I am so fortunate that I live in Boise and have so many beautiful destinations within such easy reach of the city. Today I decided to visit Mores Mountain which stands beside Shafer Butte, our local ski mountain.

Getting to the trailhead is very straight-forward. Head North from Boise to Bogas Basin Road. You will continue up the mountain until you arrive at the lower lodge of Bogus Basin Ski Resort. Continue past the first parking lot until you see signs leading to the Pioneer Lodge. Take a hard right turn and park near the Upper Lodge. My hike began here.

Now I would classify this as a moderate hike based on my particular fitness level. There are steep portions which will have your breath a bit more labored, however take it slow and enjoy yourself. Initially, you hike up the West side of Shafer Butte to meet up with the saddle to Mores Mountain. At this junction, take a left and follow the trail to the picnic and camping area. You have a choice at this point. If you follow the trail Left, you make your way down the road to the South side of the mountain. The was the way I took in order to maximize the time I was in te shade of Mores Mountain.

When I made my way to the West side of the mountain (still following the dirt road) I started observing the many granite spires this hike showcases. Kids will be amazed at these giant rocks projecting up through the Earth. If you go this way, keep a lookout for the sign leading to the trail. It’s easy to miss unless you are looking for it (or have downloaded my GPS track).

Once on the trail, I proceeded North-East where I was treated to an unobstructed view of the Boise National Forest. Through some haze I was able to make out some snowy peaks in the distance. More granite, a few lizzards and wildflowers were everywhere as I continued my journey on the trail.

Eventually the trail ended as it met up with the campground. At this junction I made my way back to the saddle to Shafer Butte and back-tracked to the trail head. If you still have enough energy after you make it back to Shafer Butte I recommend taking a quick side track to summit and check out the view from the lookout tower. It’s worth the small climb another few hundred feet. You can see those stats in my blog entry for the Bogus Basin Mega Hike being posted soon.

Tjd

– Post From My iPhone