Last But Not Least: Hut to Hut: part II

August 18 and 19, 2007

This was our final trip of the summer so we were amped to have a good time. With two dogs and an Owen in tow be headed to Sun Valley to check out things on the west end of the proposed hut to hut route.

I had originally thought I would have part of the route and a hut located in the Sawtooths, but that will mean more bureaucratic red tape since this area is under the jurisdiction of a different forest service entity than the rest of the route. One good idea posed by none other than my husband is to offer an additional option of an epic day of single track in the Sawtooths to those intrepid few who want even more gratuitous torture. Perhaps I can cut a deal with a local inn or B&B in Sun Valley whereby for a set additional price, clients could stay and ride from there one day without having to carry any gear and have their meals catered. It would not be for the faint of heart mind you, since I could put together some 25-40 mile options that would blow the mind and the quads. There is even the possibility of a naked hot springs stop. Now, how much more is THAT worth?

S0 we started our mileage check in downtown Sun Valley. The climb out of the valley to the north is a great warm up for what is in store for the remainder of the trip. It is a nine mile climb but is not too difficult if you are in climbing shape and are use to the altitude. When we got to the top of the pass I discovered I had managed to shred a rear tire, not just get a flat, in my vehicle. The delay in realization was due to the roughness of the road, which was not quite as rough as I had supposed. Later the next day we would come across a group of kids further down this road who had done the exact same thing. After changing the tire, we headed straight to camp at the trail head of a section we wanted to hike to see if it would be a viable option on bike. And it was. Rideable but more difficult than the forest service roads. It follows little Falls Creek for a few miles to a steep climb over a ridge before hooking up with another trail off a tributary creek of the North Fork of the Big Lost River. Plenty of bathing options on hot summer days.

After finishing the route this is what I have: 205 miles starting and ending in Sun Valley, 4 major passes to climb, approximately 30 miles in between each cabin, single track options for additional mileage every day. Once Owen is back in school I will get the formal proposal written up and submitted to the Forest Service. From there, who knows how long it will take to shake out. Best case scenario would be summer 2009, I imagine. Next summer my dad and a friend from NH are coming out to ride it with me. Maybe my sister and Clay will come out as well, since they have both done hut to huts before and there feedback would be useful.

This was a great last night of camping in Idaho before heading to the BIG CITY, clear skies, shooting stars, great views of the constellations. Tony and I stayed up late taking it all in and regretting the end of summer. It would be fantastic to just spend a week based right there is riding and running trails in every direction....... Can't wait for 2008.

Hut to Hut Route Scout: part 1

August 3 & 4, 2007
The plan is to have a 7 day mountain bike tour through the back roads of the Salmon-Challis Nat'l Forest http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sc/ with the cyclists spending the nights in huts that provide food and shelter, thus enabling relatively unencumbered travel. No re-inventing the wheel here. I want to do it just like the San Juan Huts in Colorado, cheap and basic.


I had no idea what I have been missing for the past 4 1/2 years we have been Idaho residents. This previously unexplored, by me, area of southeastern Idaho is largely overlooked by the hordes who are destined for the Tetons. That is a mistake for them, a bonus for those of us looking to avoid the masses. AS BEAUTIFUL AS the Tetons without the ski resort to expose the secret, not to mention inflate the real estate prices.


There are several significant mountain ranges contained within the Samon Challis National Forest: portions of the Beaverhead and Bitterroot Ranges near the Montana border, the Lemhi, Lost River, White Knob and Pioneer Ranges further south, to name just a few. Loosely, the boundaries to this vast expanse of wilderness are route 93 running northeast, route 26 to the south, route 75 going up through Sun Valley and through to Stanley and ending somewhere north to including lower portions of the Frank Church Wilderness of No Return. The relatively small chunk this proposed bike route addresses is located between Sun Valley, Mackey and Arco.


We (Tony, Owen, Nellie, Sammo and I) scouted this route in two sections, east and west, over the course of two weekends. This first weekend we tackled the eastern portion. Although the actual bike trip will begin and end in Sun Valley, for the purposes of route-finding we began our trip in Arco, a sad and dusty town. Within 12 miles we had left sad and dusty and had entered beautiful and interesting. Remnants of history remain all along the road, Champagne Creek Rd, leading into the nat'l forest in the forms of an old cabin, water dam, mining shafts and the like. The area is riddled with rivers, streams, lakes and majestic mountain peaks with colorful names like The Devils Bedstead at 11,865 ft. and Smiley Mountain at 11,508 ft. The highest visible peak on the ride is Hyndman Peak, 12,009 ft., northeast of Sun Valley. The highest pass we climbed, 8,934 ft., was Antelope Pass along Cherry Creek Summit Rd.

The purpose of these first trips was twofold, figure out the exact route and locate potential hut sites. The route location was easy since I have been poring over maps for a while. The locations of the huts is a bit more tricky since I have to take into consideration daily mileage, nat'l forest boundaries and asthetic, flat locations, preferably hidden by trees. Each of these locations will have to be assessed by a national forest employee for environmental impact.

Roadtrip: Bozeman, MT

Independence Day Celebration: No loud bangs, no crowds
July 4-8, 2007

One of my favorite summer rituals is our annual camping trip to Bozeman. It's not real rugged camping, since we actually stay at a campground and make frequent trip to the Co-op for its organic offerings and refuge from the intense Montana summer sun. We actually managed to talk our friends into forgoing Luxuristan (i.e. the Marriott) for a taste of the plebeian, tree-hugging life. I think they had fun and weren't just faking it. Right, Heather? I know all the kids loved it. How can any man-made, pay-to-participate activity trump hours of dam building in the campside creek? Besides, we did not make them mount their bikes for any of those multi-hour treks that we have talked ouselves into believing that they enjoy as much as we do. We also took along our summer intern, Topher. He also seemed to enjoyed it but regretted the lack of cell phone reception in the canyon. The girlfriend thing, you know. Hmmmm.

We rode our mountain bikes, ran single track trails, ate good food, and slept in the cool mountain air. What better way is there to celebrate American Independence? Certainly not sitting on a blanket surrounded by a cesspool of humanity oohing and aahing over ridiculous fireworks. A little judgemental, eh?

This is the third summer I have rendezvoused in Bozeman with my good friend and former NH neighbor, Emily a.k.a. Emmo. Emily was enrolled in a Masters of Science Education program through the university in Bozeman that required her to spend consecutive summers in residence living the college life after so many years. She has graduated. Congratulations Emily. Now she gets a big fatty raise compliments of Conval school District! Try not to spend it all in one place Emily. Maybe spend a little on a ticket to Moab during winter break to meet up with your former neighbors? Just an idea. http://www.expedia.com/

Tony and Owen headed back to Idaho Falls with Topher and the Bruemmers and I stayed an extra 1 1/2 days to go ride with Emily on her weekend off.

Our first ride was sweet. We went up Hyalite Canyon past the reservoir to the Emerald Lake Trailhead. This trail was perfectly rideable singletrack that switchbacked up to an alpine basin. We did not tarry long at the lake due to the carniverous nature of the mosqitoes. The description on my map of this ride says it will make you "giggle like a school girl". Yep. Upon arrival back at the truck the heavens opened and it hailed to beat the band. Good timing. See photo.

Our second ride was less technical but equally as beautiful and longer. Across from our campground in the Hyalite Canyon is a is the Moser Creek Trailhead. We connected this short loop to the Bozeman Creek Road (the lower portion of the Mystic Lake trail).

San Juan Hut to Hut Trip

Durango to Moab, 215 miles, 26,000 vertical feet of climbing..yeeha!
june 21-27, 2007

http://www.sanjuanhuts.com/
This was the third time I've cycled the San Juan Huts system. The first time, in 1998, was the Ladies Trip and we rode the Telluride to Moab route. The second time, the same route in 2003, was with a friend from NH and we shared the huts with 3 twentysomething boys from California. They were a hoot.

This time was the best and the most difficult. I did the Durango to Moab route with my husband, dad, sister and brother-in-law. The trip was a 10 yr anniversary celebration for my husband and me. Not so romantic but way fun. My dad was amazing. After 4-5 strenuous hours on the bike he insisted on making the dinner each evening. Who were we to argue? Did I mention he is almost 70 yrs old? Did I mention he carried enough gear for a 3 week trip in mid-winter, ON HIS BACK.


Many people have written of their SJH adventures so I will not give a day by day report. For lots of info go the the SJH website or google the subject to read individual accounts of the trials and tribulations. The best reads come from those poor souls who booked trips in September and got caught in nasty weather, unprepared. There is always nasty weather in September. Be prepared. Physically, of course but more importantly, mentally. Seven days of slogging through sleet and muck and pushing a mud-laden bike up 26,000 feet of mountains must certainly be a mind fuck. No thanks. I choose to go in the height of summer. I am wise.