Hope you're having a great holiday season! And, here's to a great New Year outdoors.

- From the Idaho Outdoors crew - Zimo, Phoebe, Roger and Dusty

It's great that Bogus Basin will be opening more day terrain and night skiing on Dec. 26.

Bogus has come a long ways since last week when it comes to snow.

Holiday operating hours will be 9a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. All lifts and both moving carpets are running for day operations.

If you've got relatives at home and everybody's chomping at the bit to do something, a walk in the Boise Foothills would be great.

I just walked some trails and they're frozen solid. Views are great across the valley.

Bundle up. It's chilly out there but you'll heat up climbing some of the trails.

SNOW

Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area opened Friday with a modest turnout, but in time for the critical holiday period.
The ski area reported snow depths between 14 and 17 inches on the mountain. Heavy winds scoured the area before the opener, which meant the snow was unevenly distributed, and there were brown spots in several places on opening day.

For all of you who like to read our stuff while you're on the chairlift or in the duck blind or maybe sitting in a mountain top yurt, there's an app for Idaho Outdoors.

It has Roger Phillips' and my columns and stories and other tips.

Shop for the app at your iPhone app store or for an android app, you can go
HERE .

Thanks to abundant snow in the high country, Brundage can start its guided backcountry snowcat season earlier than usual because snow conditions normally don’t allow the trips to begin until the second or third week in January.

A single seat costs just $249 plus tax. Those booking private snowcat trips can ski or board for under $170 per person. Guests of Brundage Mountain SnowCat Adventures will also be treated to some new backcountry experiences over the course of the season.

Looks like an early Christmas for backcountry trekkers. The popular Idaho City yurts are now available for those with reservations, and they will be available for new reservations starting Wednesday, Dec. 26.

The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and the U.S. Forest Service reached an agreement Thursday after suspending yurt rentals in September after a squabble over liability insurance and permits.

Migrating gray whales have started their southward migration to Baja.

Christmas break is typically when it's most reliable to see the mammals, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

At many of the whale watching sites on the coast, the agency says, there will be Whale Watching Spoken Here volunteers to tell you about the migration and help you spot whales.

The Snake River through Southwest Idaho is an incredible waterway for power boating, rafting, canoeing, wildlife watching and hunting and fishing.

Idaho Power has put together a video on the new Snake River Water Trail. We've written about it a couple of times in Idaho Outdoors and will do it again in the future.

This came in Wednesday, December 19: The lower mountain will be partially open. Waltz will open at noon Thursday, Dec. 20 and Lower Showtime and Lower Serenity will open Saturday, Dec. 22. No longer have to download, woot! Also a great deal for anyone that has a day ticket from opening weekend, bring it in and receive $49 off a season pass. Must purchase by Dec. 23.