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Posted on February 26, 2010 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Payette Lakes Nordic Marathon a Huge Success

The Payette Lakes Nordic Marathon to benefit the Little Ski Hill in McCall proved to be another huge success! This is the second year athletes have skied the 33 km point-to-point course beginning at the Little Ski Hill and ending at Blackhawk on the River. A big thank you to Edible Arts, Salmon River Brewery, Osprey Creek Music and all of the hard-working volunteers who helped to make this year’s event the best yet!

We hope you enjoy the pictures!

Created with flickr slideshow.

Posted on February 16, 2010 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Dog Sled Demonstration

With the 2010 Iditarod Race scheduled to begin on March 6th, Blackhawk wanted to bring a piece of this exciting sport to McCall, Idaho. Local musher Carol Riehle and her dogs Mambo, Giggles, TJ, Hadrian, and Avalanche put on an exciting show for Blackhawk homeowners and guests this past Saturday at our dog sledding demonstration.

Carol shared her insight and wisdom on equipment, technique and types of dogs that can be used for dog sledding and skijoring, in addition to providing ample entertainment with stories of dog piles and crazy Frenchmen (if you attended, you know what we mean!).

For more information on dog sledding and to learn how to start a team of your own, a great resource is the book by Bella Levorsen, Mush: A Beginner’s Manual of Sled Dog Training.

Created with flickr slideshow.

Posted on February 10, 2010 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Winter Carnival 2010!

The 2010 McCall Winter Carnival was the best yet! From the wonderful new friends we made sponsoring the Beer Garden to ushering the Grand Marshalls of the Mardi Gras Parade through town, Blackhawk is proud to have been a part of this year’s success. Check out the slide show below to see some of the highlights!

Created with flickr shildshow.

Posted on February 10, 2010 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Blackhawk footage featured in McCall Chamber Ad Campaign

Blackhawk on the River’s incredible winter recreation and scenery has been noticed! Video footage of Blackhawk has been used to create a stunning ad campaign designed to highlight the abundance of winter recreation found in McCall, ID by the McCall Chamber of Commerce.

Posted on January 12, 2010 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Skijoring Demonstration a Hit at Blackhawk

Skijoring is a very old form of winter transportation. The first mention of it was the Scandinavians hitching up their reindeer, strapping on their skis, and traveling in the snow.

Today skijoring is done with horses, dogs, or snowmobiles pulling a skier. Skijoring competions have developed throughout the Western U.S. using a horse and rider, pulling a skier through a course that includes jumps, slalom through cones, and grabbing rings as they come into the finish line. The competition is fierce at some of the events, with best finishing times winning large purses. You Tube has a number of videos of skijoring competitions. A favorite of ours is Leadville Skijoring.

Out at the River Lodge at Blackhawk on the River, an invitational horse skijoring event gave horses and riders, and local skiers their first experience at this fun event. We would like to thank everyone who came out to watch, and a very big Thank You to our course groomer, Greg Lolly. We hope to continue this winter tradition at Blackhawk next year!

Posted on January 9, 2010 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Trees and Tracks Snowshoe Hike

Director of Outdoor Pursuits, Jil Wickander, lent her vast knowledge of the winter flora and fauna at Blackhawk to homeowners on a special “Trees and Tracks” snowshoe hike this past Saturday. Along the way, fox and deer tracks dotted the landscape as we trekked through the trees and along the Payette River.

In addition to animal tracks, we were also able to learn about a number of winter plants. One of the most prevalant plant species we encountered was Wolf Lichen (pictured on the tree above). This green lichen is found on trees throughout the region and seems to be one of those plants you see, but rarely acknowledge, so commonplace is its presence. In fact, this special plant has a long history with the indigenous people of North America. Wolf Lichen was the most widely used dye lichen, used from the Rockies to the Pacific coast, from California to Alaska. Some groups also made paint from it. This lichen is sufficiently poisonous that the Achomawi in Northern California used it, mixed with rattlesnake venom, to make poison arrowheads. The Apache painted wolf-lichen crosses on their feet so they could pass their enemies unseen.

Wolf Lichen also has medicinal applications and is used most commonly as a dermatological aid. Below is a recipe for a salve that can be used on a number of skin conditions.

Wolf Lichen Salve
Pack four cups of fresh Wolf Lichen into a quart jar. Fill the jar with olive oil. Pour mixture into a 2 quart pan, place on stove and heat slowly over low heat, stirring frequently, for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain the oil through a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth, discarding solids. Add 1½ ounces of finely shaved beeswax to the oil and heat slowly over simmering water. Pour into salve jars and cool completely before applying lid. Use salve for treating eczema and similar skin conditions.

Posted on December 28, 2009 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Blackhawk goes to the moon...the Blue Moon Yurt, that is!

To celebrate the season, Blackhawk and friends trekked to the Blue Moon Yurt in Ponderosa State Park for an amazing staff retreat. Geared up in snowshoes and skiis, the team followed a torch-light trail to the yurt where a four course Thai dinner awaited. Thanks to the staff at the Yurt who made our annual Christmas party such an memorable (and delicious) event!

For more information on booking the Blue Moon Yurt for your next family adventure, please call (208) 634-3111.

Posted on July 29, 2009 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

In summer, the song sings itself.

“In summer, the song sings itself.” - William Carlos Williams

We hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer. Blackhawk offers gorgeous scenery, diverse wildlife, great trails and activities, and an openness that lets you soak in the beauty from all directions. To learn more about Blackhawk, please give us a call or email for a personal tour of the property. Contact mckenzie@blackhawkontheriver.com or call 208.630.5070. Blackhawk. For generations to come.

Be sure to contact us for more information about Blackhawk or to book a Discovery Weekend.

Posted on May 29, 2009 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Smokejumpers Fly Over Blackhawk

Over the past few weeks, firefighters from the McCall smokejumper base have been training at Blackhawk on the River. The McCall Smokejumper Base started in 1943 with 5 jumpers and by 1947, the base had 50 member jumpers. Today, the McCall base has over 70 smokejumpers who help protect forests throughout the Western United States and Alaska. The McCall Smokejumper Base is one of only seven bases in the United States. If you would like to visit the base in McCall and get up close and personal with these dynamic firefighters, daily tours begin at 11:30am or 2:30pm!

Posted on May 29, 2009 - by Blackhawk Staff Writer

Wild West Clean Up

Blackhawk on the River employees and homeowners hit the road in May…West Mountain Road, that is. After weeks of rain, the sun was shining the morning of our fourth annual West Mountain Road Clean-Up. Joining the clean-up effort, which stretched from the intersection of Wisdom and West Mountain Road to Hait Lane, families of Blackhawk on the River worked to beautify this scenic stretch of road. Blackhawk CEO Sima Muroff said, “We are proud to sponsor the West Mountain Road clean-up, especially knowing what a difference such a small effort can make!