Mountain Music is on the wane! Get out and enjoy the last couple weeks of live music!

Jeff Crosby Band on the dock by Lake Cascade and West Mountain.
(photo courtesy Jeff Crosby Band and Tri-City Vibe)

Hi all, 

I'm in a mountain musical mood today anticipating the Sheryl Crow concert at the Albertson's Open tonight. Boise counts as mountains, right? 

Live music seems like it's always better in the mountains, surrounded by trees, fresh air and cooler temps. 

Starting tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 25), Tamarack Resort is hosting a one-hour VIP show for the Jeff Crosby Band at 4 p.m., and then he plays a plays a free concert at Tamarack Friday night.

The Jeff Crosby Band also plays next Friday, Sept. 1 in the final show of Brundage's TGIF free concert series. It's fitting for him to finish off the season because he normally gets the crowd on its feet with a great mixture of blues, country rock and rock. Last year, I thought he blew the roof off! 

High Pine Whiskey Yell (courtesy highpinewhiskeyyell.com)

Also on Friday, High Pine Whiskey Yell will be playing at Brundage in their TGIF series concert series. 

As described on the Brundage web site: "This four-piece group of modern-day rounders focuses on telling true stories about robots taking your job, banksters robbing from the poor, the trials of gold panning in Idaho, skiing/riding deep powder, UFOs, and a few other traditional bluegrass subjects (such as murder, drinking, and dogs)."

On Saturday, Bogus Basin will have free music on the patio from 2-5 p.m. with Olivia Frost (left), a singer and guitar player who is based in Boise currently. I took a glance at her Facebook page, and she's been playing all kinds of venues across Southern Idaho in the last year. Wineries, bars, festivals, weddings, you name it.  

Anyway, when you're visiting the ski resorts in the summer, there's all kinds of things to do - from yoga classes, scenic chairlift rides, hiking trails, mountain bike trails, food and beverage, the mountain coaster at Bogus Basin, the zipline at Tamarack and waterfront rentals and activities at Tam. 

Grab some lodging and make a weekend out of it! 
- SS  

Spring season pass sales offer best pricing at Bogus, Tamarack and Brundage

Photo courtesy Bogus Basin

Hi all, 

It's that time of year, once again, when many Idaho ski areas offer spring season pass sales that provide the best pricing for a 2023-24 season pass, plus instant access to the ski mountains in the remaining weeks/months of the 2022-23 ski season. 

Bogus Basin launches their season pass sales tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 23. Tamarack Resort's season pass sales are already under way, with the best pricing open now until March 1st. And Brundage Mountain's season pass sales start on March 1st. 

Be sure to check on the season pass pricing for the places you want to ski/ride, and make your purchase now! The best pricing occurs right when the sales open, and then the rates go up steadily this spring and next fall to full price. Don't wait! Get the best price!  

Remember that many season passes also provide discounts at other ski mountains or provide discounts for an Indy Pass. So when you buy a season pass, you're getting more than just the value of a one-mountain pass.  

2023-24 Pricing: 

Courtesy Bogus Basin

At Bogus Basin, a "True Bogus" pass for adults costs $499 for full access to winter and summer recreation activities. 

• A winter-only adult pass costs $429
• A spring winter pass costs $119    
• Twilight season pass (after 3 p.m.) - $149
• Night season pass (after 6 p.m.) - $99
• Military - $359
• Family - $1,609
• Young Adult (18-24) - $379
• Teen (13-17) - $299
• Junior (7-12) - $179

I believe all of these prices are valid for skiers/riders who have an existing season pass. The price is a smidge higher if you're buying a pass for the first time. 

Considering that it costs $79 for a full day adult pass at Bogus, you can "pay off" these season passes with merely a couple of days of skiing/riding.

More information at Bogus Basin. 

Tim Wolfgram, front, and Mike Erlebach carve turns at Tamarack. Photo by SS 

The $499 Boundless season passes at Tamarack Resort provide four-season access to winter skiing/riding on the mountain, Nordic trails, summer lift-served mountain biking and hiking trails, scenic chairlift rides in the summer, and complimentary 2-hour lake kayak and SUP rentals at the waterfront on Lake Cascade, ski and bike tuning discounts and more. 

Other Boundless passes available with best pricing right now until March 1: 

• Family - $1,199
• Young adult (ages 18-26) - $199
• Teen (12-17) - $299
• Youth - $179
• Senior - $349
• Military - $299
• Midweek - $349

All of those prices go up after March 1st! Again, compared with the cost of a daily lift ticket at Tam ($55 mid-week, $75 weekend), you can ski off the pass in a matter of days. 

Remember that you can get a free day of skiing at Tamarack with a season pass from another Idaho ski area. 

More information on Tamarack season passes.

Courtesy Brundage Mountain Resort 

Again, Brundage Mountain's season pass sale starts March 1, and the best pricing is available through March 20. Rates go up $100 per pass after March 21, and by May 1st, the Brundage adult pass goes from $559 (March 1) to $899. On Nov. 1, the price goes up to $999. You get the idea! 

The season pass pricing shown here provides access to winter and summer activities, including lift-served mountain biking, scenic chairlift rides, bike park access and bike park shuttle in the summer. 

More pricing: 

• Military - $329
• Young adult (age 18-25) - $329
• Teen (13-17) - $269
• Youth (7-12) - $149
• Senior - $299
• Midweek - $399
• Family - $1,399

For price comparison, an adult Brundage lift ticket costs $86. So, you can ski off the pass in a matter of days. And the ski season typically lasts from early December to mid-April! 

More information on Brundage season passes. 

Speaking of skiing/riding, the weather this week has been pretty wacky with this Arctic storm front that descended into Idaho from Canada. Some of the weather forecasts have been way off the mark, and mine were too on the Idaho Daily Snow. Even so, all of Idaho's ski areas have been getting refreshed with new snow this week. Tamarack really got the goods on Wednesday night/Thursday with a foot of new snow. Bogus Basin got 7" out of that storm, and Brundage had 4" as of Thursday afternoon. We'll take it! 

See my latest post on opensnow.com. 

- SS   

North Fork Championships this weekend; plus Brundage, Tamarack and Bogus Basin open for summer season!

A kayaker paddles through a giant frothing hole/wave on the North Fork Payette River.
Photo by SS 

Hi all, 

I stopped by the North Fork of the Payette River today on my way down to Boise from McCall, and I had a chance to watch a number of kayakers participating in the North Fork Championships practice the slalom course in Jacob's Ladder Rapids, the largest and steepest Class 5 drop on the North Fork. 

It's just amazing to stand by the North Fork and feel its thundering power - especially at the top of Jake's! It scares me just to stand there and watch boaters go through the expert-only super-challenging rapids! 

The first slalom gate comes immediately following the first steep drop into the rapids. Competitors have to fly into an eddy on river left as they make the drop, do a quick 180-degree turn, paddle upstream, go around the slalom gate, and then dig in the paddle and carve into a ferocious eddy turn into the center of the raging river, where the kayakers can get churned up in the major turbulence or best case, make a clean entry and zip to the next slalom gate. 

These are some of the nation's best Class 5 kayakers, and they're here kayaking on the North Fork of the Payette River for the North Fork Championships. The event started on Thursday, June 16, and continues through Saturday, June 18, for the North Fork slalom event. I think it's well-worth watching! 

Hang on to that brace buddy! Photo by SS

On Thursday, there was an expert downriver race in S-turn Rapids, just above Big Eddy Campground, on the North Fork. Friday, there's a downriver Boater X race, also in S-turn Rapids, starting at 12:30 p.m. 

The main event, the elite North Fork slalom race in Jacob's Ladder, starts at 1 p.m. Saturday. The kayaker with the fastest time and clean slalom runs wins the race (best of two runs). There are men's and women's elite divisions; a total of 150 kayakers will be participating. 

If you can get up there early and stake out a spot on the North Fork to watch the races, it will be a spectacular thing to see!   

With the warmer weather this week, it seems like summer is finally kicking in! 

Steve Jones amid the flowers in Ponderosa State Park. 

The snow is finally melted around McCall. Hiking and biking trails in Ponderosa State Park are in great shape. The campers are beginning to filter in! Lots of people are hiking and biking at Jug Mountain Ranch as well as on trails around McCall, like the North Valley Rail-Trail, McCall Greenbelt, and Spring Mountain Ranch bike trails.  

Brundage Mountain Resort opens their mountain bike trails this weekend, plus people are encouraged to ski/ride off the top of the mountain as well. Ha! That's kind of a hoot! The Bluebird Express will be running all day Friday-Sunday, plus food and beverage services at the base area. See their announcement about opening weekend, beginning on Friday, June 17, and about future events. The Brundage concert series starts on July 8, plus there's a 4th of July music fest. 

Plenty of snow still at the Brundage summit.

Tamarack Resort's mountain bike park and Tam Express chairlift begin operating this weekend as well on Friday, June 17, and then Tam will remain open seven days a week through the summer season. Riders can enjoy 1,700 vertical feet of downhill riding on the Tam downhill trails, plus there's xc trails worth exploring at the Tamarack base area. There's also zipline tours, waterfront services with boat rentals, and food and beverage. 

Bogus Basin also will be opening for 7-day-a-week operations on Friday. People can ride the Deer Point or Morning Star chairlifts, ride gravity mountain bike trails, ride the Mountain Coaster, go hiking. or engage in other activities in the base area. Food and Beverage as well.    

There you have it! Have a great weekend! 
- SS 

 

Oodles of outdoorsy ideas for the last big camping weekend of 2021 in Idaho!

Big Lookout Lake, Trinity Mountains

Hi all,

Labor Day weekend is upon us! It's the typical last hurrah of the camping season, so I'm dishing up some last-minute tips for the three-day weekend, as always. 

Before we get into the camping ideas, Bogus Basin, Brundage Mountain and Tamarack Resort all have some fun stuff going on this weekend, and the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic at Ann Morrison Park runs daily through Sunday.  

Courtesy Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic

This weekend will be the final segment of Music on the Mountain at Bogus Basin on Saturday, Sept. 4, from 3-6 p.m., featuring Voice of Reason and the Afrosonics on the lawn outside Simplot Lodge. Plus you can partake in Fun Zone activities, including summer tubing, bungee trampoline, gem panning, climbing wall, mountain coaster or ride the lifts to access hiking and biking trails. 

Bogus will be open on weekends through October FYI. 

 

This will be the final weekend of operations at Brundage Mountain. Jeff Crosby and the Refugees will play live in the grass amphitheather in the final TGIF concert of the year Friday night. The event is free. Food and beverage available for sale on site. Also, Brundage is providing FREE lift service to retail, restaurant, service, hospitality and health care employees Friday-Monday. That's pretty cool! 

 

At Tamarack, they're hosting a super fun Bikes, Brews & Bluegrass event on Sunday, Sept. 5, 1-5 p.m. Ride the lift and check out the hiking and biking trails on the mountain. They've got something for all abilities, including hard-core downhillers! In addition, there will be end-of-season sales with guest shop retailers, live bluegrass music by local Idaho musicians, and up to a dozen different beers all from local Idaho breweries! Guests must be 21+ to purchase cups and tokens for beer, but otherwise it's a family friendly FREE event!

 

Steve fishing Rainbow Lake

Now, on to the camping tips and other Labor Day ideas ... the weather looks stellar BTW for camping, hiking and biking this Labor Day weekend, with daytime highs in the 80s in the mountains, and 90s in the Boise Valley.

• Trinity Mountains - Go camping, day-hiking or backpacking in the Trinities. I recommend driving there via Featherville. Head for Big Trinity Lake, the trailhead and general dispersed camping area. It's definitely worth backpacking into the high mountain lakes to get away from the car-campers and enjoy some good fishing!
  
  
  
  

• Cascade area - Stolle Meadows and Landmark are my favorite camping areas in this neck of the woods. There are tons of primitive car-camping spots in both locations, east of Cascade, off the Warm Lake Highway. I've heard there may be some construction in the Stolle Meadows area so check with the Cascade Ranger District for any closures. Plus, there are hot springs in the vicinity.

• 

  Lick Creek area in the Payette National Forest 

• McCall area - Camping, hiking and backpacking in the Lick Creek area NE of McCall should be fabulous. Some of the nice mountain lakes up there include Box, Snowslide, Duck, Hum, Enos and Thirty-three lakes. Pick up a Payette National Forest map or a McCall Adventure Map to get the details for access. Also, check my blog from earlier this summer on five easy-to-access kid-friendly mountain lakes in the McCall area. 

  

  Stanley Lake 

• Stanley area - I'm sure the Stanley area will be hopping with lots of campers at Stanley Lake, Redfish Lake, Pettit Lake and points along the Salmon River. Backpacking in the White Clouds should be dandy, particularly from the East Fork side, being a three-day weekend and all. Don't forget the Marsh Creek Trail as another potential destination ... great hiking and fly fishing spot. Hike up to the junction of Bear Valley and Marsh Creeks, and there's a huge glory hole right there. 

  

  North and Middle Forks of the Boise River ... car-camping mecca 

• Idaho City area - The North and Middle Forks of the Boise River work great for car camping. See my post from last week.  
• Salmon River beaches - Upstream from Riggins along the Salmon River Road are some sweet spots for camping, hanging out and swimming. 

Courtesy Winding Rivers Rafting

Also, Labor Day weekend is chock full of big sales at your favorite outdoor retailers in the Boise area, places like Idaho Mountain Touring, George's Cycles, Boise REI, Greenwood's, McU Sports, Alpenglow Mountain Sport, Idaho River Sports, and Shu's Idaho Running Company, all have some fantastic clothing and gear on sale right now. Great deals! Go get 'em! 

Multiple events going on this weekend in the mountains! Sawtooth Festival, Bogus, Brundage, Tamarack all dishing up fun activities!

Chinook salmon (courtesy IDFG)

Hi all, 

The Western Idaho State Fair is in full swing, kids are back in school, and the weather has been fantastic -- the best all summer! -- to go hiking, biking, trail-running, camping or exploring in the mountains! 

For my outdoor tip this week, I'm highlighting a number of events going on at Bogus, Brundage and Tamarack, the Sawtooth Festival in Stanley, and the Gallery 55 Art in the Courtyard event in McCall, where my son Drew will be showing his latest acrylic paintings Friday-Sunday.  

The smoke is supposed to clear by Friday, making for a gorgeous weekend! High temperatures in the 70s are forecast in the mountains! Chilly at night! 

The summer season is winding down at your favorite ski areas, but there are a couple of weekends left to enjoy lift-served service and musical events.

• The Sawtooth Festival is held each year in Stanley during the spawning season. The event is being held at the Stanley Museum on Highway 75 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Congressman Mike Simpson will be there to talk about his plan to save salmon in the Northwest. Muzzie Braun will be playing at 3 p.m. Salmon spawning tours will be provided by bus. If your kids haven't seen salmon spawning for real, it's something they'll never forget!
  
  
  
  
  
• Bogus Basin will host the Boise Contemporary Theater on Saturday night, and a unique Global Farmer's Market on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Yoga on the mountain in the morning. There's a guided nature hike on Sunday at 2 p.m. Plus, there's the usual assortment of things to do at Bogus from lift-served hiking and biking, to the Mountain Coaster, downhill tubing and more. See the Bogus events page for more information. Last music concert is Sept. 4 with the Boise Rock School. Bogus is operating full services Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  

  Nature hike at Bogus Basin happening on Sunday at 2 p.m.
  

  
  
  
  
• Brundage Mountain is hosting their last TGIF concert Friday with High Pine Whiskey Yell. Jeff Crosby will cap off the live music season on Sept. 3. General hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Brundage has a new mountain bike trail called "Rock Garden" to try out up by the summit! Looks amazing! They're operating Wednesday-Sunday through Labor Day weekend, closing Sept. 6 for the summer season. Check out this video of Rock Garden.
  
  

  

  Yoga on the mountain (courtesy Tamarack Resort)
  

  
  
• Tamarack Resort is operating 7 days a week, offering lift-served hiking and biking, zipline adventures, waterfront activities and more. They've got yoga on the mountain in the morning, and live music Saturday afternoon from 4-6 p.m. with Chicago Boise Express. 
• Boise Goathead Fest - And of course we can must mention the Boise Goathead Fest at Cecil Andrus Park on Saturday. If you stay in town, you must go! Registration starts at 10 a.m., pedal-powered parade at 11 a.m., and then Goathead Fest follows at 11:30 a.m. See the full schedule here. 

Come see our booth at the Gallery 55 art show in McCall if you're in the hood! It opens Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. and runs through 7 p.m., then 10 am - 6 pm on Saturday and 10 am - 4 pm on Sunday.  You can preview Drew's art work at drewstuebner.com. We will be selling original acrylic paintings, limited edition prints and note cards.  

Go for hike or a bike ride in the McCall area and take a stroll through the Art in the Courtyard art show ... similar to Art in the Park in Boise ...  more than 35 artists are being featured in the show. We will be at booth #34 in the Legacy Park area, near Salmon River Brewery and Gravity Sports. 

Hope to see you there!

- SS

These are a few of Drew's latest acrylic paintings that will be on display.

Bear and Frog 

Polar bear and puffin 

Snow levels receding, new bear-proof coolers required in the Sawtooth NRA and Brundage Mountain opens for the season!

What's the snow level in the mountains? Depends on location! Pioneers might be a good bet!
Steve, Wendy and Tim Nelson near Goat Lake in the Pioneer Mountains.

Hi all, 

It's been getting hot here in mid-June, and the snow is melting rapidly in the high country. Many people are yearning to go backpacking and camping at high mountain lakes, but that's still a bit iffy in many locations ... tho not far away! 

Backcountry snow report: The good news is that snow levels are receding to the 9,000-foot level in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Trails out of Stanley Lake, Redfish Lake, Atlanta and Big Boulder Creek trailheads are all open ... although you may run into snow at the mountain lakes above. 

The Forest Service reports that there's still snow blocking portions of the Alice-Toxaway Loop in the Sawtooths, but the Iron Creek Trail leading to Alpine Lake and Sawtooth Lake is open to Sawtooth Lake. The lake itself is still reportedly frozen, but certainly on the melt! 

In the Payette National Forest, you still can't drive over Lick Creek Summit to reach Yellow Pine; snow is blocking the way. If you want to go to Yellow Pine, you can get there via Cascade - Warm Lake Highway to Landmark - Johnson Creek Road to Yellow Pine. The road to Landmark is open, so that means the campsites in that higher-elevation area are open, plus that's another way to reach Deadwood Reservoir. 

North of McCall, the road to Burgdorf and Warren is open. Not sure if Loon Lake Loop is passable yet. Bear Pete Trail from Cloochman Saddle might be snowy in places. 20-Mile Trail would be fine. Snowslide Trail and Box Lake trails likely still have snow. 

Call the local ranger stations closest to where you're thinking of going to get the latest information on snow levels and trail information. 

The Pioneer Mountains might be one of the better choices since that area didn't get as much snow last winter. You can get into the Pioneers via the East Fork of the Big Wood trailhead on Idaho Highway 75 or Trail Creek Road, leading to numerous access points in Copper Basin and the surrounding area. Here's a trip report on a great hike that Wendy and I did to Goat Lake and Betty Lake in the Pioneers. 

Going camping in the Sawtooth NRA? Don't forget your bear-proof cooler! 

FYI - The Forest Service has instituted a new policy regarding food coolers in the Sawtooth NRA area (Sawtooths and White Clouds, outside of the wilderness areas). Here's a link to the "Bear Aware" web page ... if you're picnicking or car-camping in the Sawtooth NRA, you are required to pack your food in a bear-resistant cooler (if left outside), inside your vehicle, inside a building or suspended 10 feet above the ground. The Forest Service is apparently writing tickets about this issue, so be Bear Aware!   

Food storage rules are in effect for this area.

Bogus Basin, Tamarack and Brundage Mountain open for the summer 

I rode Around the Mountain at Bogus Basin two weeks ago when it first opened, and it was outstanding! The creeks were roaring, and the trail wasn't dusty. That will change quickly! Still the wildflowers were spectacular! Quinn and I rode the 10-mile trail together just a week or so after he returned from college. Heading up to Bogus to enjoy a scenic chairlift ride, take a thrilling ride on the Mountain Coaster, go hiking or hang out and have a beer and a sandwich are all good options at Bogus. See the Bogus event calendar for more activities coming up!

Hiking at Brundage on a sun-kissed day

Brundage Mountain is opening for the summer season on Friday, June 18. Mountain biking and hiking trails are open top to bottom! Hidden Valley bike trails are closed still, but Zorro (double-diamond) is open. See the Brundage link for more information on operating hours in the coming weeks. Brundage also has a new trails conditions page. 

Brundage also will host a 4th of July Music Fest featuring the Dusty Huckleberries, French, Evans & Barr, and Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs. There's also a TGIF music series starting with West Mountain Takeover on Friday, June 19. See the Brundage events calendar for the whole lineup this summer.

Tamarack Resort is open for the summer season as well with scenic chairlift rides 7 days a week, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., lift-served mountain biking 7 days a week, food and beverage at the base area, zip lines and boat rentals. Chairlifts will be closed this weekend for the Northwest Challenge 3D Bow Hunt event, and on June 26-27 for the Northwest Cup Downhill Bike Races. Otherwise, the mountain is yours! 

Tamarack also is providing a live music series at Crusty's Restaurant in the village on Tuesday nights. See the Tamarack event calendar for the whole summer lineup of activities.

There you have it! Have a wonderful weekend!
- SS

Weather forecast calls for big *pow* in Central Idaho this weekend; 24-36'' expected

Should be tons of fresh *pow* this weekend. Go get it! (Courtesy Brundage Mountain) 

Hi all,

Well, it's been warm and rainy this week, but now the temperatures are beginning to cool down -- just in time to lay down a fresh layer of powder snow for happy skiers this weekend. Indeed, Christmas is coming early for the powder hounds!

Scott Dorval on KIVI-TV has been tracking the storms and predicting 6-12 inches of new snow from the storms on Thursday, more snow Friday and Saturday, and then 10-18 inches on Saturday night and Sunday. Are you getting excited yet? I am! That's 20-37 inches of new snow forecast from Thursday - Sunday. Woo hoo!

The most snow is forecast for Brundage, Tamarack Resort and Bogus Basin. Sun Valley is supposed to get some new snow, but not more than a couple of inches a day. I heard they had 4 inches of new just this morning.

Brundage will be in full operation on Friday, with all chairs running and 100 percent of the terrain open. Tamarack is opening the whole mountain for the first time on Friday, so there will be lots of fresh snow to ski there. It's not clear what slopes will be open specifically, so check their web site for updates. Sun Valley has been open since Thanksgiving It offers top-to-bottom groomed runs that are guaranteed to burn your quads because the slopes are SO long ... more than 3,000 verts!

Personally, I'm going to head up to McCall because I think there will be the most powder there, and I have a place to stay at our Cozy Cabin in McCall. Look for early-season lodging deals in McCall and Sun Valley. You can pick up stay-and-ski packages for great prices! Sometimes you have to pick up the phone to get the best deals ... especially in McCall.

I'm not sure if Bogus Basin will be open this weekend or not. There is no indication on their web site. I couldn't get an answer on the phone this afternoon. So maybe there will be an announcement on Friday ...

If you're interested in going backcountry skiing this weekend, I'd be cautious about that. Check on avalanche conditions before you go ...

The Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas should be fine for snowshoeing this weekend. No grooming is happening yet, so the xc skiing would be marginal, especially after all the rain mid-week. Monitor the snow conditions line for more information: 208-514-2423.
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I've been contacted by quite a few folks who want to buy my outdoor books for Christmas gifts, and they'd like to get their books signed. So, I have set up a special book-signing event on Saturday, Dec. 19th, beginning at 11 a.m. at the Capital City Market Annex in Vista Village. There will be live music and wine-tasting going on at the same time.

I'll have my outdoor guidebooks with me, and I also will have plenty of copies of "Idaho Microbes: How tiny single-celled organisms can harm, or save, our world."

Idaho Microbes is a brand new 268-page full-color book that features 10 chapters, or "eco-adventures," as my editor puts it, taking readers on a virtual journey to learn about a particular big-picture environmental or human health issue, and then learn about how the magical powers of microbes are helping solve the issue or make it worse. The whole project was a really fun learning experience for me.

In the case of the beer chapter, yeast is the magical ingredient that leads to the unique taste of a beer, among other things. In a chapter on "Guzzling Crude," naturally occurring microbes consume an oil spill below a Nampa gas station. In the chapter on white pine blister-rust, I show how the exotic fungus is combining with mountain pine beetles to kill off our whitebark pine trees in the rooftops of the mountains of Idaho. Fortunately, there are solutions to save our whitebark pines.

Anyway, the book is proving to be very popular so far! Idaho Microbes retails for $29.95. It's available at Rediscovered Books, the Boise State bookstore, Discovery Center of Idaho, and SteveStuebner.com,  
-- SS

Biking at Jug Mountain Ranch, Tamarack offers super fun, diverse trails + shuttle

Steve and Wendy at Jug Mountain Ranch, with Upper Jug Reservoir
and Jughandle Mountain in the background ... 

Wendy's still smiling even after flying off her bike a couple of times ... 

Paul was stoked after riding around Upper Jug Reservoir on the new Shoreline Trail ... 

Cool boardwalk on the new Shoreline Trail. 

The super cool JMR shuttle rig ... 

Hi all,

I had a blast riding at Jug Mountain Ranch near Lake Fork last Saturday with Wendy and a couple of friends, following a spirited evening at the Huckleberry Music Festival. And then I rode the new Huckleberry Trail at Ponderosa State Park on Sunday morning with my friend Jim before having to pack up, clean the cabin and return to the Boise Valley. 

This week, my outdoor tip focuses on mountain biking in the McCall area Park II. My blog on June 11 featured the new Huckleberry Loop, Payette Rim Trail, Loon Lake Loop, Upper Drain at Bear Basin, and Berm and Ernie at Jug Mountain Ranch. 

The greater McCall area is loaded with hiking and biking trails. It's a wonderful place to be this time of year because it's always 10-15 degrees cooler than it is in Boise, and I love to ride in the cool, shady forests of the McCall area in the summer. I detailed 40+ rides in my book, Mountain Biking in McCall, so you might say that I'm somewhat smitten about riding in the Valley County area. 

This week, I'll recap a fun loop that we rode at Jug Mountain Ranch, and also touch on some mountain biking opportunities at Tamarack Resort. Remember that you also can go biking/hiking at Brundage Mountain. Lifts run on Thursday-Sunday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Lift fees are $12 for single-ride lift (hikers), $16 (for bikers), and $32 for day pass for bikers. Brundage is hosting a Family Festival on Saturday, an event geared toward young kids and season pass holders. 

Jug Mountain Ranch continues to impress with new and existing trails, shuttle service, events and general hospitality. Our group met at 10 a.m. at the clubhouse and went for a 2.5 hour ride. I didn't have my GPS on my bike, so it's hard to say how many miles we rode, but I'd guess it was over 10. 

What's great about riding at Jug is the exciting and challenging singletracks that zigzag through the forest, mixed with occasional technical features, fast descents and surprising uphills that you don't expect. When you're done, you feel like you've been worked, but you've got a big grin. 

The route we took Saturday began with a loop around the South Elk Trail, an up-and-down trail in the forest right out of the parking lot. Then, we climbed Mainline, a two-track road, to Upper Jug Reservoir, circled around the reservoir on the newly-dug Shoreline Trail, and then descended on Vandelay Trail and Harper's Hollow back to the clubhouse. 

Shoreline is still getting worked in, but it's really cool to be able to ride around the lake. It's a great addition to the trail system at JMR. 

Both Vandelay and Harper's are narrow singletracks with lots of entertaining features on the way down ... rocks, roots and assorted hazards are all in play in the forests around McCall. True mountain features. Trail-builders at JMR have incorporated those features into the flow of the trail, all to benefit the mountain bike experience. Check it out!

BTW: JMR offers Pivot long-travel bike rentals and runs a shuttle service on weekends. The shuttle cost is $20 for 4 hours. 

This is a Tamarack Classic taken by Sherri Harkin back in the day ... 

Double-diamond line at Tamarack ... 

Super G! 

Another cool place to ride in Valley County is at Tamarack Resort, which is running a shuttle service this summer on Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The shuttle costs $36 for a full day and $26 for half-day. Full-on downhill bike rentals are available. Call 325-1030 to reserve a spot on the shuttle. 

The big draw at Tamarack on weekends is the ability to take the shuttle and ride Super G, an intermediate to advanced/expert mountain bike trail with high-banked corners on numerous turns, downhill for nearly 2,000 verts. Tamarack is a favorite with hard-core freeride bikers, offering rare double-diamond steep rock drop-offs and other totally sick features. For lower-key riders, there's an easy way down on Pura Vida. 

Blast from the past ... Gary Kucy, left, and Steve on a ride down the backside
of Tamarack leading to the upper Weiser River ... My old full-suspension Cannondale ... 

Check out the meadow trails at Tamarack, too, where no shuttle is required. You can take Cottage Trail or Lower Pinnacle over to the meadow trails. Climb Lower Pinnacle, go left on Merlin and climb that to the junction with Sandhill and Wild Turkey. Go downhill on Wild Turkey as it slaloms through the forest to Blackbird and continue to Pelican Trail, which provides a big loop around the perimeter of the golf course, returning to the clubhouse area. 

- SS 

Weekend forecast looks crummy; take a chance on snow or don the rain gear and hike

It's going to be a warm, soggy weekend. 

Hi all,

Well, the weather forecast is looking ridiculously warm for early February here in the valley. The high is supposed to hit 60 degrees F in Boise on Saturday, so if you want to play in the snow, you need to head north to Brundage or Tamarack and hope for the best and enjoy the last weekend of the Winter Carnival. Looks like it's going to be rainy and marginal at Bogus this weekend, so I wouldn't go there unless you are a glutton for punishment.

Below, I'll recommend two hikes close to home that would be doable in the rain. There's no bad weather, just bad gear, right? :)

The judges will be awarding prizes for the snow sculptures in the Winter Carnival, there is an ice show at the Manchester Ice and Event Centre on Friday and Saturday night, there will be fireworks and closing ceremonies on Saturday night, and a number of other activities such as the beer garden, live music, entertainment and more are happening this weekend.

The weather forecast for Brundage looks pretty wild on Friday and Saturday with lots of new wet snow in the forecast, plus high winds. Ditto for Tamarack. The Summit lift should be above the rain.

Cross-country enthusiasts may be heading over to Sun Valley for the Nordic Festival. The Boulder Mountain Tour is set for Saturday.

With all of the rain forecast for Boise, I'd recommend two hikes next to the Boise River that feature walking on gravel trails. I'd still wear your best muck boots to be on the safe side. And don't forget your rain gear! (Please stay off the foothills trails).

1. Hike a 4-mile loop through 72-acre Marianne Williams Park on the north side of the river from Bown Crossing and then cross the Eckert Road bridge and hike back along the south side of the river on the nature trail from Barber Park to Bown Crossing. And then find an eatery of your choice in Bown Crossing for a hot drink and a meal and get out of the rain!  

GPS map from the loop.

Here's a YouTube video I took several years ago featuring Marianne Williams Park.


2. Take a 5-mile hike on the north or south side of the Eagle Greenbelt. Check to see if the new pedestrian bridge is under construction near the Riverside Village area. Construction is supposed to start on Friday, according to Garden City officials. If you do the whole loop on both sides of the river, that'd be a 10-mile loop. You could hike it or bike it. Head for the Eagle Bardenay after your outing and enjoy some great food and drink!

Eagle Greenbelt Loop. You can start near Eagle Road or Glenwood. 

Have fun and stay dry!
- SS

Go play in the snow! Over a foot of *pow* forecast for McCall, Bogus, Idaho City

Go find your fresh *pow* this weekend. Should be lots of it! 

This is how things should look on the xc ski trails on Saturday, if there's any tracks at all ... 

Gold Fork Trail in new snow 

Hi all,

The weather forecasts for Bogus Basin, Brundage Mountain and Tamarack Resort are looking great for a nice coating of new snow Friday and Saturday in the Boise and West-Central Mountains. The forecasts call for more than 6-8" of new snow on Friday and more on Saturday, so get out there and enjoy the new *pow*!

If you go to Brundage, they've got the "Beer and Gear" event going on Saturday and Sunday, starting at noon each day. Think beer garden hosted by McCall craft breweries and the latest demo gear from McCall ski shops.

The forecast for Idaho City and Mores Creek Summit areas calls for a big dump this weekend, with 5-9 inches expected on Friday and another 5-9 inches expected Saturday night. Oh baby! It's going to be lots of powder fun for backcountry skiers, but perhaps deep snow and tough-going for snowshoers. The groomers are going to have a hard time keeping up!

There's supposed to be a fair bit of wind accompanying the storms, so backcountry skiers and snowshoers should carry basic safety gear (avalanche beacon, probe and shovel), and check the Payette Avalanche Center for the day's forecast before you go.

But it sounds like a perfect weekend to go play in the snow in the Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas, too.
I'd highly recommend the Gold Fork Loop for a xc ski or snowshoe outing. It's an intermediate trail, 5.3 miles in length. It's a moderate uphill climb to a low summit, and then it's downhill back to the parking area. The trail is well-signed, and it's well-groomed most of the time. Great for a first date-type of situation where you'd just like to go for an easy-going walk in the woods.

Michael Lanza's kids and friends scale the Skyline Trail. (Courtesy The  Big Outside)

Directly across Idaho 21, the Skyline Loop features a slightly steeper uphill climb on a wide surface. It's a 4-mile loop, topping out near the Skyline Yurt. It's also possible to explore some other trails nearby when you reach the Skyline summit, such as Ralph's Trail, Twister or Ridge.

Farther up Idaho 21, you also could try the Elkhorn Loop from the Banner Ridge Trailhead, or climb up to Stargaze Yurt from Beaver Creek Summit. The Elkhorn Loop is 7.3 miles, so it's longer and more challenging than the Gold Fork and Skyline loops. The loop is typically groomed for xc classic and skate skiing. The trail to Skyline is an ungroomed snowshoe/ski trail. It's 1.5 miles up to the yurt, and 1.5 miles back. There are several slopes that make for good backcountry skiing in the vicinity.

Top off your adventure with a nice soothing soak at the The Springs in Idaho City (call ahead for reservations or do it online) or go home via Lowman and stop at Kirkham Hot Springs or Skinny Dipper Hot Springs.

Enjoy the snow!
- SS