Board and Card Games. Usually more of a group thing, board and card games are a fabulous way to have fun when the weather isn’t cooperating. If you are willing to spend a little money, start the night by picking and buying a new game from the store.

Bookworm Date. Visiting local book stores can be a perfect way to spend a cold day.  Browsing through different book titles can help you get to know each others interests while also providing amusement and enlightening on different subjects.   Finish the night by stopping at the Cocoa bean on your way home!

Do a Puzzle: Puzzles are a fun, low key and creative way to get to know a person. Be ready with things to talk about, sitting in silence can be rather awkward!

Go bowling. Bowling is a great way to get to know someone in a fun low pressure environment. There is no shame in putting up the bumpers if you are a little rusty!

Home Cooked Goodness!: Impress your date with your awesome cooking skills! Spend the night buying, cooking and eating dinner together at one of your apartments. Get creative with it for example try eating with no utensils, or spaghetti without plates. Post your own successes and ideas in the comment section.  Don’t forget desert!

Have an Indoor Picnic: Lay a blanket in the living room and have a basket full of fun picnic foods. Come up with different ideas on how to make the room appear like summer.

Craft Fair: Doing Crafts are an excellent way to stay entertained when you don’t want to be outside. Bust out the crayons, markers, finger paints, glue and paper and other critical supplies as you create your masterpieces.   As long as everyone involved is having a good time, it really doesn’t matter what you do or make.  A great site for unique craft ideas is Craftster.org. You might try visiting an art gallery to compare.

Visit a Museum or Art Gallery: Looking at art can be a fun yet relaxing date. This can be expecially good if one or both of you knows a little about art and the humanities. Spend the night teaching each other about the different things you see.

Have a Photo Shoot: Put on the most ridiculous clothes you can find, then take time taking pictures of it. This can be especially fun at Desseret Industries or Goodwill. After you take the pictures have fun enhancing them using Photoshop or similar software. Post your pictures on facebook or another blog.

Go to a play or other live performance: Almost everywhere you visit you can find live performing arts. A relaxing way to enjoy yourself as someone else provides the entertainment!

It’s challenging to stay active during Rexburg winters. And none of us like feeling like an idle “tub of lard” so… Here’s a list of climbing gyms! It’s fun, affordable, WARM, active, and social!

If you climb please share your thoughts on each gym in the comments below. Your feedback is valuable.

If you aren’t a climber…. what the heck is wrong with you! You’ll love it! And this winter is the perfect time! Ask anyone that climbs. It’s the perfect addiction : )  It works your body, mind, and builds your confidence.

This makes a great date or family/group activity. Go do it… then come back and share!

Regional Rock Walls

Author’s Review

Regional Rock Walls is the only indoor climbing gym in Rexburg with longer routes. I like this place because there’s a good variety of climbing. You end up paying more for it, but it’s still pretty cheap.

More about Regional Rock Walls – Videos, pictures, directions, pricing and more…

Sticks and Stones

Author’s Review

Sticks and Stones climbing gym is great if you like “bouldering”. Bouldering Definition: Short, hard climbing routes using no rope.

Sticks and Stones offers great traverses, about a 30 foot bouldering roof, and the cheapest Rexburg area prices. You can still rope up, but it’s limited. I have bought a climbing pass here.

More about Sticks and Stones – Videos, pictures, directions, pricing and more…

Stonewalls Rock Gym

Author’s Review

The YMCA owns Stoneswalls Rock Gym. It’s located in Idaho Falls. There are dozens of high climbs to rope up for, plus a great bouldering area. It’s offers the most and naturally is the most expensive. But it’s still pretty cheap… especially if you are a YMCA member.

More about Stonewalls Rock Gym – Videos, pictures, directions, pricing and more…

Overview

A hidden forest beauty, Mesa Falls is only an hour away from Rexburg. Located just outside of Ashton, these thundering beauties are a must see for anyone interested in the outdoors.

The Upper and Lower Falls have trails that take you to within 50 ft of the falling water. The Upper Falls are over 110 ft tall where as the Lower Falls cascades at about 85 feet. The easiest way to get there is to take the Main road all the way through Ashton and continue on it for 15 to 20 minutes until you see the signs for Mesa Falls.

(Trail Head Info?)

Directions

Don’t Forget…

• Bug repellent as there are tons of mosquitoes

• Good shoes (if you plan on hiking into see the falls close up)… we recommend it!

• Binoculars to get a better view from the road

• Camera and extra batteries

Further Resources

byways.org

visitidaho.org

]]> http://www.spiffylist.com/rexburg-mesa-falls/feed/ 0 http://www.spiffylist.com/badger-creek-bouldering/ http://www.spiffylist.com/badger-creek-bouldering/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:31:03 +0000 Joel http://spiffylist.bryankwilliams.com/?p=19 Overview

The Badger Creek Boulders are a close option all skill levels of bouldering. I hadn’t heard of the area, but was pleasantly surprised with the amount of bouldering routes there. The texture of the rock is phenomenal and there is a good variety of types of bouldering problems including:

• Slab
• Overhanging
• Vertical, and
• Crack

In case you don’t know…

Bouldering is rock climbing on short routes (5-15 feet high) where no ropes are used. It’s great because you’re free! No ropes. No gear.

Just you, your shoes, some chalk and the rock…

And (if you’re smart) a spotter!

These videos will just might get you hooked…

Directions

Distance: (from Rexburg, Idaho)  48 miles
Travel Time: (from Rexburg, Idaho)  About 30-40 minutes

1. Go East on HWY 33 (towards Driggs) Pass Green Canyon (link)
2. Before you enter Tetonia you’ll see a gravel road on the left. It’ cuts back… (before the road you’ll see a sign on the right that says something like “BYU-I Badger Creek”
3. Get on this gravel road and don’t turn stay straight It will stay straight for a 2 or 3 miles
4. Finally, you’ll come to some trees, the actually Badger Creek Bridge (very small) and a “T” in the road. Go Right at the “T”.
5. Go down a mile or two and look up to at the hill to your left. You’ll see the boulders. If you haven’t keep driving and keep your eyes on the hill on the left side as you drive. You’ll see them.
6. Park off the road so there is no accidents
7. The trail head can be found at the far end of the boulders (where another dirt road is on the left)

Costs:

Money:

• FREE (unless you rent chalk and shoes for around $10)
• Gas – it’s about 40 miles

Time:

• 40 minutes out, 40 minutes back
• 1hr 30 min climbing
• TOTAL = 3 hrs.

You Will Need…

• Climbing shoes (if you have them great… if not you can still have fun
• Chalk Bag (helps you grip the rock)
• Friends to enjoy and for spotting

You May Want…

• A bouldering pad (or “crash pad”) I’ve never brought one, but I’ve also never pushed myself as hard as I’d like to.
• Shoe Mat (for wiping your shoes before getting on a problem or route)
• Camera

Further Resources

Community members and BYU-I Students can rent (or buy) the needed gear (shoes and chalk bag) at the BYU-I Outdoor Recreation Cener (ORC)

ORC Information:

• Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am – 6 pm, Sat 8 am – 5pm
• Location: Under BYU-I Statium
• Phone: (208) 496 – 2100  (phone reservations from 1-3 pm daily)

Overview

Fall River offers a variety of water activities like:

• Bridge and Cliff Jumping: 4 jumps – All but one less than 25 ft. high (varies with water level)
• Rapid Floats: One each side of HWY 20 (As you drive up… start on the right side and then float under the bridge to the left)
• Good Snorkeling: Pretty good visibility and lots of small to mid-sized fish to swim with
• Beach Areas: They are small, but nice to have to lay out and relax
• Rope Swing: Not the greatest because of how low the bridge is, but still fun

Keep in mind that a lot depends on the water level. An 8 ft. cliff could turn into a 15 ft. cliff. A fun, safe float could turn into a not so fun and more dangerous float at different water levels. So… just make sure you observe the water and surroundings first, know your limits Always swim with someone, and have a blast!

If you have good video pictures of Fall River that you’d like to share email us at share@spiffylist.com

Directions

Drive Time: 10-20 minutes
Distance: 16.5 miles (from Rexburg North Exit) going North East on HWY 20

1. Go North East on HWY 20 (towards St. Anthony) for 16.4 miles from the Rexburg North Exit and your there!
2. You’ll pass the “Fall River Trading Post” on your right and just after you do (about 1 mile) you’ll cross the river. Park on either side of the bridge.

You Will Need…

• Swimsuit
• Sun block, and
• A camera

You May Want…

• Goggles
• Tubes (or other floating things)
• Chairs
• Blankets
• Picnic stuff
• A date

1. Capture the flag in the sand dunes
2. Cook foil dinners at sand dunes
3. Go to the sand dunes and have a bon fire
4. Go to the sand dunes and have a fire and play games in the sand
5. Jump off the sand dunes
6. Play glow in the dark Frisbee at the sand dunes
7. Play hide and go seek at the sand dunes…in the dark.
8. Play tackle football at the sand dunes
9. Ride four-wheelers at sand dunes
10. Sand boarding at sand dunes
11. Sand Dunes and a cookout
12. Sled down sand dunes
13. Take turns burying each other at the sand dunes, and then enjoy a fire with smores and stargazing
14. Volleyball at the sand dunes