The Bruneau Dunes features the tallest single structure of sand in North America at 470 feet, and it's another example of how skiers are willing to earn their turns.
Cameron Cox took me out to the dunes one morning to show us what it's like to ski down the steep face at the dunes, his run even included a crash.
"It’s a half an hour up and one minute down, but yeah, you get going pretty fast," said Cox. "Even if you crash, it is pretty forgiving, I just have sand in every part of my face."
Cox uses Summit Skiboards, a shorter ski because they float really well without sacrificing maneuverability, but with the help of Strava, he has determined that he flies down the dunes at 25 to 35 miles per hour.
Watch Cox's runs at the dunes in the full story below:
Before every run, he puts a layer of wax on his ski boards because the sand takes it right off and he advises using old equipment as sand gets everywhere, especially in the boots. It takes a lot of effort to climb to the top of the highest point, but that is also part of the draw for Cox.
"It’s a beautiful place for me, I love it, and there is something very fulfilling about being here early in the morning when the sun is coming up and you get this beautiful view of this valley," said Cox. "This is worth it to me, it is such a unique flow."
It takes Cox about an hour and a half to drive from his home in Nampa to the Bruneau Dunes. This state park also features the largest telescope for public viewing in Idaho, camping, and guided scorpion hikes.
However, the dunes are also a great place to visit just to hike up the sand and explore. Cox's advice is to try different activities because you never know what you might end up really enjoying — he knows it's not normal to ski down the dunes.
"I think it is just a great thing to try something new and go do the weird thing," Cox said. "This was all a matter of curiosity for me, and I’m so glad I tried it. Sometimes it can lead to a pretty fulfilling pastime in your life if you just try something different and see where it goes."
Bruneau Dunes State Park also has sand boards available to rent at the visitors center. It is a state park, so it does cost money to get in if you don't have an Idaho State Park pass.
Tips for enjoying the dunes this time of year include checking the weather — you don't want to be up there when it's too hot or too windy. That's why we carefully picked a day and left the Treasure Valley at around 6:30 a.m.
For more content from Cameron Cox, you can check out his YouTube page.
