

It's time to be thinking about getting your body tuned up for ski season! We could be xc skiing or snowshoeing by Thanksgiving, perhaps even sooner, and if Mother Nature delivers enough snow, we could be downhill skiing by then as well! 

I found three excellent posts from REI and Outside online with specific recommendations for ski-conditions exercises that I'll share below. 

You'll need to think about working on the muscles that you use most when skiing -- your quads, glutes, hamstrings, hips and lower back. Plus, I find that my arms and wrists can get sore, early in the season, from using my poles when turning ... so doing some light weights with your arms, hands and wrists will pay dividends. 

The bottom line is that if you do some advance ski conditioning, it will reduce the chance of injury. This becomes more important with age, I can vouch for that!  

Lynette Hayes, a Boise personal fitness trainer and owner of Active & Fit, says, "People always think legs, which is of course important, but don't forget the power you need that comes from your hips and core. Also work in some single leg stuff for strength and balance." 

Side activities like cycling or running that boost your cardio will get your heart rate and lungs pumping, and they also add to leg strength, so that's all good in terms of ski conditioning. 

Hip roll exercise ... courtesy REI

Start with these ski conditioning exercises from REI ... the post has text and video. The exercises are pretty basic, but all doable and not that hard. All of them seem like they'd be really effective in working specific areas of your body. And like many of the exercises described in these routines, you barely need any special workout machines or anything like that ... just you, your workout mat, and a few free weights or kettle bells, and maybe a few props. 

The REI ski workout routine includes hip rolls, working the inner thighs, squats, lunges, lateral ski jumps, core work and more.  

The next two are from Outside.com ... and they're a bit more advanced, but all doable at some level hopefully! 

Here are seven exercise routines from pro big-mountain skier Crystal Wright of Jackson Hole. Again, text and video. Really cool stuff! She covers things like "leg blasters," a combo of lunges and squats, jump lunges and jump squats. And then lateral ski jumps, lower back work, single-leg dead lifts, and finishes off with Jane Fonda leg exercises! 

Lateral ski jump ... courtesy REI

And to finish this out, how about a serious ski workout routine from Lindsey Vonn! This one is called "Killer Workout" with "10 exercises to make you strong, fast and explosive on the hill." Courtesy Outside online.

She covers things like front and side plank, flying like a ski jumper on top of an exercise ball, lying leg rotation, mini-band skate walks, one-legged lateral ski jumps, box jump, squats, hamstring curls with the exercise ball and more. 

I know I feel personally motivated to get ready for this year's ski season. We had such a phenomenal year last year ... really the best ski season for me personally since college! So, I really want to be ready this year! I've been biking and hiking consistently, but need to add ski-specific exercises to hit the slopes "running" or shall we say schussing! Ha!

The Treasure Valley YMCA has a month-long ski conditioning class coming up if you're a member ...

See you on the slopes!
- SS

Looking ahead to winter ... What does a Mild El Nino really mean for SW/Central Idaho?

Courtesy National Weather Service 

Previous El Nino winters since 1950 in terms of precipitation. 1976-77 was my freshman year at the University of Montana, and it was absolutely one of the worst drought winters in the 1900s ... Montana Snow Bowl in Missoula never opened! 

Hi all,

I went to an early-season meeting with water and weather experts last week to learn more detail about what a mild El Nino winter really means, and what's expected?

The bad news is that if the experts are right, the El Nino winter will bring warmer-than-normal temperatures and drier-than-normal precipitation at least in the first half of the winter. The jet stream with storms is expected to set up to move across the southern tier of the United States, and more High Pressure weather patterns are expected to set up off the Pacific Coast.

That's the pattern we have right now affecting Southwest Idaho ... we've had High Pressure systems dominating the region, with cold and clear nights, cold mornings, and warmer afternoons suitable for hiking, biking and running.

This weather is expected to persist until the end of next week, when there's a chance of storms moving in on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. The official 6- to 10-day forecast calls for above-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation for this region ... guess we'll see if the above-normal precipitation kicks in over Thanksgiving weekend.

So for the short term, if you're excited to see some snow fall in SW Idaho, you'll have to wait until then. And if you want to go skiing, you'll need to look for opportunities where resorts are making snow. Sun Valley always comes through with at least some limited skiing/riding available with its world-class snowmaking system. Brundage Mountain will be making snow on the bunny hill and at the Activity Barn, the tubing hill and xc area south of McCall. Bogus Basin also is firing up its snow-making system to provide some early-season skiing.

Going back to El Nino winter predictions, Troy Lindquist with the National Weather Service indicated that "not all El Nino events are the same." They printed a series of maps of El Nino winters to show how things really play out. "You see a lot of variabilities in there."

Long-term precipitation trends also may not be as dry as predicted, Lindquist said. "With the precipitation index, there is not as strong of an indicator one way or the other," he said.

Looking at the latest 30-day and 90-day forecasts, Lindquist is right ... all of the long-term forecasts are predicting above-normal temperatures, but as you look at the 30-day and 90-day forecasts, the chance of precipitation is showing more like "Equal Chances" (which is good) or even "Above Normal."

What this means is that depending on how many degrees above-normal temperatures we get, the snow level may rise higher than we'd like ... the base area of most ski resorts in Idaho is at about 6,000 feet. If the freezing level is more like 7,000 feet, you know what that means ... pretty soggy conditions at the base area ... and poor snow quality. 

Here's a series of maps showing their precipitation predictions:

8-14 day outlook shows a good chance of above-normal precipitation ... 

30-day outlook calls for Equal Chances or above-normal precipitation in E. Idaho 

90-day outlook calls for Equal Chances of precipitation. That's good! 

The bottom line is you should hope for a cold and snowy winter and hope the weather people are WRONG! Grow a beard! Women could grow hairy legs. Do a snow dance. Do whatever you think will bring snowy conditions!

This is what we're hoping for! Big *pow*! 

Every El Nino winter is different!
- SS

 

Go see Warren Miller "Line of Descent," then create your own snow adventure

(Courtesy Warren Miller Entertainment) 

(Courtesy Warren Miller Entertainment) 

(Courtesy Warren Miller Entertainment) 

  

(Courtesy Warren Miller Entertainment) 

Hi all,

In case you haven't noticed, we are transitioning to winter. Are you ready? There's nothing better to get the adrenaline flowing about skiing and snowboarding than the annual Warren Miller ski movie. This year, the move is titled "Line of Descent." It's the 68th film produced by Warren Miller Entertainment, promising downhill thrills, global adventure and a nod to ski instructors ...

"Ride along on a stunning cinematic journey as we travel near and far, descending some of North America’s deepest lines in Jackson Hole, Montana, Silverton, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, and Steamboat," a Warren Miller press release said. "From powsurfer to splitboard, motorcycle, dogsled or snowmobile, watch as athletes chase winter along the Beartooth Pass, the French Alps, New Zealand, British Columbia, and Norway.

“This season, we explore how skiers are shaped by picking up a pair of skis for the first time,” notes Warren Miller’s veteran producer Josh Haskins. “More often than not, it’s family who introduces us to the sport or steers us on the path towards an ongoing passion—be it a ski bum lifestyle, a professional career or simply the desire to pass on the same feeling to the next generation. There is a kinship unlike any other in the ski community, and Warren Miller is the elder, bringing generations of skiers and riders together for 68 years, and this year is no different.”

"Line of Descent" is playing at the Egyptian Theater Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. There are two showings on Saturday, one at 4:30 p.m. and another at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15. See you there! 

After you get pumped up for winter at the Warren Miller movie, you can go play in the snow ... you could go for a snow-boot walk, go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing in a "discovery" mode in the backcountry before any of the official trails are open. Places at higher elevation such as Bogus Basin, Bogus Nordic Trail, Mores Creek Summit and Park n' Ski Areas above Idaho City, The Strand and Crown Point Trail in Cascade, North Valley Trail and Bear Basin in McCall, McCall Golf Course, Galena Summit, north of Ketchum/Sun Valley, and Stanley. Snow biking would work in a lot of those places as well! 

Bogus opening a hike-to terrain park at the base area on Friday, Nov. 17, with 11 features ... That's a great idea for people to get out and play in the snow before the lifts are running ... 

I noticed that the Blaine County Recreation District and Galena Lodge have some trails open right now! The Harriman Trail from Prairie Creek to Galena Lodge is open, and several trails at Galena are open. After more storms come tonight and tomorrow, you can bet they'll be opening more terrain. Early season might be a good time to find lodging deals in the Wood River Valley. Galena Lodge is reporting that they'll be open for business starting on Saturday. They have over 12 inches of snow, but that's going to double by this weekend if the big storms come through. 

Bogus recently had its Pray for Snow party last Sunday, and Brundage is hosting a SNOWvember Meet & Greet Pray for Snow party tomorrow night, Nov. 17, at Broken Horn Brewing in McCall, 201 S. Mission Street, near the Smokejumper Base. Sounds like fun! 

One more idea this weekend, the weather is supposed to clear on Saturday and Sunday, and that means the lower Boise Foothills trails could be in decent shape for hiking, biking or trail-running. 
Check the Ridge to Rivers web site and/or Facebook page to get the latest conditions and advice from our trail keepers. It's usually best to visit trails that are sandy and dry out quickly. 

Have fun! 
- SS 

Pray for more snow to augment the slow start we have so far; where to find snow this weekend

Sun Valley groomers are a hoot! 

Big views in all directions

Ski the pow at Targhee!

Galena has some of the best xc skiing in North America! 

Bear Basin is the main xc venue in McCall right now 

Boot hiking the Five Mile-Orchard Gulch loop in the Boise footies 

Hi all,

Now that we have a little bit of snow, and we can enjoy some downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the mountains, it's time to fire up the weekly outdoor tips for the winter season.

We've had a slow start in terms of snow, that's for sure. Snowpack levels in the Payette and Boise basins are about 64 percent of normal so far. The Big Wood is 59 percent, and the Weiser is 45 percent. I'm hoping that winter storms really pick up in the coming weeks. It looks as if a significant storm is coming in on Friday, and that will allow Brundage Mountain to open for the ski season. Yay!

Here's the latest conditions at popular alpine skiing destinations:

• Sun Valley has the most skiing of any downhill area in the SW Idaho region, with top-to-bottom groomers available. We're talking leg-burners down Warm Springs or College and River Run. Lift tickets are discounted at $69/day right now, and if you combine a ski day(s) with lodging, you can probably do better than that. 
• Bogus Basin has some terrain open on the front side, and they will likely open the backside when they get more snow. Lift tickets are $25 at the moment.  
• Brundage opens on Friday. Lift tickets cost $36 on opening day. 
• Tamarack Resort is operating on Thursday-Sunday, with skiing on the Summit Chairlift. I've heard the skiing is quite good in the upper part of the mountain. They're charging $49/day for adults. 
• Grand Targhee has the best skiing in the southern Idaho, with the full mountain open and a 54-inch base. Lift tickets are $59 through Dec. 20; $72 during the holidays. Not sure if they have any rooms left for Christmas break, but I bet Targhee will be busy! 

As for cross-country skiing ... 

• Bogus Basin Nordic has about 15Ks of groomed xc ski trails at the moment. The main trail from the Nordic Lodge is groomed past the Shafer Butte picnic area turnoff. Several shorter loops are open as well. Day tickets cost $11 for a full day, $8 for a half day after 1 p.m. 
• Bear Basin has 9 inches of snow, with all of the main trails open. The web site doesn't specify exactly how many K's are open in total. Cost is $10 for adults. 
• Ponderosa Park doesn't have enough snow depth to open right now, but after Friday's storm, they may open by the weekened. Ditto with Jug Mountain Ranch.  
• Galena Lodge, north of Ketchum/Sun Valley is reportedly skiing great. They have 30Ks of trails open at the present time. Many of the trails around Galena Lodge are open, plus the Harriman Trail down to Prairie Creek, and the Prairie Creek system is open. Down-valley trails are closed until they get more snow. The cost to ski at Galena is $15 for adults; $5 for kids, and kids 12 and under ski free.  
• The Idaho City Park n' Ski Trails are open but not groomed yet, because they need more snow for grooming. The snow phone reports 1.5-2 feet of snow in places. The parking lots are plowed. So you could head up there with your snow boots and go for a hike or go snowshoeing. Banner Ridge and Beaver Creek Summit and Stargaze Yurt areas should have the most snow being at the highest elevation. Be sure to get a Park n' Ski parking pass on your way at the gas station in Idaho City. 

Backcountry skiing is decent at Mores Creek Summit, I hear. But it's going to be thin in places. Watch out for hazards. Drive to the Mores Creek Summit parking lot above Idaho City, and hoof it up to Pilot Peak, Freeman Peak or Sunset Mountain from the Mores Creek parking lot. Skins on skis or snowshoes work great! 

Closer to home, one thing I've been doing a lot of lately is boot-hiking in the foothills with my dog. The trails have been frozen, with a few inches of snow on top, and it makes for great walking in Sorels or the equivalent. Enjoy while you can. A lot of the trails out of Camelsback Park are great for this, as well as Corrals Trail, Five Mile Creek Trail and Orchard Gulch.    

Before I sign off, I should mention that the new Owyhee Canyonlands guidebook by yours truly and Mark Lisk has been popular since it was released in early December. You can find them in Boise at Lisk Gallery, Idaho Mountain Touring, George's Cycles, World Cycles and Rediscovered Books, (Boise REI and Barnes & Noble will stock them soon) Sierra Trading Post in Meridian, Flying M coffee house in Nampa, Cafferty's Cycles in Nampa, Hastings in Nampa, the Owyhee County Historic Museum gift shop in Murphy, Homedale Drug in Homedale, Logan's Market in Marsing, Gus's gas stop in Grand View, and more, plus at stevestuebner.com and amazon.com! 

Have a great holiday everyone! 

- SS

Head for high country to find snow; plan a road trip to go skiing in Sun Valley or Grand Targhee

Skate skiing at Galena is perfect right now ... they never got any rain. Yay! 

Galena Lodge as of Sunday. They have snow in spades! (Courtesy Galena Lodge)

Grand Targhee ... dig it! 

Hi all,


The weekly outdoor tips are back from yours truly.

Winter is getting a slow start because of the warm weather and rain we've had in the lower elevations, but above 6,500-foot elevation, there is quite a bit of snow accumulating.

"Tell them to head to the high country," says Ron Abramovich, snow survey supervisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. "Snow starts accumulating around 6,500 feet in the Boise Basin, and it gets deep fast as you increase in elevation. Trinity and Atlanta Summit SNOTEL sites have about 50 inches of snow on the ground. In the Payette basin, the Deadwood site has the most snow in the state with 83 inches of snow on the ground."

Wow! It'd be nice to have a snowmobile or your own personal snowcat to reach those spots ...

If you'd like to go play in the snow this weekend, here's what I'd recommend:

• For cross-country skiing, head for Galena Lodge, north of Sun Valley. They've got more than 48 inches by the parking lot, and lots of kilometers open for Nordic skiing. There's a FREE demo day going on Saturday, and a race Sunday. Trail passes cost $10 Saturday, and kids under 12 ski or snowshoe for free. "We've got so much snow it's ridiculous," said David, who answered the phone this afternoon. Note the picture above! Their conditions are stellar.  
• For snowshoeing, Galena Lodge would be great, or if you're heading for Cascade or McCall, you could try Big Creek Summit on the way to Warm Lake or drive up Lick Creek Road until you run into snow and make your own adventure. Leo Hennessy is leading an Idaho Outdoors trip at Big Creek Summit on Saturday. See the Idaho Outdoors Yahoo Group to learn how to sign up. 
• Another possibility for xc skiing and snowshoeing would be the Harriman Trail, north of Ketchum and Sun Valley. The Harriman trail is reportedly open from the Sawtooth NRA to Galena Lodge. That's an easy-going trail that winds along the Big Wood River. Great place to go. 
• For downhill skiing, the best bets right now appear to be at Sun Valley and Grand Targhee. We're talking road trip! I saw a great video of people power skiing at Sun Valley last weekend that made me really jealous. Look for stay-and-play deals at Sun Valley to save money. I saw one package for $79.50 per person (lift ticket and lodging). See more here.
• At Grand Targhee, which is reporting a 57-inch base right now, you can book 4 nights lodging and ski free. More details here. Grand Targhee and Sun Valley are probably going to be VERY POPULAR at Christmas time.   
• Just so you know ... there isn't much snow yet at Mores Creek Summit. Just 6 inches. And the Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas need more snow, too. Leo said there isn't even enough snow yet to ski or snowshoe on the roads! 

There you have it! If you're wondering what's happening with yurt rentals in the Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas, tune in next week, I'll have more information then.

If you're stuck in town, the Ridge to Rivers Trails have been drying out after the rainstorms, and the trails that are most sandy are best to rely on. Be sure to check on the Ridge to Rivers web site to check on the current trail report.

Have fun!
- SS

Enjoy the new snow! Finally!!! Watch out for avalanche danger in the backcountry

2 feet of new snow in 2 days at Brundage Mountain. Woo hoo! (Courtesy Brundage.com)

The whole NW region is getting hammered with precip. Bring it! (Courtesy NOAA)

Hi all,

Well, that bullet-proof ridge of high pressure that prevented any storms from hitting the Pacific Northwest for 6+ weeks is finally gone, and now we can go play in the snow. Yay!

My message this week is "enjoy the snow" with a few words of caution, and I've got a reminder below about the Jan. 31 deadline for river permits.

Because we've been getting hit with so much snow in such a short amount of time, please be aware that skiing in the backcountry is VERY HAZARDOUS right now. Here's a link to the Payette Avalanche Center with their latest forecast, which indicates that the avalanche danger is currently "high," and expected to get worse. More than 30 inches of snow has fallen in the high country in the last three days, with a ton more coming.

No matter what, be sure to pack an avalanche beacon, shovel and probe if you venture into the backcountry. And know how to use those tools!

I would recommend skiing or riding at an established resort in the next few days for the safest conditions. Bogus Basin has opened the front side of the mountain, and as more snow falls, watch for the backside to open soon. Can't wait to try the new Superior quad! Brundage Mountain has been getting hit with tons of powder, and so has Tamarack. Sun Valley hasn't received quite as much snow as the west-central mountains, but I'm sure the skiing there is fabulous as well.

The Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas also are getting hammered with snow. Snow depths were well over 30 inches as of Thursday morning, Jan. 19. Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation officials recommend trying the Gold Fork and Banner Ridge ski and snowshoe trails this weekend. The groomer has been working around the clock on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week. IDPR recommends that you call the grooming hotline to get the latest conditions. Call 208-514-2423.

Try to stick to the groomed trails or at least the trails that have been groomed most recently for the best conditions at the Park n' Ski areas. Off-trail snowshoeing will be REALLY deep and challenging. Stay off steep slopes to avoid avalanche danger.

IDPR officials recommend that you bring a snow shovel for digging out your vehicle in case you get stuck or the vehicle get smothered with snow while you're out having fun. Also, be sure to drive a 4WD vehicle if you go to one of the Park n' Ski areas. You'll get stuck otherwise, and it won't be pretty.

Enjoy the snow!

Here's a reminder about river permits -- they're due on Jan. 31. If you'd like to apply for a private permit to run Hells Canyon, the Middle Fork of the Salmon, Main Salmon or the Selway River, you need to apply through www.recreation.gov. Get a group of your friends together and apply for similar dates at a time when you can take a vacation on an Idaho river.

It costs $6 to apply. You'll find out in late February whether you were successful. If you are lucky enough to draw a permit, you'll be the most popular person in your circle of friends. Use that leverage for all it's worth! :)

If you'd rather go on a guided raft trip with an outfitter, see the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association web site to look into that possibility. Idaho has many wonderful outfitters and guides who can take you on a trip of a lifetime.

Have fun!

High-elevation snow destinations will be best ... or, go hiking in the Snake River canyon

Beautiful smooth ice on Lake Cascade in Cascade. Photo taken on Christmas eve.

Halverson Lake

The trail to Halverson Lake is sandy.

Rock petroglyphs at Celebration Park.

Hi all,

Well, the warm rainy weather in Boise is just totally inspiring, isn't it? Here we've been waiting a month for new precipitation, and then it comes in the form of a pineapple express? How cruel!

I was glad to see that Brundage Mountain is opening on Friday, and Tamarack has opened the Summit chairlift, meaning that you can ski the top half of the mountain where the snow conditions are likely to be best. Either Brundage or Tamarack should be a good bet this weekend, especially after things cool off on Saturday. Probably going to rain at the base areas on Friday, according to the weather forecast. Cross-country skiing at Bear Basin is quite good ... we skied there last week and enjoyed it. See my video.

Downhill skiing at Sun Valley has been excellent on man-made snow in all of the main parts of the mountain, including Seattle Ridge, Warm Springs and River Run. The upper chairlifts at Sun Valley will be best because rain is forecast at the lower elevations through Friday.

The web cams at Bogus Basin indicate that the warm wet weather has not been kind to our favorite local ski mountain. Hopefully, they'll get more snow and open soon.

Cross-country skiing in the Wood River Valley has been excellent -- probably the best anywhere in the state -- because of all the groomed trails open at Galena Lodge, Harriman Trail and everything in between. If you like to xc ski, this is your Shangri-La.

For any snow activity, higher elevations will be best ... particularly above 7,000 feet. That has been the approximate snow level this week. A cold front is supposed to move through on Friday evening, which will bring temperatures down to winter-like conditions. But I don't see any new snow is forecast for the next week.

The Stanley area would be a good bet for backcountry skiing this weekend, but unfortunately, Highway 21 has been closed because of avalanche danger. Dang!

If you're in Boise for the holidays, and you're not necessarily interested in heading for snow-bound areas, I would recommend going to Celebration Park in the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area for a good hiking destination, a cool place to see Indian petroglyphs more than 10,000 years old and learn about the Bonneville Flood.

Celebration Park is about 45 minutes from Boise, south of Nampa on state Highway 45. Turn left on Ferry Road just before you cross the Snake River and follow signs to the park. The park and hiking areas nearby are featured in my guidebook, Boise Trail Guide: 75 Hiking & Running Routes Close to Home, available on my web site and at many Boise-area book stores and outdoor stores.

The hike to Halverson Lake is about 5 miles round-trip. It's a good place to hike when it's been wet because the trail is sandy. The non-motorized hiking trail follows the Snake River for a ways upstream, and then beelines for Halverson Lake. You may also see people on horseback on the trail. The trip is suitable for mountain bikes as well.

Before hiking to the lake, take some time to look at the petroglyphs on the rock boulders next to the parking area. Sometimes it's easy to understand the message that Native Americans were trying to convey; other times, not so much. But it's fun to guess. The rock inscriptions are apparently about 12,000 years old.

If you'd like to go hiking closer to Boise, check the Ridge to Rivers web site and see what they recommend in the trail blog. It's supposed to rain for much of the day on Friday, so the trails will probably be wet and muddy. Saturday morning, they should be frozen and usable until they thaw out. Please tread lightly!

One other possibility after it gets cold on Saturday ... go ice skating on Lake Cascade in Cascade by the Van Wyck boat ramp. Last week, the ice was absolutely fantastic!

Have a Happy New Year!

-SS

Steve shares his weekly outdoor tips with Ken and Tim on 94.9 FM The River each Friday morning in Boise at approximately 7:10 a.m. If you miss the program, you can hear the segments on River Interactive.com. Detailed descriptions and color maps of Steve's hikes, bike rides and paddling trips are available for 99 cents each atwww.stevestuebner.com, plus the full ebooks and hard-copy guidebooks.