Solar Eclipse on august 21, 2017 (Boise, Pocatello: where to stay, ski resort, rental)

[GregW]

There will be a solar eclipse visible in Idaho on Aug. 21, 2017 along a band from approximately Payette to Idaho Falls, Idaho. We are considering vacationing in Idaho for that event. Our primary concerns are small likelihood of clouds and reasonable lodging costs. We are still deciding wether to drive out there from New Hampshire or flying to Portland and renting a car.


We would appreciate recommendations on places to visit besides the Eclipse viewing as well as things to do. We expect to spend, depending on how we get there, about 10 to 14 days in Idaho or Oregon. Your suggestions will be appreciated.

[banjomike]

Hi, greg...
August is usually a month when the skies are clear.

If you're coming out for mostly the eclipse, i suggest going to Oregon afterward, not before. If I was to plan coming from New Hampshire, I would fly into Salt Lake City instead, and then on to Idaho Falls. You can rent a car here with no problems, but if you wanted to do some driving, you could pick up a rental in SLC.

Boise is close to Payette, but the chances of a summer haze is greater in the Treasure Valley than it is southward. Idaho Falls and the Snake River Valley's air is almost always clearer, as our perpetual slight breeze scrubs out the atmosphere here. I plan a short drive upward, to stake out a spot on the foothills, just outside of town, where a person can see out over the Great Snake River plain for 100 miles in all directions.

No matter how you make your choices, one that should be made is to have the ability to be able to get out to a place where there are clear horizons if you want to see the entire eclipse well, so I think renting a car is a must.

Early reservations would be a necessity in Idaho Falls, as August is the height of the tourist season, and we have hundreds of thousands of tourists passing through here every summer, mostly going to Yellowstone. If it was me, I would reserve a room just as soon as possible, as all our hotels are bound to fill up in the eclipse's path.

I saw a total eclipse here in 1961, while working in a farm field, wearing a welder's hood to view it. It was the same eclipse Steven King used in his book 'Delores Clairborne', and it was both spectacular and very foreboding. The sensation of full bright daylight turning to darkness brought up a chilling, primal fear in me that was a real thrill, like no other thrill has ever been.

It's a few minutes I sure still remember vividly, and it's one that has to be experienced to really understand. One of the things I remember was how silent everything in nature suddenly became. All the insects, birds and animals all stopped making noise.

Our dogs all thought there was trouble coming and run under the pickup to hide. Even the air quality changed. The temps dropped enough to feel it happen.

It's easy to see how our ancestors were so afraid of them. I was baling hay at the time, and there was no need to turn the tractor off, but I did, just in case. In case of what was something I didn't think about; all I wanted to do was look up at the sky, and somehow, noise was a distraction for my modern brain. The silence was somehow more fitting in the experience of such an awesome event.

I'm really glad I will get another one to experience! This one should be even better than that one!

[volosong]

Hi-resolution track map over the continental United States, from wikipedia. Looks like people around Rigby and Rexburg are going to get a front-row seat.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped..._OSM_Zoom6.png


Here's what posted in the Oregon forum several years ago. The links I quoted by OldChina can be useful.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/orego...r-eclipse.html


.

[BannockCounty]

Pocatello is 50-55 miles south of Idaho Falls and has plenty of chain (and private) lodging, too. Like Banjo said, if you are coming from afar, it will make sense to fly in to SLC, PIH (Pocatello) or Idaho Falls (IDA) and rent a car so that you can get to a "perfect" spot based on that week's conditions.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by GregW

There will be a solar eclipse visible in Idaho on Aug. 21, 2017 along a band from approximately Payette to Idaho Falls, Idaho. We are considering vacationing in Idaho for that event. Our primary concerns are small likelihood of clouds and reasonable lodging costs. We are still deciding wether to drive out there from New Hampshire or flying to Portland and renting a car.


We would appreciate recommendations on places to visit besides the Eclipse viewing as well as things to do. We expect to spend, depending on how we get there, about 10 to 14 days in Idaho or Oregon. Your suggestions will be appreciated.

Do you have some special need to fly to Portland? That will be far more expensive than flying to Idaho Falls or the Delta hub in Salt Lake City.

What do you want to do or see in western OR and eastern ID? We may have some suggestions.

I back what BanjoMike wrote about getting your reservations now!!! We are the hub for Yellowstone NP, Teton NP and Jackson Hole. Occupancy may stretch down to Utah, as the Yellowstone tourists could fill every room in Idaho Falls. Fortunately, the hotel's do hold a percentage f rooms for business travelers and others. There are four new hotels coming to Idaho Falls. The Springhill Suites will be open by then. And a new Hampton Inn and one other should be open in Rexburg. But that isn't many rooms for our two year record breaking number of Visitors to YNP and other events.

Not necessarily for you, but if others read this thread and hotels are booked, I'd look at renting a camping trailer or other motorized camping device. You'll need to have reservations where you can park in camping areas, but at least hundreds to thousands could have somewhere to stay during this event.

Good luck to all who hope to see the Eclipse. Get your reservations ASAP and your life will be more stress free.

MSR

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by BannockCounty

Pocatello is 50-55 miles south of Idaho Falls and has plenty of chain (and private) lodging, too. Like Banjo said, if you are coming from afar, it will make sense to fly in to SLC, PIH (Pocatello) or Idaho Falls (IDA) and rent a car so that you can get to a "perfect" spot based on that week's conditions.

Bannock County,

Not to be disrespectful at all, rather because I'm wondering about the answer myself. How many rooms are available in Pocatello/Chubbuck each night? Pocatello is an option, but since so many tours go to Yellowstone, which start in Salt Lake City at the International airport, lots of those buses with international tourists are are staying in Pocatello until the additional hotels can be built in Idaho Falls.

There are some rooms available,, maybe even a couple of hundred or more nightly. But people need to book them now, IMO, as the tours and destination drivers will reserve them.

Thanks

MSR

[Syringaloid]

Better yet, fly in to Boise where there are plenty of hotels and head up and or stay in Sun Valley/Stanley (reservations strongly recommended and hopefully forest fire free) or Cascade to watch the show. Either of these areas are incredibly beautiful. Flying into Boise will put you central to the rest of Southern Idaho and Eastern Oregon. SLC is too far from the action.

I see that you have some great responses in the Oregon forum. You could also travel easily to Baker City from Boise.




http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/states/ID_web.jpg




http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/states/OR_web.jpg

[banjomike]

Whoo!
I just learned where I'll go!
I'm going to go to Driggs, then drive up to the Grand Targhee Ski resort and watch the eclipse from on top after taking a trip up on the ski lift. Watching the Tetons go through the eclipse will be spectacular, and the view from the top of Targhee is unobstructed in a 360.

I'll bet a lot of folks will have the same thought, but it's mighty large up there, so I doubt I'll be caught in a huge crush. I may reserve a room at the resort for the night.

All the tourists in Jackson Hole will sure have a good view too.

[volosong]

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

Better yet, fly in to Boise where there are plenty of hotels and head up and or stay in Sun Valley/Stanley (reservations strongly recommended and hopefully forest fire free) or Cascade to watch the show. Either of these areas are incredibly beautiful. Flying into Boise will put you central to the rest of Southern Idaho and Eastern Oregon. SLC is too far from the action.

I see that you have some great responses in the Oregon forum. You could also travel easily to Baker City from Boise.




http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/states/ID_web.jpg




http://www.eclipse2017.org/2017/maps/states/OR_web.jpg

Cool maps, Syringaloid! I was finally able to give you a rep point.

One thing is certain, if I write anything about Salt Lake City, UT you will always add a post about Boise We had such different experiences in The Wasatch Front in our years there.

I did think of Boise, but re-read the OPS post where eastern ID was the area mentioned. So I opted for the routes probably 90% plus take to the Eastern side of the state.

Good to know that Boise has caught up in hotel rooms. That reminds me of something I need to send you in a DM

I suspect this thread will get read by many, not just the OP. To the best of my knowledge. The Boise Airport (Gowan Fielding, I think) has no international flights from thousands of miles away. Conversely, Salt Lake City Airport does. Two different carriers, including Air Canada that fly from Quebec, Delta directly from Amsterdam. London and maybe Paris by that date.

Denver, DIA, is closer for those wanting to see this in Southeast, WY. It's easy to get confused when looking from different parts of the world.

I'm willing to guess you'd join BanjoMike and me saying get reservations done ASAP. It will be a busy and hopefully a wonderful time for everyone