A skier points to the new Eagle Peak area at Lookout Pass, which added 500 skiable acres to the charming ski area. (Courtesy Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area.)
Hi all,
Wendy and I did a road trip to N. Idaho recently, visiting the new Eagle Peak mountain, a big 500-acre addition to Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area.
We hit Lookout on a day when it had 10-14" of new snow that morning! And we were fortunate to have three excellent tour guides - friends from Coeur d'Alene Dave and Carol Lindsay and Randy Bell.
Courtesy Lookout Pass (400" of snow avg/year)
I wrote about the whole three-day trip, in which we also skied Silver Mountain on a powder day, skied Lookout on a sunny day, and stayed at the base of Silver Mountain in the newer high-rise condo units there next to the gondola. I also recommend some places to eat and drink beer.
Put the idea of taking a swing through N. Idaho to ski Lookout, Silver and Schweitzer on your list for this spring or next winter, it's definitely worth it! Lookout stays open through April 16 this year. - SS
Click on that link to see the full story. I talked about where we skied, my favorite runs, where we went for dinner each night, and the lodging properties where we stayed.
That's my outdoor tip this week ... to do that North Idaho ski tour ... it's well worth it! We have 45 days of the ski season left. Still plenty of time to plan a trip.
- SS
Walk by the lake ... Wendy is like, the sun is too bright!
Statue of Liberty by Sandpoint City Beach.
Dave Lindsay, Wendy and Randy Bell at Lookout Pass.
Skiing the sunny south-facing groomers at Lookout.
No lines at Lookout!
Big views of the CDA River watershed and Bitterroot Mountains ... Montana is to the right. Took this shot at the top of Silver Mountain.
Base area of Silver Mountain by the gondola in Kellogg.
We've been in McCall since Tuesday of this week, anticipating the big atmospheric river storm that has hit McCall and the West Central Mountains right between the eyes, while the Central Mountains and Sun Valley got an even bigger dose of new snow.
We've had nearly 2 feet of new snow in the last 48 hours in McCall. The downhill skiing has been epic at Brundage Mountain and Tamarack Resort.
I feel blessed that I could be here to enjoy the new *pow.*
Skiing down the mountain in the dim morning light while it's bombing
snow is other-worldly and transformative for me. The fresh powder was so
light on Thursday, it was absolutely delightful. When I am cruising
through untouched fields of virgin snow through nicely spaced trees, I
start singing involuntarily or let out whoops of joy. Yabba Dabba! To
nail a powder day is good medicine for the soul. Total, absolute joy! We
all can use a dose of that, eh?
And so I feel kind of like Mr. Obvious on the Bob & Tom radio show by saying, hey, we just got a great dose of new snow this week -- actual snow depths depend on location -- so get out and enjoy it!
Sun Valley had received more than 3 feet of new snow in two days, so the avalanche danger in the mountains around the Wood River Valley is very high. FYI. Check with the Sawtooth Avalanche Center before you go.
Pow day at Sun Valley (Courtesy Sun Valley Resort)
Backcountry skiers/riders also should exercise caution in the Payette National Forest. Skiing/riding on slopes greater than 30 degrees is not recommended currently. See the report on the Payette Avalanche Center.
The big storm dropped over 6 inches of snow at Bogus Basin, and you can bet that there's fresh snow in them thar mountains around Idaho City, Mores Creek Summit and points beyond, too. If you'd like to check on snow depths, recent snowfall, etc., go to the NRCS Snow Survey snotel interactive map.
Downhill skiing - If you want to go downhill skiing/riding, be sure to buy day tickets online at your resort of choice before you go. Quantities are limited. Be prepared to mask up before you get in the lift line. No exceptions.
Go tubing at Bogus Basin or the Activity Barn in McCall. I think Garden Valley may have a tubing venue too. Advance reservations are required for tubing at Bogus. Plan ahead.
Mike Erlebach on the shoulder of Beaver Dam Peak. Snow was rugged, but cool adventure. (Courtesy Jim Pace)
Chris Reino making tele turns in sweet sugar-like *pow* in the Burn Line area above the Lick Creek yurts.
We had great weather for the duration of our trip, and great snow! Beaver Dam peak in the background. L to R, Wendy, Jim Young and Steve at the top of the Burn Line, ready to make another run.
Hi all,
I had the privilege of taking a 4-day backcountry ski trip to the Lick Creek yurts near McCall recently with a bunch of friends from Boise and McCall.
Timing-wise, we lucked out with a string of gorgeous bluebird days, a foot of fresh snow, and top-shelf food every day. We felt blessed amid the glory of all of those big mountain peaks lording above us, sometimes lit up by a brilliant sunrise or sunset.
"It was the high point of my winter," says my partner, Wendy Wilson.
"It's nice to ski soft powder in the sunshine," adds Mack Lyons of Boise. "There's an enormous amount of terrain to ski up there. I've been up there two times, and I can see why you keep going back."
"It's pretty amazing to step outside the yurt, jump into your skis and enjoy some of the best skiing in the world, right off the deck," adds Jim Young of Boise and McCall.
Beer-30 after our last full day of backcountry skiing ...
On Day 1, picture Wendy, Mack, Jim and the rest of our group climbing up a skin trail to a spot snowcat driver Gregg Lawley calls "No Complaints," where there's some sweet north-facing fields of powder waiting below, just a 15-minute climb from the yurts. We de-skin and pick our own personal line of virgin snow through shin-high sugar. That brings a big smile and whoops of joy from everyone as they make perfect signatures in the snow.
After a few of those runs that afternoon, I looked at the slopes above and saw a lot of blank fields of snow below the peaks, and some that had been shredded by the guys who were there for several days before us. Still, it looked there'd be a ton of terrain we could ski close to the yurts for the next two days! Fun thing to ponder as we enjoyed some brewskis and wine on the deck in the waning hours of sunshine.
Playing cards in the evening after dinner.
This was my fourth or fifth trip to the Lick Creek yurts over the last 10 years. The yurts are owned and operated by Payette Powder Guides. McCall skier, river guide and kayaker Marty Rood worked with the Payette National Forest to obtain a special use permit to provide guided backcountry ski trips and avalanche courses at Lick Creek. It sure is a great amenity to enjoy in the winter months! Marty also allows people to rent the yurts if they've gone with a guide before at Lick Creek and have at least a Level 1 avalanche certification. That's what we did.
As I've written before, yurt trips are a deluxe way to enjoy the mountains in the winter. Yurts typically are equipped with wood stoves to make things warm and cozy, bunks for sleeping, double-burner cook stoves, lanterns, pots and pans, plates and silverware, etc., everything you need to cook up a big feast. Marty also has a propane BBQ outside on the deck, a very nice touch. He even has fold up deck chairs available if they weather is nice.
Jim Young apres ski
At Lick Creek, there's two yurts -- one of them is the cook yurt with a larger wood stove and cook stuff, and the second yurt is for extra sleeping space with a smaller wood stove. For our group of 8 people, half slept in the cook yurt, and half slept in the other one. There's also a very nice sauna building to enjoy after a day of sweating up and down the mountain. And of course, there's an outhouse and a pee tree.
The yurts are located at the top of Lick Creek Summit (elevation 6,700 feet), about 12.5 miles from the east side of McCall. You either pay $800 for a roundtrip snowcat ride to the yurts and back to town, or you can go in by snowmobile, if a bunch of the people in your party own or have access to 'biles. We did the snowcat route this time, with my old Tamarack friend Gregg Lawley at the helm. It takes about 2 hours to get to the yurts.
The snowcat provides several big benefits. You don't have to climb multiple miles with a heavy pack to reach the yurt, like you do at most yurts in Idaho. You can bring coolers full of food and drink, another benefit. No restrictions on bringing extra clothes to stay warm. So all of that is pretty deluxe! Our friend Jim Pace brought a two-up snowmobile to the yurts, just in case we might need it for an emergency, or to access more ski terrain nearby.
One of the big highlights for Wendy and me, along with most of our group, was to farm an area called "The Burn Line," above the yurts. The Burn Line was full of fabulous untracked snow. We skied it in the afternoon of Day 2 and a full day on Day 3, picking a new virgin line each run, while enjoying clear skies, almost no wind, and temperatures close to 30 degrees. Just about perfect!
Getting ready to take the snowcat into the yurts with Gregg Lawley. L-R, Mike Erlebach, Deb Glazer, Mack Lyons, Steve, Chris Reino and Wendy.
On Day 3, Jim Pace went over to the north ridge of Beaver Dam Peak with Mack Lyons and Mike Erlebach of McCall to ski a chute or the bowl below the ridge. As they skinned up to the serrated ridge on the shoulder of the mountain, Erlebach said it was pretty obvious that the skiing would be marginal -- everything was breakable crust and windblown. But they thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.
"There's great opportunities for adventure skiing up there," Lyons says. "That was fun!"
I highly recommend booking some nights at the Lick Creek yurts with a group of your ski buddies, if you haven't done so already!
We've been blessed with a great winter so far with regular new doses of powder every week ... I hope you are getting out and getting your share of turns and grins in the *pow*!
- SS
Mike skiing the breakable crust below Beaver Dam Peak.
Powder day at Brundage Mountain this morning! I felt blessed to be there! (Courtesy Brundage Mountain)
Hi all,
I snuck up to McCall last night so I could ski some fresh *pow* this morning, and it was a great morning at Brundage Mountain. It was bombing snow relentlessly, perhaps at 1-inch an hour or more, and by mid-day Brundage had 10 inches of new, including 4 inches overnight.
Every run I took was virgin *pow* all the way ... I didn't want to stop for anything! My legs felt strong!
It might be 50 degrees and gray in Boise, but it's full-on winter in the mountains! And this particular weekend, all of our regional ski areas are supposed to get a big dose of snow. Not only today, but continuing through the MLK weekend.
According to Open Snow, here are the expected snow totals for the next 5 days:
I watch the weather pretty close, and you don't see those kind of numbers in the forecast for SW Idaho very often. If you have the time and flexiblity, might be time for a powder road trip! Bogus Basin, Tamarack, Brundage, Sun Valley, Solder Mountain, Pomerelle and Magic Mountain are all in close range!
I wrote about taking a road trip to ski Soldier, Magic and Pomerelle a few years back, and I thought I'd share that with you ... All of those ski areas are reasonably priced, and they're kind of like taking a step back in time in terms of the down-home friendly atmosphere around the base lodges.
But with Bogus Basin projected to get 2 feet of snow over the MLK weekend, you might not need to go anywhere! Ditto if you're planning to be in McCall to ski Brundage or Tamarack. Brundage is having a beer and gear festival on Saturday and Sunday.
Sun Valley is getting its fair share, too. All of this will be great for Idaho's snowpack, which has been lagging in the 70 percent zone in recent days (Boise, Payette and Salmon basins).
Backcountry skiing and snowshoeing this weekend could prove to be challenging because of the deep snow for breaking trail, but be safe and careful out there! Check on avalanche conditions at the Payette or Sawtooth Avalanche Centers.
Pow day at Grand Targhee Resort ... a frequent occurrence these days ... Get there if you can! (courtesy Grand Targhee)
Head over to Sun Valley and carve some turns. See how long your legs can last. (Courtesy Sun Valley)
Hi all,
With each passing snowstorm, the mountains are getting coated with fresh layers of snow, allowing the ski season to get started at least in a limited way since Thanksgiving.
I've been tracking this as a snow forecaster for OpenSnow.com, and I thought I'd devote this week's tip of the week to places where you can go play in the snow at the moment ...
Bear Basin by the trailhead (Courtesy Ed Roper)
NORDIC - XC TRAILS - BACKCOUNTRY TRAILS
1. Bogus Basin has several Nordic trails open -- Nordic highway, Sapper's Return and Redtail are groomed.
2. Bear Basin in McCall just groomed their system of xc trails today. Reporting a 9-inch base. I learned about it first-hand from Ed Roper who has maintained and groomed the Bear Basin trails for years. He said he just groomed the entire network of trails, but some of the loops like Mack's don't have enough coverage for recommended use. The main trails should be just fine, however!
3. Jug Mountain Ranch reports just rolled their xc trail system. Recommending snow-biking in the morning. JMR has excellent snow-biking trails!!! Highly recommend it!
4. North Valley Trail in McCall has been rolled with just a couple of inches of snow. Best for snow-biking.
5. Idaho City Park and Ski Trails - The snow phone, 208-514-2423, indicated that snow bases are minimal but trails are open for public use. Be sure to carry a shovel with you in case the parking areas haven't been plowed very well past Mores Creek Summit.
6. Mores Creek Summit - Snow conditions at Pilot Peak looked promising above 7,000 feet in a post by Chago on Avyscience.com. He reported 50 centimeters or almost 20 inches of snow in the upper portion of the mountain. Thanks Chago!
7. Wood River Valley - Portions of the Blaine County xc trail systems are open north of the Sawtooth NRA trailhead and at Galena Lodge. That'd be worth a trip if you have the time and a place to stay.
Snowcat view of fresh pow at Pomerelle
RESORT SKIING/RIDING
Sun Valley has top-to-bottom skiing on man-made and natural snow. That's 3,400 vertical feet of skiing, more than enough to test your legs and most likely kill your legs in a matter of a couple of hours. River Run, Lookout and Christmas lifts are running at the moment. They've got a great lodging deal going right now where you can stay at the Sun Valley Lodge for $129 a night and early-season lift tickets are $55.
Brundage Mountain will be reopening its Easy Street beginner chairlift this weekend. Free skiing for kids and adults! Reporting 14 inches at the base and 22 inches at the summit. There's a storm system coming through on Friday, with an 80 percent chance of snow, but only an inch or so of accumulation expected. Dang!
Pomerelle Mountain Resort will reopen on Saturday after getting at least 10 inches of new snow this week ... they're reporting 20 inches at the base area and 25 inches on top, with another foot of snow forecast tonight and tomorrow, perhaps more. The storm system coming through on Friday favors all of the ski resorts south of I-84, including Pomerelle, Magic Mountain, Pebble Creek and Kelly Canyon.
Schweitzer Mountain is reopening Friday and remaining open for 7-day-a-week operations from that point forward. Reporting a 12-inch base at the base area and 15 inches mid-mountain, but that is packed snow, with man-made snow augmenting natural snow.
Grand Targhee is in prime condition with a 50-inch base, 13 inches of freshies in the last 48 hours, 93 inches cumulative so far this year. Nearly 100 percent open! Road trip!
Remember, these are early-season conditions, so don't take your best skis out quite yet.
- SS
Last weekend was sunny and warm, and this weekend will be cool and wet. Don't turn your back on winter yet!
Brundage Mountain, Bogus Basin and Sun Valley all got fresh snow this week, and there's more freshies on the way through Sunday this weekend. My recommendation this weekend is to hit the slopes for fun St. Patrick's Day activities or go xc skiing, snowshoeing or snow biking at your favorite mountain getaway. The snow conditions are stellar everywhere! See my latest "Idaho Daily Snow" ski report.
In the Boise Valley, the trails might be muddy and wet with storms forecast Friday-Sunday, so my feeling is you're better off going to play in the snow.
Here's the lowdown on St. Patty's Day activities, Saturday, March 17:
Bogus Basin - Dress up like a leprechaun and get a free ride on the Glade Runner mountain coaster. Bogus has received 7 inches of new snow over the last 36 hours. Should be great skiing and riding up there. Bogus will be doing a grand opening of the Double R Ranch BBQ Smokehouse at 11 a.m. You can imagine what's on the menu, and it's located on the Bogus Creek Plaza, outside the main lodge, next to the cozy fire pits. Live music runs from 3-6 p.m. They'll even have free S'mores by the fire pits 4-6 p.m. Free demo skis will be available to try for Bogus season pass holders. Green beer all day long at the Simplot Lodge. To cap it all off, there's a Pot O’ Gold Treasure Hunt -- find the hidden pot of gold on the mountain and win a free 2018-19 season pass.
Brundage Mountain- They've receive 2 inches of fresh snow in the last 36 hours, and they're supposed to get more in the next several days. You can start the day by participating in a Treasure Hunt on the ski mountain. You'll be looking for seven Shamrocks hidden in the trees and snow. Winners get a "pot of gold" bag of prizes.
Then, after lunch at Smoky's Bar and Restaurant, you can try your hand at cabbage bowling. You chuck a cabbage at a set of bowling pins (Guiness cans). Winners get fun prizes. That event starts at 1 p.m. on the deck outside Smoky's. They'll have live music from 2-5 p.m. with Kayleigh Jack, an Idaho musician who plays guitar, violin and mandolin, and she can sing! Sounds fun!
Tamarack Resort- They've had 4 inches in the last 48 hours, with more to come. The 4th annual Brewski event will be happening at Tamarack on Saturday, from 3-6 p.m. inside the Canoe Grill. Tickets cost $15, and it will sell out (only 200 tickets will be sold). The fee covers beer-tasting and a commemorative tasting glass. Participating breweries include Payette,Salmon River,Broken Horn,Crooked Fence,Powderhaus,Sockeye, andCounty Line Brewing. Live music will be provided by New Transit. Rip some nice long top-to-bottom runs and work up a thirst! Should be a blast!
Pomerelle Mountain Resort- Dress up for St. Patty's Day and revel in what is expected to be the deepest powder to come this weekend. A foot to 18 inches of new snow are forecast to fall at Pomerelle between now and Saturday. They'll be celebrating St. Patty's Day with hidden Shamrocks on the mountain, and Pot of Gold challenge. Guess how many pieces of gold are in the pot, and the winner takes the pot of gold.
Pebble Creek Ski Area- I doubt many would drive all the way to Pocatello to see it, but I had to laugh upon seeing that Pebble Creek hosts a St. Patty's Day Monster Dummy Jump event. You build a ski dummy, send it off a big jump on skis or a snowboard, and watch it crash and burn. That'd be pretty hilarious! Top prize is $100. Entry fee is $15. No propulsion devices, no incendiary devices, gravity only. No obscenities. Ha!
Well, I picked one heck of time to get injured! The ski areas and the mountains are getting doused with multiple coatings of fresh snow, and I'm stuck working on rehabbing the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in my left knee. At least I can walk!
The accident occurred in a hockey game at Idaho Ice World. I play in the men's C league, which you'd think would be mellow and low-key since it's the lowest level available. But unfortunately, the league is full of younger ringers who should be playing B-league, and there's always that testosterone-charged male who loses it going after the puck in the corner. That's what happened to me in a high-speed collision with the boards after this guy checks me from behind, twisting my left leg badly to the outside and tearing the ligament.
So much for my romantic weekend with Wendy at Grand Targhee we had planned over President's Day weekend, and so much for skiing with my son Quinn in early March, when we are booked to visit Waterville Valley, N.H., and spend a long weekend with our cousins. Damn! Wah!
So that's my situation right now. I am approved to do light snow biking or Greenbelt riding, I can hike in a brace, and I am approved to do classic xc skiing. It could be much worse, I know.
My outdoor tip this week is to GO PLAY IN THE SNOW! Even if I can't go powder skiing, you should!
The latest conditions at the SW Idaho ski areas are stellar by all accounts.
Bogus Basin - 10 inches of new today, 11 inches in the last 24 hours. I saw some several pics and video of light blower powder on Facebook ... it's been staying cold up there, to keep the snow light. Another foot of snow is expected on Saturday.
Brundage Mountain - 5-7 inches of new today, 19-24 inches in the last week. Cold smoke!
Tamarack Resort - 5 inches of new today, 6 inches in the last 24 hours. Probably more up high.
Sun Valley - 3 inches of new snow today, 2 inches of new in the last 24 hours.
The good news is that more snow is expected through the weekend. Coleen Haskell, a meteorologist and author of the Idaho Daily Snow blog, says "Computer models are in good agreement through the short term this weekend. I'm expecting a foot of snow between now and Sunday morning, coming in several surges including the one today. It will be closely followed by the stronger wave Friday night and Saturday, while yet another one strikes on Monday."
Predicted snow amounts through Monday, Feb. 26 (courtesy OpenSnow.com)
This is the forecast for the West Central Mountains. Are you excited yet?
All of the Nordic areas should be in a great shape, too, with fresh snow. The Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas received 6 inches of new snow on top of a firm 24-inch base. Idaho Parks & Recreation is grooming the Gold Fork loop tomorrow as well as the Skyline loop. You can go xc skiing, snowshoeing or snow biking on these trails. "Should be perfect skiing," says Leo Hennessy, non-motorized trail coordinator for IDPR.
All of the McCall Nordic areas are reporting 2-5 inches of new snow with fresh-groomed conditions. This includes Ponderosa State Park, Bear Basin, Activity Barn/North Valley Trail, Tamarack Resort and Jug Mountain Ranch. Don't forget that you can go snow biking at Jug ... probably the best snow-biking trails in SW Idaho in my opinion.
All of the Wood River Valley xc trails are open and skiing great, especially in the upper valley. Being a gimper, I hiked on snow-covered trails in Adams Gulch and Greenhorn Gulch last weekend while Wendy went downhill and xc skiing.
Military Reserve trails had nice packed powder today ... Love this view of the city of Boise!
Closer to home, with the new dose of snow in Boise, the Foothills are perfect for hiking, snow biking, trail-running and snowshoeing right now. I went snow-biking in Military Reserve this afternoon, and there was a 1-foot wide singletrack with packed powder. Perfect!
Hope you have a fun weekend playing in the snow! I'll be dreaming of skiing powder while I dial it down to do gimper activities and work on my MCL rehab.
Big storm coming our way today and thru the weekend (courtesy NOAA)
Brundage forecast today and tomorrow Winter Weather Advisory Woo-Hoo!
Targhee has gotten a ton of snow in the last week ...
Pomerelle Mountain Resort near Declo is opening on Friday
Anthony Lakes is looking good! They open Friday to season pass holders,
and on Saturday for the general public.
Hi all,
I was watching the weather on the 10 p.m. news last night, and I heard Scott Dorval with KIVI-TV say that we should get 1-3 feet of snow in Idaho's Central Mountains in the next week! That put a smile on my face, I'll tell you what! It's been a bit of a slow start to the ski season, but now things are catching up! Bring it on!
Here's the latest information as of Thursday, Dec. 8th on ski area openings and conditions:
First, here are the resorts that are open now or plan to open this weekend:
Sun Valley is open for top-to-bottom skiing on man-made and natural snow. Tickets are cheaper now than they will be all season. 16-inch base at the top and bottom with snow coming down as we speak.
Pomerelle Mountain Resort near Albion is opening Friday and will continue operations Saturday-Sunday with at least 80 percent of their terrain open for skiing and riding. Reporting a 12-inch base at the bottom and 16 inches at the top, with more snow coming today, tonight and tomorrow.
Anthony Lakes near Baker, OR, is opening Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for season pass holders and then it opens Saturday and Sunday for the general public. Reporting a 30-inch base.
Bogus Basin is opening Deer Point Chair and Showcase slopes Saturday, plus the beginner chair. They will open more terrain as new snow allows. Reporting a 21-inch base, and it's snowing as we speak.
Brundage Mountain is opening it's beginning hill, Easy Street, and the Bear Chair on Saturday, and may open up more terrain as new snow allows. Lots of backcountry skiers have been climbing Brundage to ski fresh *pow* while they wait for the Bluebird and Engen lifts to open the rest of the mountain. Reporting 13 inch base at the bottom and 16 inches on top, with lots of snow on the way.
Gateway Parks in Eagle Island State Park opens on Friday. They've got plenty of snow and lots of park features for folks to enjoy.
Grand Targhee opened last week, and they've been getting a ton of snow ever since. "Over 5 feet in 7 days," is the headline on the front page of their web site. If you've got it, you might as well flaunt it! Reporting a 60-inch base.
Gateway parks at Eagle Island State Park opens tomorrow.
Boise is supposed to get several inches of snow today, so I'm sure people will be out playing in the snow locally. Snow biking on foothills trails will be excellent until it warms up and starts raining tomorrow.
Dog owners will be pleased to know that Ann Morrison Park and Esther Simplot Park are official off-leash areas for the winter months. See the off-leash dog areas on the Boise Parks & Recreation web site for more locations.
You could go snowshoeing at Bogus Basin, Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas,
Ponderosa State Park or Bear Basin in McCall
As for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing:
Bogus Basin is opening the Nordic highway on Saturday, and Sappers and other Nordic trails will be groomed for xc skiing. Stay tuned on snow bike trails. It may take a little more time to get those ready to roll.
Idaho City Park n' Ski area parking lots were plowed in the past week, so you could go xc skiing or snowshoeing in the Park n' Ski areas. The trails to Banner Ridge and Stargaze are best-marked, according to Idaho Parks and Recreation officials. As previously reported, none of the xc ski trails will be groomed this year because of the Pioneer Fire.
Pondersosa State Park in McCall has rolled a few of their trails including the dog loop and other trails near the trailhead. Park officials report they need another 9 inches of snow to run their groomer and open all of the terrain. But people are out xc skiing and snowshoeing today.
Bear Basin trails near McCall are open and signs are going up to prepare for the weekend. They're reporting an 8 inch base prior to the storms coming today, tomorrow and this weekend.
For people who like to go tubing, the Activity Barn in McCall will be opening on Friday, Nov. 9 in McCall. They'll have one tubing lane open on Friday, and more will open as snow permits.
Enjoy this early Christmas gift of wonderful snow snow snow! Have fun!
- SS
Read all about Steve's outdoor trips in Idaho, including hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, camping, trail-running, whitewater boating, canoeing, SUP’ing, skiing and snowshoeing.
I love being outdoors and hanging out in the mountains. It's my favorite place to be. I love to explore new places and experience different outposts in the Idaho backcountry.
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