Exploring Idaho

[wishihada4runner]

Greetings! New to the forums. Curious if anyone within 3 hours of Boise would like to go out for an adventure in the next coming weekends, maybe some hiking or geocaching while we're at it? No rock crawling or anything as we just have an Outback, but, we'd like to find some cool forest roads where we might be able to get away and camp on a weekend with the dog when warmer nights come. So far, best road we've been on was out to the Stargazer Yurt this past Thanksgiving when my parents came into town. Great time, almost got stuck going up a couple of the hills. Glad we didn't have all seasons on the car.

Also, anyone got a cheap rim and tire laying around for sale that will fit an '18 OB? Random, I know. :D Should probably get a full size spare if we start doing this stuff. hah

Pictures for your viewing pleasure.

 

[M Rose]

You pick a weekend and head up to La Grande area, 2 hours west of you, and I can show you some interesting places... also I head to Sumpter a lot during the summer months, lots of meet places to explore near that ex mining town.

 

[WalkerTexasRanger]

I’m down here in Mountain Home just south of Boise. You can head out to Pine/Featherville for some easy camping. And there’s Trinity Lakes which you should be able to access in the OB which is beautiful. As far as Forrest roads traveling to Bald Mountain Fire Tower has an access point just past Lucky Peak Marina and another just past Idaho city. Looking to get out into the woods as well here soon. Would be great to meet up and possibly plan a weekend camping trip. Pictures around Trinity Lakes and the Fire Tower.

 

[M Rose]

I’m down here in Mountain Home just south of Boise. You can head out to Pine/Featherville for some easy camping. And there’s Trinity Lakes which you should be able to access in the OB which is beautiful. As far as Forrest roads traveling to Bald Mountain Fire Tower has an access point just past Lucky Peak Marina and another just past Idaho city. Looking to get out into the woods as well here soon. Would be great to meet up and possibly plan a weekend camping trip. Pictures around Trinity Lakes and the Fire Tower. View attachment 144728View attachment 144729View attachment 144730

Wow that country is beautiful... @KRose we need to go here this summer.

 

[WalkerTexasRanger]

Wow that country is beautiful... @KRose we need to go here this summer.

The first photo was in November and the second two were in October. Both locations didn’t have a lot of snow and were easy to drive through. My wife and I are going back to the lakes this summer as well!

 

[David C Gibbs]

Mike, and the LaGrande Mike -
Trinity Mtns are snowbound, sometimes into July. Those lakes are nutritional healthy with Rainbows and Cut-Troats... Atlanta, at the end of the Middle fork road, is worth the trip. All of the Middle-Fork is fishable in season and rules. There are 100's of places within a 3 hour travel circle. Stanley, Sawtooth's, Sun Valley, McCall... That Subaru has better off-road handling than some 4-Wheelers! I put a 163K on an 06/7 Forester before trading it in for my wife's Tacoma. I got the LandCruiser back.
Gibbs

 

[wishihada4runner]

You pick a weekend and head up to La Grande area, 2 hours west of you, and I can show you some interesting places... also I head to Sumpter a lot during the summer months, lots of meet places to explore near that ex mining town.

Sweet! I’ll shoot you a private message. If my wife wants to go, end of March. If not, she’s leaving for a weekend in April. Thanks man!

 

[wishihada4runner]

I’m down here in Mountain Home just south of Boise. You can head out to Pine/Featherville for some easy camping. And there’s Trinity Lakes which you should be able to access in the OB which is beautiful. As far as Forrest roads traveling to Bald Mountain Fire Tower has an access point just past Lucky Peak Marina and another just past Idaho city. Looking to get out into the woods as well here soon. Would be great to meet up and possibly plan a weekend camping trip. Pictures around Trinity Lakes and the Fire Tower.

Awesome! We are down! We want to try out our new tent... that we bought last year and haven't used yet..... I'll shoot you a private message and we can figure something out coming up. Maybe we can go to that meetup in Oregon/Washington whatever it is in July together, caravan!

 

[wishihada4runner]

Mike, and the LaGrande Mike -
Trinity Mtns are snowbound, sometimes into July. Those lakes are nutritional healthy with Rainbows and Cut-Troats... Atlanta, at the end of the Middle fork road, is worth the trip. All of the Middle-Fork is fishable in season and rules. There are 100's of places within a 3 hour travel circle. Stanley, Sawtooth's, Sun Valley, McCall... That Subaru has better off-road handling than some 4-Wheelers! I put a 163K on an 06/7 Forester before trading it in for my wife's Tacoma. I got the LandCruiser back.
Gibbs

Thanks for the heads up man! I've only been fishing twice in my adult life, tried out fly fishing, I'm not very good. I do like to eat trout though.. :D Yeah, I was actually impressed with it when we took it to the Stargazer Yurt. There was a huge Chevy 4x4 pickup at the trailhead that wouldn't even drive the road. We came around a corner and started flying up a hill and one of the guys looked dumbfounded that I would even try it. Ignorance is bliss.... hahah we made it though!

 

[wishihada4runner]

April 24 - 26 anyone? Wife is going back to WI for a week so the dog and I are FREE for day trips or overnights, whatever.

 

[WalkerTexasRanger]

Awesome! We are down! We want to try out our new tent... that we bought last year and haven't used yet..... I'll shoot you a private message and we can figure something out coming up. Maybe we can go to that meetup in Oregon/Washington whatever it is in July together, caravan!

We are planning on going to the July event! As long as Uncle Sam doesn’t get in the way and this whole virus thing is past us. The DODs now restricting us so we can’t leave the state for a couple months. As far as the 24th-26th I’ll have to really play it by ear, again with the whole virus and suppose to have extra long work hours the weeks before and after for training.

 

[M Rose]

April 24 - 26 anyone? Wife is going back to WI for a week so the dog and I are FREE for day trips or overnights, whatever.

That sounds like when I am planning my first overnight trip on Mt. Emily... could easily turn it into a day longer if you want... still playing by ear due to this Virus thing.

 

[M Rose]

Mike, and the LaGrande Mike -
Trinity Mtns are snowbound, sometimes into July. Those lakes are nutritional healthy with Rainbows and Cut-Troats... Atlanta, at the end of the Middle fork road, is worth the trip. All of the Middle-Fork is fishable in season and rules. There are 100's of places within a 3 hour travel circle. Stanley, Sawtooth's, Sun Valley, McCall... That Subaru has better off-road handling than some 4-Wheelers! I put a 163K on an 06/7 Forester before trading it in for my wife's Tacoma. I got the LandCruiser back.
Gibbs

Maybe we can do an end of July trip down to the Trinity Mountains... @KRose says it’s time to get our Washington and Idaho fishing Licenses.

 

[David C Gibbs]

Thanks for the heads up man! I've only been fishing twice in my adult life, tried out fly fishing, I'm not very good. I do like to eat trout though.. :D Yeah, I was actually impressed with it when we took it to the Stargazer Yurt. There was a huge Chevy 4x4 pickup at the trailhead that wouldn't even drive the road. We came around a corner and started flying up a hill and one of the guys looked dumbfounded that I would even try it. Ignorance is bliss.... hahah we made it though!

This is do-able in the July time frame, all the passes should be cleared of Snow & ice damns. 1111 W Jefferson St to 1111 W Jefferson St
David

 

[wishihada4runner]

You pick a weekend and head up to La Grande area, 2 hours west of you, and I can show you some interesting places... also I head to Sumpter a lot during the summer months, lots of meet places to explore near that ex mining town.

Just got the ADF 2" lift installed! Still don't have a real spare tire but I'll get there. I'm going to invest so much money in this car I'll feed bad getting rid of it when the 6th gen 4Runner comes out. How about some weekend in April? Still up for an exploration somewhere? What's your availability like? I don't think I have any on call weekes so I think every weekend is open.

 

[reaver]

Just got the ADF 2" lift installed! Still don't have a real spare tire but I'll get there. I'm going to invest so much money in this car I'll feed bad getting rid of it when the 6th gen 4Runner comes out. How about some weekend in April? Still up for an exploration somewhere? What's your availability like? I don't think I have any on call weekes so I think every weekend is open.

Check out a junkyard for a spare tire. It might not be the exact same tire you currently have, but it will be better than no spare. That's what I did for my daily driver truck. Cost me 30 bucks including the rim.

 

[wishihada4runner]

Check out a junkyard for a spare tire. It might not be the exact same tire you currently have, but it will be better than no spare. That's what I did for my daily driver truck. Cost me 30 bucks including the rim.

Yeah, idc, I just want something better than the 10” donut Subaru gives you

 

[reaver]

Yeah, idc, I just want something better than the 10” donut Subaru gives you

I needed a 31 inch spare and full size rim for the colorado when I bought it, which was cheap at a junkyard.

You should be able to find what you need there.

 

[M Rose]

Mike, and the LaGrande Mike -
Trinity Mtns are snowbound, sometimes into July. Those lakes are nutritional healthy with Rainbows and Cut-Troats... Atlanta, at the end of the Middle fork road, is worth the trip. All of the Middle-Fork is fishable in season and rules. There are 100's of places within a 3 hour travel circle. Stanley, Sawtooth's, Sun Valley, McCall... That Subaru has better off-road handling than some 4-Wheelers! I put a 163K on an 06/7 Forester before trading it in for my wife's Tacoma. I got the LandCruiser back.
Gibbs

How’s the snow pack looking for Trinity Mountains?

 

[David C Gibbs]

How’s the snow pack looking for Trinity Mountains?

Mike, the National Forest Office in Mountain Home, ID hasn't updated there web-site information since March, due to COVID. About 6 weeks ago, we drove up to Camas County and it appeared that there was still alot of Snow up there. I reached out to a friend who has a Cabin in Atlanta - but haven't heard back from him, So I don't know if the Rocky Bar Road is open. . . Maybe after yard work in the AM, I'll try to convince the Mrs., to take a small ride, another friend said the front road into Trinity Lakes are still snow bound, before you can get to the turnoff to Lookout Road.
This is what was posted on the National Forest Website going into Memorial Day weekend.
"The Trinity Mountains are not expected to be clear of snow until mid-July. However log hauling operation may begin the week of May 23 on NFS road 172 and a portion of NFS road 183, operations will stop over the Memorial Holiday weekend. A section of Trail 172 also has a closure and is posted on the ground. There is a suggested detour. "
DG