[Sierra Fred]

Well the Sierra snow conditions thread has fallen off the first page, and I'm comfortable in my decisions on whether or not to wear a helmut or use NTN, so we might as well talk about something else.

I'll be road tripping through southern Idaho on the way to meet family in Yellowstone this summer.

What should I see and where should I go? I like birds, rocks, wildlife and out-of-the-way places with bandit camping. I will not have four-wheel-drive.

The Snake River Birds of Prey Area looks great, as does Craters of the Moon. What else should I put on the list?

Any leads to good geologic field guides to this area would also be appreciated.

Thanks!
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Heh, I know this place. You know you are on a telemark site when peep's concerns about new gear center on the "downside" that the new gear might make skiing somehow easier or different.
-Cowdog, Sept 8, 2009

[jibmaster]

City of Rocks
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=frgbld&gs_nf=1&tok=TKCy0ncwOIrlw-Z51wAmSQ&cp=13&gs_id=1n&xhr=t&q=city+of+rocks&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1004&bih=610&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=f19vT93DFe7JiQLnq_WCBQ
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Coastal Crest Snow Patrol
http://www.zazzle.com/jibmaster
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jibmaster/
http://www.earnyourturns.com/3878/ccsp-guide-2-mendocino/

[Hoka Hey]

Tons of hot springs, fish Silver Creek, Hyde Park area in Boise to catch a show, Check out some amazing whitewater just north of Boise, steelhead fishing in the Salmon with great scenery, I would imagine good BC skiing opportunities as well. Craters and Bird of Prey a great idea, Henry's Fork for fishing, Teton River, some good Mtn bike in the Teton Pass area, Targhee Music Festival, Jackson for food and Alpine slide at Snow King, Surf Lunch Counter south of Jackson, teton views, scenic float in Teton Park or whitewater in the canyon. Etc

[3PinGrin]

Roadside Geology of Idaho:

http://geology.com/store/roadside-geology-idaho.shtml
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"Throw you in the pigpen, and you come out vice president of the hogs." Burt Lancaster

[bcoolman2]

Definitely go sand skiing at Bruneau Sand Dunes State Prak
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pouring like an avalanche coming down the mountain

[<<(db)>>]

Brief few weeks when the lava of craters is covered in wildflowers. Cool if u can catch
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If you are doing less than loving whatever you are giving your attention to, you are not who you were really born to be.

[Sierra Fred]

Hey thanks you guys. Very much appreciate the tips.

3pingrin: Do you think the Roadside Geology of Idaho Book is good? The California versions of this series is horrible IMHO. On the other hand, the Missouri version, which just came out in the last few years, is excellent. I do plan on buying the two new Yellowstone guidebooks.

Oh, by the way, the two inches of dust on crust in the Tahoe area skied better than we expected it would today.
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Heh, I know this place. You know you are on a telemark site when peep's concerns about new gear center on the "downside" that the new gear might make skiing somehow easier or different.
-Cowdog, Sept 8, 2009

[3PinGrin]

[aaron_wright]

Coming from the Bay Area? If so I would drive north and through Alturas/Lakeview and check out the Oregon Outback as well.

[Carpe Canem]

Leslie Gulch. In Oregon, just west of SW ID. If you are coming from Calif you may well be taking RT 95 to ID. It's the main access road to Leslie Gulch. Long empty dirt road run to get there, but good surface and signed. If it is not too wet, take the Succor Creek loop to get into Idaho. If wet, skip it, back to 95 the way you came. If Succor Creek road gets wet, slippery "gumbo" mud forms. At Leslie there is great hiking up a canyon full of rock formations from a developed picnic spot 1/2 way down the gulch. At Succor Creek, an obvious pull-off from the main road provides a spectacular overlook from atop the sheer canyon wall.

http://www.scenicdrivesusa.com/node/169

http://www.cropinfo.net/Locallinks/LeslieGulch.htm

http://www.cropinfo.net/Locallinks/SuccorCreek.htm
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Grab the dog!

[J]

The Lunch Counter on the Snake.

[Baaahb]

we travel a few times a year between Reno and the Tetons

if you drive the interstates it is pretty significant detours to get to areas of substantial interest en route. if you go north and then drive across the Idaho mountain ranges, it of course takes much longer

I have never gone north to Boise and then across Idaho as it seems from the map to be a much longer route. we always go east and then up

the quickest way from Reno to Yellowstone is probably I-80 to 93 to I-84. the more scenic route is to take 50 across Nevada and then head north.

IMO, detours south into the Toiyabes and Rubies are more interesting than what you will find in southern Idaho. central Nevada is awesome and you do not need 4-wheel drive. bandit camping all over the place. but I guess you've been there, done that

the west is full of lava flows and lava caves and, IMO, Craters is not that special

the NV/Idaho border has remote mountains with much wildlife but requires significant travel on rough roads to get into it.

city of rocks is on the go-to list but a significant detour so have not made it there yet. (and also there are lots of areas in the West with jumbles and mazes of huge standing rocks)

there are some nice parks along the Snake, including in Twin Falls, that are worth a walk but not an extended stay

once you get to Idaho Falls, the fun really starts. Swan Valley, Teton Valley, Henry's Fork, etc etc

if I may sound blase about southern idaho...I am just trying to give you useful info rather than hype
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Other vegetables have a hard time competing with potatoes.

[agtucker]

Not sure if it counts as southern ID but Stanley and the Sawtooths are worth the trip.

[Edgyinoregon]

I'm going to disagree with Baaahb here about Craters of the Moon. It's a geologic study area and not much else, but I found it fascinating. If you are going to Yellowstone, Craters (and mostly all of southern Idaho was created by the same volcanic hot spot that is currently under Yellowstone. So at Craters you get the whole story of Yellowstone from the beginning and also the explanation of why most of southern Idaho is a vast (and thick) lava flow. If you've seen the gorge at Twin Falls you've seen how thick the lava is.
There is a hot spring and pool just west of the Craters visitor center, right on highway 20. It's on the north side of the highway and there is a gravel parking area just above the pool. I can't remember exactly how far west from the visitor center turn off, maybe 3 or 5 miles. You can't see it from the road, you have to look off from the parking pull out and it's right there.
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[fogey]