A week or so ago, I lost the battle with my jelly legs and ringing ears. Inside the most packed, sweaty Neurolux I’ve seen in my limited 21+ lifespan, even the sweet sound of the Cave Singers couldn’t keep me from fleeing to topple into bed by eleven o’clock on the closing night of Boise‘s inaugural Treefort Music Fest. Sitting on a sparsely populated, sunny Sunday Neurolux patio now, I reflect. Wristbands have been shed, the unmarked van to car ratio has evened out, and the wait for oatmeal at Big City Coffee this Saturday was fifteen minutes instead of fifty. As much as I enjoy my own private Idaho most of the time, I’m not exactly glad to see Treefort go. The bustle that populated my usual stomping grounds seemed to belong in a way I wasn’t expecting. There is a reason we Boiseans choose to live here, and for a few days, several hundred extra people had the opportunity to figure it out.

There is often talk, late at night, in the darkness of (until recently) smoke-filled basement bars, of Boise and its potential, of its emerging as a center for creative folk. This isn’t a new idea, but recently it feels like one that’s becoming much more concrete. When I first got wind of Treefort in October of last year, I thought, “Please, oh please, oh please, be awesome.” There was plenty of fear that it would turn out similarly to previous attempts, portraying Boise, yet again, as a self-limiting toddler city. Contrarily, and I have done my best not to approach this as a Boise-loving, hometown-pride-touting maniac, Treefort easily surpassed my hopes and not only helped cement Boise into the minds of newcomers, but did so with prowess unexpected. Treefort, from the perspective of musicians and attendees alike, was a classy festival. Artists were treated like your grandma’s house guests with free bike rentals and hotel rooms. It felt as though all of Boise, including the weather, went out of its way to ensure a resounding nod of approval. So, we want you to like us. Maybe we try too hard. We’re like that here – nice, genuine, hospitable – and we’re not apologizing for it.

Oh, and the music. Yeah, that was okay too. The conflicted daze of choosing whether to see Built to Spill or Lemolo, Delicate Steve or Pickwick, and AU, Red Hands Black Feet or Solomon’s Hollow? Now, that’s the mark of a good festival. Highlights? This is a music blog after all . . .

• Finn Riggins kicking it off to a 6 p.m. on Thursday, full-up Neurolux
• Dance party at the Linen Building with Pickwick and Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside
• Blitzen Trapper’s super earnest three-person in-store at the Record Exchange with an appearance by some of those sweet Parson Redheads
• Lemolo’s same-time-as-Built-to-Spill set that eventually brought The Red Room to capacity and a glossy-eyed girl crush coma
• Motopony have so much energy I thought their singer’s eyeballs might explode

Best new/newly realized finds: Learning Team, Solomon’s Hollow, Snake Rattle Rattle Snake

The “emerging artist” bent of Treefort fits Boise’s present tense well. And while many of the artists mentioned here are hardly “emerging,” I am eager to watch them, this festival, and Boise itself find energy and growth in each other.

– Catie

The first annual Sun Valley Film Festival successfully got up and running on Thursday, March 15, 2012. Truly a great triumph, this festival brought film and the arts to a new level.

Daniel Frandson was one of the child actors in "Magic Valley."

Some of the new independent films featured were, “Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best”, “LUV”, “War Elephants”, “Soda Springs” and “Magic Valley”. Some of the shorts included, “Cabby”, “Star Waiters”, “Grandma Must Get Dry” and “Crawlspace”.

In celebration of a weekend of accomplishment, an award party was held in the Town Square. The “Vision Award” was presented to Heather Rae for “Magic Valley”. Jaffe Zinn was awarded the “Gem State Award” and the “One in a Million Award” for ‘Magic Valley”. “War Elephants” also received a “One in a Million Award’ and “Soda Springs” was granted the “Audience Award”.

The first Sun Valley Film Festival was very successful and achieved great praise from many people.

Actor’s Opinion:
By Daniel Frandson

The Sun Valley Film Festival was a great success and I think it will gain popularity in the years to come.

Jaffe Zinn receives the Gem State Award for "Magic Valley"

Being able to meet the directors and the producers of the films was very interesting and also a great experience. From an actor’s standpoint, it was beneficial to get feedback during the Question and Answer sessions.

All the volunteers and those who worked the festival were very considerate, kind and helpful. The filmmakers and the audience were very gracious.

The independent movies were very inspiring films because the plotlines were rarely repetitive, they worked with very low budgets and the directors always seemed genuinely concerned about the topics they were addressing.

Lodging at the Tamarack Lodge was great and even had pool. The scenery, as well as the snow, was beautiful. The only downside was there was very little food available before 4:30 p.m. or after 10:00 p.m. Luckily, The Pioneer Saloon went out of their way to accommodate us by keeping the kitchen open after closing.

The Sun Valley Film Festival was a wonderful experience – an experience of a lifetime – and I hope to attend many more. I thank Jaffe Zinn, Heather Rae and Laura Mehlhaff for giving me the opportunity to take part in this event.

Ride Idaho 2011 is in the history books, and as with past rides, was one that has created lasting memories for those that participated as riders, volunteers, and community members.  Our route included rest stops or overnight camping in Lowman, Stanley, Clayton, Challis, Mackay, Arco, Hailey and Galena Lodge.

Some of the highlights of the event, as expressed by our riders include,  “…the spectacular view of the Sawtooth Mountains from Stanley,” “…the high valley rock formation south of Challis,” “…It was so cool to jump into a natural hot spring along the Salmon River,” “…I was amazed at the historical relics at the museum in Clayton,” “…Wow!, as they pedaled through the Craters of the Moon.”  There were many from out of state that summed up the week with, “We never knew that there could be so much beauty in one state.”

Ride Idaho is a non-profit organization.  It is our mission to bring economic impact to the smaller communities throughout our state.  We accomplish this goal by hiring local businesses and organizations to provide food, camping and often entertainment to the riders.  From last year’s ride, Ride Idaho invested over $50,000 in community development projects such as city benches, bike racks and park improvements, first-responder safety and rescue equipment, school athletic equipment and bikes, helmets and locks for the Boys and Girls Club.

The 2012 route is presented on our website at www.rideidaho.org  and registration is now open, limited to 350 riders. This year’s route through North Central Idaho, is unique in that it takes us on many seldom-used, old highways, and through towns that are off the beaten track. Starting in New Meadows and ending in Moscow, riders will travel along some of Idaho untamed rivers, have an opportunity to jet boat in the Hells Canyon, the deepest gorge in North America, follow routes made famous by the Native Americans, Lewis and Clark, and pioneers settlers. The vast beauty of rolling farm lands, weathered barns and well-preserved historical churches will provide ample photo opportunities, and the camaraderie of the ride will bring the riders back year after year.

For those that prefer not to ride, but would like to experience the event as a volunteer, we welcome your interest. Many of our volunteers return year after year and would tell you, the only thing that would keep them from coming back would be an emergency.

Come see what makes Ride Idaho “The Most Memorable Bike Ride.”
And, as we also say, “Come meet your next best friend,” on Ride Idaho.

Written by Guest Blogger, Earl Grief, Director of Ride Idaho.

You can also send an Idaho e-postcard or video. Upload pictures of you and your friends and family to make personalized cards and videos to share on Facebook or through email.

Get your head (and the rest of you) to Idaho! Take a look at www.visitidaho.org/my-id/.

Good luck! We hope to see you in the great Gem State!

“What a difference a week makes,” said Ron Abramovich, Idaho snow survey supervisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

We dug a pit 6 feet deep and checked on snow safety. Fortunately, the snowpack had stabilized and we were able to ski some glorious powder all day long. Yippie!

Since that time, Idaho has enjoyed a great winter with a steady dose of snow storms and great powder days. As of late March, mountain snowpacks are now reading 90-110 percent of average, re-positioning Idaho’s world-renowned rivers into an “ideal” scenario with plenty of water for a fun-filled spring and summer season, according to snow survey officials and outfitters.

The Salmon River, a popular national destination for family river trips, now has 97 percent of normal snowpack, and the Middle Fork of the Salmon, the second-most popular wilderness river trip in the United States next to the Grand Canyon, made a similar leap to 95 percent.

“We’re excited about it, and our customers are excited about it,” said Greg McFadden of Canyons, a Middle Fork and main Salmon outfitter that specializes in whitewater kayak instruction as part of weeklong river trips. “The kayak surfing should be great.”

Plenty of moisture will ward off wildfires and the rivers will peak earlier, making for a longer summer season, warmer water temperatures, bigger riverside beaches in August, and a longer fishing season, says Alison Steen, owner of Yellow Jacket River Guides. “It’s looking pretty darn ideal!”

Outfitters on the Lochsa and Selway rivers also like the way the winter snowpacks are shaping up. The Clearwater River Basin has increased from 67 percent of normal in early January to 108 percent now.   

“It’s looking to be a safe, enjoyable level,” said Marty Smith, owner of Three Rivers Rafting, which runs trips on the Salmon, Selway and Lochsa rivers. “If we get too much snow up here, it turns people off.”

Idaho’s rivers that are fed by reservoirs, such as on the Snake River, will have plenty of flows this summer regardless because reservoirs are nearly full throughout the Snake River Basin, Abramovich said. That means Hells Canyon of the Snake is likely to have robust river flows throughout the summer season.

Big flows on the Snake open the door to huge fun in Granite Creek Rapids in Hells Canyon. At flows above 20,000 cubic feet per second, boaters can run right up the middle of Granite into what is fondly known as the “green room,” a giant house-sized wave at the entrance. You have to paddle super hard to make it over the crest of the wave, and then hang on for a rip-roaring ride through a series of huge standing waves. It’s guaranteed to please.

For white-knuckle whitewater enthusiasts, consider running a trip on the Class 4+ Murtaugh whitewater reach near Twin Falls. The Murtaugh should run for more than a month this year, plus the water should be pumping big-time over 212-foot Shoshone Falls.

Plus, fishing, floating and camping should be great on two fly fishing jewels in Eastern Idaho — the Henrys Fork and South Fork Snake River.      

So if you’re thinking about booking a river trip this summer, check out the trips available at www.ioga.org. I’ve been guiding trips for more than 25 years as a private boater — and for several years with outfiitters — and I can tell you that Idaho is chockfull of great river guides and high-quality outfitters who’ve been leading trips for 30+ years. You can’t go wrong! 

Written by guest blogger Steve Stuebner. 

Women with Bait Steelhead Fishing Tournament. Susan Olson with Bait Boy and her steelhead catch

I was recently invited to fill an empty spot on a steelhead fishing adventure to the Salmon River outside of Riggins as one of my friend’s prior attendees was unable to make the trip. My friend had arranged to participate in the Women with Bait Steelhead Fishing Tournament held each year in Riggins.

This was my first time. There are six slots available per boat and the boat is provided along with a captain and a “bait boy” – yes, that is what they refer to him as. Three of us were professional women from Boise, one was retired, one was a school teacher from A-Rock Oregon (look that up on a map), and one was a school teacher from John Day Oregon.

We all converged upon Riggins Friday evening and stayed at the delightful Best Western right on the river complete with a hot tub and swimming pool as well as pleasant hosts. We were on the river with our poles in the water by 8:30 AM on Saturday morning. We had until 5:00 PM sharp to land our fish.

It was a tough day of fishing with muddy, cloudy water and rain, snow, and wind but we powered through and the heaters within the covered shelter on the boat gave us refuge from the elements and time to warm up and devour our snacks and beverages as the captain gave us a wonderful tour of the river in search of the perfect fishing spot.

We saw big horn sheep and at least 100 head of beautiful elk along the hillsides throughout the day. In total, we landed 4 fish. Mine was 33 inches and I caught it at 4:10 PM. You could call it a day of a thousand casts. It was completely worth the effort and the thrill of reeling that fish in and landing it on the boat made it all worthwhile.

It was an adventure I might not have otherwise thought to take had a friend not shot me the email invite. I would do it again in a heart beat.

Guest Blogger Susan Olson

I'm excited for the St. Patty's Day Parade and Fun Run!

Drinking beer at an Irish pub is almost synonymous with St. Patrick’s Day; while microbreweries have become the trendy thing in the Northwest.

Historic Wallace, with its roots as a rough and tumble mining town with plenty of booze and brothels, has a long history of producing beer. In fact, in 1910 the mayor ordered the town to only drink beer after a major fire tainted the water supply. Paying homage to the town’s past is an assortment of smooth, balanced micro-brews from the Wallace Brewing Company.

The brewery produces beers that are named to reflect Wallace’s outlaw history:
Rock Head Lager: American standard, brewed with Idaho Pilsner malted barley and rice making an undemanding, refreshing beer. Lightly hopped with Cascade hops for low bitterness.
Dirty Blond Pale Ale: American Pale Ale, brewed to be slightly less malty, but conspicuously hoppy. The aromatic hops are grown here in the historic Silver Valley making it slightly more dirty than blonde.
Redlight Lager: Red Honey Wheat Lager brewed with pale malt, white wheat and sweet honey malt for the dark color. There’s no cloudiness in this filtered lager, just a deep sensuous red color and unique flavor.
Jackleg Stout: Cream Stout evolved from Irish Porters. Jackleg is smooth and as dark as the underground. The roasted coffee flavor and aroma come from chocolate and debittered black malts.
Wallace Honeys: The little sister to the Red Light. A filtered honey wheat ale without cloudiness. Brewed with pale malt, white wheat and honey malt for a satiny-sweet unique taste.
Vindicator IPA: Named after the Vindicator mine in the Silver Valley, it is their biggest beer to date. A refreshingly mild flowery start with a nice rich, malty sweetness that balances the citrusy hop finish.

Learn more at Wallace Brewing and Visit Idaho  for a list of microbreweries.

More St. Patrick Day Festivities:
March 15 @ 6:30pm: Irish Band Dervish to perform in Hailey at Liberty Theater; getting you ready for St. Patrick’s Day.

March 17: 7th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration. This year’s theme is “A Day in the Life of a Leprechaun.” Downtown Coeur d’Alene. Parade starts at 4 pm.

March 17: Want to know where to find the bag pipers in Boise on St. Patty’s Day? Here’s the full schedule.

March 17: St. Patrick’s Day Fun Run at Julia Davis Park, Boise.

Many Idaho communities will have a SPD parade… see Visit Idaho events for more info.

PS: If your idea of “green beer” involves food coloring and shamrocks, it’s time to think again. Lower your carbon footprint and support the local economy by drinking local beer. Blog posting from the Nature Conservancy along with Brewery Map.

All of the stories in this show have two things in common: adventure and grit. I came up with the name for the show after shooting a Skijoring competition in the Wood River Valley, where teams made up of a horse, a rider, and a skier race down a snow packed track over jumps and around gates, sometimes reaching speeds up to 40 miles an hour. It takes grit to do that. When I first started planning the program, I knew that I wanted to find winter activities that not only involved adventure, but daring and determination by the people who undertake them. Skijoring, heli-skiing, back country skiing, and ice climbing all fit the bill.

The first story we shot was heli-skiing. Outdoor Idaho did a piece on heli-skiing about 20 years ago, so I figured it was time to update it. With a blessing from Bruce Reichert, Outdoor Idaho Executive Producer, I set about to find a heli-skiing operation that would play with us. By play with us, I mean a company that would let us ride along on one of their outfitted trips for next to nothing, or at least give us a deep discount. We’re not Warren Miller Productions here at IdahoPTV, so we look to the kindness of strangers to tell many of Idaho’s stories.

Currently, there are only a few heli-skiing operations in Idaho, so the choices were limited. Since the story 20 years ago was done out of the Sun Valley area, I chose to go with an operation out of the Teton Valley on the Idaho side of the Tetons. High Mountain Heli-Ski partners with Teton Valley Lodge and Spa in Victor Idaho, which is a pretty upscale year-around resort. I couldn’t get through to the Heli-ski company at first, so I gave the Lodge a call. They were very excited to help us out, and even offered complementary rooms for the crew. It would be good promotion for them, after all. The Lodge was a little more swank than Outdoor Idaho crews are used to, so we wiped off our boots and accepted the offer graciously.

Luckily, High Mountain Heli-Ski was willing to play with us. What we wanted to capture was the excitement of a skier and/or snowboarder being dropped on a remote mountain top for the first time. Jon Shick, the owner decided he could fit two photographers into the helicopter with two guests and a guide. The Lodge found the guests; now I had to find two photographers. They would have to be good powder skiers and be able to handle the shooting conditions on the mountain. It wasn’t hard to convince Jay Krajic and Jeff Tucker, who also poses as our production manager, to get on board. A free heli-ski trip! You bet. Little did they know the challenges that awaited them. I was a little disappointed there wasn’t enough room in the chopper for me. Oh well.

The winter of 2010-2011 was one for the records. Massive amounts of snow were dumping all over the country, and Idaho was no exception. Trying to find a clear weather window for flying proved tricky. The shoot was postponed twice, and then finally a small window opened. Keep in mind that we don’t all just sit around and wait to jump in the car and go. Every postponement meant rearranging everyone’s schedules, again. Our crew needed to drive from Boise to Victor, about 6 hours, so our plan was to arrive the day before the shoot so we would have time to meet all the players and plot out the next day. When we finally arrived late afternoon it looked like a new front might be moving in. (Expletive, expletive) Winter shoots can be especially difficult because of weather.

We all gathered early the next morning to assess the weather. Our trip was one of several scheduled that day, so about twenty guests had also crowded into the waiting lounge. Lots of logistics going on with paying customers, and a camera shoot to-boot. A weather postponement would make a lot of people unhappy. When I watched the sun creep over the ridge, I breathed a sigh of relief, but I soon found out that the weather gods were going to mess with us all day. All I could keep thinking about was how I could make a story out of this if nobody could ski. We couldn’t camp out here for days waiting for the weather to clear.

As the guides closely tracked the weather on their computers, for what seemed like an eternity, the clouds magically parted. Here we go!

Special thanks to guest blogger Sauni Symonds.

When year-round recreation meets picturesque views, you’ve arrived in Stanley, Idaho.   This is Sawtooth Mountain country, Stanley’s most deserved accolade.

As a last chance opportunity to vacation before the next semester of school began, Stanley was our trip of choice for fresh powder, outdoor recreation and evenings of pleasant relaxation. The roads were perfectly clear as we drove up Highway 21. When a front wheel drive Toyota can make it up to Stanley in mid January, I give my thanks to the local world-class experts in snow plowing (there has to be a 4-year degree for that)!

My girlfriend and I arrived at the Sawtooth Hotel around 3:00 pm. Constructed in 1931, this vintage log cabin with a priceless view of the Sawtooth Mountains, had the most harmonious feeling. On the first floor, hand-built tables and chairs set the stage for an authentic getaway. On the second floor, we found small rooms with old fashioned amenities that make you feel like you are spending the night at grandma’s house. During the winter, the Sawtooth Hotel is open Friday through Sunday for meals. Expect to see mountain aficionados bundled up in ski pants, Salomon boots and Patagonia jackets stopping by for hot food and a cold drink after a long day of skiing.

As the sun set, we made our way up Wall Street in downtown Stanley and walked along the groomed cross country ski and snowmobile trails. The sun set behind the Sawtooth Mountains, lighting the white snow caps with a fiery glow,  like a volcano was about to erupt.

The next morning we set our sights on the pristine cross country ski trails at Alturas Lake just 20 short miles south of Stanley. Beautiful blue skies, groomed trails and untouched snow (for the backcountry folk) made for an exemplary time. Multiple maps allow plenty of variety and direction throughout the trail system. Our four-hour, 13 kilometer cross country adventure afforded immaculate views and world class photo opportunities, and won’t soon be forgotten.

On our way back from Alturas Lake we stopped along Highway 75 at Red Fish Lake. The road was closed, but that didn’t stop us. With snowshoes on and a camera across my shoulder, we walked the short mile to Little Red Fish Lake. We cut through what looked like an abandoned campsite (campsites are closed in the winter) and just as we arrived at the lake, the clouds dispersed as the sun illuminated the sky, exposing the mountains as though hidden behind large castle walls for hundreds of years.

Rounding out our perfect day with the perfect evening, we returned to the Sawtooth Hotel for a refreshing brew and signature burger that really hit the spot. The next time you’re looking for a recreational paradise with beautiful sights, stop in Stanley to satisfy your outdoor cravings.

You just never know where Idaho will show up.

Saturday afternoon, January 28th, we were at Bellevue Square in Bellevue, Washington handing out FREE ski packages all throughout Idaho. Working together with Microsoft and Escape Outdoors, guests of the Microsoft Store were given the opportunity to sample Kinect Sports: Season Two—which includes an awesome all-new ski game—and then enter to win prizes.

And what great prizes they were: free lift tickets to Brundage, Schweitzer, Tamarack and Sun Valley—who added a stay at the resort. Also included in each drawing where substantial gift certificates at Escape Outdoors and a copy of Kinect Sports: Season Two for the Xbox.

Winners were drawn every hour and each one took home a collection of items. Of course, none of them went to Bellevue Square that day thinking they’d win anything, so all of them were quite pleased. Such as the winner of the 4pm drawing who’s off to Tamarack and Schweitzer after he outfits himself with new winter gear from Escape Outdoors.

The event was hosted in the back gaming area of the Microsoft Store on their huge screen as well as at Escape Outdoors. Idaho brochures and Travel Guides were on-hand for reading—and free for the taking.

Be sure to visit IdahoWinter.org and enter each week to win awesome Idaho snow prizes and packages.
Stay in touch with us on Twitter, Facebook and this blog to see where we’ll show up next.

Many thanks to our event partners: