This is not a formal activation report but a heads up and advice to anyone trying to access Boise Peak, W7I/BC-079. The shortest path up to the peak is via a road extending from 8th Street in Boise up the the Boise Ridge Road and then over to Boise Peak. On Boise National Forest Service maps the 8th Street Extension is shown as FS-231 and the Boise Ridge Road as FS-275.
K7ZO scouted out this route a couple weeks ago in his wife's Acura MDX SUV and was stopped at a nasty washout/rocky area on the 8th Street Extension. On July 23 K7MK and K7ZO headed up the same road in K7MK's Suburban. While we were able to negotiate the section that stopped K7ZO we were stopped by an even worse section of road a quarter mile further up the road. This about 1 mile short of the top of FS-231/8th Street before it reaches the Boise Ridge Road, FS-275. (See Photo)
So, as a heads up to anyone else trying this road. It is certainly not passable in a passenger car. Even a standard high ground clearance vehicle like a pickup might have trouble unless it has some extra clearance and/or large tires, and a driver with some off roading skills.
There is another route to Boise Peak by accessing the Boise Ridge Road off of the road going up the Bogus Basin Ski Area. We are going to try this approach next. We will get to Boise Peak -- eventually.
