Guiding Services

    PLAY  offers guided half-day to multi-day cross country ski and snow shoe tours on our permitted state and federal lands. All tours can be tailored to the specific needs and desires of your group.  Idaho State lands provide a wide range of touring possibilities with many logging roads, rolling hills through moderate forests and meadows, with vistas of the surrounding lakes, valleys and mountains.

    Terrain for earning turns abound on adjacent Payette National Forest lands, all within day touring distance from our huts.  Some of our guides are Certified ski Instructors with the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and can help with your backcountry technique, whether you ski or snowshoe. All of our guides are members of the National Ski Patrol and are trained and experienced in winter travel and survival.  All guides are trained in  avalanche safety and rescue. We can customize a learning experience for your novice group, or lead your experienced group to new areas.

    Our permit area has many winter wildlife inhabitants such as snowshoe hares, foxes, coyotes, pine martins, ermine, bobcats, spruce grouse, squirrels, and occasional mountain lions, wolves and wolverines. While most winter residents are nocturnal, their travels are documented in the snow.  Our guides have advanced degrees in zoology and forestry and are knowledgeable of the local natural history, the cycle of snow and the ecology of the area, adding another dimension to your tour.     

    Payette Lakes Alpine Yurts, LLC is a licensed and bonded outfitting business.  All of our guides are licensed by the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board.   We operate under permits from the Idaho Department of Lands and the Payette National Forest.