“The guides have been all exceedingly friendly, helpful, and genuinely fun to be around, especially to my son, whose first question upon returning home is always, "Where are we going next year?" ”
NICA - Sun Valley
Dates Available
- Aug 4, 2013 - Aug 9, 2013
- Aug 11, 2013 - Aug 16, 2013
NICA Training Camps offered by Western Spirit Cycling
Western Spirit is teaming up with NICA to create week long training camps for high school mountain bikers from ages 15 to 18, both girls and boys. Camps will be held in Durango, Colorado and Sun Valley, Idaho. Students will experience the NICA training curriculum while camping in the great outdoors. Interspersed between rides will be discussions about nutrition and training, along with the natural and cultural history of the areas where they are riding.
Sun Valley: Sun Valley, Idaho remains one of the best kept secrets in the mountain biking world. Smooth trails of decomposed granite and a mountain biker friendly forest service have combined to create some of the best riding we have found anywere on the planet. We're not kidding. The Pioneer, the Sawtooth, and the White Cloud Mountains are visible from every peak and ridge. The climbing switchbacks are all quite ridable and the decents zoom through turn after turn seemingly forever. This riding experiance will bring smiles, and might even leave you speechless.
Altitudes on this trip are below 10,000 feet. We average about 20 miles per day, but we have to climb to get the views, and singletrack experience is a must. This trip is seriously fun.
View Full Trip Itinerary
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NICA - Sun Valley Itinerary
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to call us at 1-800-845-2453 or email biking@westernspirit.com.
MEETING TIME AND PLACE
This tour will begin at 8:30am MST at Sun Summit, 791 Warm Springs Rd in Ketchum, Idaho, 208-726-0707. You will need to spend the night before in Ketchum.
ENDING TIME AND PLACE
We will return to Ketchum between 3:00-4:00 pm on the last day.
ITINERARY
TRIP DAY 1
This morning we'll ride right from the bike shop to the base of the Sun Valley Ski Area. The resort has designed some trails that are pure fun and offer stunning views of Ketchum's Big Wood River Valley. We'll pick up our lift tickets so we can take the chairlift to the top of Bald Mountain where we'll enjoy the 360 degree panorama of Idaho's majestic mountains. Our first ride, the Cold Springs Trail, descends 3,000 feet, delivering us to our lunch spot with big smiles. After eating, we'll hop on the River Run chairlift again for a ride back to the summit. Then clip in and hold on for a 10 mile world class singletrack descent. The Warm Springs Trail was built a few years ago with mountain biking in mind, a beautifully laid out trail that contours around the mountain and is filled with fast corners, jumps and great views. From the bottom it's 11 miles up an easy dirt road to our camp for the night on the banks of Warm Springs Creek. Frenchman's Hot Springs is just down the road from camp so we'll be able to return to this spring for a relaxing soak. TOTAL MILEAGE - 31 miles
TRIP DAY 2
Today, we'll enjoy a fantastic lollipop loop from camp, the Red Warrior Trail. We begin with a short warm-up ride on a dirt road before we enter the singletrack. Our ride takes us up Red Warrior drainage, crossing the creek uncountable times. We reach the divide between Red Warrior and Lodgepole Gulch. This saddle is a perfect place to enjoy a trailside lunch and views of the Pioneer, Smoky and Boulder Mountains. Atop the mountain, singletracks head off in all directions through lovely stands of aspen and Douglas Fir, open meadows and toward hidden drainages. We'll loop down Lodgepole Gulch, swooping through towering stands of pine, to Mahoney Creek where we'll traverse lupine filled meadows back up to the saddle. From here, Red Warrior will feel like a new trail, descending fun switchbacks, twisty sections and lots of rollers. At the end of the ride, it's a perfect time to hop in the hot springs; then we'll head back to camp. TOTAL MILEAGE - 18 miles
TRIP DAY 3
From camp it is a nice six mile cruise up the Warm Springs Road to our trailhead at the South Fork of Warm Springs. Here, we enter the backcountry on a beautiful trail that climbs up through the forest to Poison Flats. From this beautiful meadow there are incredible views of the surrounding mountains. The last bit of the climb up to the flats is a fairly brutal pitch. Although it's not technical, it is aerobically demanding as the pitches are steep and long. But here's the good news: from the top, it is mostly downhill to our camp at Deer Creek. Once we begin our descent from Poison Flats, the trail becomes more technical as it follows the banks of Deer Creek. Several challenging, rocky sections gradually give way to a long, smooth section that will bring us to our support vehicle and camp. Camp is in a secluded forest area on the banks of the creek. TOTAL MILEAGE - 17 miles
TRIP DAY 4
For today's ride, we'll leave from camp and head down the road to Wolftone Creek and begin a gradual ascent on an old doubletrack road before hitting the singletrack. The trail parallels the creek alternating between lush forest and wildflower meadows before climbing up onto the ridge and beginning a rolling contour to our lunch spot. From the apex of our ride, the views are awesome. To the south lies the prairie country of Southern Idaho and to the north lies the rugged backcountry of the Sawtooth and Boulder Mountains. To the east are the jagged peaks of the Pioneers and to the west are Buttercup Mountain and the high peaks of the Smoky Dome area. From lunch we follow the south side of the ridge before turning north and beginning a fantastic descent along Curran Creek. This trail winds through meadows before plunging into the forest and alongside the creek bed, and then deposits us onto the Deer Creek Trail. This is a world class descent. We'll end up back at our camp where we'll spend a second night. TOTAL MILEAGE - 18 miles
TRIP DAY 5
Our last day in this mountain paradise begins with a climb up the north fork of Deer Creek to a fun switchback climb up Howard's Trail to a ridge overlooking Greenhorn Gulch. Once again the views are fantastic. The descent from the top down to the trailhead just might be the finest yet. This trail has fun, smooth singletrack, gentle grades, lots of rollers and nicely banked turns. From here, it's an easy 12 mile cruise along dirt roads and a paved bike path back into Ketchum for lunch and the journey's end. TOTAL MILEAGE - 18 miles
TERRAIN
Riding Surface: Singletrack on coarse granitic soil, pine duff and some clay.
Technical Difficulty: Moderate to difficult, many obstacles and tricky sections.
Physical Difficulty: Difficult, high elevations, steep climbs, long unsupported sections.
Altitude: 6,000 - 9,000 ft.
Please Note: This tour contains some very difficult riding on narrow, steep mountain trails. A high level of skill and fitness is required to enjoyably navigate much of the route. We will be without vehicle support during all of the Singletrack sections of the ride and medical help is far away. If you do not consider yourself to be an expert rider and doubt your ability to complete this tour, please call us and we can help you determine whether this trip is appropriate for you. Itineraries are subject to change due to weather, road conditions, rider safety, and other factors which may affect the logistics of the adventure.
TRAVEL LOGISTICS
GETTING THERE
-Driving
Ketchum is located 77 miles north of Interstate 84 on Highway 75. We have a place to park all the vehicles while on the tour.
-Flying into Sun Valley
Airport Code: SUN
-Flying into Boise, ID
Airport Code: BOI
From here, there are two options.
1) Rent a car and drive to Ketchum, a 2 1/2 hour drive. You will have to park the car while on the tour.
2) Take the Sun Valley Express shuttle service. This shuttle departs from the Boise airport at 2:45 pm and is $66 each way with 7 day advance booking. Call 208-622-8267 or 877-622-8267 for group rates and to book ahead. For your return, the shuttle departs Ketchum at 8:30 am.
-Flying into Salt Lake City,UT
Airport Code: SLC
Rent a car and drive to Sun Valley, about a 5 hour drive.
TAXI SERVICE
A-1 Taxicab 208-726-9351
Sun Valley Chauffer 866-472-5059
They will take you from the Sun Valley Airport (Hailey) into Ketchum.
LODGING
Ketchum is a popular summer vacation spot. It is a good idea to book your rooms several months in advance if possible; here are a few recommendations.
Best Western Kentwood Lodge
$160-210
800-805-1001, 208-726-4114
Clarion Inn
$160-250
800-262-4833, 208-726-5900
The Clarion is across Main Street from the bike shop.
Tamarack Lodge
$145-165
800-521-5379
Best Western Tyrolean
$139-174
800-333-7912, 208-726-5336
Lodging in Hailey:
Hailey is a cute little town with good restaurants. It is 10 miles south of Sun Valley. Allow 1/2 hour drive time in the morning.
Airport Inn Hailey, ID
$95-125
208-788-2477
Innidaho.com
800-844-3246
Central Reservations for all of Idaho
Above rates are approximate.
WEATHER
There are really just two kinds of weather: weather you like and weather you do not like. Come prepared for both and you won't care what the weather does.
If you have questions about temperatures for your specific trip please feel free to give us a call 800-845-2453 or email us at biking@westernspirit.com. We will be happy to give you packing suggestions and help you with ideas for things to do before and after your bike trip.
PACKING FOR YOUR TRIP
You will receive a tour packing list with your tour confirmation package. Be sure to bring everything on this list. Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable so be sure to bring all the warm clothing and rain gear listed! When you arrive for your tour, we will give you a dry bag in which to pack your gear. If you have questions about anything on the list, please call us.
SHIPPING YOUR BIKE
You are welcome to ship your bike to us in advance of your trip. For a moderate fee we will unpack it, build it, and ship it back home to you afterwards. Bikes can be insured to $4,000. Domestic shipping only. If you decide you want to go this route, you must call us in advance of your trip so we can inform the shop that your bike is on its way.
If you have any other questions about trip logistics, please feel free to send us an email or, better yet, to call us at 800-845-2453. We will be happy to try to help you answer any other questions you might have about our bike trips.
To ship your bike UPS, send it to Sun Summit Ski & Cycle, 791 Warm Springs Rd, Ketchum ID, 83340; 208-726-0707. It is critical that you include your name, "Western Spirit Cycling" and tour date on the outside of the box. Check with your local UPS people for the number of days needed for it to arrive in time. There is no Saturday UPS delivery. It is imperative to have your bike finely tuned and cleaned before your tour so you know it is in top running condition.
THINGS TO DO
RESTAURANTS
BREAKFAST
The Kneadery, 260 Leadville Ave - excellent excellent breakfast
LUNCH
Smoky Mountain Pizza, 200 Sun Valley Road - good salads and pizza
DINNER
Mama Inez, 7th Street and Warm Springs Road - our favorite Mexican
Globus, 6th and Main Street - internationally inspired cuisine
Roosevelt Tavern, Main St and Sun Valley Road - good variety, steaks and pasta
MAPS
Your guides will have all the maps necessary for your trip. If you would like your own copy for a souvenir, here is all the info:
For Forest Service Maps of the Western Spirit Routes go to http://www.store.usgs.gov/. To get to the Forest Service maps go to "Featured Products" and then under "Go to product line" choose US Forest Service Maps. Pick Idaho and: 111677 SAWTOOTH NF, FAIRFIELD & KETCHUM, ID