McCall Stories

There are certain things in life that seem simple until you try to explain them to your fly-fishing friends. Tenkara is one of those things. At first glance, it looks almost suspiciously easy. A rod. A line. A fly. No reel. No giant vest full of mysterious tools. No shoulder bag packed like you’re crossing the Continental Divide. No forty-seven knots to memorize before breakfast. Naturally, tradit...

Today, we sit down with Dominick Antonelli, a singer-songwriter from Fort Collins, CO to learn more about his music and background and get stoked for his gig at Foresters this summer (July 9, 2026). If you want to watch to the podcast, it's available on our YouTube site ( https://youtu.be/1XrINAFooQE ). Or, you can view it online here: https://www.mccalllife.com/

This story is the first in an occasional series we're calling "Meet The Neighbors" – your chance to catch up with folks you might know, or might want to know. After all, community is what we do best here in McCall, so the more friends the better.  This episode features a conversation with Chris Smith, Brundage Mountain Patrol and world traveler.  Here's a quick preview... &quot...

Outdoor adventure cult brand, Arc'teryx, opens its Tokyo Creation Center 

The Ponderosa Center aims to fulfill a programming need and create a landmark indoor gathering space BY Kailan Manandic Driving into McCall, it’s easy to get a beautiful glimpse of Payette Lake just before the left turn onto East Lake Street. Down near the shoreline to the right sits Legacy Park, the perfect perch to sit and ponder with a pristine view—one of the best the West Central Mountains ha...

The snowmobiling community funds vital trail infrastructure throughout Valley County, supporting motorized recreation across the region By Kailan Manandic Every skier’s dream is to have a brand-new slope all to themselves. Every snowboarder loves the rush of carving their own route through a pristine blanket of pure powder. Every snowmobiler feels alive as they climb a backcountry ridge and lean i...

The Payette Avalanche Center depends on community support and two crucial employees to provide three forecasts every week of the ski season By Kailan Manandic Snowflakes have a long way to go before they hit the ground. Each one begins as a single ice crystal rooted on a speck of dust thousands of feet in the air; a newborn flake could spin around for hours, slowly gathering quintillions of water...

Astra Tucker and Austin Urlacher hope to cast a spell with their enchanting short-term rental By Kialan Manandic The sights and sounds of the forest are straight out of a storybook. The birds, the bees, the mountains, the trees, and all the rivers and lakes come together in a childhood dream. Many people call this place home. Others only stay for a short visit, but their time here is unforgettable...

By Rodney J. Auth The moon shone down on Preston Tubach, his girlfriend, Sierra Bergmann, his friend, Dave Miller, and his other friend, Dan Curin, as they checked their packs one last time in the parking lot. It was nearing 5 a.m. and they had a big day ahead of them; if all went well, the crew would ski tour 27 miles—one mile for every year of Tubach’s life—carving a semi-circle from Brundage to...