R2R green-lights lower foothills trails east of Bogus Basin Road; Beautiful weekend ahead! I'm going spring skiing ...

Spring season is opening in the Boise Foothills! Spring can bring windy days!
Breezy conditions at the Corrals-Scotts jct. prepared Huck for liftoff,
with Wendy Wilson.   

Hi all,

After months of cold weather and muddy trails, hikers, runners and mountain bikers will delight in knowing that Ridge to Rivers is green-lighting lower Boise foothills trails this week - trails east of Bogus Basin Road including Table Rock, Military Reserve, .

Here's the R2R Trails Report on Thursday: "Things are drying out, and trail repairs are beginning in the Foothills. There are long, lingering sections of mud on mid-elevation trails, primarily west of Bogus Basin Road where overall we have soils with a higher clay content (ie. Sweet Connie, Peggy's, Chukar Butte, Polecat Loop). East of Bogus Basin Road you can stay on dry trails all the way up to the top of Scott's Trail in the central Foothills, and to Lucky Peak Trail out east.

Expect to encounter trail maintenance along Cobb Trail and West Highland Valley Trail in the Boise River WMA currently.

NOTE: We are also in the middle of repairing a large cavity in the trail along Lower Hulls Gulch #29, so expect the need to negotiate that project for at least a week."

Doug Lawrence and Huck climbing from Military Reserve to Crestline trail. 

I personally rode Military Reserve to Shane's Summit on Wednesday morning, just after a light skiff of snow fell overnight, and everything was dry and rideable.

MARCH 9TH TRAIL R2R CONDITION REPORT:

"It looks like it's going to be a cool and cloudy day in the foothills. There is even a slight chance of snow this morning. Trail conditions will mostly remain the same as we've seen over the last few days. Corrals from the Scott's Junction down is clear and dry. Scott's is mostly dry with a few snow patches and some mud when the sun warms the tread up. Military Reserve, Hulls Gulch and Table Rock trails are clear and dry. You may encounter short sections of mud - be sure to walk through and not around. Happy Trails!"

So, the warm weather we had last week, plus winds, helped dry out the trails. The forecast for this weekend in Boise calls for warmer days each day, with high temps near 50 F on Friday, 60 on Saturday and 55 on Sunday. Wow! Enjoy!

Jane Rohling captured friends Matt and Alayne on horseback in the Wilson Creek area.  

Please BE KIND to Owyhee County trails, too!

I worked with the Owyhee County Commissioners to craft a press release about roads and trails that went out today. Here are some quotes from that release:

"MURPHY – (March 10, 2022) – Recreationists may be eager to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors as things begin to thaw in March, but it’s crucial that they respect the land in Owyhee County, stay off muddy trails and roads, practice proper trail etiquette, stay on designated trails and follow the rules set forth in Bureau of Land Management travel management plans, officials said.

“When Ridge to Rivers tells people to stay off muddy trails in the Boise Foothills, people often come out here in the Owyhee Front and look for trails and roads to ride as an alternative,” said Jerry Hoagland, an Owyhee County Commissioner and rancher. “But it’s just as important to avoid tearing up the trails and the land in Owyhee County as it is anywhere else.”

“We expect outdoor recreationists to treat the land and other trail users with respect when they’re out here in Owyhee County,” Hoagland said. “It’s really important that people do their homework before they come here to know where it’s appropriate for them to recreate and do it responsibly.”

Taking a moment in Reynolds Creek canyon on the Northwest Passage Loop. 
With L-R Quinn Stuebner, Steve Schneider, Ziggy and Jim Giuffre. 

Owyhee County is one of the most spectacular locations in the state of Idaho for exploring 4.9 million acres of public lands – canyons, high plateaus, lava features and more. Some of the most popular destinations are the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Trails near Murphy, Wilson Creek non-motorized trails, Bruneau Canyon overlook, Big Jacks Creek, and the 100-mile Owyhee Canyonlands Backcountry Byway from Grand View to Jordan Valley, Ore.

Key issues that Owyhee County Commissioners are concerned about with regard to outdoor recreation in Owyhee County, include:

·     The need for mountain bikers to practice proper trail etiquette on non-motorized singletrack trails in the Wilson Creek area. Mountain bikers riding at high speed on the trails can spook horses and cause potential safety issues. The number of people mountain biking in the Owyhees has increased dramatically, officials said. Be sure to keep your speed down in case you encounter hikers or horseback riders on the trail.

The proper procedure is as follows: If mountain bikers encounter horseback riders on the trail, step off the trail, talk to the horseback riders so the horses know you’re human, let the horseback riders pass by, and continue your ride.

· Stay off muddy trails (universal for all users)."

See the Owyhee County Recreate Responsibly web page for more information. Please be a good trail ambassador and practice good trail etiquette when you're out enjoying the Owyhee trails. Thank you!

Great weekend for Spring Skiing too!

With the weather warming up dramatically this weekend, it should be a great time to go spring skiing at Bogus Basin, Tamarack Resort or Brundage Mountain. I'm planning on skiing Brundage on Saturday, when formal wear is encouraged for people like to dress-up! I'll be doing a live forecast for OpenSnow.com Saturday morning. I see Bogus is having an Atomic Demo Day on Friday, and Tamarack is hosting an Atomic and Armada Demo Day on Saturday.

There's a big storm coming next Tuesday, that could bring significant snow to Idaho statewide. See my latest forecast: Idaho Daily Snow.

Look for me in my white coat, red vest and red bow tie at Brundage on Saturday.

Have fun! - SS

Really NICE weekend weather - perfect for hiking, biking, skiing ... Golf? Whitewater?

Fresh *pow* at Brundage this week with no crowds ... Don't pack away the skis/boards yet! 
(Courtesy Brundage Mountain Resort) 

Hi all, 

Pick your favorite outdoor pursuit, it looks like a fabulous weekend coming our way in the last weekend of March! For some, it'll be the capper of spring break week for families and kids.

For my outdoor tip of the week, I'm recommending a number of activities where you can't go wrong! 

Spring Skiing is hitting Prime Time this weekend!

We snapped back into winter-mode this week, starting on Monday with 5-6" of fresh snow, and then again Thursday night/Friday, with another 3-6" of new snow at Bogus Basin, Brundage Mountain and Tamarack Resort. Sun Valley also got a couple of inches this week. 

So we have fresh powder on the slopes, and now we're heading into a 3-day weekend of full-on bluebird spring skiing! High temperatures will be in the 40s at Tam, Brundage and Sun Valley, and Bogus will be pushing 57 degrees on Sunday! Break out the Hawaiian shirts, spring snow attire, you create it! 

Gonna be warm on Sunday in the mountains! (Courtesy Mammoth Mountain) 

Seriously, now is the time to hit the slopes before the ski areas close. Bogus, Brundage and Tamarack all plan to close on April 11. Sun Valley will close Dollar Mountain after this weekend, and Bald Mountain closes on April 18. 

Backcountry skiing also should be fab Friday-Sunday in full sunshine. If you're skinning up the mountain, be sure to bring your skin wax to keep the skins from picking up giant globs of snow. 

Grooming of xc ski trails continues in McCall and Sun Valley. I checked with IDPR, and grooming of the xc ski trails at the Idaho City Park and Ski Areas has ceased for the last 2 weeks. They may groom one more time next week before calling it good for the season. Nevertheless, the xc ski trails and snowshoe trails are pounded in from months of use, so it's still a great destination to go play in the mountains. 

Early Spring Hiking and Biking 

For Boise Foothills trails, Ridge to Rivers issued the following on Thursday: 

THURSDAY, MARCH 25TH AFTERNOON TRAIL CONDITION UPDATE:

"Trails in the Foothills are saturated and need some time to dry out. Please find other alternatives today.

THE TABLE ROCK AREA TRAILS ARE NOW CLOSED DUE THE LIKELIHOOD OF TRAIL AND VEGETATIVE DAMAGE UNDER THESE EXTREMELY MUDDY CONDITIONS. WE WILL ASSESS CONDITIONS THERE AGAIN TOMORROW AND OPEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. "

See the Ridge to Rivers Facebook page for the latest conditions and information. 

Trails will gradually dry out on Friday and this weekend. 

Snake River trail accessible from Celebration Park ... it's quite sandy and scenic!  

Some recommendations for the weekend (click on links for more info.): 

Bruneau Canyon 

• Snake River canyon - Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. 
• Celebration Park, south of Nampa, on the Snake River. Hike to Halverson Lake or follow the Snake River Trail. 
• Succor Creek State Park 
• Leslie Gulch
• Bruneau Canyon overlook

And if you haven't noticed ... the snow is beginning to melt and the rivers are rising. There will be people heading out on the Payette River to go kayaking and rafting this weekend (flow level is over 2,500 at Horseshoe Bend), and there will be kayakers and surfers on the waves in the Boise Whitewater Park. It's that time of year! 

So many choices! How about tennis and golf! Gardening? Nah!  

Enjoy! 

- SS 

R2R gives Green Light to select lower foothills trails! Spring skiing is perfect right now!

Nice late-afternoon light on Three Bears Trail above Rocky Canyon Road   

Hi all, 

On March bluebird days like these, it's a tough call for me ... should I go hiking, biking or skiing! 

Today, on Thursday, March 11, I read on the Ridge to Rivers Facebook page that they were green-lighting sandy trails in the lowest part of the Boise Foothills like the whole Military Reserve complex of trails, leading up to Central Ridge, Shane's Loop and Bucktail.  

Since that's one of my favorite go-to mountain bike loops with my pointer Huck, we knocked out that 6-mile ride this afternoon. And it was not only dry, but bone dry! There were a few dog puddles on Bucktail on the way down but that trail was mostly dry all the way. Yee-haw! 

I've been avoiding the foothills all winter -- skiing my tail off, hiking and riding my road bike. So it's always a thrill for me to get back on my mountain bike and ride in the Boise footies! Plus, in the brisk wind on top of the ridge, 55 degrees, it's perfect conditions for Huck to run like a gazelle and comb the country. Love to see him lift his sniffer into the wind ...     

Shane's Loop near the top ... good place to go right now. 

Starting at the base of Military Reserve Park, I like to start out on the Mountain Cove trail along Freestone Creek, where there's water for dogs right now. And then climb Ridge Crest to Central Ridge, take Central Ridge to Shanes/Bucktail jct., then ride Shane's clockwise back to Central Ridge jct., and then zip down Bucktail, enjoying the S-curves like a finely carved GS turn on skis. 

The whole Figure-8 route is a generally a gradual climb compared to other harder, steeper trails in the Boise Foothills. Hence, it's a good place to start working in your legs before tackling the harder stuff. 

Quoting from the R2R Facebook page, here are some other options to hike, run or ride: 

"Some of the trails that we know are good to go at this point and might also make nice little loops for folks would include: 8th St. to the access road down to the Bob's dam, up Bob's to Urban Connector, back around and down Highlands, up Bob's back to the dam and retracing your steps back up the access road and down 8th St. From the Foothills Learning Center this makes a 6.75 mile lollipop.

Also, loops or figure 8's with some combination of the Military Reserve trails and around Bucktail and Shane's Loop are opened up as well. The main Table Rock trail is also good to go at this point, although our best guess is that you will find some lingering wet spots down on the Old Pen trail."

It was cool to see a guy exercising a horse and a mule on Curlew Ridge ... he had both saddled up.

Crestline Trail, Sidewinder, Fat Tire Connector out to the wet spot, and Freestone Ridge are some other possibilities. The trails out by Surprise Valley on the old Oregon Trail should be drying out, too. Over by Seaman's Gulch, I hiked the Valley View Trail the other day and it was mostly dry, and it has fetching views of NW Boise, as always.

Here's a link to the R2R Interactive Trail map.

More than a week of sunshine, steady winds, and longer days are drying out the trails fairly quickly in the lowest part of the foothills. Farther up, it's going to be ice and snow.

Skiing/riding freshly groomed corduroy is a treat. (Courtesy Brundage Mountain)   

Speaking of which, Spring Skiing is absolutely fabulous right now at the alpine resorts. I checked in with Bogus Basin, Brundage, Tamarack and Sun Valley, and they all have online day tickets available for week days or weekends at the moment.

So even if you don't have a season pass, now is a great time to get out and ski/ride in the warm sunshine. High temperatures will be in the mid-30s to mid-40s at those resorts this weekend. Ski area snow depths and snow bases are in peak form. See my latest post on the Idaho Daily Snow.

Enjoy the weekend, and remember to set your clock to spring forward an hour on Saturday night. - SS

R2R gives green light to lower foothills trails, spring skiing and Snake River canyon

Two adorable children playing in the sand by Red Cliffs Trail on Thursday.

Walkers and bikers sharing the trails on Red Cliffs Trail ...

Love this view looking down into lower Hulls Gulch from Red Cliffs ...

Bikers: Remember to slow down as you enter congested areas ...

Hi all,

Many peeps who love the Boise foothills trails have been out in force, enjoying this latest string of uncommonly warm weather, with highs in the 60s in the afternoons and close to 70 (?) on Friday. Wow! 

I rode my mountain bike to Sidewinder summit on Tuesday night, and it felt like June out there with the trail being bone-dry, and Huck was overheating. Today, I went for a stroll on lower Hulls and Red Cliffs to take pictures, and I was blown away how warm it felt! Sure feels good after a great ski season to hit the trails! My climbing legs feel pretty good considering it's early in the season. 

Checking on the Ridge to Rivers Facebook page, we have as close to a "green light" to use the lower foothills trails below mid-elevation as we're going to get this time of year. There's a good chance of rain in the valley on Saturday afternoon, so keep an eye on the R2R reports and abide by them, please!!!

Quoting from their post on Thursday, March 6:

"Overall, it appears that trails below the mid and upper elevations in the foothills are mostly good to go right now. Conditions above are still the ones in question. It is a good time to work on doing more traversing in the lower foothills from one trail to another or using 8th St. or Rocky Canyon Rd. if you are going to be doing some significant climbing. ...

As the trail crew has been working on both Crestline and Sidewinder for the past few days, both of these trails and also Red Cliffs, Kestrel, and Lower Hulls all remain good to go right now. If you are getting up higher into the foothills over the next couple of days, please think about posting some reports of your own to help others get a better idea of what is going on out there. With rain in the forecast this Saturday, it's a great time to get out and enjoy these next couple of days. Just do it in the right locations! Happy Trails!"

Huck is Mr. Airplane ears on a windy day at Corral's Summit

Other lower Boise foothills trails worth visiting right now would include:

• Military Reserve Trails 
• Camelsback Trails 
• Table Rock trail itself
• Highlands to the Hollow
• Corrals Trail 
• Highlands Trail 
• Polecat Gulch
• Seaman's Gulch

Here are some spring skiers getting into the party mode! (Courtesy Arapahoe Basin)

 Two other suggestions for Friday and this weekend:

• Spring Skiing! Bogus Basin, Tamarack, Brundage and Sun Valley all have lots of snow. Spring skiing on Friday should be amazing everywhere in SW Idaho because of the warm temps approaching 50 degrees at Bogus tomorrow and mid-40s elsewhere! Wow! Break out the spring skiing garb and have fun with it! 
• Also could go backcountry skiing at Pilot Peak/Sunset Mountain/Freeman Peak or up toward Stanley on Copper Mountain. 
• Xc skiing and snowshoeing is another possibility at the Idaho City Park n Ski Areas or in McCall or Sun Valley. 
• Hiking/biking in the Snake River Canyon - Head south of Kuna or Nampa to visit the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. A friend told me that the birds of prey are doing courtship flight down there, so you can hang out and watch the cliffs for birds with your binoculars or do some hiking or biking at Celebration Park or by Swan Falls Dam. The ride to Wees Bar is one of my favorites. 

  

  Golden eagle on the cliffs in the Morley Nelson Snake River BOPA 

Have a great weekend!
- SS

Go spring skiing on last weekend at Bogus, Brundage or try Wilson Creek in the Owyhees

Cottonwood Creek jumped out of its banks and washed out Rocky Canyon Road.
ACHD is working to restore the road before the Race to Robie Creek next Saturday. 

Hi all,

With all the incessant rainy weather we've been having in the Boise Valley and beyond, I've been thinking that, hey, I can always recommend Ol' Rocky Reliable - my term for Rocky Canyon Road - as a good alternative for hiking, trail-running and mountain biking when the foothills trails are wet and muddy.

That's what Wendy and I did last Sunday to take our dog Huck on a short walk. If we'd gone up the road 3.5 miles, we would have run into a major washout on Rocky Canyon Road. Take a look at the video above ... ACHD is in the midst of working to repair the road today (Thursday, April 11), and so they have closed Rocky Canyon Road to public use to allow heavy equipment operators and engineers restore the road. The road is closed until repairs are completed. No time estimated has been given as yet.

The Race to Robie Creek is coming up next Saturday, April 20, so all of the walkers and trail-runners are surely itching to continue training for the "toughest half-marathon in the Northwest." This year's theme is the "Birth of the Wonder Toad." It's always a hoot!

So anyway, I can't even recommend Ol' Rocky Reliable this week. Fortunately, the weather is supposed to dry out on Friday, and Saturday looks like the best day of the weekend for a little outdoor exploration. High temperatures are forecast in the low 60s in the Boise Valley and full sun is expected all day. Really? Sunday looks like rain and crapola.

So here are my recommendations:

Pond-skimming at Bogus Basin (Courtesy Bogus Basin) 

1. Enjoy the last weekend of operations at Bogus Basin or Brundage Mountain and go spring skiing. High temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-40s with sunshine at Bogus on Saturday, and 40 degrees at Brundage with partial sunshine. Bring your own BBQ if you want for a little tailgate action!

Bogus Basin is hosting a pond-skimming event from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, and a Boxzilla event from 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. on Saturday, a raffle for a Morning Star 2-person classic chair on Saturday, and a  PBR Ribbon Hunt until Sunday, along with live music from High Pine Whiskey Yell. Bogus closes for the season after the ski day on Sunday.   

Brundage has a Gelande Quaff beer-catching and drinking event on Saturday, and the Dodgy Mountain Men are playing live music that day. Brundage closes on Sunday at the end of the ski day at 4:30 p.m.

Both mountains have plenty of snow for AT and Tele skiers who will be climbing for their runs in the coming weeks.

Harrison Hollow all-weather trail is a great choice in inclement weather. 

2. Go hiking, trail-running or biking on Boise Foothills trails if they dry out. Refer to the Ridge to Rivers Facebook page for the latest conditions and recommendations. I went hiking in the Harrison Hollow area last night with Huck, and the high winds dried out the trails amazingly quickly. Please tread lightly and don't damage the trails. If mud is sticking to your shoes or your bike tires, please turn around.

As an alternative, here's my post from March that recommended a number of excellent destinations with all-weather trails, including Eagle Island State Park, Hyatt Hidden Lakes, Harrison Hollow,

3. Go hiking or biking in the Wilson Creek area in the Owyhees on Saturday. The weather looks best for doing the Wilson Creek-Reynolds Creek hiking loop on Saturday. The loop is 7.5 miles, starting from the Wilson Creek Road trailhead, south of Nampa, on the south side of the Snake River.

Here are directions and a description to the hike: You take ID 45 south of Nampa toward Murphy. Cross the Snake River, turn right and head for Marsing. Watch for Wilson Creek Road on the left. Take Wilson Creek Road to the BLM trailhead for Trail #300 on the left side of the road. Park. The hike starts here.

Follow Trail #300 over to a junction with a dirt road. Go left on Road #410 and follow that over to the China Ditch Trail #600 in Reynolds Creek canyon. This is the best part of the hike. Go upcanyon on Trail #600 and enjoy the redrock canyon of Reynolds Creek. Good place for lunch. When the canyon opens up, you'll see a junction with Trail #510, which heads back over to the junction with Trail #400. Take that trail back to the parking lot.

Reynolds Creek canyon is a gorgeous spot, no matter if you're hiking or biking. 

Robie Creek Runners would enjoy doing that loop as a trail-run, and for more elevation, they could do the Wilson Creek Mini-Moab route that I pioneered with my mountain bike years ago for the Mountain Biking in Idaho guidebook. That loop is 15.6 miles. It's detailed in my Owyhee Canyonlands guidebook as well. You basically start at the lower Wilson Creek Trailhead and follow the main Wilson Creek BLM dirt road 6.5 miles uphill to a left-hand turn on a primitive road to the top shoulder of Wilson Peak, about 2,000 feet of vertical from the start. You follow the rocky primitive road around the east side of Wilson Peak and drop down to a valley that intersects Trail #400 and Trail #300 returning to the Wilson Creek Trailhead.
- SS

Gonna feel like early spring weather this weekend - 4 ideas for outdoorsy fun

This weekend might be a good time to go see bald eagles and cormorants on the Eagle Greenbelt, south side, Boise River. 

My son Drewby hiking Browns Canyon with us in the springtime. 

It's always a treat to ski Sun Valley in the sunshine. 

Bear Basin in the sunshine. Great xc ski and snowshoe trail system in McCall. 

Hi all,

It's been quite a parade of snow storms in the mountains in the last few weeks, but that's made it feel pretty gray and dreary in the Treasure Valley. For the first time in a while, it's going to be sunny and a little warmer in this weekend, Friday-Sunday, so it's time to get outside to cure a little cabin fever.

It'll be sunny in the mountains and in the valley, according to the National Weather Service, so you really can have your pick as to whether you'd like to head out in either direction.

Here are four options that I'd recommend:

1. Go walking, running or biking on the Boise River Greenbelt. High temperatures are supposed to be in the low 40s this weekend, so it won't be exactly balmy. Wait until the afternoon to head out to enjoy the warmest part of the day. 

That said, please avoid using the Ridge to Rivers Trails this weekend. Table Rock Trails are closed because of muddy conditions, and the rest of the trails are getting hammered when they're soft in the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to freeze at night, so if you got out really early, it'd be OK, but generally, it'd be better to go do something on the Greenbelt. Idaho Fish and Game also just closed trails in the Boise River Wildlife Management Area, including the Homestead Trail next to Harris Ranch.

2. Go spring skiing at Bogus Basin, Tamarack Resort, Brundage Mountain Resort or Sun Valley. Get a bunch of friends together or do a family outing. Conditions are great everywhere!

3. Go xc skiing, snowshoeing or snowbiking at Bogus Basin, Idaho City Park and Ski Areas, McCall area or Sun Valley area. Once again, conditions are excellent in all four locations.

4. Go hiking in the Owyhee Canyonlands. Stick to the good roads to do a little adventuring in the Owyhees. Succor Creek, Sage Creek, Leslie Gulch and Mary's Creek would be the best bets right now. Maybe Browns Canyon near Oreana would be good, too. All of these hikes are featured in my Owyhee Canyonlands guidebook.

There you have it! Enjoy the sunshine!
- SS   

Spring skiing rocks at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort - double it up with Targhee!

Hard-cores hike a boot trail to bowls on the backside of Jackson Hole 

Jackson Hole is a skier's mountain! 

Big groomer boulevards are super fun to ski in the sunshine. Heading down to the Thunder Chair. 

Hi all,

I managed to break away to ski Jackson Hole recently, and it was a real treat! I've got a lot of great memories from skiing Jackson over the years, even going back to when I was a high school senior and skied 6 days of fantastic spring corn in April ... an experience that cemented my feelings about going to college out West.

And then there was that time when I blew out my ACL on the first run of an 18-inch powder day in the 90's, but that was a mere blip in the whole time horizon.

I visited on a bluebird day, Friday, March 3rd, and it was so great to be there on a day when you could see the Tetons in all of their splendor, and experience the whole 360 degree view of being in Jackson Hole. It's definitely one of the most beautiful spots on the planet, in my opinion. And Jackson is pure and simple, a skier's mountain. They have something for everybody, including plenty of beginner and intermediate terrain for destination skiers from all over the nation, if not the world, but they have a ton of black diamond terrain, double black diamond steep shots and chutes, hike-to chutes and big powder basins for the experts.

On top of that, Jackson has 4,139 feet of vertical, so it's like more than 2X the vertical of Bogus or Brundage ... you might try to ski top to bottom, but it's going to eat your legs, even more so than Sun Valley.

To start, I took the Bridger Gondola up the east side of the mountain, and took a cat track over to the Thunder Chairlift, one of my all-time favorites. While we're riding up the gondola, there was a young ski instructor who had two of his own kids in there with us, and he's talking about how easy it was to jump into Corbet's Couloir for his kids, who were maybe 6 and 9? I'm like you've got to be kidding me! He's like, "Oh there's so much snow this year, it's easy to drop in."

It's true about the snow ... Jackson had a chart on its web page indicating that it had received something like 499 inches of snow, compared to Alta in the 450 range and others in the 400 range ... so they really got nailed this year. And now they're celebrating "March Radness" 500+ inches of snow. The routine is to "Shred Party Repeat" day upon day upon day.

From the Thunder chair, I skied the Thunder bump runs, taking me back to my teens, and then I hit the Alta chutes and other fun black diamonds from the Sublette quad. There wasn't any fresh powder, so I avoided the Hobacks, but boy, they can be something else with lots of fresh snow. HUGE amounts of open glades and tree skiing with a steep fall line. I toured around Casper quad, the Teton quad and the Apres Vous quad as all of the snow was turning to perfect easy-skiing spring conditions. And there was no one around on those lifts, compared to Thunder and Sublette and the Tram.

In my mind, it's great to experience different ski areas to gain different perspectives on skiing. Jackson will test your skills in a way that few mountains will. Enjoy the photos and reserve time to ski Jackson and maybe hit Targhee on a double-dip spring weekend to put a nice exclamation point on your ski season.

See the Jackson Hole Chamber for information on food and lodging. Hopefully there are some special spring deals to be had! Jackson Hole is open through April 9th.

More hike-to terrain visible from the main ski area ... ready to drop in? 

Looking up the barrel of Corbet's Couloir ... 

Broader view of Corbet's Couloir 

Looking back toward Jackson and Snow King Resort  

Sleeping Indian Chief across the valley in the Gros Ventres Mountain Range 

Beautiful bowl all skied up from fresh powder earlier in the week 

Salute to the Grand Teton and the Teton Range 

Have fun!
- SS

Spring Break is coming! Over 10 outdoorsy ideas to keep you entertained close to home!

Fresh *pow* should be fab in the backcountry ... 

Be festive and dress up for spring skiing. Pomerelle is offering discounts for
skiers/riders who dress up. Brundage is offering a free ski day on Sunday
for teens 17 and under. 

Camping in Leslie Gulch is on the list! 

What about hiking and camping at Bruneau Dunes? It's on the list. 

Hiking Cervidae and the local Grand Slam are on the list. 

Should be great weather for road biking ... see suggested rides below. 

Join Idaho River Sports on the Main Payette on Sunday. Potluck, too! 

Hi all,

It's been a soggy 10 days or so in Boise, so it's nice to see the sun burst out of the clouds today! And just in time as Spring Break approaches this weekend. If you're thinking of staying close to home, the weather looks favorable for spring skiing; hiking, biking or running in the Boise foothills, or heading out to the Snake River or Owyhee Canyonlands to go camping and exploring.

Here's the audio from Steve's radio segment on 94.9FM The River with Tim and Misty re: Spring Break tips! 

Just so you know, the weather is supposed to get wet next Monday-Tuesday, so you might plan your activities around that, if you wish. If you're base camping in the desert, hell, bring a big tarp! You'll be fine!

For this week's outdoor tip, I'm dishing up 10 outdoorsy ideas to keep you occupied and entertained during the Spring Break:

1. Spring skiing should be great at Bogus, Brundage, Tamarack and Sun Valley after all the fresh snow that fell in the past week. Brundage is offering FREE skiing to teens 17 and under on Sunday to kick off Spring Break! Sweet deal! On Sunday, March 27th, they're having a family day. Dad or Mom buy one lift ticket, and the rest of the family skis free.

2. Pomerelle got 15 inches in the last few days, and it's providing discounted lift tickets for people who dress up along their daily themes Monday-Friday of next week. Get festive! Themes are Manly Monday, Tuesday 2x2, Womanly Wednesday, Throwback Thursday and Freaky Friday. You can find great lodging deals in the Burley/Rupert/Albion area.

3. Get a jump on hiking and bag one of the peaks in the local Grand Slam. Tom Lopez, author of Idaho: A Climbing Guide, came up with the concept, and I wrote it about in my blog last year, after climbing one of the four, Cervidae Peak. I feature Cervidae in Boise Trail Guide: 90 Hiking and Running Routes Close to Home.  It's a tough, steep hike.

4. Go camping in the Snake River Canyon or the Owyhees, close to home. Here's five destinations that are sure to please, including Succor Creek State Park, Leslie Gulch, Bruneau Dunes State Park, and Celebration Park.

5. Try a new loop in the Boise Foothills. One of my favorites is the Five Mile-Orchard Loop or the Five Mile-Watchman-Three Bears Loop. Click on the links to see a description and photos. Good for hiking or biking. The hikes are moderate to strenuous, and the loops are rated advanced for biking. Great for running, too (rated strenuous).

6. Float the Payette River with Idaho River Sports on Sunday.  They're calling it St. Paddler's Day Float and Potluck. Sounds fun! Weather should be fab for floating the Payette on Sunday. Bring your food with you and you can party down on a beach, get the BBQ rockin' and all of that good stuff.

7. Dust off the road bike and go for a ride. Here are seven rides to try in Boise for various ability levels. All of the rides are from my Boise Road Cycling Guide, the only guide to road biking in the Boise area.

8. Head into the mountains and go backcountry skiing or snowshoeing in your Hawaiian shirt. That would work this weekend, especially Sunday. Try Pilot Peak, Sunset Mountain, Stargaze Yurt, Copper Mountain or Bull Trout Point.

9. Take a hike in the Owyhees. One of my favorites is the Wilson-Reynolds Creek Loop, which includes touring the beautiful redrock Reynolds Creek canyon and hiking the China Ditch Trail.

10. Check out a blog I wrote, Seven Days of Spring Break in Southern Idaho, in case one of these ideas tickles your fancy. Tandem BASE jumping anyone? Rafting the Hagerman reach of the Snake? Fishing Crystal Lake? All kinds of cool goodies.

Have a wonderful Spring Break!
- SS

Bounce back into winter mode, search for the best *pow*; Look for great stay-and-ski deals

Fresh turns in nice powder puts a smile on your face! (Courtesy Brundage Mountain) 

Skier shreds 7 inches of new at Brundage today. (Courtesy Brundage Mountain)

Hi all, 

I've been having a great time playing in the Boise Foothills lately, but with the cool and wet weather happening now and through the weekend, you might as well bounce back into winter-mode and go skiing this weekend. Are your skis waxed for speed? 

The weather forecast looks really promising for powder hounds at Brundage Mountain, Tamarack Resort, Bogus Basin and the West-Central Mountains, in particular. There isn't as much snow forecast for Sun Valley and Stanley, but there are some great lodging deals cooking in Sun Valley. More about that in a moment. 

Holy Powder Handstands, it is bombing snow in McCall! Brundage received 7 inches of new today, and it's nice, light snow with temperatures hovering around 20 degrees F. Damn! Shoulda been there today! They could get 8-14 inches Friday, 4-8 inches Saturday and 2-4 inches on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. All told, that could be 14-26 inches over the weekend! The great snow god Ullr is looking kindly upon Brundage. Wow! 

Bogus got 5 inches of new today (Thursday), and it could get another 10-20 inches of snow by Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service. I also see "rain/snow" mix at times on Friday and Saturday, so I hope you can avoid that. But there should be a steady dose of new storms rolling in and dumping snow Friday and Saturday. Watch the weather, Bogus' web cams and catch the best powder window that you can. 

Tamarack Resort also is going to get dumped on, with 10-21 inches forecast through Sunday. 

The forecast for Sun Valley calls for 3-6 inches of new snow through Sunday. But if you don't like skiing in a lot of powder, then Sun Valley might be the right call. It's a huge mountain with tons of great slopes, finely manicured groomers and plenty of challenge in the Baldy Bowls and bump runs like Holiday, Exhibition and Limelight. 

Best of all, you can save a ton of money on lift tickets by doing a combo stay-and-play package. Right now, you can stay overnight and ski a day at Baldy for $65/night, and kids 15 and under ski free! Contact VisitSunValley to book a room. 

McCall has some excellent lodging deals going on as well. Visit the McCall Chamber of Commerce's stay-and-play lodging page, and you'll see some package deals with lift tickets to Tamarack and Brundage ranging from $63.50/night to $90 a night and more. 

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Sagebrush and bitterbrush planting efforts improve habitat
 for mule deer, song birds and other wildlife. 

Closer to home, there are a couple of volunteer opportunities going on this weekend. Mary Dudley of Idaho Fish and Game could use more volunteers for planting sagebrush and bitterbrush in the Pony fire complex area north of Mountain Home on Saturday. People are meeting at the Nature Center at IDFG on Walnut Street at 8 a.m. Dress warm for foul weather, bring a lunch and water. Call Mary to RSVP if you'd like to go, 208-327-7099. There's another planting day planned April 5th, if you'd rather not plant in rainy weather. 

On Friday afternoon, Mike Pellant from the Healthy Hills Initiative in Eagle needs 10-15 more volunteers to plant forbs at the Eagle Sports complex near Floating Feather and old Horseshoe Bend Road from 3-7 p.m. They have 1,300 forbs to plant in a native plant education area. Call Mike for more information or to let him know you'd like to help, 208-867-1571.