Stay cool in August heat by GETTING WET early and often! Preferably in the Mountains!

Steve cooling off at North Beach in McCall

Hi all, 

I'm sure it's been a challenge for many to beat the heat lately. But if you've planned some mountain getaways at higher elevations, cooler temperatures, etc., it sure can make a difference! 

I've been impressed to read about some folks doing trips across the length of the Sawtooth Mountains, and I saw that a woman climbed all of Idaho's 12,000-foot peaks in a matter of several days. It's the middle of summer season, and it's prime time to visit the mountains and high country in Idaho! 

Wendy and I spent all of last week at our cabin in McCall. My motto every day was to exercise in the morning - often on my road bike (mountain bike is in the shop) - swim at the beginning of the ride and swim at the end of the ride before heading home. Then I'd work for a few hours in the afternoon to round out the day, and then swim again! 

Warren Wagon Road heading to Upper Payette Lake  

Our cabin is less than a mile away from the Payette Lake, 1 mile from Little Payette Lake and less than a mile from Ponderosa State Park, so it's easy to get in the water. We are fortunate to have our place in paradise! 

A few notes from our week: 

• The greater McCall area is very busy right now. Lots of campgrounds are full. Payette Lake is busy. Even Upper Payette Lake was busy. Be sure to make a camping or lodging reservation before you go. That said, once you get outside of the center of McCall, it's less busy.
    

  

  Upper Payette Lake boat ramp was quiet on a Friday morning. 

  
  
• The Meanders, a primo place for stand up paddle-boarding was busy. The North Beach parking area seemed crushed all week long. But people were still staking out their spots next to the water and having a great time! 
  
  

  

  The Meanders by North Beach in McCall .. primo SUP destination. 
  
  

Jim Young takes us on a Friday evening post-dinner boat ride on Payette Lake for a swim. 
Having impromptu gatherings with friends is one the great things about being in McCall. 

On Saturday, we topped off the week with a fund-raiser event with live music for Valley County Pathways and Torin Oberlindacher's 50th birthday, a trail friend. The Dusty Huckleberries were a great warm-up band, and then we had GRATEFUL - A Tribute Band in the evening. We had a big crowd, made some bucks for VC Pathways, and danced to our favorite Grateful Dead tunes. Great times! 

The Boise-based Grateful Dead tribute band will play at Brundage Mountain on Aug. 12. I highly recommend it! 

There are so many other things to do in the McCall area, including golf, backpacking, peak-bagging, fishing, mountain biking/hiking at Brundage Mountain, mountain biking/hiking/ziplining at Tamarack Resort, mountain biking/hiking at Jug Mountain Ranch, hiking/biking/swimming/camping at Ponderosa State Park, camping at Lake Cascade State Park, and exploring the Payette and Boise National Forests. Plus, floating the upper North Fork of the Payette River below McCall, below Cascade, or Cabarton. The list goes on!   

Here's Steve guiding a group through Howard's Plunge on the Cabarton reach of the Payette River. 

Don't let the summer run away without visiting McCall and the West Central Mountains! 

- SS