Many species of amphibians reproduce in temporary pools of water (caused by melting snow in the spring or by heavy rain). This can lead to disaster if it dries up before the larva make it to land, but it has other benefits like usually fewer predators, and you can get down to the business of breeding as soon as the snow starts to melt.

I'm not too familiar with most of the western species, but given all the small holes you find, it sound like some might be the Great Basin Spadefoot? These have a particularly short egg to toadlet time frame and are adapted to just hanging out underground for extended periods during try periods. In any case you can find a list of Idaho amphibians here: http://www.amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphi...-state_code=ID Once you ID your local toads, you should be able to find more about their specific life history and their strategies for survival in your environment.