It's a piece of gear you'll need next ski season - the Bogus season pass.

Well, I got a postcard in the mail from Bogus Basin and it's already time for the $199 season pass (Alpine and Nordic) sale Feb. 15-21.

The Alpine/Nordic family season pass sells for $800 during that time. The Nordic-only pass is $69.

I wrote earlier about Boise mountain biker Geoff Baker's project to get a mountain bike specialty plate that you could buy for your car or truck to support trails. Here's an update:

The proposed mountain bike license plate is now known as House Bill 486. The plate would feature a mountain biker and proceeds of the plate would go to Parks and Recreation or other groups doing work that benefits trails open to mountain biking.

Skiers were getting fresh powder, steelhead anglers were hooking fish and kayakers were heading for the Main Payette River.

Talk about variety at all elevations. That's what's cool about Idaho.

STEELHEAD FISHING

I got this news release today and have to say I wasn't surprised. About a year ago, I got an e-mail from this foundation asking me how I thought the recession would affect fishing.

I replied it would probably increase participation, but I wouldn't want to be trying to sell $50,000 bass boats during a recession.

Fishing is an inexpensive sport enjoyed by all ages and income levels. It's easy to get started, and also a good family activity. You can also get a couple meals out of a good day of fishing, and that's additional motivation.

I was just notified that I didn't get a river permit for the upcoming season from the Four Rivers Lottery System.

Wow, that was quick. The e-mail came this morning (Feb. 4) at around 8 a.m. I like the new total online application process a lot better than the paper application process. Although, I didn't like the bad news.

I heard from another river runner on Facebook that she didn't get a permit, either.

Well, gotta float those rivers during the off season.

Finally, some good news about state parks. Several Idaho state parks will not be closing because of budget cuts proposed by Idaho governor Butch Otter.

The Idaho Parks and Recreation board has unanimously voted to reconsider its decision to close Dworshak Park in North Idaho. The decision also means Thousand Springs and Land of the Yankee Fork state parks will come off the closure list.

It was bugging me all winter not knowing the exact area where Boise's iconic elk, Ernie, was thought to have been shot on Nov. 1, the opening of the elk season.

Ernie was the elk that had taken up residence in a pasture off Warm Springs Avenue just northwest of Eckert Road for several years and brought a lot of joy to Greenbelt passersby, photographers and kids.

More ski trails and yurts at the Idaho City Park ‘N’ Ski trail system will
be open to skiers and snowshoers with dogs in the winter.

The announcement was made by trail officials at the Idaho Department of
Parks and Recreation, which administers the yurts and trails.

The Gold Fork trails and the Whispering Pines and Skyline yurts will be
available starting March 1 to trekkers with dogs, said Jan Joseph,

You can get those lightweight slip-on camp or water shoes in Realtree camo.

The popular outdoor slippers come in all sorts of colors but Realtree has its own brand. They also come in timber camo.

The only downside might be that you won't be able to find them in camp.

Actually, camo is no longer just a style for hunters. It's becoming a fashion statement, especially with all the different types of camo.

It had nearly 200 comments last I checked, and of course, the "debate" quickly devolved into name calling and stereotyping.

I am not surprised. It doesn't matter whether the subject is wolves or sports teams or anything else remotely controversial, school-yard taunting is usually where the conversations end up.

I had several inquiries why I didn't run the URL for the Websites. It's simple. I didn't know what people would do with that information.

It's pretty easy to find, but apparently people some people couldn't, or didn't bother to look very hard.