Heavy snow pummeled the skylight of the Rocky Ridge yurt deep in the Boise Mountains.

A fire flickered in the wood stove and the temperature inside the circular Mongolian-style domed tent was in the 60s, perfect for sleeping.

Outside, it was somewhere in the teens.

Even though the yurt was surrounded by mountains smothered in 6 feet of snow, our stay in the yurt was downright comfortable.

Yurts have grown in popularity over the past 20 years and have introduced a lot of people to winter in the mountains.

They are popular because they make winter camping like not camping at all. Most come equipped with cooking stoves, wood stoves, cooking utensils and bunks. All you have to haul in is food, personal items and a sleeping bag.

Some yurts operated by outfitters have catering available.

Yurts have spread from the backcountry to ski resorts and state parks.

There are adventures for everyone, from backcountry powder hounds to those who only want to stroll a quarter mile from pavement.

Renting a yurt is a warm and cozy way to enjoy the snowy backcountry and days of snowshoeing and Nordic skiing.

A variety of yurts are available from Bogus Basin to McCall and toward Sun Valley.

Here is a list of some of the yurts available. Be forewarned, most yurts are booked for popular winter weekends.

But if you snag one and try a winter adventure, you'll keep coming back for more.

Harriman State Park

What: Two yurts at Harriman State Park in eastern Idaho are next to an extensive cross-country ski trail system and a short distance from the world-famous Henrys Fork of the Snake River. It is definitely a place for wildlife watching and photography. Harriman State Park lies within an 11,000-acre wildlife refuge with large populations of trumpeter swans.

Cost: $45 a night.

Notes: Harriman yurts can sleep a maximum of six people.

Getting there: Drive 18 miles north of Ashton on U.S. 20. It is an all-day drive from the Treasure Valley.

Information and reservations:

www.parksandrecreation.idaho.gov

Sun Valley Trekking

What: Sun Valley Trekking has wilderness huts and yurts at six locations in the Sawtooth, Smoky and Pioneer mountains.

Each hut is a little different — some are Mongolian-style round yurts, and others are Western-style wall tents. Sun Valley Trekking has been exploring Idaho’s wild snowy areas with guests since 1982.

Cost: $35 per person per night, with a minimum of $175 per night Sunday-Thursday; $350 for private rentals Fridays, Saturdays and holidays.

Notes: Folks visiting any hut or yurt for the first time are required to hire a guide for the first day of the trip to lead them to the hut and fill them in on using the facility. The guide costs from $100 to $150 depending on the location. Food service is available.

Getting there: Head out from the Sun Valley area.

Information and reservations:

www.svtrek.com; (208) 788-1966

Williams Peak yurt

What: The Williams Peak yurt is located near Thompson Peak, the highest peak in the Sawtooths. The area is considered primo backcountry skiing and snowboarding. The yurt was one of the first built in the United States.

Cost: $35 per night per person with an eight-person minimum. A guide may be required to join your party. See the Sawtooth Mountain Guides Web site for details.

Notes: Besides yurts and hut-to-hut skiing in the Sawtooths, Sawtooth Mountain Guides offers ski and snowboard mountaineering camps, avalanche safety courses and guided backcountry touring. Prices vary for lessons and guided trips.

Getting there: Take Idaho 21 from Boise to Stanley.

Information and reservations: www.sawtoothguides.com.

Galena Lodge

What: Galena Lodge near Galena Summit, north of Sun Valley, has three yurts near its Nordic and snowshoe trail system. The area has miles of trails in Idaho's Boulder and Smoky mountains.

Cost: Yurt rentals range from $125 to $145 a night.

Notes: Two yurts sleep eight people each and another sleeps four. You can haul in your own food or order gourmet meals from Galena Lodge. The lodge is full-service for meals, rentals and other equipment.

Getting there: Head 25 miles north of Sun Valley on Idaho 75.

Information and reservations: www.galenalodge.org

Winchester yurts

What: The Winchester yurts are in Winchester State Park between Grangeville and Lewiston. They are near cross-country ski trails and ice skating and ice fishing at nearby Winchester Lake .

Cost: Ranges from $45 to $55 a night.

Notes: One of the yurts has a microwave, which makes cooking easier. Yurts sleep up to five people.

Getting there: Drive Idaho 55 and U.S. 95 north to Winchester. It is a full-day drive in winter.

Information and reservations: www.parksandrecreation.idaho.gov

Bogus Basin

What: A yurt along the Nordic Trail System is new this season at Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area. It is close to Boise and an easy ski or snowshoe trek to the yurt. It is ideal for families.

Cost: $100 per night (sleeps 9 to 12 with four bunks and a futon).

Notes: It is a pack-it-in, pack-it-out facility about 1 kilometer from Frontier Point Nordic Lodge.

Getting there: Drive 16 miles north from Boise on Bogus Basin Road.

Information and reservations: See www.bogusbasin.org

Payette Powder Guides

What: Payette Powder Guides have two yurts on Lick Creek Summit in the heart of Idaho's west-central mountains. The area features thousands of acres of untracked powder.

Cost: Private reservations for the yurt rental cost $40 per person with a six-person minimum. Prices vary for full-service, fully catered and guided trips. Avalanche instruction and day trips also are available. Transportation via snowcat or snowmobile is $160 per person and 70 pounds of gear.

Note: Access is by snowmobile, snowcat, or an easy 11-mile ski up a snow-covered county road.

Information and reservations: www.payettepowderguides.com; (208) 634 3189.

Idaho City Park N' Ski area

What: Five backcountry yurts operated by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation are at the Idaho City Park N' Ski area, northeast of Idaho City. They are about an hour from Boise and are situated on an extensive cross-country ski trail system.

Cost: The yurts sleep six and cost $75 per night on weekdays and $90 a night on weekends. If you have more friends who want to throw a sleeping bag on the floor, they can stay for an additional $10 per night each on weekdays and $12 per night on weekends, up to a maximum of nine in each yurt.

Notes: You have to haul your own food, sleeping bags and personal items in on moderate ski or snowshoe treks.

Getting there: Drive 60 to 65 miles northeast of Boise on Idaho 21.

Information and reservations: www.parksandrecreation.idaho.gov

Lake Cascade State Park

What: Three group yurts are on a knoll overlooking Lake Cascade. They are ideal for family reunions or retreats. Lake Cascade is known for its ice fishing. The yurts are operated by Lake Cascade State Park.

Cost: $175 per night rental of three yurts for up to 30 people.

Notes: Easy access for families and from the town of Cascade. There's cross-country skiing and sledding nearby. Snowmobiling is popular in the mountains around Cascade.

Getting there: Drive 75 miles north on Idaho 55 to Cascade. Go past the town and look for the turnoff.

Information and reservations: www.parksandrecreation.idaho.gov

Zimo: 377-6445