As an Idaho native, most of my elk hunting has happened in jeans and a hoodie. These days, I'm more likely to use the warm Kuiu stuff I already own, but that's only because it's there and available. Be ready for hiking up mountains in 80 degree weather and waking up to a foot of new snow the next morning. Layers, layers, layers.
The quality of your boots is probably more important than the quality of your rifle and on-par with the quality of your optics. I wear well broken-in Kennetrecs or Crispis depending on the terrain & weather.
Have fun. It's God's country, and just being out in it is a tremendous privilege. The hardest part for me is getting a tag. Last year, Idaho Fish & Game seemingly slipped up somehow and gave me one. It resulted in my best Idaho bull to date.
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This is a desert bull, which is a bit different and a fun way to hunt. Not a monster, but very delicious!
