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Moonlight hike with IOA

Outdoor group seeks new members
Posted at 8:39 PM, Nov 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-13 22:39:18-05

The Idaho Outdoor Association meets the second Tuesday of every month. This month, that coincided with the Beaver Moon, a bright full moon named for the time of year beavers prepare for winter.

So on this Tuesday, the group decided to take the meeting outside.

"We thought we would take full advantage of being able to observe this lunar event," said Sandy Epeldi. "Unfortunately I don't think that's going to happen but you know, in the outdoors that happens. You get what you get."

Though the evening moon remained obscured by clouds, the group trekked into the Boise foothills for a stunning night-time view of the valley below.

Members of the Idaho Outdoor Association join up for various outdoor excursions and community events throughout the year including the annual Crater Crawl at Idaho's Crater Rings, one of only a few volcanic pit craters in the continental United States.

Longtime member Rick Ray enjoys the solitude of being in Idaho's back country alone, but he also enjoys hitting the trail with others.

"It's nice to have a community and a little bit of a society that works together and plays together," Said Ray.

The IOA strives to educate others about sportsmanship, ethics, and stewardship of resources, and the group has contributed thousands of dollars to the outdoor community.

Board members hope more outdoor enthusiasts will join the IOA to continue that legacy, and join them in enjoying all that Idaho's back roads offer.

"We're very fortunate to have this. We should take good care of it, and we should all go out and enjoy it," said Epeldi "And it's more fun when you're with your friends."