This authentic log home, constructed in the early 1990s, is stunningly located on the edge of a cliff in the mountain residential community of Wilderness Ranch, just 24 miles northeast of Boise off of Highway 21 on the way to historic Idaho City. The house has almost 1,500 sq. feet of deck on three sides that offer breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside dotted with Ponderosa pines and populated by a wide variety of wildlife, including deer, elk, and fox.
The cabin features a cathedral great room incorporating a fully outfitted retro kitchen, a six-person dining room table, a large kitchen island that can seat four, and a living room with a wood-burning fireplace (which you are free to use, but you must bring your own firewood). Two sets of glass French doors open to the deck. Also on the main floor is a full bathroom with a double vanity, shower and jetted tub, all original to the house; a master bedroom with a queen bed and glass sliding-door access to the deck; and a second bedroom with one full bed and one twin. Please note, however, that there is currently no accessible clothes washer or dryer.
From the main floor, a log stairway leads to a large loft, which features another full bath (shower only) and a full-size bed. You'll also find there a collection of several hundred movie videos and DVDs for your viewing pleasure on the flat screen TV in the living room! Because the loft has log railings with large gaps that present falling hazards, this area is not suitable for unsupervised small children.
Wilderness Ranch has privately maintained dirt roads and the road leading to the cabin is narrow and steep in some places. While a two-wheel drive vehicle is fine for accessing the cabin most of the year, we highly recommend a four-wheel drive vehicle with studded snow tires and/or chains during the months when there is likely to be significant snow on the mountain (November through March). There can be significant climatic differences between Boise and Wilderness Ranch. Even when there is no snow on the ground in Boise, the roads at the ranch can be snow covered and icy. Also during periods of heavy rain (spring and fall), the roads can become muddy and difficult to transverse.
Final note: The map may show Bogus Basin ski area as close-by, but those roads are not open in winter. To get to Bogus Basin, you need to drive into Boise and then back out. Trip takes about 90 minutes.