40th Birthday Northwest Road Trip - CA -> NV -> ID -> MT -> UT -> NV -> CA (Advice/tips/recommendations appreciated!)

[Callelk]

I am inclined to listen.

Okay, this is the route I was referring to:

I have not been on it for a couple of years but it takes 6 hours (plus stops),

From Murphy to Boise takes about an hour.

Keep in mind that it takes 3 hours from Winnemucca to Jordan Valley. So you may just want to go to Boise then do the Silver City route from Murphy's the next day.

You could take the Cow Creek road which is a little quicker. Just turn off at the Old Silver City Road.

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[Callelk]

Another trip is to Deer Park which is along the North Fork of the Boise River. Do not take the Middle road around Arrow Rock. IT SUCKS! Go to Idaho City, have lunch then go north towards Lowman. Turn off at Edna Creek Campground (just past the snowmobile park) and take FSR 384 all the way to the river. Turn NE on FSR 327 until you get to the Old FS Pack Station (be mindful of the moose in the area). From there you can go to Atlanta or just kick around. If you go really early you can do the Crooked River road around and watch the elk at the Bear River crossing. They will be on the sidehill to the north until around 10 am. You will need binoculars and there is no way to get close to them,.
To get back take FSR 327 south which will bring you back to Idaho City.

 

[Callelk]

The Cow Creek Road to Silver City:

 

[Callelk]

Just realized that you were leaving today so you probably missed my post. I would try to meet you but I'm off to SoCal for business next week and yeah, I just returned from NorCall Friday night. That's what happens when you are the regional for 13 Western States and the countries of Canada and Texas.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Keep in mind that the higher elevations (especially in Montana) are still getting snow. Check the road reports.

 

[TopRamenGod]

Keep in mind that the higher elevations (especially in Montana) are still getting snow. Check the road reports.

Yeah, we are having our first ‘non-travel day’ today in Boise, and we planned on part of our activity today to be the Murphy to Silver City route that Callelk mentioned earlier.

The weather forecast in Silver City looks like:
“Snow showers likely, mainly after noon. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. Windy, with a west wind 28 to 33 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible.”

We are getting out around 8 AM, which means hitting the trailhead around 9, so based on timing that means we might be leaving Silver city to come back towards Murphy sometime between 11 and noon. This means we’ll probably catch some of those snow showers on the way back. Though, from what I’ve read. It’s a super easy route, so I think we should be fine?

 

[5GENIDN]

Yeah, we are having our first ‘non-travel day’ today in Boise, and we planned on part of our activity today to be the Murphy to Silver City route that Callelk mentioned earlier.

The weather forecast in Silver City looks like:
“Snow showers likely, mainly after noon. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. Windy, with a west wind 28 to 33 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible.”

We are getting out around 8 AM, which means hitting the trailhead around 9, so based on timing that means we might be leaving Silver city to come back towards Murphy sometime between 11 and noon. This means we’ll probably catch some of those snow showers on the way back. Though, from what I’ve read. It’s a super easy route, so I think we should be fine?

Kind of caught the weather at the wrong time... Highs today and tomorrow in the low 50s and rain... Next weekend highs in the low 80s and sunny... Typical Boise spring, wild fluctuations as it tries to decide if it should be winter or summer.

 

[Callelk]

Top Ramen, if you have this on your cell, you may want to stop at the Chevron station by lizard Butte before you cross the snake river. Ask him about conditions up there. You will lose cell service.

funny, I landed in Boise from Sacramento at 5 PM Friday night. I left this morning at 5 AM. I’m in San Francisco now headed to Fresno. It’s nice here.

 

[Callelk]

Kind of caught the weather at the wrong time... Highs today and tomorrow in the low 50s and rain... Next weekend highs in the low 80s and sunny... Typical Boise spring, wild fluctuations as it tries to decide if it should be winter or summer.

Welcome to the Intermountain West. I bunted during a snowstorm in September and 80° heat in October.

 

[5GENIDN]

Welcome to the Intermountain West. I bunted during a snowstorm in September and 80° heat in October.

Typical of the spring and fall swings I have seen over the last 60 years.... Although I do think the variation is becoming a little more extreme.

 

[Callelk]

Typical of the spring and fall swings I have seen over the last 60 years.... Although I do think the variation is becoming a little more extreme.

I don’t know, I remember fishing Trinity Lake by Pine/Featherville in the mid 90s in August and had it snow.

 

[5GENIDN]

I don’t know, I remember fishing Trinity Lake by Pine/Featherville in the mid 90s in August and had it snow.

Always had those swings... It just seems like the swings are at a 5 to 10 degree larger extreme.

I have even seen snow flakes on forth of July at 3000 ft.... did not stick but.... that was maybe 10 years ago or so. I think ambient at the time was around 60 degrees... lower layer had to be thin for the flakes to make it down to the ground.

 

[Callelk]

Always had those swings... It just seems like the swings are at a 5 to 10 degree larger extreme.

I have even seen snow flakes on forth of July at 3000 ft.... did not stick but.... that was maybe 10 years ago or so. I think ambient at the time was around 60 degrees... lower layer had to be thin for the flakes to make it down to the ground.

During the 70s, I was on an antelope hunting trip around Challis one day we were fishing the river in short sleeves two days later we were in white out conditions. I have hundred 9000 feet in October around Hurd lake and have it be 70 or 20 below just depends on the year..

 

[Callelk]

Not sure what I should be waiting for the Ice Age they predicted in the 70s or the global inferno they are predicting now. I want to be sure to dress appropriately.

 

[TopRamenGod]

So we got to the entrance and were greeted by this:

The blm website mentions no road closures for the Boise area, but I don’t want to be foolish about things. Would it be unadvisable to continue?

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