Hiking and Mountaineering - Class A

Come hike in the foothills under a full moon. We will hike the Polecat trail loop, a favorite foothills hike of mine. It's a class A hike (see trip classifications) of 5.8 miles. There will be a full moon on May 5 and the moon rises at 8:52 pm and the sun sets at 8:53 pm. We will start the hike in daylight at 8 pm and hike about 2.5 hours, finishing with the light of the full moon (assuming the weather cooperates of course). Bring headlamp, water, and clothing layers. If you are new to IMR this would be a great local hike to come and meet some of the group. Contact Patrice Davies at patricedavies1@gmail.com to sign up. 

Can't let Fall slip away with out doing this hike. It is a scenic out and back hike which meanders along the Crooked River. Lunch will be at a sandy beach approximately 3.5 miles in (total trip approx 7 miles). Elevation 500’ total. Trailhead is approximately 18 miles north of Idaho City. We will leave Boise at 9:00 AM and return late afternoon. Will cancel if raining. Limit 12. RSVP to Patrice at patricedavies1@gmail.com

Join me for a moderately strenuous day hike to the top of Lucky Peak mountain (5,900’) on Sat 6/25. We will walk up the old road, which includes beautiful ridgeline views, wildflowers, and a cool patch of forest. Once at the top, we’ll take in the summit area views for a bit, and then drop off the summit and hike cross country to the bottom. Expect to see numerous deer, peaceful slopes and meadows, and playful drainages. Bring a daypack with lunch, snacks, plenty of water, raingear, camera, and everything else needed for a 3/4 day-long hike. Wear good hiking shoes and preferably ankle gaiters to protect against cheatgrass and small rocks on the way down. Contact me if interested by Thursday pm for further details, meeting time, and place at idpeakgirly at hot mail dot com.

Escape the heat of town for a mid-week break in the cool forests of the Stanley Basin.  Join us for car-camping in a developed campground (drinking water, picnic tables, restrooms, USFS fee $10/site/night).  Depending on the participants, we'll plan a photo-crawl, wildflower hike, trips to scenic lakes/waterfalls, relaxation in camp, and/or peak bag in the Sawtooth Wilderness or Salmon River Mountains.  Our activities will start at an easy level with more challenging choices available depending on participants.
 
We will drive up on Tuesday morning, enjoy a full day of activities on Wednesday, and drive home Thursday afternoon.  Group potluck on Wednesday evening, all other meals on your own.  You will need a 3-season tent and sleeping bag; camp stoves can be shared.  Contact the trip leaders about additional gear and the type of activities you are interested in.  About a 3-hour drive from Boise and accessible for passenger cars.  No dogs please.
 

Hike Corrals Trail on Friday, June 17.  Meet at 8:30 am.  If there are enough people able to go, we can spot cars and go from Bogus Basin Rd. to 8th St. Extension, total distance 4 miles.  If not, then out a few miles and back. 

Join me for a moderate desert day hike in Leslie Gulch.  We’ll hike a large and scenic side drainage called Juniper Gulch.  Hiking is non-technical, and generally off-trail with sandy, uneven drainage bottoms and sloping desert grasslands.  Elevation gain and loss are the same at 1200’, with hiking starting at 3100’ and climbing to 4300’ before dropping back down an adjacent drainage, for a total of 2.5 (optional 3.5 with climbing to 4800’ if we choose) miles. As time permits, we’ll also explore another drainage called Timber Gulch (1 mile of hiking).  Typically, desert areas are hot this time of year, but this year who knows, so plan clothing and rain gear accordingly. 
 

We’ll meet at 8:00 am at a place TBD in Boise/Meridian, and carpool, traveling 2.5 hours, through Marsing and into Oregon on Hwy 95, and then onto a car-friendly dirt and gravel road.  Bring lunch, plenty of water, snacks, camera, cash to split up gas costs, and all other sundries needed for a full day out.  Part of my purpose for this trip is to take some photos to match up with GPS waypoints of other side drainages, so expect a few car stops along the way to Juniper trailhead and back.  No dogs.  Limit 8.

If you are hanging around town this weekend and looking to get out and hike, join us for a Sunday morning foothills hike. The plan is to start on Bob's trail and connect with the Corrals trail for an in and out hike of about 6 miles. There are some hills so be prepared for a good workout. We will stop mid-way for a snack and to enjoy the great views. We will meet in the Bogus Basin office parking lot at the bottom of Bogus Basin road at 9 am and will carpool the couple of miles to the trailhead. Hike should take about 3 hours. Call Anita at 761-5145 or Patrice at patricedavies1@gmail.com for more information or to let us know if you are planning on attending. Rain or muddy trails will cancel. 

Hike Upper Hulls Gulch. This is a 6 mile roundtrip hike and is one of my favorite in the Boise foothills. We will hike to the waterfall, take a snack break, and hike back out. The hike usually takes 2-2.5 hours. Parking at the trailhead is limited so we will meet below and carpool to the trailhead.  Meet at 9 am. Contact Patrice at patricedavies1@gmail.com or at 322-3941 

This is one of the many wonderful local area day hikes in Boise.  Found in Best Easy Day Hikes Boise,

http://ridgetorivers.cityofboise.org/Trails/InteractiveMap/index.aspx#-691529217 says it's a pleasant 6.2 mile hike with rolling terrain and nice views.  Never been there, but some who are interested say it's really nice.  About 10-30 minutes drive time to the trailhead, depending on where you live in Boise.  Sorry, only one dog permitted and that slot is already taken.  

May 21-22
Even if you’ve never sat gazing at the stars before you’ll enjoy this outing. We’ll camp (RV, car, tent, it’s all good) Saturday night at Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park. Those who come early can join us for a 5.9 mile hike around the lake (class A). Spend the rest of your day climbing the largest single-structure sand dunes in North America, or touring the visitor center, fishing, kite-flying, etc.. When the sun goes down your day is just beginning. The Boise Astronomy Club puts on a great presentation at 8:30 followed by star-gazing through a 25” telescope (among others).
Leashed dogs and kid friendly, day use or over-night fees plus observatory fees apply.