Relish Your Winter Wonderland Vacation in McCall

If skiing and other wintertime sports are your passion then you should try and experience the winter wonderland of the resort city of McCall in Idaho. This city which is often referred to as “ Ski Town U.S.A." is especially known for its long winters which are characterized by heavy average snowfall that generates abundant ‘fresh powder’ which is highly coveted by enthusiastic skiers. McCall has in fact produced several winter Olympic champions over the years.

McCall which is named after its founding father, Tom McCall is located at an elevation of 5025 feet in western Valley County in Idaho on the southern shore of Payette Lake in the midst of the Payette National Forest. This city like several other winter sports destinations in the USA was originally a logging community whose last sawmill shut shop in the late 1970’s. McCall now operates as an all-season tourist destination which is famous for superlative outdoor recreation facilities. The landscape of McCall is made up of verdant pastureland that is surrounded by snow capped peaks.

McCall Vacation Rentals

McCall offers a wide variety of vacation rentals like log homes, luxury town homes, mountain homes and alpine chalets which come equipped with various modern conveniences like microwaves, washer/dryers, cable TV, DVD, wireless internet, gas fireplaces, Gas BBQs, Air Conditioning, hot tubs and garages. These various conveniences are regarded as necessities today by most vacationers who often choose to replicate the ambience of their own homes by choosing to stay at a vacation rental.

Year round Activities in McCall

McCall is renowned as of USA’s premier ski destinations and it provides world class ski facilities at the Brundage Mountain Ski Resort which is located just ten miles to the north of McCall. Brundage on an average receives more than 320 inches of snowfall every year and this provides a near perfect environment for wintertime recreational activities like skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. In fact the Brundage Mountain Resort caters to every level of skier and even offers ski lessons for children aged 4 to 10 years old.

If skiing is not your cup of tea you can even indulge in other activities like snowshoeing which is especially popular with vacationing families. Vacationers usually rent snow shoes from one of the many rental outlets in McCall and head out to the Ponderosa State Park to snowshoe. McCall is even equipped with snowmobiling, ice skating and Nordic skiing facilities so whatever maybe your preference McCall can easily cater to it.

During the McCall summers when daytime temperatures average around 80ºC Payette Lake which has a few public access beaches offers a wide range of summer time activities like hiking, rafting, rock climbing, fishing, bird and wildlife watching and hunting. The Payette National Forest also is popular summertime playground which offers more than 21000 miles of trails and several streams and rivers all of which are extremely popular with nature loving, adventurous vacationers.

Yet another popular year round activity in McCall is hot springing as the area surrounding McCall is home to several natural hot springs like the Gold Fork Springs which has six natural pools and is accessible all year round.

Festivals in McCall

The town of McCall is known for the many lively events that it hosts all throughout the year; however its most famous event is its Winter Carnival which is known for its spectacular hand carved ice sculptures and many competitive events like dog sled racing; ski racing and jumping, snow shoveling contests and snowshoe races. McCall’s Carnival also features parades, pancake breakfasts, wine tastings and beer gardens and various dances, parties and competitions as it attracts hordes of visitors to McCall every winter in the months of January-February.