Crown Point Trail worth visiting any time of year

After a snow hike in the morning, we headed back toward Boise on Sunday afternoon, and took a nice break on the Crown Point Trail in Cascade to check out a trailhead project I've been working on.

We showed up about 2 p.m., and it was a gorgeous afternoon for late November. A bit crisp, but only a skiff of snow, and Lake Cascade was absolutely still, making it easy to pick out the few ducks swimming out there. We also watched a mature bald eagle fly across the reservoir at the widest point, what a magnificent sight.

Valley County Pathways, a nonprofit group that is working to turn the old UP RR line between McCall and Cascade into a public trail, is developing a new trailhead on the north end of the Crown Point Trail. It's under construction right now, but it's close to being finished. We also built a post-and-pole fence alongside the trail last summer to keep ATVs out. www.valleycountypathways.org.

The Crown Point Trail can be found near Crown Point Campground next to Cascade Dam. It's about 1 mile of ID 55 to find a very nice getaway just about anytime of year. If there's too much snow, you can ski on the trail.

Enjoy.

-SS

Snow hike in McCall

We went up to McCall last weekend, and there was more snow on the ground than we anticipated. Mountain biking was out of the question, and snow-hiking was the best alternative.

Wendy and I drove up to the Victor Creek trailhead north of Upper Payette Lake and toured an old clearcut and burn area. Still, a nice hike in 4-6 inches of snow.

It was a beautiful morning, with clear skies, pratically no wind and sunshine. No one around for fricking miles! We had fun identifying animal tracks.

So if you're heading up to McCall for Thanksgiving, be sure to bring your sorrels and go for a snow hike in the Payette National Forest.

- SS