Sawtooth Singletrack

MEETING TIME AND PLACE

This tour will begin at 8:00am 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 4:00-5:00 pm on the last day.

ITINERARY

TRIP DAY 1

We will begin our trip with a scenic shuttle from Sun Valley into the heart of Idaho's mountain country, just north of Stanley. The drive will take us over Galena Pass and into the Stanley Basin, the headwaters of the Salmon River. The Stanley Basin is paralleled by the jagged spires of the Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho's most famous, and you may agree, most beautiful range. The east side of the valley is bordered by the majestic limestone peaks of the White Cloud Mountains. Today's destination is Martin Lake, a clear blue lake nestled into a high alpine valley. Our ride begins with a rolling doubletrack and quickly turns to more technical singletrack. A few steep sections and tricky switchbacks bring us to the summit and the short descent to the lake. After a refreshing dip and a quick nap in the sun, we prepare for the big descent. On the way down we cross several creeks and many open alpine meadows. A whole herd of elk is likely to cross our trail at any moment. We finally pop out on the road back into the basin which will take us to our camp for the night. TOTAL MILEAGE - 18 miles

TRIP DAY 2

After a serious breakfast, we will head up the road to the East Fork Trail, a winding climbing singletrack that connects to Basin Creek. Idaho boasts some of the best singletrack in the world and this day will prove it! East Fork heads up through a beautiful drainage which continues all the way into the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The trail is technical with lots of roots and rocks. After a hoot-n-holler down hill we'll climb again up Sunday Creek. A serious effort brings us to the Prospect Creek Trail which is one of our favorite descents in all of Idaho. This connects us to Valley Creek, a rippin' ATV trail that takes us all the way back to camp. TOTAL MILEAGE - 31 miles

TRIP DAY 3

Our warm up for today is doubletrack up to the Knapp Creek Trailhead. The Knapp Creek Trail is fast and rolling, so stock up on momentum, because you will need your technical skills in just a minute. This climb connects us to the Hindman Lake Trail, a steep rocky technical climb with lots of switchbacks that leads us to a high alpine cirque. To crest the top we must negotiate one final super loose pitch through the scree. And if anybody rides it, Mark Howe will do a little dance. After passing several beautiful high alpine lakes, we descend into Hindman Lake and our camp for the next two nights. TOTAL MILEAGE - 20 miles

TRIP DAY 4

From our camp near the lake, we will begin heading down hill on the Basin Creek Trail. Wake up because this trail has it all: steep, loose descents with lots of beautiful arcing turns and dangerous side hills. It is fast and technical and connects us to the Sunday Creek Trail. Here we begin to climb on a gradual grade along the creek and finish with an un-gradual climb to the top of the ridge. From here we have several choices for our return to camp. No matter which we choose it will involve an additional descent and a climb back to the lake. TOTAL MILEAGE - 20-30 miles

TRIP DAY 5

Our final ride on this world class trip begins with a short climb up to the West Fork Trail. Again, this trail is the real deal. The zen masters of trail building from the Challis Ranger District have gone all out to create this perfect mountain biking experience. We descend on to the West Fork of the Yankee Fork River and it's all downhill (except for the uphills). This area was the site of a spectacular burn during the record breaking fires of 2000. Here remnants and ghosts of one of Idaho's major historic mining districts surround us. The last section of trail brings us to the road at the historic Bonanza Guard Station, once the location of a thriving mining community of 600. We'll finish the trip in the tiny town of Sunbeam, where we will meet our shuttle that will take us back to Sun Valley. TOTAL MILEAGE - 20 miles

TERRAIN

Riding Surface: Variable, mostly single and some doubletrack, dirt roads.
Technical Difficulty: Moderate to Very Difficult.
Physical Difficulty: Difficult, challenging steep singletrack and long days.
Altitude: 6,000 - 9,000 feet.

Please Note: This is an expert level backcountry trip. The tour contains some difficult riding on narrow mountain trails and 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