2020 Resolution: Camp (At Least) Once a Month

Making good on the resolution in January in Big Sur, CA

Back in January, I didn't really know what to do about a New Year's resolution. I am usually in the camp of having at least one or two resolutions related to a healthy lifestyle, but this year I moved on New Year's Eve and knew my time for the next few months would be more limited as I got settled in my new space, so I wanted to aim more for fun goals with the underlying idea that the goal should help me discover more places in Idaho. Camping has always felt like my "reset" button that slows down my thoughts and really re-centers me. I love spending time setting up camp, enjoying nearby hikes, and sharing time outdoors with family and friends. I made it my resolution this year to camp at least once a month. Hopefully as we approach the warmer months this may increase to 2+ times per month, but at least I can work towards my monthly resolution!

January: Kirk Creek Campground, Big Sur, CA. This was a beautiful campground on the coast with hiking trails nearby and a trail down to the rocky coastline, a beautiful place to watch the sunset.

February: Skyline Yurt, Boise National Forest, ID. What a wonderful winter adventure! I skied into this yurt from one of Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation's Park N' Ski areas, which are all over the state. A permit is required. The Idaho City yurts can be reserved up to nine months in advance, so now is the time to start making plans for next winter!

March-December: To Be Decided, time to start planning adventures! (that's the fun of it!) I will update this post with other months of camping destination as the year goes by!

February's camping trip - a stay at a yurt nestled in a winter wonderland

Adventure is out there!

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Backpacking in the Sawtooth Wilderness

Sawtooth Wilderness boundary Looking toward the far side of Farley Lake - the first campsite This past weekend, I went backpacking on an iconic loop in the Sawtooth Mountains of central Idaho. The Sawtooths are beloved and renowned for their dramatic sharp, rocky peaks that resemble the teeth on a saw. I had only been to the Sawtooths once before (six years ago when I was working a seasonal position in McCall), so I was looking forward to exploring more. I hiked the Toxaway Lake to Alice Lake Loop , and spent two nights in the backcountry. This was the perfect amount of time to spend backpacking, since it's been several years since I've hit the trail and done backcountry camping. My back and legs were achy and tired by the end of the weekend, but this trip itinerary allowed The fire smoke that has been looming over Boise was present in Stanley (a small river town close to the Sawtooths) and the views of the mountains took on a dreamlike, mystical quality w...

Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey Driving Tour

Driving tour of Birds of Prey National Conservation Area - click here to see the brochure and map A couple of weeks ago, I took a driving tour of the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. The driving route outlines some notable geographic features of the area, as well as bringing birds to great spots above the Snake River for catching glimpses of birds of prey. Read more about the history of this unique area here . View of Initial Point Snake River at Celebration Park Helpful bird identification sign at Dedication Point This sign at the Kuna Visitors Center has great ideas for stops along the Western Heritage Historic Byway View from Dedication Point

Winter Weekend at Bogus Basin

Amazing view from the condo Bogus Basin is one of the many gems of Treasure Valley: close to Boise, affordable (it is a non-profit organization!), and offers many different options for winter recreation. Bogus is basically the go-to winter destination for close-to-home winter downhill and Nordic skiing, snow tubing, and snowshoe hiking. Even though this winter recreation area is only about an hour's drive from Boise, it can also be a great location for a quick weekend winter getaway. Bogus Basin has a number of condos for rent through Vacasa or VRBO. The Pioneer Condos are on top of the mountain close to Pioneer Lodge. These condos offer Wi-Fi, ski-in/ski-out location (you can see people skiing about 10 feet from the condo!), and luxurious hot tubs to relax after a long day of skiing. Although Bogus Basin is primarily known for its incredible winter activities, the area boasts lots of mountain biking and hiking trails to be enjoyed in the warmer months. There a...

Boise By Nature

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