Outdoors notebook: Bogus Basin opens Friday; more steelhead stocked in Boise River
Two local ski areas have announced they’re firing up their lifts to begin the ski season.
Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area announced Tuesday that it will open all 10 of its lifts on Friday, its initially projected opening date for the season. However, the mountain will only be open to season pass holders — no lift tickets will be on sale. Bogus officials said the move will keep crowds under control and allow them to fine-tune their COVID-19 precautions, which include limited lodge use and a face mask requirement indoors and on lift lines.
In a news release, officials said Bogus will be closed Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 to continue to adjust operations, but they anticipate opening for seven-days-a-week skiing and snowboarding on Dec. 2. Night skiing begins Dec. 12.
As of Nov. 20, Bogus reported 50 inches of snow on the mountain thanks to a combination of snowmaking and winter storms. More information on Bogus’ COVID-19 rules, as well as daily conditions updates, are available at bogusbasin.org.
Brundage Mountain, located near McCall, plans to fire up three of its chairlifts for a “sneak peek” at the season starting Wednesday, it said in a news release. Like Bogus, Brundage will limit attendance to season pass holders. It plans to operate the Easy Street Triple, Bear Chair and BlueBird Express lifts, and crews will groom the front side of the mountain.
The mountain will close on Thanksgiving but resume operations on Friday, Saturday and Sunday before taking a two-day hiatus on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 to streamline operations. Operations will open again on Dec. 2. Brundage said it’s the first time in 15 years that the ski area has opened before Thanksgiving. The mountain has seen 16 inches of snow at its base and 25 inches at higher altitudes.
For more information, visit brundage.com.
Fish and Game stocking steelhead in Boise River
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is again stocking the Boise River with hatchery steelhead on Wednesday, nearly doubling anglers’ chances of reeling in one of the native Idaho trout.
In a news release, Fish and Game officials said they’ll add between 150 and 200 steelhead to the Boise River at five Treasure Valley locations: Glenwood Bridge, Americana Bridge, Broadway Avenue Bridge behind Boise State University, West Parkcenter Bridge and in Barber Park. This release adds to the 250 steelhead the agency released in the Boise River last week.
Anglers need a fishing license and a steelhead permit to keep the fish, which are a type of rainbow trout. Permits are good for 20 fish — two fish per day, six in possession and 20 for the fall season, according to the agency.
The hatchery fish will have a clipped adipose fin to distinguish them from wild fish. Any rainbow trout longer than 20 inches that lacks an adipose fin is considered a steelhead, Fish and Game said.
Former Idaho Parks and Rec director dies
Former Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation director Yvonne Ferrell died Saturday at the age of 84, according to an agency news release.
Ferrell became the first female parks director in the nation when she was hired in 1987, and she stayed with Idaho Parks and Rec until 2002. Prior to that, she served as the deputy director of Washington State Parks.
Ferrell led the department through several major milestones. Idaho opened seven state parks during her tenure: Dworshak, Land of the Yankee Fork, Glade Creek, Lake Walcott, Lake Cascade, Castle Rocks and Coeur d’Alene Parkway. It also opened the Ashton to Tetonia Trail, Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes and the state’s border-to-border Centennial Trail. Ferrell oversaw the development of the Bruneau Dunes State Park observatory and helped develop the system of rental yurts that Parks and Rec manages near Idaho City, as well as yurts and cabins in other state parks.
In addition, Ferrell helped create the Idaho Shakespeare Festival site located behind the Parks and Recreation Office on Warm Springs Avenue in East Boise. After her retirement in 2002, she helped develop a writing program for Idaho teenagers and cofounded Friends of Idaho State Parks.
This story was originally published November 24, 2020 at 3:08 PM.
