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WATERSKI MagazineBack in 1974, many of us took a nervous, first-time glance at the Snake River outside of Twin Falls, Idaho, and watched Evel Knievel's “rocket ship” plummet toward the water in a botched attempt to jump the canyon. After Knievel stepped onto the river bank unharmed, we all breathed a sigh of relief and quickly forgot about the area in the flick of a television switch. Twenty-three years later, skiers would be wise to discover it again.
The Snake River winds its way across the southern part of the Gem State, a name derived from the mountains to the north but which has just as much to do with the watery jewels that await skiers who make the journey to the open lands of the west. Idaho is home to rugged and beautiful terrain – including remnants of the Oregon Trail, where pioneers blazed a path to the Pacific. But it's the waters of the Snake that will beckon you and your fiberglass toy to come play.
A must-ski is the area just west of the Twin Falls city limit, where you can launch your boat inside a cut along the 200-foot-high rock cliffs that engulf the river. The slalom water is pure and glassy through the narrows, but folks find the middle of the ancient gorge a nice platform for popping air Raleys. Besides, it's always fun to tell your friends you were airborne inside the Earth's crust.
A 40-mile drive through the farmlands and sagebrush east of Twin Falls will land you in Burley, a ski-friendly community where the Snake widens and the rock cliffs give way to the openness of the American West. Put your boat in at one of the numerous ramps in Burley and you'll have free rein to cruise and ski a 30-mile stretch between the Minidoka and Miller dams, which bookend the town.
If you go, take two things with you – a full wetsuit to combat the often-cool waters of the Snake River, and a camera to capture the beauty and fun of an Idaho ski trip.
Other attractions:
* The Sawtooth National Forest, 70 miles to the north, is home to a good portion of the 17,000 miles of mountain biking trails that run throughout Idaho.
Where to unpack:
* The Shiloh Inn in Twin Falls (208-733-7545); $75-$80 per night.
* Best Western in Burley (800-599-1849); $56-$64 per night.
Where to eat:
* The Aroma Restaurant brings Italy so close to Twin Falls you'd expect to see gondolas on the Snake River.
Something you have to do:
* Kick up your water-weary heels at Boot Scooters, Twin Falls' cavernous new country & western joint, where the dance floor is the size of a small pond.
In case you forgot:
* Pine Tree Sports in Burley (208-678-5869) carries HO gear and is a MerCruiser dealer.
How to get here:
* The Snake River runs almost parallel with I-84, which stretches across south central Idaho.
For more information:
* Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce (208-436-4793).
* Mini-Cassia Chamber of Commerce (208-733-3974).
– Tony Smith
