IdaHome--May/June

Epic Idaho State Parks

Photo courtesy of Idaho Parks and Rec.

ON THE COVER

MAY/JUNE 2023

publisher

KAREN DAY

karen@idahorem.com

editor

HEATHER HAMILTONPOST heather@idahorem.com

art and design

JSNGRAFIX KALEY WRIGHT design@idahorem.com

director of operations and sales manager

MARIELLE WESTPHAL admin@idahorem.com

staff photographer KAREN DAY

cover photograph SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

social media

APRIL NEALE april@idahorem.com

marketing, sales, and distribution karen@idahorem.com

IdaHome Magazine, LLC

P.O. Box 116 Boise, Idaho 83701 208.481.0693

© 2023 IdaHome Magazine. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by the authors and contributors to IdaHome Magazine are not necessarily those of the editor and publisher.

Community + Culture + Recreation + Real Estate

Idaho Fish and Game estimates that the mountain lion— Idaho’s largest wildcat—can live in approximately 97 percent of Idaho, which means that you just might see one of these 200 pound cats in most of our state parks. The mountain lion is also a favorite of big game hunters, and Idaho enjoys the most liberal mountain lion hunting guidelines in the West.

CONTRIBUTORS

Born and raised in the New Orleans area, Charles Pineda worked in the entertainment industry for about a decade before moving to writing full-time. He is currently an MFA candidate at Boise State University.

Chris Langrill has worked at various writing and editing jobs around the Treasure Valley for years, including more than two decades at the Idaho Statesman. In addition to freelance writing, he manages copy for a national sports website. He enjoys daily walks with his dog, Murphy, and travel adventures with his wife, Chereen. Otherwise, look for him at a local golf course, loud concert, or craft brewhouse.

Jodie Nicotra is a freelance writer based out of Moscow, Idaho. She writes for a number of different magazines, including Boise State Magazine, Whitman Magazine, and Central Washington U’s Crimson & Black

Cherie Buckner-Webb is a former Idaho State Senator, executive coach, speaker, business consultant, strategist, and fifth-generation Idahoan. In addition to her work in corporate and nonprofit environments, she assists institutions of higher education in the development of diversity curriculum and training and sits on a variety of local and national boards.

Arianna Creteau is a freelance writer based in Northern Idaho. A dessert enthusiast, avid hiker and amateur runner, Arianna spends her weekdays working a desk job and weekends chasing adventure. Her previous work has been published in Boise Weekly.

Harper Crabtree is deeply committed to his studies in physics, the Boston Red Sox, and conquering ACL Ridge at Bogus Basin. His article on fusion procured his second entrance into the innersanctum of INL, the first being a tour to see and write about the phenomena of Cherenkov's Blue Glow. He resides in Boise with his American Eskimo dog, Yeti.

Kurt Orzeck is a nationally-recognized writer and editor with work currently appearing in FLOOD, Music Connection, New Noise, City Lifestyle, The Big Takeover, and The Bad Penny. His 5,000-plus writing credits include cover stories, artist interviews, features, reviews, columns and puzzles for RollingStone.com, MTV.com, Reuters, Yahoo, Alternative Press, Filter, LexisNexis, BBC.com, Slate, and more.

April Neale is an entertainment features writer and has read her work on NPR and Spoken Interludes and writes for various industry trades and entertainment websites. Neale is a member of the Critics Choice Association, Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Hollywood Critics Association, Television Critics Association, and other professional entertainment organizations.

Heather Hamilton-Post is a writer and editor in Caldwell. She holds degrees in both agriculture and creative writing and is herself surprised by that. When she’s not writing, catch her at a sociallydistanced baseball game with her husband and young sons. Find her work across the web and buried in the lit journals you didn’t know you had.

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Dear Reader,

From the theater seats at a reading by writer David Sedaris, an audience member raised her hand and asked what, if anything, Sedaris could do to boost our collective spirits about climate change. Sedaris laughed, stumbling a little as he struggled uncharacteristically to find the right words. “I mean, I..well, I’m glad I’m 66!” he said. The audience laughed, but I’m certain that it wasn’t the type of joke we were hoping for—as humans, we’re hardwired to desire the response that reassures us that we will persevere. What Sedaris served up was a joke about the end of the world.

It could have all felt very hopeless, but even desperation doesn’t feel so bleak in the dim lights of the Egyptian with a talented writer willing to shrug it off. And so, in this issue of IdaHome, we’re perhaps doing a version of the same thing, although I can’t promise the same amount of laughs. Instead, we bring you some stories (and introduce you to some new IdaHome writers!) that will satisfy your desire for optimism, even as we face an inevitably changing climate.

April Neale interviewed cinematographer Bob Poole about his latest project—the wildly moving National Geographic special, Secrets of the Elephants. Poole, who grew up in Kenya, has made his home in the west—also home to a diverse population of farmers and ranchers, which, as we learn from writer Kurt Orzek, includes many women who work tirelessly to preserve the land.

Chief

The west is also home to so many lush forests struggling under climate change. Jodie Nicotra interviews University of Idaho researchers and the director of the Idaho Forests Products Commission who tell us what we should already know—the key is collaboration, something our neighbors in Minidoka are trying to achieve too. There, locals are fighting against a project that would bring 400 wind turbines to the area because of what they call ‘disregard for the community,’ although many support clean energy in other ways, as reported by Arianna Creteau.

These discussions are complicated. So complicated, actually, that writer Harper Crabtree visited Idaho National Laboratory to learn about nuclear fusion, a clean energy source that doesn’t create radioactive byproducts, a fascinating concept many of us have never heard of.

If you need a reminder of what we’re fighting for, check out Chris Langrill’s story on some of the most beautiful—and underappreciated—parks in our great state or hear the roar of Idaho rapids as we explore whitewater near and far.

I also had the chance to interview the folks at Northwest Association for Blind Athletes, who are out enjoying the outdoors too, striving to create a community that cares for the environment and one another, as is the Idaho way. Cherie Buckner-Webb shares a little about some spots that mean something to her, and reminds us why we should all strive to protect the state we love.

Finally, if you’d like a look at the sort of dystopia we’re up against if we stop caring, believing, working— Charles Pineda talks to Alan Heathcock about his new book, which offers a cautionary tale of a future impacted by climate change. But he’s hopeful, and I am too.

BY CHRIS LANGRILL

Whether you’re a lifelong resident or a newcomer to the state, Idaho’s varied landscape manages to keep you guessing.

Drive to one corner of the state and you’ll find pine trees and bears. Keep driving, and a barren landscape with impressive rock formations will greet you. Then there’s sand dunes. Or maybe a scenic region where water cascades over towering cliff sides into crystal-clear springs.

Idaho’s parks provide a perfect showcase for all the Gem State has to offer.

Here, we take a look at four of the most underrated parks in the state: Bruneau Dunes, Harriman, City of Rocks, and Thousand Springs.

“They all kind of offer the spice of Idaho,” said Craig Quintana, a senior public information officer at the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. “They are parks that people maybe don’t think of first and foremost, but they offer a little different shade of Idaho and they’re all well worth the time to visit.”

BRUNEAU DUNES

Want to impress your friends with some trivia about Idaho? Wow them with this fact: Bruneau Dunes has the tallest single-structured sand dune in North America. It boasts a peak rising 470 feet above the desert floor.

By day, Bruneau is great. By night, it’s even more awesome. “People can take in the night sky with an observatory show,” Quintana said. “And then the next day they can go hike the main dune.”

Yes, you can rent a sandboard from the visitor center, but the park offers many other opportunities for fun for outdoor enthusiasts. Fishing? Check. A serene lake for paddleboarding or kayaking? You bet. Campsites and cabins available? Check. Hookups for RVs? Yup.

“It’s a great place to get away from things,” Quintana said. A new observatory is expected to open early this summer, and it will feature an impressive telescope.

“They are parks that people maybe don’t think of first and foremost, but they offer a little different shade of Idaho.”

Bruneau Dunes / shutterstock.com

“Our park manager assures me it’s going to be the most powerful in the Northwest, bar none,” Quintana said. Getting there: Bruneau is a little more than an hour drive from Boise, just outside of Mountain Home.

HARRIMAN

Want to really get away from it all? Head to the eastern edge of the state, where you’ll find Harriman State Park.

This park is part of a 16,000 acre wildlife refuge in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. You’ll find breathtaking scenery and 22 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and horseback trails. Oh, and it’s pretty rugged.

“If you go to Harriman, you’re going to be able to observe wildlife in a very natural, unspoiled setting,” Quintana said. “That’s the attraction for a lot of people…To that point, people are advised to make noise while walking the trails—and carry bear spray, because critters are definitely out and about in that area.”

Harriman is also home to an eightmile stretch of the Henrys Fork River, which draws anglers from around the globe for its awe-inspiring fly-fishing opportunities. The Harriman Ranch section of the Henrys Fork begins its fishing season June 15.

Getting there: Harriman is about a five-hour drive from the Treasure Valley area, located north of Idaho Falls and Rexburg.

CITY OF ROCKS

City of Rocks State Park is a major draw for rock climbers—or for anyone who appreciates dramatic geologic formations. Granite spires and monoliths tower 60 stories above the surrounding landscape. Climbers have established about 700 routes to date, and they flock to Morning Glory Spire, Bath Rock, and the Almo Pluton.

“It’s renowned for its climbing opportunities,” Quintana said. “It’s quite well-known and quite famous in the rock-climbing community.”

Harriman / Photo courtesy of Idaho Parks and Rec.

Harriman / Photo courtesy of Idaho Parks and Rec.

City of Rocks now has another claim to fame: in February, it received full certification as an International Dark Sky Park. City of Rocks partnered with nearby Castle Rocks State Park to meet certification requirements, and it preserves the night sky with minimal light pollution.

“It’s a confirmation of a lot of work that has been ongoing for years,” Quintana said. “You have to take a number of steps to limit the light pollution and lighting in general…so you have this beautiful view of the night sky that you’re not going to have anywhere in urban Idaho.”

Quintana also noted that Bruneau Dunes is also working toward certification by the International Dark-Sky Association.

Getting there: City of Rocks is a little more than a three-hour drive from the Treasure Valley area. It’s located southwest of Twin Falls.

THOUSAND SPRINGS

If you’re a person who enjoys being on water—or admiring the beauty of waterfalls, rivers, and lakes—then Thousand Springs is the park for you.

“If you go out to Ritter Island, you’ll see the crystal-clear water bursting through the rocks of the Snake River Gorge,” Quintana said. “It allows for some pretty spectacular scenery.”

Despite its name, Thousand Springs isn’t all about water. The park is divided into six units, all within short driving

distance of each other, and each unit offers a unique experience.

For example, visitors can explore the Oregon Trail at the Kelton Trail, ride horses at Billingsley Creek, or watch for bald eagles soaring overhead while hiking Box Canyon.

There’s plenty to explore—and amaze—at Thousand Springs, including a new visitor center that opened in April.

Getting there: Thousand Springs is about an hour-and-a-half drive from the Treasure Valley area, heading southeast on I-84.

For more information on these and other Idaho state parks go to parksandrecreation.idaho.gov.

Thousand Springs / Photo courtesy of Idaho Parks and Rec.

City of Rocks / Photo courtesy of Idaho Parks and Rec.

Northwest Association for Blind Athletes

BY HEATHER HAMILTON-POST

“I think a lot of people get scared by the word ‘athletes’, and the rst thing I always say is that I myself do not identify as an athlete,” laughed Sam Picciano, Idaho Program Manager for the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes. “We level our events from beginner to intermediate to advanced, and we have athletes from beginner to elite all mixed in. Our youngest participant is ve years old and our oldest is around 85.”

e Northwest Association for Blind Athletes (NWABA), which hosts virtual events nationally, as well as in-person events in Idaho, Washington, Montana,

and Oregon, pairs volunteers with blind athletes to make recreation safe and fun for everyone. e organization was started by CEO Billy Henry—who is legally blind—in 2007 when he was only 15 and wanted to participate in powerlifting with his friends. From there, the program grew to four di erent core programs. In Idaho, Picciano is focused on sports outreach, which engages the blindness community in seasonal adapted sports events like hiking, tandem bike riding, and skiing—Boise favorites that, thanks to the NWABA, are becoming more accessible for everyone.

Some of the athletes that NWABA works with have been blind since birth,

while others have become blind through accident or progressive vision disease. Picciano explained that there are athletes who have never seen the motion of walking up to home plate and kicking a ball, so they might begin with foundational concepts—or they might work with someone who hasn’t played kickball since they were 16 and fully sighted. “ is winter, we partnered with Boise Adaptive Snowsport Education (BASE), and we had many of our adult athletes who had lost their vision later in life skiing again for the rst time. It’s things like that that make this the best job in the world,” she said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NWABA

e reception in Boise, which is the newest o ce, has been warm. “Idaho is such an active state that we’ve just seen incredible reception for our programs,” Picciano said.

In fact, athletes are so dedicated that one even planned her wedding around their event cadence. And it makes sense— Idahoans are notoriously outdoorsy, and this area was hungry for the kind of programming that the NWABA is o ering. “We found a need in the area, especially with the way Boise is growing,” explained Sue Warren, NWABA’s Senior Director of Development & Communications.

Part of that need is because blindness is the lowest incidence disability population, which means that there are fewer wraparound services after blind students graduate. “ ere isn’t much support after

graduation, especially in recreation and leisure activities,” Picciano said. “So the athletes are 100% our biggest advocates and supporters, and then our volunteers. ey have really just been coming out of the woodwork, really building a strong pipeline here.”

e Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind and the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired are the NWABA’s biggest blindness partners, often referring folks to their programming, but Picciano has been hard at work forging additional community partnerships. Right now, she’s in talks with Boise State University and a few local high schools and hopes to engage and educate younger generations. Picciano is excited about the program’s expansion for younger athletes as well as volunteers. “It’s

really important to get kids with visual impairments involved as early as possible,” she said.

Before her Master’s program, Picciano says that she’d never even met a blind person, which is one of the reasons she and the NWABA are doing the work to educate around blindness awareness. “I think a lot of people want to do their part and they just don’t know what that equality looks like. We want to empower them,” she said.

NWABA relies on support from volunteers to help provide safety, audio descriptions, skill building, and athlete support, and they’d love to hear from IdaHome readers. Visit https://nwaba. org/get-involved/volunteer/ to learn more about how to engage and provide these life-changing opportunities!

From leisurely hikes to team sports, NWABA athletes compete in familiar activities and learn new ones alongside dedicated volunteers. PHOTOS COURTESY OF NWABA.

Sam Picciano, Idaho Program Manager, says that volunteers are a cornerstone of NWABA programming. PHOTO COURTESY OF NWABA.

From Africa to Idaho

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FOR DISNEY/ROBBIE LABANOWSKI

BY APRIL NEALE

Few people are as knowledgeable or as immersed in the ways of African wildlife as Emmy Award-winning natural history cinematographer Bob Poole. A “Huck Finn” childhood filled with nature and adventures, along with his sisters, set the tone early in his life in Kenya, East Africa. Bob’s curiosity took the filmmaker’s path, as his older sister Joyce, often featured in his cinematic efforts, became a world expert on elephants’ communication, behavior, and language skills.

Their life’s work has taken them all over Africa, exploring the natural world. From Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park to the Tanzanian wilds in Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti National Park, and so many other places across the globe, Poole has chronicled—through his remarkable lens—nature, documenting wildlife in pivotal or rare moments that few, if any, have been able to capture. “I was raised in Kenya, my father worked in wildlife conservation, and sadly, he died in an accident when I was 17. But that was also the beginning of my National Geographic career,” he explained.

Behind the scenes: Bob Poole on James Cameron’s Secrets of the Elephants.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAT GEO CHANNEL

Today, Bob Poole calls Hailey, Idaho home, though he still travels the world for academic talks and film assignments for many networks. “In the early nineties, I was asked to come to Sun Valley to work with Jim Dutcher on a film about the Sawtooth wolf pack. They had an enclosure up near Stanley in the Sawtooths, and a pack of wolves was there,” he said. “So we lived in yurts and snowmobiled into this place. It was cool. But when I came to work for him, I bought a little house in Hailey, and time went on, and I’m still here.”

Bob’s first experience working with National Geographic as a teenager was on a film about elephants, a subject to this day that resonates strongly for him and his sister Dr. Joyce Poole. James Cameron’s ongoing “Secrets of” series features the recent Secrets of e Elephants on the Nat Geo Channel,

which shows Bob’s experience in finding the never-before-seen moments and clever shot framing for elephants in the forest, Savannah, and even in Asia, where each faces unique obstacles for survival. Bob works closely with rangers, scientists, and his sister on Secrets of the Elephants. He introduces viewers to a world known only by pachyderms and the few humans lucky enough to follow these herds.

In Bob’s latest TV work, he’s again working closely with Joyce. “My older sister is the world’s leading expert on this; she is extraordinarily good at [interpreting] elephant behavior. She’s in the [Nat Geo] Secrets of the Elephant series, and I’ve learned so much from her. When she was just 20 years old, Joyce went to the National Park in 1977 to study bull elephants and got to know elephants well. She’s got to be the

Left: A mother elephant and young calf roam through Kimana Sanctuary, a crucial corridor that links Amboseli National Park with the Chyulu Hills and Tsavo protected areas in Kenya. As well as being the largest land mammal on earth, elephants are a keystone species and play an important role in the environment where they live.

Below: The pygmy elephants are in no shortage of water, as they live by the Kinabatangan River and are well versed swimmers.

“People who watch this [series] will learn that elephants can communicate over long distances and frequencies we can’t hear. “

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FOR DISNEY/CEDE PRUDENTE

best in the world in figuring out what elephants are up to and what they’re doing, and their communications and predicting what will happen next. And working with her is amazing,” he said.

Bob, who was a teenager when he first worked on an elephant film with National Geographic, believes that his career as a cinematographer really began with a film he pitched to National Geographic in the 90s, called Coming of Age with Elephants, which was about his sister.

“People who watch this [series] will learn that elephants can communicate over long distances and frequencies we can’t hear. They can feel that sound coming through the ground in sensors in their feet. They communicate in all kinds of ways,” Bob said.

If you’ve ever seen Bob Poole in action, his connection to the people, animals,

and place that raised him shows in the passionate way he approaches his work. The rugged west, including Montana where Poole went to college, and later Idaho, captured his imagination. When the Dutchers asked him to come work with them, it seemed like a natural fit because, he said, he already loved the environment, which included winter, outdoorsports, and skiing. “There’s so much about the West, especially the Northern Rockies. It reminds me of Africa, the wild spaces, and the wildlife,” he said.

Although he says it was difficult to leave Africa after his father died in an accident, he ended up a student in Montana, a ranch hand, and an employee in a Yellowstone town. And then? “I got back into filming, back through my Africa connection,” he said.

“My heart is also in the West,” Bob said.

Below: “Lucky to have grown up close to elephants. This wild, gentle giant loved to hang around the Amboseli lodge when we were kids,” wrote Poole.

“There’s so much about the West, especially the Northern Rockies. It reminds me of Africa, the wild spaces, and the wildlife.”

Right:

Elephant expert Joyce

Poole poses for a photo. She has studied elephants for almost five decades and, along with her husband, has created the elephant ethogram—the first comprehensive library of thousands of elephant behaviors. There’s nothing like this for any other species on earth.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC FOR DISNEY/WIM VORSTER

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB POOLE

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HOW TO SAVE THE PLANET Understanding Nuclear Fusion at the INL

BY HARPER CRABTREE

Last December, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California passed a scientific milestone by achieving a net positive through nuclear fusion, which is a different process than nuclear fission. I know what you’re thinking. Even simplified, these scientific terms sound nebulous and confusing because they’re invisible in our daily lives. Seeking answers for the normal person, I traveled to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Idaho Falls to understand nuclear fusion and how it might

impact our future and the environment.

The recent breakthrough in fusion ignition is being compared to the Wright Brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk. Why? Because it heralds the first step in our very necessary environmental need for clean, limitless energy. In the words of Joe Campbell, a communications liaison for the Idaho National Laboratory, “Fission reactors were like the first quantum leap over fossil fuels. And then fusion is the next quantum leap past that.”

Scientists have been chasing the concept of fusion since the 1930s. The

event at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory means that they finally accomplished a demonstration of producing more energy from a fusion reaction than they put into it.

What is the process of fusion exactly? How does it differ from fission, which was discovered in 1938 and provided the basis of the atomic bomb and nuclear reactors at the heart of today’s nuclear power plants? More relevant, perhaps, is why we should pay attention to scientific developments when TikTok is far more accessible and entertaining.

ATR canal operators, experiment engineers and radiological control teams install a Navy experiment into the ATR Gamma Tube for irradiation. The Gamma Tube uses irradiated ATR fuel elements as a radiation source for experiments needing high gamma dose rates.

Fusion happens when atoms slam together to form new, heavier atoms, due to incredible temperatures and immense amounts of pressure. Fusion reactions are most commonly found in the core of stars, where temperatures average around 20 million degrees fahrenheit.

Alternatively, nuclear fission occurs when a neutron slams into a larger atom, forcing it to split into two smaller atoms. When each atom splits, energy is released. Fission reactors then use this reaction to heat up large amounts of water, and spin turbines with the resulting water vapor.

Nuclear fusion reactions can release massive amounts of energy, and don’t need to spin turbines. “Almost 100% of the universe’s energy comes from nuclear fusion,” said Masashi Shimada, the principal investigator at the INL’s Safety and Tritium Applied Research (STAR) lab. Think about it. Harnessing fusion

means that we humans just created our own first spark of the same endless energy that powers the sun. And unlike fission, fusion does not create radioactive byproducts.

How safe is fusion? “Every energy source has its trade offs,” said Chase Taylor, a senior staff scientist at the INL’s STAR facility. “The trade-off for fusion is that the vessel holding the fuel becomes radioactive…that’s not an environmental concern, but it means that everything must be handled with care. This is due to a property of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, the main fuel for fusion. Tritium dissolves in all metals, just kind of like dissolving sugar in your Kool Aid,” Taylor said.

Right now, Shimada, Taylor, and Fuerst are among a group of INL’s STAR lab scientists performing cutting edge experiments to better understand tritium and its permeability with other

materials. This research is so innovative that they are required to invent their own tools. “Some metals dissolve tritium really well, but other metals don’t dissolve it at all. So one material can be used as a barrier for tritium, while other materials can be used to allow the tritium to pass through,” Taylor said.

“Fusion has the highest energy density of any sort of energy source with zero carbon emission,” Fuerst explained. In other words, no global warming, no Chernobyl, or vast amounts of radioactive waste with an endless shelf life. The byproduct of nuclear fusion is helium, and the world is actually in a helium shortage right now. So the next time you hear about a fusion breakthrough, remember that one small step in clean energy development is taking us closer to saving the planet—and our own lives— for thousands of years into the future.

STAR lab scientists perform innovative experiments to understand Tritium and its permeability. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY

Whitewater Paradise

BY HEATHER HAMILTON-POST

e Gem State has 3,500 miles of runnable whitewater, which is the most in the nation. Serious rafters and kayakers rank the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, which twists through the immaculate Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, at the top of their bucket lists. On the Payette, a favorite for Boise locals, rafters can expect another fun season.

The waves at Boise Whitewater Park can be specially configured for surfers or kayakers, depending on the day. PHOTO BY KAREN DAY

“We definitely have above average snowpack, but in general, that means better water for the season,” said Phil White, the owner/operator at Bear Valley Rafting. He expects that we’ll see another rise and then the water levels will taper off again, but he emphasized that the risk is minimal with licensed outfitters—especially on the Payette, where there are less obstacles in the water. “The best thing about the Payette is it is so close to the Treasure Valley—this is a super fun outdoor activity, and everybody who comes loves it. It’s pretty special,” White said.

Even Boise has whitewater. Though the Boise River flowing through town is typically more of a leisurely experience

than heart-pounding adventure, this year’s historic water flow may change that. During a typical Float the Boise season, river flows are between 500 and 1,500 cubic feet per second. While it is still early in the season, the current flow is 6,150 cubic feet per second, which makes for a rushing (and unsafe to float) river. Check out floattheboise.org to stay up to date on the latest river conditions, explore the interactive map, and review the safety checklist.

For something a little different than your standard float, Boise Whitewater Park provides kayakers and surfers with waves and chop for play and practice, and with the abundance of water this

year, the season is sure to be one to remember. Check out the adjustable waves for kayakers and surfers, with three in-river wave structures for adventure-seekers of all levels. Just want to watch? There’s a plaza with plenty of spots to catch a view.

Sam Goff, a Boise science teacher and whitewater enthusiast, has been kayaking since he was 16. “I grew up on the Payette,” said Goff, who explained that it is actually a more swimmable river than the Boise, which doesn’t have a ton of rapids and can strand users. Safety, he explained, is one of the reasons Boise Whitewater Park exists. “The emphasis for the park was twofold—rebuild the

SALMON RIVER, STANLEY, IDAHO / PHOTO BY JOHN WEBSTER

diversion dam, which was making the spot dangerous for users, and make the area more friendly for recreation,” Go said. “Now, it is much safer to be in the water, and the dam still e ectively diverts water into the irrigation canal.”

So yes, Boise Whitewater Park is safe—but it is a lot of fun too. “ e park has facilitated incredible amounts of change and brought so many people to the area—the parking lot is always full and people are excited to have a good time,” Go said.

Whitewater season is approaching. Which river will you play in once the weather heats up and the water comes down?

PHOTO BY JOHN WEBSTER

Each year, around 125,000 people float the Boise River, which takes 2-3 hours and covers 6 miles.

PHOTO BY KAREN DAY

ANN MORRISON PARK / PHOTO BY JOHN WEBSTER

4 world-class trout streams to fish

6 hot springs to soak up

17 hours of daylight for adventure

44+ outdoor concerts to enjoy

400+ miles of single track

In an Era of Change, Collaboration Helps Idaho’s Forests

BY JODIE NICOTRA Drought.

Insect infestations. Disease. And, of course, re. Idaho forests face a host of challenges in the age of climate change. But forest managers in the state are working together to ensure that while forests in the future may look di erent, they’ll still be here and thriving.

FOREST CHANGES

To say that Idaho’s forests, which cover 40% of the state, are important would be an understatement. e forests provide clean water and wildlife habitats. ey sequester carbon and o er both recreational and economic opportunities.

Climate change a ects forests directly by creating hotter, drier conditions.

ese conditions stress mature trees, slow seedling establishment, and allow populations of insects like bark beetles, which attack trees, to ourish.

Stress on trees means likely changes to the composition of forests themselves.

Je Hicke, a professor in the Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences at the University of Idaho, recently co-authored a report on the e ect of climate change on Idaho forests.

e report found that the range of some tree species may constrict as conditions grow hotter and drier, while others may thrive. For instance, species like the Gambel oak that traditionally thrive in hotter conditions may become more established in Idaho, while the range of Douglas r trees may shrink.

“Everything’s moving upslope in response to climate change,” Hicke said. “It’s kind of a complicated situation, and you can’t unfortunately just think about the e ects of one tree species. Longer, hotter growing seasons will stress out ponderosa pines at the lowest elevation but it will bene t whitebark pines at 6,000 feet.”

e report suggests that strategic forest management might respond to these likely changes by planting tree species that thrive at lower elevations further up the slope.

FIRE AND THE WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE

While it has some direct e ects on forests, climate change also exacerbates underlying issues. In the case of Western forests, more than a century of re suppression has led to a buildup of fuel. When res can start more easily, the potential grows for catastrophic wild res like those in California and other states.

In Idaho, working forests are managed for sustainability—a forest management philosophy based on treating all resources in the forest in a way that doesn’t compromise their present and future social, economic, and environmental values. Idaho depends on its forests in so many ways.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE IDAHO FOREST PRODUCTS COMMISSION

“Longer, hotter growing seasons will stress out ponderosa pines at the lowest elevation but it will benefit whitebark pines at 6,000 feet.”

But it’s not just the changes to forests themselves that heighten re-related risks. Another contributing factor is the increasing number of people and homes in the wildland-urban interface, or WUI.

Jo Ellen Force, an emerita professor of forest policy at the University of Idaho, points to the change in the types of people who live in rural areas as one issue with the WUI..

“In the past, people who lived in rural areas, forested areas were loggers, miners, ranchers,” Force said. “ ey knew what to do about re if they lived with the natural environment.

ey didn’t expect everybody else to come in and help them if something caught on re.”

Now, Force said, the most typical example of people living in the WUI are those who work in town, not on their land. at presents a problem when it comes to re.

“Most don’t have a concept of creating defensible space around the house, or building a house with the most advanced re-resistant materials,” Force said. “ at’s not related to climate change. But that’s what the problem is when it comes to re.”

e increase in the number of second homes in Idaho and the number of people who moved during the pandemic to telecommute intensi es the issue.

“People who come for a few weeks or months in the summer or winter don’t want to spend that time creating defensible space,” Force said. “It’s hard work, labor, climbing up on roofs and clearing out gutters and cutting back all kinds of vegetation. I wouldn’t want to do that for the two weeks I spend on vacation either.”

COLLABORATING FOR FORESTS

Even before climate change, the state and federal entities responsible for managing Idaho forests recognized the importance of working together to help forests thrive. Federally owned forests have good neighbor authority and shared stewardship agreements with state land.

Jennifer Okerlund, director of the Idaho Forest Products Commission, believes that this spirit of collaboration has made Idaho’s forest management a model for other Western states.

“It’s allowed us to do a lot of things other states haven’t,” she said. “Other states hear about our state and federal agencies working together, and they say ‘oh, that’s preposterous, it’s impossible.’ I think it worked in Idaho because in their heart, all these entities shared the same value systems and the same intentions.”

And it’s not just the government. Industries like logging and wood products have operated in Idaho forests for over 150 years, and share best management practices with the government agencies. Okerlund thinks this economic relationship is one of the reasons Idaho forests are in such good shape.

“You have entities that are actively managing forests for a purpose,” she said. “It’s a cycle. In Idaho it’s always ‘manage, harvest, plant, repeat.’ For every tree that’s taken, there’s seven growing for the future.”

And the future, Okerlund said, is what everyone has their eye on.

“ e ideal is that our forests in Idaho will last forever, and we’re all sharing that value,” she said.

Landowners are required to reforest after harvest and to comply with Best Management Practices to assure sustainability of water quality, soils and wildlife habitat.

A landowner’s choice of harvest and regeneration method is based on landowner objectives, regulations, economics, site characteristics, effects on nature, and more. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE IDAHO FOREST PRODUCTS COMMISSION

Seedlings are grown and replanted in harvested forests every year. The Idaho’s Forest Practices Act makes renewability a legal responsibility on private and state lands.

The 400 Wind Turbines KnocKing on idaho’s door

BY ARIANNA CRETEAU

Locals, descendants of Minidoka

National Historic Site, ranchers, and groups from across the U.S. voiced their concern over potential environmental and cultural impacts of the Lava Ridge Wind Project when it was introduced in 2021. Today, some feel hopeful that their unity and overwhelming objections to the project will prevent it from gaining approval. Magic Valley Energy insists that there is a need for renewable

energy throughout the West and that local communities benefit by using wind power.

The Lava Ridge Wind Project proposes to build up to 400 wind turbines, at a maximum height of 740 feet tall, and associated infrastructure on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Idaho Department of Lands. By 2025, Magic Valley Energy hopes to have finished construction and begin operations on what would

be one of the largest wind farms in the U.S., producing over 1,000 megawatts of power distributed throughout the Western states.

Many opposed to the project say that they understand the environmental efforts for cleaner energy but do not agree with Magic Valley Energy’s approach. LS Power is an affiliate of Magic Valley Energy, and in the past has introduced projects around Jerome, Lincoln, and Minidoka counties.

“Minidoka is a place of healing for the Japanese American community.”

The Minidoka National Historic Site honors the nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans forced from their homes and into prison camps. Now, a wind farm threatens the area.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CAMILLE DAW

In a public comment, one person stated what many echo: “I support renewable energy projects. Climate change is definitely one of the most pressing issues of the day. However, I was deeply disappointed and angered that there was little regard for the Minidoka community.”

The Minidoka National Historic Site is a result of Executive Order 9066, signed in 1942. After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, attitudes towards Japanese Americans intensified wartime hysteria and racial prejudice. Nearly

120,000 Japanese Americans were forced from their homes and scattered across the U.S. into prison camps. More than 13,000 people were moved to Minidoka. Surrounded by sage brush and dust in Southern Idaho, the landscape, living conditions and way of life were extremely harsh. Present-day Minidoka serves as a site to educate, remember, and preserve history.

“Minidoka is a place of healing for the Japanese American community,” said Janet Matsuoka Keegan, a third-generation Japanese American.

Keegan has maternal and paternal relatives who were incarcerated at Minidoka. “LS Power has basically no respect for the cultural resources on that proposed 200,000 acres. There’s the Minidoka site, Native American cultural resources, pioneers, wildlife, and more in this rich area to consider,” she said.

Keegan is part of the grassroots group Stop Lava Ridge and Friends of Minidoka. For over 20 years, she has been involved with Friends of Minidoka and this is not the first threat to the Minidoka site that she has seen. She is a key figure involved in efforts to oppose Lava Ridge. “I’m 71 years old! Who would have thought that I’d be doing this? But inaction is not an option,” Keegan said.

Above: A reconstructed guard tower looks over the harsh desert that once interned 13,000 Japanese Americans at Minidoka.

Left: Farmers say that the proposed energy project limits grazing for cattle that have been on the land for generations. PHOTOS BY STAN HONDA

The Lava Ridge Project is one of many projects affecting rancher John Arkoosh, but he said that Lava Ridge is detrimental to his business. “It’s really affected me personally and my way of life. I’ve worked hard all my life and finally got a nice place to live on my farm,” Arkoosh said. His family has been farming for five generations.

With a cow-calf operation and feeder cattle, access to land is key. 34% of feed available to cattle for grazing could be lost during the construction phase alone, displacing a third of the cattle. Since the 1930s, cattle have been allowed to graze on the proposed project site.

Seven ranching families affected by Lava Ridge banded together to oppose the project, despite potential wealth they might have gained from the big companies. “I am feeling optimistic. We have so much support in the state and from diverse groups and I think we’re working really well together,” Arkoosh said.

Tom Koto, a descendant of incarcerated peoples from Minidoka and a member of Boise Valley JACL and Stop Lava Ridge, is concerned for the people and wildlife that Lava Ridge would impact.

“I feel more confident and I’m grateful for the BLM. I really believe that the BLM is doing their job to make sure this is done correctly,” Koto said. “If this is allowed to happen, it’s going to open the floodgates for more wind farms, solar farms, and other alternative energy projects, which I totally support within reason.”

Minidoka was featured by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America’s 11 most endangered historic places as of 2022.

“I live here and am close to the site,” Keegan said. “The BLM was flooded

with comments from the Japanese American community telling the story of incarceration and being survivors and descendants. We don’t have very many survivors. I am concerned about the Magic Valley as a resident, but I’m also concerned about the Minidoka National Historic Site as a descendant.”

Both sides eagerly wait to see what will come next. Will it be cutting edge wind turbines, or is the wild Idaho desert here to stay? Either way, it will have a large impact on the West and future projects on Idaho land.

At 4 years old, Actor/Social Justice Advocate, George Takei and his family were incarcerated at Rohwer War Internment Camp in Rohwer, Arkansas in 1942. He is an ongoing critic of the injustices of the Executive Order 9066 and advocates the importance of remembrance of this legacy of racial discrimination in America to prevent it happening again.

PHOTO FROM BAMBOO AND BARBED WIRE, DIRECTED BY KAREN DAY

Present-day Minidoka serves as a site to educate, remember, and preserve history, which locals fear will be lost if the Lava Ridge project proceeds as planned.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CAMILLE DAW

Alan Heathcock’s Cautionary Tale Idaho Writer Talks 40

BY CHARLES PINEDA

Where the world is headed has always been subject to debate, but rarely is a creator—in this case Boise author Alan Heathcock—so eager to say, “I absolutely do not want my story to become true.” The writer’s new novel, 40, is a study in both the hubris of humanity as well as that old adage we all want to be true—that hope truly does spring eternal. Set in a devastated future world where climate change is literally—and plausibly— changing the landscape of the world itself, politics and favoritism are just as much themes in Heathcock’s dystopian-leaning work.

We begin with a lone soldier surviving a bomb blast, a young woman who wakes after with true and full wings sprouting from her back. While the novel treats us to a colorful but succinct backstory, including a shocking moment of violence brilliantly rendered without being vulgar or distasteful, Heathcock also manages to rocket the story forward as young Mazzy Goodwin quickly goes from unknown face to the face of, quite potentially, the divine. “Some would see her as an angel, and possibly exploit her because of that,” Heathcock said.

While the novel explores this theme, it also leans back at times from Mazzy, who the reader can’t help but empathize with—at times, she is more confused than we are as readers. Often writers are told to make characters entirely proactive, but Heathcock delivers a delightful subversive treat: so often we see that what Mazzy does, whatever the choice, can only be a reaction, so controlled by others is the world in which she exists. There is the government, and the militaristic Novae Terrae cult/ group which would very much like Mazzy on their side, but equally on the page is nature itself, which at times seems to appeal directly to Mazzy.

“I started writing this novel back in 2013. Even back then I’d started to notice a fraying in the fabric of America…Add into that our collective inaction toward climate change. It scared me. I had to rewrite the novel five times because the trajectory I was predicting in our future kept becoming more and more dire,” Heathcock said. “I’m not really a science-fiction guy.”

Heathcock’s fast-paced—and often mesmerizing—work shows an almost operatic sense of scale that makes the action of the story not only work, but also offers true moments to read for, each event leaving us hungry for the next. Heathcock’s ending leaves plenty of room for consideration, which he hopes—desperately—you’ll do.

“We’re still here. This future is not yet real. We must change our trajectory and find a better future than the one depicted in my novel,” Heathcock said.

PHOTO BY FINCH111

BOOK COVER BY RODRIGO CORRAL

Tina is keeping

Tina keeps her power bill low and a wave of good energy flowing through her space by simply swapping bulbs to LEDs. More tips at IdahoPower.com/Save.

SHATTERING THE GRASS CEILING: Empowering Female Farmers

BY KURT ORZECK

The Marlboro man, taking a long drag off his cigarette after a hard day’s work roping steer. The lone ranger with crow’s feet around his eyes who just wants a dang pair of jeans that are designed for his comfort. The hero in just about every cowboy movie ever made: a husband and father, protecting his wife and family on the homestead.

We all know the imagery. It’s part of the American cultural canon, after all. If there’s a ranch, there’s a man who owns, supervises, and protects it while his wife tends to the children. That’s how it is and how it’s always been in the United States.

Right?

But what if the symbolic vision of the American heartland that we’ve believed our entire lives isn’t true? What if there’s more to the story than just one cowboy running every ranch in the U.S.? What if that iconic portrait is only, say, 39 percent true?

Well, if we embraced those ideas, however far-fetched they may seem, we’d simultaneously take a big step closer to reality.

That’s according to recent studies by a team of researchers, including professors at the University of Idaho. Due to new methods of data collection, they’ve found that women farmers were severely undercounted—and thus unrepresented—in statistics collected by the federal government.

A few months ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture— through which educators received a $500,000 grant for the studies—extended the project until July of next year. Using more accurate methods of evaluating farm operations across the U.S., they discovered that the female population among farmers and ranchers is much higher than any of us previously thought.

It turns out that Idaho has a higher percentage of women farmers and ranchers (39 percent) compared to the national average (36 percent). Other numbers presented in the studies are even more striking: roughly 70 percent of farm operations in Idaho involve at least one woman operator, compared with the national average of 55 percent.

Jessica McAleese is one half of the team that runs Swift River Farm in Salmon, Idaho. Statewide, 70 percent of farm operations involve at least one woman operator.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO EXTENSION

“The history of U.S. agriculture has been written around men: men farmers, men hunters,” said Paul Lewin, who is an associate professor and director of rural studies and digital economy programs at U of I. “But the data collection has been wrong all this time.”

Until recently, the USDA reported its census data to the U.S. Census Bureau, which in turn used that data to make determinations about demographics across the country. The problem is that not until 2002 did the census change to consider up to three operators of a farm instead of just one. Further changes in census data brought that number of operators up to four in 2017.

The new data makes clear that the larger number of women ranchers and farmers is neither trendy nor anomalous. In fact, the real tradition in America—what should even be con-

sidered the stereotype, perhaps—isn’t that a man owns and operates a farm or ranch by himself, but rather that a father and husband who does so with the help of his wife and children. Researchers found even more striking discoveries in the studies conducted with sociology Professor Ryanne Pilgeram and Assistant Professor Monica Fisher, also at U of I, and Katherine Dentzman, an assistant professor in rural sociology and rural public policy at Iowa State University.

While some of the census data at issue stemmed from the 2017 census count, it wasn’t until October of last year that the researchers summed up their findings in an academic paper about gender differences in the financial performance of U.S. farm businesses.

The authors of the study didn’t mince words, writing that they reached

the conclusion that “Farm operation is among the most gender-unequal occupations in the U.S.... Decomposition analysis indicates the gender gap is almost entirely explained by differences in endowments.”

The scholars point to other problems with data collection beyond the U.S. Census’s evolving threshold for how many ranch operators are counted. Because most farms are passed on from patriarch to eldest son, women are at a disadvantage in terms of power, prestige, and knowledge about farming.

Thus, “Female farmers have lower farm profitability than their male counterparts because their operations use far less capital (land, machinery, and labor), they have less farming experience, and they engage in the production of commodities that are less profitable,” according to the study.

Left: Farmer Katherine Nietmann frequently speaks as part of University of Idaho’s small farm education program, Cultivating SuccessTM PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO EXTENSION Right: Idaho has a higher percentage of female farmers as compared to the national average.

PHOTO BY KAREN DAY

Lewin said that, in light of the findings in his studies, “We need to start considering [more educational] programming for women. Women tend to be the primary caregivers for children…Women are running the households. When we pass ranchers to the next generation, we have to consider women.”

Pilgeram, who began researching women ranchers and farmers in Idaho and is the lead researcher and project manager for the new studies, said she started looking into the issue more than 20 years ago, when she was in graduate school.

“I grew up on a ranch in Montana to a very conventional family,” she said. “I remember an aunt saying my brother would run the ranch. It was just assumed that would happen, based on our cultural norms. The women I knew were doing the work as farmers and ranchers—they

just didn’t view themselves that way.”

Colette DePhelps, a U of I area extension educator who specializes in community food systems, noted that the heredity gap results in male heirs inheriting a whopping 80 percent of farms.

“Farm succession is huge,” she said. “Women have always been farmers, but they haven’t been recognized as ‘real’ farmers, according to the rural ideal. Even women don’t self-identify as they should. They [often say,] ‘I’m the farm helper’ or ‘I’m the farmer’s wife.’”

“If we start focusing in a forward-thinking way for women to be successful in ranching and farmers and careers…we can start putting together more representative educational programs,” DePhelps added.

To that end, U of I offers Annie’s Project, an online course intended to

empower Idaho women involved in agriculture. DePhelps noted that the institution will also offer more succession planning education for small and mid-size farms, which could help normalize women inheriting farms instead of men.

It’s hard to predict what the new findings will mean more generally for ranches and farms going forward. If the U.S. Census changes its methodology to account for more than four farm operators, the data could skew even more female.

But the professor also alluded to an entirely different trend, one that might send a shiver up the collective spine of ranchers and non-ranchers alike.

“We very well might see another plateau [in gender proportion],” he said, “because more corporations are buying more land than ever…and corporations don’t have a gender.”

Left: Teresa Little, Idaho’s First Lady, participates in sheering sheep at her family’s ranch which has been operating for generations. Still, across the United States, farm operation is among the most gender-unequal occupations. PHOTOS BY KAREN DAY

No Place Like Home

“I gotta be the biggest fool in the world to come down here with you all!” uttered Deacon Luther E. Johnson as he climbed down into the Shoshone Ice Caves. My mom had conned him into going with us, and after, my grandfather shared with anyone who would listen how truly magni cent it was.

His words captured something essential about Idaho—the vastness and beauty of our landscape. On one side, the smell of the owers, the smell of rain, freshly felled trees, spring owers, against a harder edge—a glimpse of animals in their natural habitat (from a distance, preferably) and the feel of the wind on our faces.

I remember camping, shing, exploring, and swimming—wading, in my case—at Red sh Lake with my parents, brother, younger sister Pepper, my (teen) Aunt Mary who had hardly been o the block, and John, the neighbor kid. With blankets, tarps, and make-shift everything, we scrounged for rewood and cooked over an open re, scared to death of animals that probably weren’t there.

ere is no place in the world I’d rather call home. e abundant and unique outdoor environments, treasures, and experiences of this state are imprinted on the DNA of forever Idahoans and visitors alike. is is the stu that memories are made of.

As an adult, Idaho o ers the same opportunities—and then some. Whether it is driving to Banks to cook breakfast and spend the day hiking, exploring, and taking pictures or watching my kids ski and snowboard, boat and swim on beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene or reveling at the McCall Winter Carnival, enjoying ice sculptures, parades, music, ice skating, sledding, and reworks, Idaho is a land of opportunity.

On any given day, especially if you’re up for a little driving, one can tour the Hagerman Fish Hatchery, explore the desert at Bruneau Dunes State Park, go horseback riding, mountain climb,

BY CHERIE BUCKNER-WEBB

sled, hike, walk, rock hunt, or enjoy the year-round art, entertainment, beautiful climate, and great star gazing in Sun Valley and Ketchum, which is part of Idaho Dark Sky Reserve—the only one in U.S. where folks are able to see the Milky Way.

Here, you can begin the day with an exquisite sunrise and end it with an ethereal sunset. As you sh, experience amazing ora and fauna, and oat the pristine waters of the Boise River through a string of parks, just minutes from downtown. You become part of a long tradition, and pay homage to the Shoshone, Bannock, and Paiute Tribes who lived along the river for generations. ese are but a few of the gifts available to those who live in and visit our beautiful state. ose who came before us were purposeful about exploring, preserving, and making so many phenomenal gifts of our environment visible and accessible. I am grateful for their toil, commitment, and vision. ey have greatly enhanced the lives of untold numbers. We are the most fortunate recipients of their time and talent. ey have indeed endowed our futures. And we must, in turn, be good stewards of these gifts, treating our environment with respect and care so that we might continue to leave a legacy for generations to come.

I hold a lifetime of memories in Idaho’s great outdoors, and I have more to explore.