Boise Staycation

A few weeks ago we loaded the car late in the day, drove up the hill to Bogus Basin ski area, rejected the available official campground sites, and drove the "nordic highway" in search of a suitable campsite as the sun was setting. This was not unfamiliar territory for either of us, but with two hungry toddlers, a geriatric tripod dog, and a full load of large and in-charge camping gear, we were pushing our luck.

We checked one spot recommended by friends who said the easy-to-miss turn off was steep and would look undrivable. While it may have been an adventurous but feasible approach in a high clearance truck, it was indeed undrivable in a loaded subaru. We continued to drive and I continued to run down anything that looked like a trail to see if it lead to something that could house a big tent. Eventually, we found a small turn out with a trail that climbed into the brush and eventually into a very small clearing with a fire ring and a lovely view.

The girls and Kai were champs. They all navigated the trail without incident and even ran up and down a few more times just for fun. After a mac'n'cheese and TastyBite dinner, we hiked 50 feet of ridge trail until it was too overgrown to go any further. We bundled for bed only to have the girls turn the tent into a large bounce house for another hour. And we woke to a dead stove, so the girls had cold pasta and spinach dal for breakfast before we loaded the car and headed down the hill in search of more food.