Loose moose captured in Pocatello

POCATELLO — A moose running loose in Pocatello caused a stir on Tuesday morning.

Multiple local residents reported a yearling cow moose running in the Old Town Pocatello area at approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday.

When the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Pocatello Police Department arrived on scene, the moose was wandering around Memorial Park at the intersection of North Grant Avenue and West Fremont Street.

Fish and Game officers attempted to dart the moose with a tranquilizer twice but missed. The moose then ran for a short distance down West Fremont Street before it was successfully darted. The animal came to rest in a residential backyard on North Grant Avenue.

After the animal was tranquilized, Fish and Game officers moved the animal into a truck and relocated it in a remote area away from cities and people.

Nobody was injured during the incident. 

This is not the first time that residents in Pocatello have been visited by a wayward moose.

Last August, a moose that wandered into Pocatello’s east side was tranquilized near the intersection of Alameda Road and Monte Vista Drive. That moose was then relocated to a remote location.

Months earlier on Easter, multiple local residents spotted a young bull moose near Pocatello High School. After finding a shady area near Centennial and Rainey parks along the Portneuf River, the animal eventually made its way back into the wild on its own.

Tuesday’s incident in Pocatello was also not the first time over the past month that conservation officers had to tranquilize and relocate a wild animal. On May 11, a mountain lion on Red Hill Trail in Pocatello was darted and moved out of the area.

According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, there were multiple mountain lion sightings around the Pocatello/Chubbuck area after the May 11 incident, but these reports have not been verified due to either a lack of evidence or possible misidentification.

LAST DAY — Pebble Creek’s longtime general manager retires

INKOM — Mary Reichman wasn’t expecting the goodbye she received on Thursday morning.

It was the last day of her 30-year career as the general manager of Pebble Creek Ski Area, and she thought she would only spend the day tying up some loose ends and turning over the keys to the new management.

Instead, a large group of well-wishers lined up at the base of the mountain to greet Reichman as she came to work for the last time.

“I was just totally overwhelmed and totally surprised,” she said.

Accompanied by Mike Rodriguez, the resort’s ski lift supervisor and director of possibilities, Reichman met with each of the well-wishers and hugged them. Many gave her roses, and some of the flowers had personal notes attached to the stems.

At the end of the line of well-wishers was Bannock County Commissioner Terrel “Ned” Tovey, who read a proclamation declaring Thursday as Mary Reichman Day throughout the county.

“It’s a way of saying thank you, especially for someone like Mary Reichman who has been so visible and has helped so many people in our community,” Tovey said.

Tovey also noted that Pebble Creek greatly contributes to Bannock County’s economy by bringing skiers and snowboarders into the area.

Reichman and her husband, John, were part of a group of investors who purchased Pebble Creek Ski Area in the early 1980s. However, the resort suffered from numerous financial problems, and by the late 1980s, the ski area almost shut down.

To help fix the resort’s poor financial situation, the investors placed Reichman, a former social worker from St. Louis, Missouri, in charge of Pebble Creek.

At the time of her appointment, she was one of only two women in the United States running ski resorts. The other female manager was at Pomerelle Mountain Resort in south-central Idaho.

Reichman said she felt that the key to making Pebble Creek financially solvent was to make the mountain more accessible, particularly for families and beginner and intermediate skiers.

“I’m an intermediate skier, and when I first started here, a whole lot of things on the mountain intimidated me,” she said. “The first developments I did were tiny projects that took away things that were intimidating to me. We did things like widen the cat track coming out of Lower Green Canyon. It was little projects like that which made the mountain more accessible to more people.”

Besides adding and modifying multiple runs that appealed to beginner- and intermediate-level skiers and snowboarders, more events were added to entertain ski bums each March, a time when resort attendance tends to decrease.

But the change that Reichman said was one of her proudest accomplishments was the implementation of school skiing programs, where students from local elementary and middle schools visit Pebble Creek to learn how to ski and snowboard as part of their physical education curriculum.

“With the school programs, and making them so affordable, my belief is that all of the young people who grow up within the shadow of this beautiful mountain need to have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors during the winter,” she said.

The school programs, Reichman says, helped create generations of new skiers who still utilize and enjoy Pebble Creek to this day.

The rebranding of the resort worked, and six to seven years after Reichman’s appointment, Pebble Creek was financially solvent again.

In September 2016, Pebble Creek was purchased by Shay Carl, a popular Internet celebrity from Pocatello. To help with the transition of ownership and management, Reichman agreed to stay on for two additional ski seasons.

Mike Dixon has taken her place as Pebble Creek’s general manager.

Ironically, Reichman will celebrate her first day of retirement by visiting another mountain. She will fly to Peru on Friday to visit Machu Picchu, which is located in the Andes.

Then she plans to stay in Pocatello for the next three to four years to spend time with her two children and two grandchildren.

“I have a lot of good friends and a lot of positive energy in Pocatello,” Reichman said.

After the well-wishers said their goodbyes on Thursday, Reichman had everybody do the “mountain pose,” which is a popular pose used in yoga. She ended the pose by shouting, “let’s make it snow,” which drew laughter and applause from those in attendance.

“It is my hope for everyone who skis on this mountain to love and respect the mountain and have positive regard for each other,” she said.

Construction to begin on Greenway trail along I-15 this spring

POCATELLO — Someday there will be a 27-mile paved trail network that wraps around the Gate City. That’s the dream of Rory Erchul and the Portneuf Greenway Foundation.

So far, about 15 miles of that network have been built in various sections across Pocatello.

But on Wednesday, the foundation announced that it would soon begin construction on the first piece of the network that lies along the Interstate 15 corridor. This spring, construction will begin on a paved trail along Interstate 15 between the Monte Vista Drive overpass and the Farm Bureau Insurance building on Tierra Drive.

Once the rest of the trails on the I-15 corridor are completed, residents will be able to walk or ride their bikes on paved Greenway trails stretching from the Edson Fichter Nature Area on the south side of town to the Portneuf Wellness Complex on the north side.

“We have the support of our city, and our community members and businesses are donating time and resources to making things happen,” said Erchul, who serves as the president of the foundation’s board of trustees.

So far the foundation, which was founded in 1992, has built numerous trails across the city. These trails include stretches along the Portneuf River, the South Valley Connector area and Idaho State University.

However, the sections of trail that currently exist are broken up throughout the area and many do not connect with each other. According to Erchul, it can take years, or in some cases decades, to secure easements on private lands where trails can be constructed.

Plus, there’s the financial challenges.

It usually costs approximately $100,000 to build a 1-mile stretch of Greenway trail. But that’s assuming there are no physical obstacles in the way. The new Monte Vista to Farm Bureau trail will cost approximately $500,000, according to the engineers’ estimates. That’s because of the difficult topography of the land near Interstate 15, as well as the need to build multiple retaining walls to control erosion.

The funds to build Pocatello’s Greenway trails come from a variety of sources, both private and public.

“In the last four years, we’ve been able to raise about $1.6 million from grants, in-kind gifts and private donations,” Erchul said. “We want people to know that the Portneuf Greenway Foundation is a non-for-profit organization, and all the board members are volunteers and we have no paid staff.”

The Monte Vista to Farm Bureau trail is an important stepping stone to finishing the all-important I-15 corridor section of trails. Once completed, this section of trails will provide non-motorized access to Idaho State University, East Terry Street, East Center Street, Portneuf Medical Center, Olympus Drive, Highland High School, the North Bannock Fairgrounds and the Portneuf Wellness Complex.

Also, guests at the numerous hotels near East Center Street, as well as the Red Lion Hotel on Pocatello Creek Road, will have easy access to the trail network.

Like the other Greenway trails in Pocatello, the Monte Vista Drive to Farm Bureau trail will be a paved 10-foot wide multi-use trail that will meet standards set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The trail will be a little less than a mile long.

The $500,000 that will be used to construct that trail has been raised by a combination of state grants from the Idaho Transportation Department and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation with matching funds from the Portneuf Greenway Foundation.

According to a news release from the foundation, numerous private entities have also donated money, including the Ifft Foundation, Keller Engineering, Idaho Community Bank, Idaho Central Credit Union, Farm Bureau Insurance, Paul Link and several others.

According to the Portneuf Greenway Foundation, construction bids are being accepted through the city until mid-March.

But why should the Pocatello/Chubbuck area have its own Greenway?

For Erchul and the foundation’s board of trustees, there are economic, health and transportation considerations.

“Any city in the country that’s progressive enough to build a Greenway system, whether it’s in Texas or Boise, sees a major economic boost,” Erchul said.

A Greenway trail network also provides a non-motorized alternative mode of transportation, where residents can hop on their bikes and quickly travel to their workplaces or favorite businesses, Erchul said.

And the Portneuf Greenway Foundation said having a city trail network encourages people to get out and exercise, whether it’s walking the dog, riding their bikes or going for a stroll.

“It’s a quality of life issue,” Erchul said.

Family encounters mountain lion in South Pocatello neighborhood

POCATELLO — When Zachariah Rollins’ 11-year-old son Bran said there was a mountain lion in a nearby cottonwood tree, nobody believed him at first.

“He likes to play tricks on his parents,” Zachariah laughs.

Zachariah, Bran and other members of the Rollins family were walking on Hilo Drive in south Pocatello on Sunday evening at approximately 7 p.m., and their dog even started lunging toward the tree. When they all looked up, they realized Bran wasn’t joking.

Nestled within the tree’s branches about 30 feet off the ground was a mountain lion, and according to Zachariah, the big cat seemed shy and was staying perfectly still.

“I think we might have startled it and it jumped in the tree,” he said.

According to both Zachariah and officials with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the encounter on Sunday was just one of numerous sightings in the Pocatello area during the past year.

A few weeks ago, residents reported a mountain lion near Cedar Lake Road. In December, an adult male cougar mauled a pet dog to death on Buckskin Road. Fish and Game officers later located the lion and the animal was euthanized.

Last winter, Fish and Game relocated a mama cat and her four kittens after they made themselves at home among the human residents of the Johnny Creek area.

According to Jennifer Jackson, regional conservation educator with Idaho Fish and Game, wildlife officials will relocate a mountain lion if it is causing conflicts with humans. However, in the case of the recent sightings on Hilo Drive and Cedar Lake Drive, Fish and Game did not take any action.

Jackson said that any residents who encounter a mountain lion near their property can contact Idaho Fish and Game. For more information on mountain lions, visit idfg.idaho.gov.

However, she also said that living side-by-side with wildlife is a part of life in many areas in and around Pocatello, particularly in the south side of town.

“We’ve been living with mountain lions in the Johnny Creek area for decades, and we will continue living with them for decades to come,” Jackson said. “It’s what happens when we share the same habitat.”

But despite so many encounters with mountain lions, Jackson said there have only been three mountain lion attacks on humans in Idaho since 1990. None of these attacks were fatal.

One attack occurred near the Salmon River and another occurred in the southwestern part of the state.

The third attack made national headlines in 2016 when a lion attempted to drag a 4-year-old Blackfoot girl away during a family get-together near Rexburg. The girl survived the attack with minor injuries.

For the Rollins family on Sunday night, the mountain lion did not seem to present itself as a threat. After a neighbor shined a light at the cat, Zachariah was able to snap a photo. Soon afterward, the cat jumped from the tree and ran off into the darkness of night.

Zachariah said his mother-in-law and father-in-law are visiting from Texas, and he’s glad they were able to catch a glimpse of a cougar. Zachariah lives in the Johnny Creek area and he said he’s seen deer, moose, hawks, owls and coyotes. The mountain lion was another item to cross off on his wildlife-sighting checklist.

“It was really cool to see,” he said. “I’ve never seen a mountain lion in the wild before.”

Warm weather shattering multiple records in East Idaho

High temperatures in East Idaho set multiple records on Tuesday.

The 61 degrees measured in Pocatello was not only the highest temperature ever recorded on Jan. 30, it was also the highest temperature ever recorded in the Gate City in the month of January. The National Weather Service said official record-keeping began in Pocatello in 1939.

The previous record for Jan. 30 in Pocatello was 51 degrees in 1992, while the previous record for the warmest temperature ever recorded in January was 60 degrees on Jan. 31, 2003.

Idaho Falls and Burley also broke records on Tuesday. Idaho Falls’ 50 degrees broke the previous record of 45 degrees set in 1971, and Burley’s 61 degrees broke the previous record of 56 degrees, also set in 1971.

However, unlike Pocatello, the new Jan. 30 record temperatures in Idaho Falls and Burley were not the highest ever recorded for the month of January in those cities.

But meteorologists said that what is particularly unusual is how the region has seen two extremes in back-to-back years.

Last year during this time, most of Southeast Idaho was buried under snow thanks to unrelenting storms and blizzards.

In fact, January 2017 was the snowiest January on record, with a total of 32.2 inches in Pocatello. It was also the seventh coldest January ever documented.

But in January 2018, only 0.3 inches of powder had fallen in the Gate City, making it the least snowiest and the second-warmest January on record. Only the January in 1953 was balmier.

According to Greg Kaiser, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Pocatello, a high-pressure system moved into the region shortly after Christmas and has remained since then. This was not what meteorologists were expecting, as December had higher-than-average snowfall numbers.

“Once Christmas Day passed, the weather turned quickly,” Kaiser said.

This system, Kaiser said, is essentially pushing any potential blizzards and snowstorms away from Southeast Idaho to the north and to the east.

“A high-pressure system has set up on the West Coast and there’s been a low-pressure system back east, which is why they are getting all the storms,” Kaiser said. “It’s been completely reversed compared to last year, when we had the low-pressure system and the storms, and the East Coast had the high-pressure system and the warm weather.”

But will Southeast Idaho see any significant snowfall or frigid temperatures in February and March?

For the next 10 days, the answer is probably no, with above-average temperatures and some rain in the forecast for the region.

Kaiser said the month of February this year is forecast to have above-average temperatures, while the Climate Prediction Center is anticipating a warmer-than-usual spring and summer.

DISCOVERING BIGFOOT — Idaho State University professor featured in Sasquatch documentary on Netflix

POCATELLO — Idaho State University professor Dr. Jeff Meldrum began researching Bigfoot in the mid-1990s, but it took almost 20 years before he would have a possible sighting of his own.

The well-known Sasquatch researcher said he might have laid his eyes on the creature during a 2013 trip to Canada.

In the later part of that year, Meldrum was invited by Todd Standing to visit an isolated area in Alberta called Nordegg, a location known for its high volume of Bigfoot sightings over the years.

The trip is featured in the documentary “Discovering Bigfoot,” which can currently be viewed on Netflix.

Standing is a controversial figure among Bigfoot researchers, with some praising him for his work on the subject while others call him a hoaxer. He is most well-known for his appearance with Les Stroud in “Survivorman Bigfoot,” and he has made headlines for petitioning the Canadian government to provide endangered species protections for Sasquatch.

Meldrum said he has received some criticism for appearing in “Discovering Bigfoot” with Standing. However, Meldrum said that it’s important to investigate and vet all possible sightings. He also said that appearing in the documentary is not indicative of an endorsement of Standing’s work.

“I make no apologizes,” Meldrum said about traveling to Nordegg. “That’s what investigative research is all about.”

But despite the questions over Standing’s methods and some of the more controversial scenes in the documentary, Meldrum said there were a couple intriguing incidents that occurred while he was camping in Alberta with Standing and fellow researcher John Bindernagel, Ph.D.

The first incident was Meldrum’s sighting of a tall, dark figure that emerged from the shadows near the group’s campsite.

At approximately 1 a.m. during one of the nights, the three men were startled by a high-pitched, avian-like vocalization near their campsite. They tried to follow whatever it was that made the sound, but Meldrum said it kept its distance.

“Whatever made this sound, it was stomping through the underbrush and it sounded like a bull elk,” he said. “It was cracking branches in our attempt to approach it.”

However, Meldrum said that during this incident, he had a possible sighting of the creature he had been studying for almost two decades.

“I could only see it from the waist up, and it was clearly an upright figure,” he said. “It was kind of intriguing. It was the closest I’ve ever had to a Bigfoot sighting.”

The sighting only lasted a few seconds and all Meldrum could see was its silhouette.

Later, Standing filmed Bingernagel walking the path that the shadowy figure followed. Then Standing sent this footage to Meldrum.

“The figure I saw was a foot and a half taller than John,” Meldrum said.

After Meldrum returned to Pocatello, he spent a lot of time researching night bird calls, but he could never match the eerie vocalization that he heard the night he saw the shadowy figure.

Unfortunately, the filmmakers did not get any footage of the figure that Meldrum saw, though the documentary “Discovering Bigfoot” does depict the aftermath of the incident.

“That’s the curse of Bigfoot,” Meldrum said. “Electronics aren’t working whenever there’s a sighting.”

The documentary also details an attempt by Standing to bait a Sasquatch with apples near a tepee-like structure made of deadfall. Some Bigfoot researchers believe these structures, which can be found in wooded areas, are created by Sasquatch creatures as some sort of trail sign or means of communication.

Meldrum is skeptical that Sasquatch creatures would build such structures. But he said in one instance the apples disappeared and there were distinct, deeply impressed 13 1/2-inch footprints left in the moss on the ground nearby. According to Meldrum, the footprints didn’t appear to have been made by a human.

“There were no signs of deer or elk,” he said. “Chipmunks and squirrels couldn’t get to the apples, and there were no signs of peels or scraps.”

In Meldrum’s line of work, he said it is important to be skeptical and objective about the evidence, and the scenes depicted in “Discovering Bigfoot” are no exception to this rule.

He says the jury is still out on the authenticity of Standing’s work researching Sasquatch.

Though Meldrum has only seen the documentary once, he said watching his adventure in Canada has made him eager to continue his research into the mystery of Bigfoot.

“Reliving those experiences up in Canada has gotten me very excited to get back into the field this spring and summer,” he said.

Discovering Bigfoot — ISU professor featured in documentary about Sasquatch on Netflix

POCATELLO — Idaho State University professor Dr. Jeff Meldrum began researching Bigfoot in the mid-1990s, but it took almost 20 years before he would have a possible sighting of his own.

The well-known Sasquatch researcher said he might have laid his eyes on the creature during a 2013 trip to Canada.

In the later part of that year, Meldrum was invited by Todd Standing to visit an isolated area in Alberta called Nordegg, a location known for its high volume of Bigfoot sightings over the years.

The trip is featured in the documentary “Discovering Bigfoot,” which can currently be viewed on Netflix.

Standing is a controversial figure among Bigfoot researchers, with some praising him for his work on the subject while others call him a hoaxer. He is most well-known for his appearance with Les Stroud in “Survivorman Bigfoot,” and he has made headlines for petitioning the Canadian government to provide endangered species protections for Sasquatch.

Meldrum said he has received some criticism for appearing in “Discovering Bigfoot” with Standing. However, Meldrum said that it’s important to investigate and vet all possible sightings. He also said that appearing in the documentary is not indicative of an endorsement of Standing’s work.

“I make no apologizes,” Meldrum said about traveling to Nordegg. “That’s what investigative research is all about.”

But despite the questions over Standing’s methods and some of the more controversial scenes in the documentary, Meldrum said there were a couple intriguing incidents that occurred while he was camping in Alberta with Standing and fellow researcher John Bindernagel, Ph.D.

The first incident was Meldrum’s sighting of a tall, dark figure that emerged from the shadows near the group’s campsite.

At approximately 1 a.m. during one of the nights, the three men were startled by a high-pitched, avian-like vocalization near their campsite. They tried to follow whatever it was that made the sound, but Meldrum said it kept its distance.

“Whatever made this sound, it was stomping through the underbrush and it sounded like a bull elk,” he said. “It was cracking branches in our attempt to approach it.”

However, Meldrum said that during this incident, he had a possible sighting of the creature he had been studying for almost two decades.

“I could only see it from the waist up, and it was clearly an upright figure,” he said. “It was kind of intriguing. It was the closest I’ve ever had to a Bigfoot sighting.”

The sighting only lasted a few seconds and all Meldrum could see was its silhouette.

Later, Standing filmed Bingernagel walking the path that the shadowy figure followed. Then Standing sent this footage to Meldrum.

“The figure I saw was a foot and a half taller than John,” Meldrum said.

After Meldrum returned to Pocatello, he spent a lot of time researching night bird calls, but he could never match the eerie vocalization that he heard the night he saw the shadowy figure.

Unfortunately, the filmmakers did not get any footage of the figure that Meldrum saw, though the documentary “Discovering Bigfoot” does depict the aftermath of the incident.

“That’s the curse of Bigfoot,” Meldrum said. “Electronics aren’t working whenever there’s a sighting.”

The documentary also details an attempt by Standing to bait a Sasquatch with apples near a tepee-like structure made of deadfall. Some Bigfoot researchers believe these structures, which can be found in wooded areas, are created by Sasquatch creatures as some sort of trail sign or means of communication.

Meldrum is skeptical that Sasquatch creatures would build such structures. But he said in one instance the apples disappeared and there were distinct, deeply impressed 13 1/2-inch footprints left in the moss on the ground nearby. According to Meldrum, the footprints didn’t appear to have been made by a human.

“There were no signs of deer or elk,” he said. “Chipmunks and squirrels couldn’t get to the apples, and there were no signs of peels or scraps.”

In Meldrum’s line of work, he said it is important to be skeptical and objective about the evidence, and the scenes depicted in “Discovering Bigfoot” are no exception to this rule.

He says the jury is still out on the authenticity of Standing’s work researching Sasquatch.

Though Meldrum has only seen the documentary once, he said watching his adventure in Canada has made him eager to continue his research into the mystery of Bigfoot.

“Reliving those experiences up in Canada has gotten me very excited to get back into the field this spring and summer,” he said.

Pebble Creek Ski Area announces opening date

INKOM — Pebble Creek Ski Area in Inkom will open its beginner-level Aspen area to skiers and snowboarders on Dec. 26.

However, resort officials have not set a date for when the upper mountain will be open, saying more snowfall is needed.

Starting Dec. 26, the Aspen area and its ski lift will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

There have been extensive improvements to the beginner-level Aspen area since last winter. Everything in the Aspen area has been widened so skiers and snowboarders have more elbow room. More lights for nighttime skiing have been added and another run has been built.

Plus, first-time group lessons and private lessons will be held every day between Dec. 26 and 31. For more information on ski lessons, visit pebblecreekskiarea.com or call 208-775-4452.

Initially, the Inkom ski resort hoped to open for the season on Dec. 16, but the lack of snow postponed opening day.

Pebble Creek isn’t the only regional ski area that has fell victim to unfavorable weather patterns in recent weeks.

Pomerelle Mountain Resort in south-central Idaho, which opens on Thanksgiving weekend in most years, is still waiting for more snow to fall before skiers and snowboarders can take to the mountain. However, Pomerelle’s beginner-level Magic Carpet area was open for lessons last weekend.

Sun Valley and Grand Targhee are already open, while Kelly Canyon Ski Area in Ririe opened its doors on Wednesday.

Pebble Creek’s new general manager discusses the future of the ski resort

INKOM — A changing of the guard will take place at Pebble Creek Ski Area in Inkom next year.

On March 23, 2018, Mary Reichman, Pebble Creek’s current general manager, will step down from the post she has held for 30 years and completely hand over the reins to Mike Dixon. Reichman will stay on at Pebble Creek this winter season to ensure there is a smooth transition.

Dixon, a lifelong Pocatello resident who owns Best Towing, has been a ski bum at Pebble Creek since he was a child. He has been shadowing Reichman since last ski season to prepare for his new role as Pebble Creek’s boss.

“I really enjoy being up on this mountain,” he said. “It’s a second home to a lot of people and I really want to take good care of it and make sure everybody can enjoy it for years to come.”

While Dixon takes on the new job at Pebble Creek, his brother will run and operate Best Towing.

Dixon’s ascension to become Pebble Creek’s new general manager represents another step in the change of leadership at the ski area over the past year and a half.

After being owned by a small group of investors since the 1980s, Pebble Creek was purchased in 2016 by Shay Butler, an internet celebrity who was raised in Pocatello and is better known as Shay Carl by his online fans.

Dixon said there are numerous long-term plans for the ski resort in the works. For one, Pebble Creek’s management wants to expand its revenue stream in the summer months, with a focus on booking more weddings and outdoor concerts at the Inkom ski resort. Pebble Creek already holds the Idaho Wildflower and Music Festival every June.

Management also wants to create more opportunities for hiking and biking with new trails on the mountain. They are also looking to expand Pebble Creek’s parking lot and widen the Outback Trail.

But some of these long-term projects are quite a few years off. Because the land where Pebble Creek is situated is leased from the U.S. Forest Service, the resort’s management is currently assembling a master development plan for the federal agency to help get these future projects off the ground.

“Once we get that done, we’ll know a little more what direction we are headed,” Dixon said.

With new leadership and a new winter season on the horizon, Dixon said it’s going to be mostly business as usual for both Pebble Creek’s employees and their guests this coming season.

The school and Boy Scout programs will continue to be a focal point in the resort’s operations. Pebble Creek’s popular winter events — including the annual Freestyle Rally, the Stacy Smith Race for Kids, the Telemark Festival, the Dummy Jump and the Montucky Pond Skim — will continue as usual.

Concerts will still be held every Sunday evening in the lodge’s bar, and on Jan. 9, Jan. 16, Jan. 23 and Jan. 30, Barrie’s Ski and Sports will sponsor free skiing nights.

But that doesn’t mean the regulars at Pebble Creek won’t notice the multiple improvements, upgrades and new events coming to the resort this season.

For one, the Skyline Lift was almost completely overhauled this past summer. With a new motor, skiers and snowboarders can expect a smoother and faster ride to the top of the mountain.

“It’s virtually brand-new,” Dixon said.

There have also been extensive improvements to the beginner-level Aspen area. Everything in the Aspen area has been widened so first-time skiers and snowboarders have more elbow room. More lights for nighttime skiing have been added and another run has been built. In honor of Reichman, this new trail has been dubbed “Mary’s Way.”

On March 3, the Rocky Mountain States HillClimb Association will host a sanctioned snowmobile hillclimb at the ski resort. Later in the summer, another 3-D Archery Shoot will be held on the mountain.

Though many ski resorts in Idaho have opened for the season, the tentative opening day at Pebble Creek is scheduled for Dec. 16, but that all depends on how much snow falls during the next few weeks.

For Dixon and the local ski bums, opening day can’t come soon enough.

“We’re super-prepared, and having those lift improvements and everything in place, we’re going to have a good season and we’re going to have a lot of happy guests,” Dixon said.

Cranksgiving donates 1,096 Thanksgiving turkeys to Idaho Foodbank

POCATELLO — On Friday, Nov. 10, the organizers of the annual Cranksgiving food drive were deeply concerned.

Every year, the event receives donations of frozen turkeys to give to the Idaho Foodbank so East Idaho families in-need have a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Last year, Cranksgiving organizers were able to donate 1,067 frozen turkeys.

But Tami Parris, who founded the event in Pocatello in 2014, worried that the donations were going to come up well short of their goal of 1,000 turkeys this year.

Eight days before the conclusion of the food drive, Parris said organizers only had 33 turkeys.

“We were very concerned we weren’t going to make it,” she said.

But thanks to the gracious support of the community, donations surged during the food drive’s final week, with more than 1,000 birds being donated. In the end, a total of 1,096 turkeys were donated to feed families in need, the most that Cranksgiving has ever raised.

“We all want to thank the community for the support,” Parris said.

Owing to its roots as a biking event, Cranksgiving always concludes with a group of cyclists pedaling to the Idaho Foodbank at 555 S. First Ave. to help deliver the turkeys. At this year’s ride, which was held last Saturday and began at Barrie’s Ski and Sports, Parris arrived early.

She recalls watching one person after another dropping off frozen turkeys, even as organizers made preparations to begin the bike ride. After the approximately 40 to 50 cyclists made their way to the Idaho Foodbank, the donations continued to come in.

After the bike ride, turkeys were provided to local residents in need at the fairgrounds in Pocatello. For the volunteers distributing the birds, it provided a glimpse into the hunger epidemic in the region.

The Eastern Branch of the Idaho Foodbank in Pocatello serves 16 eastern Idaho counties and provides 28,000 people with food each month. However, the organization said food insecurity affects approximately 51,000 people in East Idaho, including 9,000 children, which is far more people than the organization has reached.

Food insecurity is a measure of how many people do not have enough food to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Barrie Hunt, who helped distribute the turkeys at the fairgrounds, said the line of vehicles extended out onto Olympus Drive. One family thanked Hunt for their turkey, but said that even though they now had food for Thanksgiving, they weren’t sure where the following meal would come from.

“They don’t go out begging,” he said about those receiving turkeys. “They work for a living, trying to support their families.”

Known as a “food drive on two wheels,” Cranksgiving was originally started in New York City in 1999 and has expanded to approximately 80 cities across the globe through grassroots efforts.

Parris launched a version of Cranksgiving in Pocatello in 2014 after she heard about the food drive on NBC’s Today show. When she heard that the Idaho Foodbank needed 600 turkeys for Thanksgiving that year, she teamed up with Barrie’s Ski and Sports and state Sen. Roy Lacey to meet the quota.

Since its inception, Pocatello’s version of Cranksgiving has donated almost 4,000 frozen turkeys to the Idaho Foodbank for each Thanksgiving.