It's been a better-than-average winter for fat biking in the snow. At least for me.
During cold snaps with snow, the lower Boise foothills trails have been excellent to ride. The North Valley Trail in McCall and the snow bike/xc trails at Jug Mountain Ranch are always good.
If you catch them right, like maybe the day after they've been groomed, the Idaho City Park and Ski Area trails can be excellent for snow biking. Firm conditions are best on groomed trails or boot-tracked trails. Typically, I think they groom mid-week to prepare trails for the weekend xc skiers.
Today, I zipped up to Bogus Basin to ride their Nordic trails. It's been freezing hard at night, so I figured if I got there late morning, the groomed trails would be firm. True! Skate skiers had been skiing the loop in the morning before me and packing down the middle of the trail. Plus, the trails had been freshly groomed overnight.
It was best for me to ride right in the middle of the trail - the most well-traveled part of the trail - where I left barely a tire print in the snow. I could zoom right along on the flats, cruise downhill, and grind up the hills. The Nordic Connector Loop over to Red Tail and back to the Nordic Highway was in perfect shape for snow biking. And then you can head out the Nordic Highway several miles over to the Shafer Butte picnic junction and continue uphill to the picnic area, if you want to cover more distance.
It was a beautiful day today to be in the mountains, soak up some Vit D, and get a workout.
It's important for fat bikers to pay attention to their impact on trails to retain good relations with xc skiers and snowmobilers. If your tires are creating a big wedge or rut in the snow, then you create a divot in the trail, and that upsets the xc skiers in particular. They are expecting to glide on a smooth surface. If you leave light to no tracks, then the conditions are perfect for snow biking.
That's the situation we've got right now. Think about heading up to Bogus Basin to go fat biking on the Nordic trails, or head for a few other destinations that allow fat biking at the destinations above.
At Bogus, I could use the trails for no charge since I'm a season pass holder with both Nordic and alpine privileges. I also have my own fat bike with 4" wide tires, disk brakes, and a nice range of gears for climbing and riding downhill.
If you don't have your own bike, at Bogus it costs $45 to rent a fat bike for 2 hours, $65 for the day. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. midweek, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. So you could easily head up there after work if you have a daytime job. More information on fat biking at Bogus, go here.
Be aware that some of the Nordic trails at Bogus are closed to fat biking. Be sure to check with the Nordic staff at the lodge to ensure you know which trails to ride.
For more ideas on fat biking in the snow in the Boise area, check out the Fat Bike Boise Facebook page. People post there frequently about the snow/riding conditions on Boise-area trails.
Looking ahead, weather looks stellar - a bluebird weekend with warmish afternoons through Sunday, Feb. 19. And then forecasts are calling for colder temps and more snow in the mountains next week! See my latest snow forecast on opensnow.com. We've got plenty of winter yet to come! - SS
Fat biking at Jug Mountain Ranch is a fun activity. (Courtesy McCall Chamber of Commerce)
Cross-country skiing in Bear Basin (courtesy McCall Chamber of Commerce)
Hi all, Well, it's that time of year, once again, when the McCall Winter Carnival is swinging into action on Friday, Jan. 24, and it runs through Sunday, Feb. 2. The theme is "It's a Kids World." I've been in McCall frequently in recent weeks, and despite 50 degree temperatures and bare ground in the Treasure Valley, it's full-on winter in McCall, with 2-3 feet of snow in town. Master ice sculptors are perfecting their masterpieces as we speak, and downtown McCall is looking bright and festive for this wonderful occasion!
"The McCall Winter Carnival was inspired by the Payette
Lake Winter Games, first held in 1924 when a train from Boise brought
248 visitors to McCall. The official McCall Winter Carnival
started in the 1960s and over the years, the Carnival has grown into an
iconic Idaho event bringing more than 60,000 people to McCall each year!" writes the McCall Chamber of Commerce.
I highly recommend the Marti Gras parade on Saturday, checking out the ice sculptures, ice skating, live music, beer garden, and scores of other events planned for the next 10 days. Have you been growing out your beard, or ladies, your leg hair, for the hairy legs contest? The McCall locals have a great sense of humor, and they know how to celebrate winter! While you're in town, I'd like to share my favorite places to go snow-shoeing, xc skiing or snow-biking in the greater McCall area.
Drew snowshoeing with me in Ponderosa
Park on the Meadow Marsh Trail.
1. Ponderosa State Park: Located close to downtown McCall, Ponderosa State Park has
12 miles (19.3 kilometers) of groomed cross country ski trails and 3.5 miles of
marked snowshoe trails that will be nicely packed from recreation use until we
get more snow. There’s also Rover’s Roundabout, a 1-mile groomed trail loop for
dogs near the park entrance.
It’s
a beautiful experience skiing at the park because of the huge ponderosa pine
trees that tower over the groomed trails. The classic day trip is to ski up the
main trail to Fox Run, climb Fox Run and take that around to Lakeside, turn
right and climb up to Osprey Point, a sweet overlook of Payette Lake. That’s
about 6.2 miles (10k) round trip.
My
favorite snowshoe loop is to walk around Meadow Marsh. When you’re halfway
through, if you’re feeling strong, you might take the Lily Marsh trail to Fox
Run and retrace your steps. If that’s too easy, stay on Lily Marsh to Ridgeline
and climb to the top of Osprey Point for the view.
Getting there: Take Railroad Avenue off Main Street, heading east. Follow
signs to Ponderosa State Park (entrance and trail fees apply).
We're regulars at Bear Basin since they allow dogs on all of their trails. Huck loves it!
Bear Basin: We
like Bear Basin because it allows dogs on all of the cross country ski and
snowshoe trails, and the trails there have a little more diversity and length.
The grooming is frequent and well done, as it is at Ponderosa. Bear Basin has
18.6 miles (30k) of cross country and skate ski trails, and 6.2 miles (10k) of
marked snowshoe trails.
Beginning
cross country skiers or skaters can do a 2-mile (3.2k) loop right out of the
parking area on a green trail called “Just Right.” You can change things up and
add more distance and challenge by doing the Polar Express Loop (1.4
miles/2.3k), Mack’s Loop (1.3 miles/2.1k) and Lyle’s (1.9 miles/3.1k). If you
do all three of those intermediate to advanced loops, you’ll feel like you’ve
gotten your workout for the day.
Snowshoers
will find a number of loops in the woods close to the trailhead, and then, of
course, you can travel more distance by making your own trail or following the
cross country trails wherever you wish to go.
Getting there: Take Idaho 55 west of McCall to North Club Hill Drive at the top
of the hill before you come to the Little Ski Hill. Turn right. Go a quarter
mile to the Bear Basin Trailhead on your right. There is a restroom, yurt and
parking by the trailhead. Be sure to pay your trail fees before you ski or
snowshoe.
Snow biking on the North Valley Trail, excellent choice!
Activity Barn/North Valley Trail: Located south of McCall, the Activity
Barn is the go-to place for lift-assisted tubing. Kids love it. There’s also
3.1 miles (5k) of groomed cross country ski trails open to snowshoeing and fat
biking as well. You can connect to the North Valley Trail, which is groomed out
to Heinrich Lane, about three miles one way from the Activity Barn. The bonus
of all of these trails is that they’re open for free, courtesy of Brundage
Mountain and Valley County Pathways.
Getting there: Take Mission Street south of McCall to Moonridge Drive.
Turn right and follow the road less than a mile to the Activity Barn parking
lot.
4. Jug Mountain Ranch: Jug has awesome cross country ski/skate trails, plus it’s the
go-to spot for fat biking in the area. There are 15.5 miles (25k) of groomed
cross country ski and skate trails at JMR. The trails are also open to fat
biking and dogs. The classic trip is to ski or ride Mainline trail up to Upper Jug Creek Reservoir. Enjoy the pretty setting
of the lake, with Jughandle Mountain looming above, and then cruise downhill,
retracing your steps, or take a different trail downhill.
JMR
also grooms fat bike singletrack on the South Elk and North Elk trails, which
are definitely worth riding. If you don’t have a fat bike, JMR
rents them at the clubhouse. Fat bikes are available at McCall outdoor stores as well.
Getting there: Take Idaho 55 to Lake Fork. Go east on Lake Fork Road to the
entrance of JMR. Stay on the main road and drive up to the clubhouse and trailhead. Check in at the clubhouse before you ride or ski to pay your
trail fees.
Rider in the Fatbike Fondo at Stanley Winterfest last weekend. (Courtesy Bike Touring News)
Fat biking at Jug Mountain Ranch (Jerri Lisk, Wyatt Lisk, Mark Lisk and Dave Kelly)
Hi all,
I woke up Wednesday morning in Boise to 2-3 inches fresh snow in our front yard, and it continued to snow hard. Perfect day for a snow bike ride!
I cleared my immediate work stuff and took Huck over to Military Reserve to ride along Freestone Creek to the Central Ridge and climb to Shane's Summit. It's a 6-mile loop that takes about an hour. When the snow conditions move into the perfect zone for snow biking in the foothills -- as they are right now -- you have to seize the day and do the ride!
Being a Minnesota native, it gets my heart pumping when I see new snow. At times like this, I must get out and do something fun in the snow ... it's just in my blood.
My ride on Wednesday with Huck ... horizontal snow at Shane's Summit.
As it snowed like gangbusters, I thoroughly enjoyed being out in the middle of a snow storm on the snow bike. I wore my ski helmet with goggles, and was perfectly warm with several layers of capilene on top and my backcountry shell ski coat. A gentle wind blew the light flakes almost horizontally across the Central Ridge area in the footies. I ran into a couple of trail-runners with dogs along the way, all grinning wide with rosy cheeks. Huck and the other pointers chased each other at full throttle, doing big circles in the powder, before going on their merry way.
I ride a custom-made snow bike that Dave Kelly of Eagle (vibecycles.com) made for me 4 years ago. It's pretty light, with carbon wheels and 4-inch tires. It's geared to handle climbs like the ride up to Shane's or Sidewinder. But when I'm pushing through 4-5 inches of new snow, with some foot tracks underneath, it made it a little more challenging on Wednesday. I loved the downhill, so smooth in the fresh *pow* with big tires! I felt great after the ride.
Taken in Stanley, Idaho during the Winterfest last weekend (courtesy Bike Touring News)
I did a spin class on Tuesday at the downtown Y with Eva, and she worked us hard on a heart monitor interval-type of workout. I thought about maxing my heart rate at 170 beats per minute during the spin class, and felt that I hit that red zone for sure on the steeper parts of the climb to Shanes. My glutes sure felt it the next day! And that's another reason we ride!
For my outdoor tip of the week, I'm giving you all a head's up that the conditions are perfect for snow-biking in the foothills right now. Trails are frozen with 3-4 inches of snow on top. The conditions in McCall and Ketchum/Sun Valley also are perfect for snow-biking. In fact, there's a Snowball Special Fat Bike Race in Ketchum on Saturday. There was a snow-bike race in Stanley last weekend.
But it is kind of curious ... snow-biking, or biking in the snow with a fat-tired bike, never really took off around here in big numbers ... it's remained kind of a niche-market for a minority of riders who like to have a full quiver of bikes for all occasions!
I bought mine after snow-biking at Jug Mountain Ranch near McCall. That remains one of the better places to ride in SW and Central Idaho. You can ride on JMR's xc trails, which also are open to dogs, and you can ride some snow-bike specific trails. You can rent bikes at JMR before you go.
Watch the video by Mark Lisk!
I checked with a few bike shops, and they said the level of interest has waned for fat bikes in the Boise area. One of the issues is that you typically have to travel to snow to ride a snow bike. The bikes are big and bulky, so they're hard to transport unless you have a specialty rack or drive a large pickup. The times when there's enough snow in the foothills are rare, and inconsistent. So that is perhaps another factor.
"It's a big expense when there's limited application for it," says Ryan King, a snow-bike enthusiast and owner of Bike Touring News, a bike shop in NW Boise. "It depends on what kind of fat-biking opportunities there are nearby. And if you look at the trails over by Grand Targhee and the Teton Valley, they've got a pretty big following over there."
Pretty cool to be riding next to a herd of elk in Stanley! (Courtesy Bike Touring News)
If there were more snow-bike specific trails near Boise, there would be a bigger following, King says. "I think the ridership is there. It's definitely a niche-thing, but if you build the trails, the riders will come."
I personally look around at my mountain biking buddies, and none of them have bought a fat bike yet. They probably wish they had one today so they could enjoy the foothills trails. But to be honest, my snow bike spends a lot of time sitting in the garage.
Chris Haunold with Idaho Mountain Touring said they quit renting fat bikes because of the high cost of the bikes and slow rental traffic. "It was just too expensive to have them sitting there taking up space," he says. IMT still sells fat bikes and also plus-sized bikes with 3- or 3.5-inch tires. Meridian Cycle has two fat bikes for rent, but they used to care more. "The demand was much bigger 5 years ago," officials said.
Backwoods Mountain Sports in Ketchum also doesn't rent fat bikes any longer. There wasn't much demand for them, officials said. Sturtevants and Formula Sports do rent bikes in Ketchum/Sun Valley, but there isn't a big demand for them, officials said.
John Yarnell, left, and Chris Wildt riding in Harriman State Park in Island Park, Idaho. Cool idea! (Courtesy Chris Wildt)
Lars Hedin rents and sells fat bikes at Gravity Sports in McCall. Their rental traffic doubled this year compared to last year, he says, but he thinks fat bikes would be more popular if there were more places to ride. "The big key to fat bikes taking off is working with Bear Basin to open some specific biking trails or mixed-use trails," he says. "I have high hopes for the future."
Tamarack Resort allows fat bikes on their Nordic Trails, and they are planning to build more snow-bike specific trails, Hedin says. People also can ride at the Activity Barn and on the North Valley Trail south of McCall. Those trails are great for a shorter low-key ride in my experience.
Bogus Basin allows snow-biking on three of their Nordic trails -- Nordic Highway, Sidewinder and Mores Mountain Trail. Note: The trails need to be frozen and firm for snow-biking to be allowed. Bogus also has fat bike rentals -- $53 for a 2-hour rental and $74 for a full-day. The amount of snow-biking traffic has not grown that much yet, but people call to check on trail conditions almost daily, officials said.
The Idaho City Park and Ski Trails are open to snow-biking as well. The trails will be groomed for this weekend. Two trails that you might try in that system are the Skyline Loop, and the Banner Ridge Trail over to Banner Ridge yurt and the Elkhorn Yurt.
I would close by saying I find fat biking in the snow to be super fun. The bikes have great traction with the larger tires, and I'm glad my bike is geared for steeper climbs. I'm also glad I invested in a lighter frame and wheels so that my snow bike is roughly the same weight as my mountain bike. I would recommend giving a fat bike a spin in the snow, and see what you think.
BTW, King is having a winter sales special on fat bikes and winter riding accessories right now at his bike shop, Bike Touring News.
Winter Storm Warning predicts lots of snow at Brundage Mountain and Bogus Basin Friday and Saturday
My son Drew loves snowshoeing. Here he's enjoying a trail in Ponderosa State Park. See link to story below about where to go xc sking, snowshoeing and fat biking in the greater McCall area during the Winter Carnival.
XC ski trails at Bear Basin are well-groomed and extensive! Dogs are allowed!
Fat biking at Jug Mountain Ranch on a bluebird day
Hi all,
For those of you who still like snow, it appears that we're going to get slammed pretty hard tomorrow and this weekend in the mountains of SW Idaho and Central Idaho. The weather forecasts are predicting a Winter Storm Warning, with 3-7 inches at Bogus Basin tomorrow (Friday), 1-3 inches Friday night, and 2-4 inches on Saturday, for a total potential of 14+ inches, considering more is expected Saturday night and Sunday. Woo hoo for the powder hounds!
A similar scenario is supposed to play out in the West Central Mountains, benefiting Tamarack and Brundage Mountain, during the second weekend of the Winter Carnival. Brundage is actually predicted to get 3-7 inches Friday, 4-8 inches Friday night, 2-4 inches Saturday and 2-4 Saturday night, with more coming on Sunday. That adds up to more than 20 inches of snow Friday and Saturday! Oh baby!
Brundage is trying to entice women to head their way on Saturday with Diva Day, $30 lift tickets for women 18 and over (discounted from $64). They'll have a "snowga" session at 1:30 p.m., and Rebecca Scott will be playing in the afternoon after 2 p.m. in the bar. In downtown McCall, you can tour the world-class ice sculptures, enjoy live music, see fireworks Saturday night, and try to win a Polaris Ranger UTV via a raffle. Tickets cost only $10. Drawing is Saturday night. Someone has to win it! Why not you? See event schedule for more details.
There's still some lodging available in McCall and surrounding areas. Check ASAP with the McCall Chamber or InIdaho.com to inquire further.
Powder alert! Soldier Mountain will be reopening Friday after being closed all week! They couldn't open today (Thursday) because they had too much snow!
Brundage is hosting a Beer and Gear Festival on Saturday and Sunday
Make your own adventure in the snow ... this is a group of guys skiing from Deer Point to the city of Boise last week ...
Huck having fun on Crestline Trail recently
XC trails at Jug Mountain Ranch ... conditions should be perfect this weekend!
Hi all,
It's been quite the winter so far, eh? We've got great snow in the mountains, providing plenty of thrills for the powder hounds. And we've got consistent snowpack in the Boise Valley, allowing people to make their own adventure close to home, whether it's sledding, snowshoeing, boot hiking, running, snow biking or cross-country skiing.
I wasn't able to talk about it on the radio last week, but some of you might have seen last week's post about three buddies and I making a big backcountry ski trek from the top of Deer Point lift at Bogus Basin to the city of Boise, ending up at the bottom of the Corrals Trailhead. That adventure would still be doable, but given how the snow in the lower foothills has become encrusted by rain this week, it would be quite the bobsled run down icy trails!
For my outdoor tip this week, I'm making a mixture of recommendations for you to enjoy the snow at a time when the weather has finally cleared after a seemingly nonstop onslaught of precipitation in the last week. It's beautiful to see the cerulean blue sky gleaming in the sunshine once again! Be sure to bundle up and dress in layers ... it's going to be fairly cold this weekend:
Here's a powder secret:Soldier Mountain is opening on Friday after being closed all week. They couldn't open today (Thursday) because they had TOO MUCH SNOW! Their lifts and buildings were buried in snow! Soldier will be open through Monday for the MLK holiday.
Brundage Mountain is hosting the Beer and Gear Festival on Saturday and Sunday so skiers can demo new equipment and sample local hand-crafted beers from Salmon River Brewery, Payette Brewing Co., Mad Swede, Mother Earth Brewing and County Line Brewing. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 11-4 on Sunday.
Are you interested in learning how to cross-country ski?Bogus Basin is hosting a lesson series called the Nordic Passport program that offers four lessons -- two class lessons and two skate-ski lessons -- and rental equipment for a package price of $150. The cool bonus about this program is after you complete your lessons, you get a free Nordic season pass for the rest of the season at Bogus Basin.
Go snowshoeing, boot hiking, running, snow biking or cross-country skiing on Boise Foothills trails. After everything froze hard following the rain, however, I have found that boot hiking with solid boots or snowshoeing are more manageable than xc skiing or snow biking. The trails were very soft with 5-6 inches of slush before they froze solid, so the tread on the trails is pretty rough.
Go backcountry skiing or snowshoeing at Mores Creek Summit. The skiing in the upper elevations of Pilot Peak and Sunset Mountain should be fabulous! You just have to climb for your runs! Come prepared with avalanche safety gear and check the local avalanche forecast for the latest conditions.
Go boot hiking or snow biking along the Boise River Greenbelt. The Greenbelt is plowed on a regular basis so it's very passable right now ... however, it can be quite icy in places, so be careful out there!
Go cross-country skiing or fat biking in McCall area. Winter conditions are fabulous in the McCall area and at Jug Mountain Ranch right now. See conditions on McCall Nordic. The warmer temperatures and rain never lasted long in Valley County, so the snow quality is still excellent on the xc ski trails at Bear Basin, Ponderosa State Park and Jug Mountain Ranch. At Jug, you can fat bike all of the xc ski trails. Great fun!
My tip of the week is about some of the state's best destinations for fat biking. I wrote this piece for VisitIdaho and it doubles as my tip of the week:
Magic Valley skiers were happy at Pomerelle last weekend ...
Everyone was all smiles at Bogus, too ...
Easy Street is groomed and ready to roll at Brundage Mountain.
Gateway Parks in Eagle over Thanksgiving weekend.
Hi all,
Well, we're still in the transition to full-on winter. We need more snow storms to really get all the ski areas running full-bore and provide deep enough snowpack for excellent backcountry skiing in SW Idaho. That said, it's totally possible to plan a skiing, snowboarding, xc skiing, snowshoe or fat biking adventure this weekend.
Don't forget that the closest place to go play in the snow is right here in the valley at Eagle Island State Park. It's called Gateway Parks. They've got tubing, snowboarding, skiing and a terrain park.
Most of the downhill areas will be open open this weekend, and with a new storm moving in on Friday, there should be a few inches of new snow to enjoy. Check the resort web sites for early-season pricing and lodging deals.
Here's the skinny on the alpine areas:
Pomerelle - got 13 inches of snow this week! This is your best pick for *best pow.* They'll be open Friday-Sunday this weekend, with fresh powder for all to enjoy! Plus, more on the way! They're reporting a 21-inch base on the summit, with 13 inches of fresh this week. No one has been skiing there all week!
Bogus Basin - will be open Saturday and Sunday, with the Deer Point and Coach lifts running. 17-inch base as of Thursday. The tubing hill will be open as well. Be sure to make advance reservations for the tubing hill. Nordic ski trails and the Nordic lodge will be open Saturday-Sunday.
Brundage Mountain - is opening Saturday for a sneak peek. 20-inch base. They'll be running the Bluebird quad, Bear and Easy Street lifts on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I heard the Activity Barn tubing hill just opened for business as well. Three tubing lanes will be open this weekend.
Sun Valley- has a bunch of groomers open thanks to their robust snow-making capabilities. Go get some thigh-scorching runs on the groomers and get your legs broken in for ski season.
Magic Mountain - yes, Magic Mountain in the South Hills near Twin Falls is opening Saturday. It's a cool little homespun resort with about 750 vertical feet of drop. They're reporting a 22 inch base. Lift tickets are cheap!
Pomerelle - got 13 inches of snow this week! This is your best pick for *best pow.* They'll be open Friday-Sunday this weekend, with fresh powder for all to enjoy! Plus, more on the way! They're reporting a 21-inch base on the summit, with 13 inches of fresh this week. No one has been skiing there all week!
Grand Targhee - is a great pick. They're reporting a base depth of 29 inches. Seventy-four of 97 trails are open. A few inches of new snow is predicted over the weekend. It's Global Fat Biking day on Saturday, with free demos.
As for cross-country and backcountry conditions:
Mores Creek Summit has 15 inches of snow according to the Snowtel web portal. Backcountry conditions are still brushy, but you could definitely tour up to Pilot Peak or Sunset Mountain on the main roads and then tuck into the backcountry once you reach the higher elevations. After Friday's storm, there could be 4-5 inches of new snow to enjoy.
Bear Basin in McCallhas excellent cross-country skiing conditions. Wendy and I skate skied there several days last week. They have a foot of snow and 1 inch of new. Right now, they're the only Nordic destination that's open in Valley County. The annual Snow Ball is Saturday night. Great fund-raiser for Bear Basin and the Little Ski Hill.
Wood River Valley - The Blaine County Recreation District has more K's open than any other area for Nordic skiing. Galena Lodge trails, the Harriman Trail, Prairie Creek are all open.
Idaho City Park n' Ski Areas- are reporting 4-8 inches on the lower trails, up to 12 inches at the higher elevations. It's still not enough snow to groom. They've done a little grooming at Gold Fork and on the Banner Ridge Trail. Call the snow line for the latest conditions: 208-514-2423. Might be OK conditions for snow biking, depending on how packed the trails are by human use.
There you have it on the snow conditions!
With the weather warming up this weekend, it's likely that the Boise Foothills trails will get muddy and gummy in the lower elevations. Please avoid the trails when they're in that condition. Check with the Ridge to Rivers web site or Facebook page to check on the latest trail conditions.
Dave Williams rides a fatty in the Snowy 45 at Jug Mountain Ranch
The cross-country ski trails loop around Jug Mountain Reservoir. Very scenic
There have been times this winter when fat biking is perfect on foothills trails.
That's not the case right now except when they're frozen in the early morning.
Hi all,
With High Pressure dominating aloft and the ever-familiar layer of yucky inversion fog blanketing the Boise Valley for the next 10 days, it's paramount for your mental health to head into the mountains and go for an adventure.
This week, I'm recommending that you try FAT BIKING as your travel mode of choice. The snow is freezing hard at night and warming up in the afternoon in SW Idaho. It's key to hit the trails when they're frozen hard in the early morning for the most efficient ride. The weather is perfect for that right now.
Below, I'll recommend five places to ride close to home in Southwest Idaho, and where to rent a fat bike.
But first ... why ride a FAT BIKE? Personally, I was sold after riding Jug Mountain Ranch last winter with a bunch of guys from Boise and McCall. We got out in the morning when the corduroy-groomed xc trail was hard and firm, and we rode up to Brundage Reservoir and then looped around back to the clubhouse via a mix of singletrack and xc trail. I loved bouncing up and down on the big tires ... it just makes you giggle. Fat bikes climb slow, but they're super stable on the downhill, and they're basically the bike of choice on snow and ice.
Here's what Ryan LaBar said about fat biking in Bike magazine: "Before these mutant bikes became available, the cold, dreary, daylight-choked winters of the midwest had to be dealt with by skiing, snowshoeing, sitting on the couch drinking beer and eating nachos or, God forbid, actually riding the trainer. "Not to say that these activities aren’t fun (except maybe riding the trainer), but, really, nothing compares to the escape from “reality” that shredding trails on two wheels gives you.ile fatbiking on the snow is generally much slower than riding dry trails, the lower friction and alien texture of snow–when conditions are good–replicates the sensation of ripping trails at full speed. It is a blast. Shallow pitches become technical descents, crashing doesn’t hurt nearly as much and power sliding corners has never been easier or more fun."
I bought a custom-built fatty in December from Vibe Cycles in December, and I'm really enjoying it. The bike weighs only 27.5 pounds because it has carbon rims, 45Nrth Van Helga tubeless tires, a carbon front fork and carbon handlebars. It rides great.
So ... how to get started? Rent a fat bike from a local bike store and go ride! See how you like it!
Meridian Cycle rents fat bikes for $50/day.
Idaho Mountain Touring rents for $50 for 1/2 day, $75 for a full day.
World Cycle rents for $80 for a 24-hour period.
Ken's Bicycle Warehouse rents for $50/day.
Eastside Cycles rents for $50 for 1/2 day, $85 for 24 hours.
Check with the bike shops on the type of bike they're renting and size(s) available.
Now, where to ride? Here are five sure-fire places to ride this weekend:
Rocky Canyon Road - Watchman Trail Loop East Boise Foothills - Start from the end of the pavement on Rocky Canyon Road, ride up to the Five Mile Trail junction, go left and climb Five Mile to the Watchman Junction. Caution: Rocky Canyon Road is super icy in places. I rode the Five Mile Trail last Saturday, and it was in perfect shape ... either snow- and ice-covered or sandy. Take Watchman down Curlew Ridge to Shane's and back to Rocky Canyon. Hit it early when the trails are frozen. Total distance is 10 miles.
Skyline Trail - Summit Trail - Beaver Trail - Elkhorn - Ralph's - Skyline Loop - This is a big loop in the Idaho City Park n' Ski Trail system, starting from the Gold Fork parking lot and then climbing Skyline Trail to the Summit Trail, drop over to the Beaver Trail and do a long climb to the Elkhorn Trail, Banner Ridge and so forth. Loop back to Skyline on Elkhorn and Ralph's to finish the ride. Approximate distance 15 miles. Here is a video of fat bikers touring the park n' ski trails. Idaho City Park N' Ride from Aileen Frey on Vimeo.
Middle Fork Payette River snowmobile road - Ride the groomed snowmobile trail about 9 miles one way to the Silver Creek Plunge hot springs pool.
Jug Mountain Ranch, Lake Fork, Idaho - Fat bikes are welcome to ride on the JMR xc trails. Dogs are cool too. Great place to ride. Start from the clubhouse and do a big loop up to Jug Mountain Reservoir and back to the clubhouse. Did I say it's a great place to ride? BTW, JMR is hosting the Snowy 45 fat bike relay race on Feb. 28.
Roads and trails in the Owyhee Mountains - It's been an unusually wet winter in the Owyhees this year, but often times, the trails and roads out there can be great for winter riding, especially when they're frozen or dry and sandy. My friend Eileen Frey highly recommends the Wickahoney Loop, south of Bruneau. I'd recommend the Wilson Creek loop or the Barking Spider loop in my Owyhee Canyonlands guidebook. Both of those are pretty close to home.
Another place that totally rocks for fat biking in Grand Targhee. All 15K's of their Nordic trails are open to fat biking, and they have two miles of snow-packed singletrack trails. From a resort perspective, everyone says that Targhee is setting the pace for accommodating fat biking. How about a long weekend skiing and fat biking at Targhee in blue sky conditions! Book my room now!!!
Watch the Fat Bike Boise Facebook page for posts from riders reporting on conditions throughout the SW Idaho region and beyond.
Read all about Steve's outdoor trips in Idaho, including hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, camping, trail-running, whitewater boating, canoeing, SUP’ing, skiing and snowshoeing.
I love being outdoors and hanging out in the mountains. It's my favorite place to be. I love to explore new places and experience different outposts in the Idaho backcountry.
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