Notebook: Dogs can now roam off-leash at these Boise parks; Bogus open for hike-and-ski
Two popular Boise parks opened for the city’s seasonal off-leash dog program on Sunday, according to a city news release.
Dog owners can take their pups to play off-leash at Ann Morrison Park and Optimist Youth Sports Complex. The season runs through the end of February.
Typically, dogs are required to be leashed in city parks unless in a designated off-leash area or dog park. Owners must still leash their dogs in the parking lots of the parks, as well as on the Greenbelt and on playgrounds. Owners should also pick up after their dogs.
The off-leash program is intended to help address the large numbers of geese at both parks, which can cause long-term damage to landscaping and create public health hazards with their waste.
Bogus Basin opens ‘hike park’ for early season skiing, snowboarding
Skiers and snowboarders can get a jump on the season at Bogus Basin’s hike park, according to a news release.
The Boise-area mountain opened its hike park over the weekend, offering a snow-covered terrain area with “boxes, rails and corrugated tubes” to ski and snowboard over. The snowy area is the result of Bogus’ early-season snowmaking, which began last month. Visitors can hike up to the top of the snowy terrain before skiing or snowboarding down. The park is located above the Simplot base lodge near the Deerpoint Express chair lift’s lower terminal.
“Just a couple years ago, an October opening was unheard of,” said general manager Brad Wilson in the release. “This is big news for Bogus Basin and the ski and snowboard community. We hope that it is another sign of a great winter season ahead.”
This is the second year that Bogus has had the hike park, and officials said it’s the earliest Bogus Basin has ever opened. The park will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it’s free to use.
The regular season opening is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 27.
Volunteers clean up Sawtooth campgrounds
Dozens of volunteers helped clean up campgrounds in the Sawtooth mountains last month as part of an inaugural partnership between the U.S. Forest Service, Idaho Conservation League, Sawtooth Society, National Forest Foundation, and Sawtooth Interpretive and Historical Association.
A news release from the Sawtooth Society said nearly 250 people helped tidy campgrounds in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area over a two-week period in October.
“These volunteers logged a total of 909 hours of work, rehabilitated 150 campgrounds, disassembled 320 overbuilt fire rings and disposed of 123 instances of human waste,” the release said.
Trash — including human waste — became a major issue at campgrounds and day-use sites this year as more and more visitors flocked to the outdoors.
“Reports differed from site to site,” officials said. “Some volunteers were pleasantly surprised to find little to no trash in popular areas such as the Saddleback Lakes or Goat Lake.”
An Idaho Conservation Corps youth crew funded by the Sawtooth Society, ICL and NFF also cleaned up nearly 100 campsites and 50 miles of road in the area, including the designated campgrounds and trailheads at popular Redfish Lake.
McCall will host Winter Carnival, but COVID-19 means no fireworks, parades
McCall will hold its 56th annual Winter Carnival this January, but some of the event’s popular activities have already been scrapped because of coronavirus precautions, according to a news release.
The Winter Carnival will take place Jan. 29 through Feb. 7. Each winter, the event brings tens of thousands of people to the small mountain town, where visitors can view snow sculptures and celebrate the season. In order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, officials have canceled the Children’s Torchlight Parade, Mardi Gras Parade, firework shows, beer garden and live music on the Main Stage.
“While we know it is disappointing to not be able to host these events, they are simply going to have to wait until we are clear of the pandemic,” said McKenzie Kraemer with the McCall Area Chamber of Commerce in the news release.
