Snowcation in Boise, Idaho | Day 1
Friday, February 12, 2021
Chris and I woke bright and early—or should I say, still dark out early—to leave for Bush International Airport in Houston for a flight to Boise, Idaho through Dallas. Ironically, it felt about as cold in Texas as what we expected to find in the mountains to which we were headed. We huddled tight in our new puffy parkas with matching fur-lined hoods, and made our way through the airport via high-speed shuttle.
When we arrived in Dallas we had a slight layover, so Chris introduced me to Centurion lounges, where you are treated like royalty just for having a specific card. The elevator for the lounge was discreetly located, so that finding it and getting in was like a secret. We showed them our boarding passes and Chris’s fancy metal card, and had instant access to comfy chairs, a hot breakfast, coffee and mimosas. “Becca, be cool!” Chris had to tell me, as I smuggled a handful of tea bags into my purse. Unfortunately, we had to hurry out to catch our next flight to Boise.
When we arrived and collected our baggage, we got our first glimpse of snow outside. Trees were delicately coated in outlines of white and flakes fluttered from the opaque sky. Chris threw a snowball at me as we walked to meet our Uber driver, who was a pleasant hippie who didn’t care if we took our masks off in the car, which was decorated with patterned scarves and little metal bell charms. I gaped out the window at the lines of the snow-covered roofs and charming architecture of downtown. The capitol building stood at the end of our drive, mountains peeking out from between buildings every now and again. As we drove, we passed a Dutch Bros, which Chris and I simultaneously announced in excitement, recognizing the chain we both knew from our time in Arizona before we met. Our Uber driver thought that was cute.
Hippie man dropped us off at a restaurant called Fork, where we stopped for lunch before picking up our Jeep rental. There, I was spoiled once again with birthday lamb, which came on a sizzling cast iron platter. We made a point to get fries, too—you can’t go to Idaho without eating potatoes, after all. I had butternut squash ravioli as my main dish, which really hit the spot in the cold weather. When we’d finished we awkwardly dragged our luggage out of the restaurant and took another Uber to pick up the Jeep.
Our Jeep had an angry face, and beastly snow tires. We loaded it up, grabbed a few groceries from a nearby Trader Joe’s, and began our journey along the Boise River into Sawtooth National Forest. We stopped near Lucky Peak State Recreation Area, overlooking the chasm that was Robie Creek. There, I tested out my drone, which worked despite the snowfall. After a few photos, Chris and I began a hike up Cervidae Peak, a 4-mile up and back trail with spectacular mountain views. The elevation made it hard to breathe (or maybe I’m just out of shape—both are equally possible). My “Gandalf stick” that I’d found along the side of the trail came in handy as we reached some extremely steep and slippery areas. I was astonished by the interesting peaks that lined the ribbed edges of the creek, so straight and jagged at the top yet sloping like sand at the bottom. We made it half a mile up before some ominous gray fog rolled in, and we decided to play it safe and return to the Jeep—not before making a mini-snowman and lying down for a minute to rest, though.
It was a good thing we left when we did, because what should have been a fifteen minute drive up the dirt road that led to our cabin ended up being nearly an hour. Snow had covered the steep switchbacks, and despite the tires we had on our Jeep, a sharp turn left us skidding and sliding backwards. Chris managed to turn us into a snowbank (rather than the sheer drop of death) and we got out to evaluate the situation. A kind local backpacker stopped to help us as we attempted to fit chains onto the tires, but the ones provided with the Jeep were too small for them. We gave up, and our local angel gave us advice on how to regain enough traction to get up the hill. To play things safe, Chris had me wait outside, and drove a long ways until he reached a spot that was flat and straight, where he parked and came down the hill to meet me. The views were spectacular.
I held my breath the rest of the way up, my life flashing before my eyes periodically, but we made it to the top in one piece. Our cabin was at the very end of the road, with nothing but trees and mountainscapes around us! Chris only had 1% battery left on his phone (and the Jeep didn’t have a way to charge it) so we hurried to get the key code for the lock on the cabin door. With seconds to spare, we got it, and went inside. The cabin was even better than the pictures on the listings! The living room had a high ceiling, huge windows, an old-school fireplace, and log walls. Upstairs had a balcony overlooking the living room. The kitchen was adorned with antler chandeliers and black bear mats, all adding to the cozy aesthetic.
What was it like?
Jacuzzi in the Snow
We quickly settled in, lit a fire, and cuddled for a while before making a lazy macaroni and cheese dinner. A glass or two of wine later, we decided to use the jacuzzi. With nothing but swim suits and boots on, we sprinted through the crisp evening air, yelping at how cold we were, and fumbled into the steaming hot water. Flurrying snowflakes flashed as they passed the patio lights and sizzled on the surface of the tub. Under towering pines, we talked and held one another until our fingers looked like raisins. On our way out, my sopping wet feet soaked the lining of my boots, which squashed loudly as I sprinted to the door. There, I stopped, entranced at how quiet it was, away from the bubbling jacuzzi. The air held a stillness that felt sacred, the night wrapped in winter, undisturbed, sleeping.
The silence was broken as Chris caught up with me after closing the hot tub lid, dashing as awkwardly as I had to the cabin door. We kicked off our shoes and dried ourselves, rekindling the fire that had died in our absence. I wrote a little, then we watched the next episode of Wandavision together, and called it a night.
