Support Valley County Pathways in its quest to build a valley-wide trail system from Cascade to McCall

New "singletrack sidewalk" trail along Heinrich Lane, south of McCall 

Hi all,

On the fourth and final day of Idaho Gives, I'd like to encourage you to support Valley County Pathways, a nonprofit group I've been leading for almost 20 years.  

Our vision is to build a 70-mile, valley-wide trail system from Cascade to McCall and New Meadows, where we could connect to the Weiser River Trail. 

Put another way, our quest is to build a trail system that matches the grandeur of Long Valley.

For this year's Idaho Gives campaign, our goal is $15,000. We've received a pledge from a trail supporter who will match all of our contributions up to $15,000, for a total potential of $30,000. 

Our new video tells our story. 

We are inspired by the Boise River Greenbelt, the Wood River Trail and the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes. Those long-distance trails are the pride of their communities, and anyone and everyone can enjoy them. 

My feeling is we have 10 years to get a valley-wide trail system in place in Valley County, or we may never get it done. We need to act now! And that takes money! 

I got started with Valley County Pathways in 2004, not long after the first $10M open space measure passed for the Boise Foothills. I was heavily involved in that open space campaign, and I still feel like it's one of the most important things I've done in my life. It was so cool to be part of a broad grass-roots effort that got embraced by the whole Boise community. 

From that experience, I learned that we can shape and enhance our communities and landscapes with new trails, open spaces and wildlife habitat with a LOT of DEDICATION and HARD WORK! 

I've been trying to walk the talk for 30 years. In 1992, I was the founding president of the SW Idaho Mountain Biking Association (SWIMBA), when Ridge to Rivers was just getting started. We all wanted to improve our trail systems. SWIMBA partnered with Boise REI and R2R to build Shane's Trail, Sidewinder, Trail #1 over to Bob's, Redtail Ridge, and Seaman's Gulch trails in the 1990s. 

Erin and Ed Roper ride in the grand opening of trails in McCall, a VCP event. 

At the same time, I was producing new trail guides like Mountain Biking in Boise, Mountain Biking in McCall, and Mountain Biking in Idaho (80 rides statewide).  

So I was a pretty well-traveled trail guy when I started working full-time for Tamarack Resort in government affairs in 2003. I knew there was an abandoned railroad line that ran through the middle of the valley, and I saw the abundance of public land along the western shoreline of Lake Cascade. I read that the Bureau of Reclamation recommended a walking/biking trail around Lake Cascade in a resource management plan, and my eyes just about popped out of my head! 

We started Valley County Pathways at a time when the Rails to Trails movement was taking off big-time nationwide. 

Eleanor Putman speaks at the trail dedication in 2006
on the north end of the Crown Point Trail.  

But it turned out that the old rail line from McCall to Cascade had been abandoned in 1979, pre-dating national legislation that gave railroad companies tax incentives to gift rail lines to nonprofit groups for conversion to recreation trails. The old railroad line in Valley reverted to private ownership in many locations, so that has made our work much more difficult. 

A few landowners, including the Putman Family and the Whiteman Family, have gifted old RR line property to Valley County Pathways, for which we're eternally grateful.

Long story short, since 2004, we have built the bookends of a trail system in Cascade and McCall. Now we're working on bridging the gaps in the middle of the valley. 

Hugh Fulton, right, and Damon Yerkes on the Boulder Creek Trail. 

Currently, we are partnering with Valley County Parks and Recreation to craft a 5-year and 10-year build-out plan for the valley-wide trail system. We know the price tag will exceed $5M.      

I'm super excited about the whole thing. 

There's a ton of state and federal money available right now for trail projects. We need private funds to provide match for projects, provide steady upkeep on our trails, and to assist with trail construction. We also partner with our friends with the Central Idaho Mountain Biking Association, the West Central Mountains Economic Development Council, the McCall Chamber of Commerce, the City of McCall Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Donnelly, and the community of Cascade to stretch our trail dollars as far as possible. 

I don't usually ask people to donate to any particular cause in my blog, but this is a case that's dear to my heart. Please do what you can for Valley County Pathways! 

Thank you! 
- SS 

The North Valley Rail-Trail doubles as a xc ski, snowshoe and snow bike trail. 

Give Back to the Land: How to plug into trail projects with groups in Southwest Idaho

SWIMBA trail event in the Owyhees

Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation trail project 

Land Trust of the Treasure Valley volunteers 

Idaho Hiking Club volunteers worked on Table Rock trails for R2R

Hi all,

Spring is coming early this year. Hikers, dog-walkers, runners and bikers have been hitting the trails with a vengeance. I've been doing that, too!

Spring is also a time when the weather can be cool and moist, a good time for working on dirt trails before they get baked by the summer heat. It's a great time to put some love into the trails with a little sweat-equity.

This year, I'm flat impressed with all of the trail projects on tap in Boise and the greater SW Idaho area. Here's a quick list of six groups that have multiple projects on tap:

1. The Land Trust of the Treasure Valley has a number of volunteer trail projects coming up, starting on Saturday in Dry Creek. They're already full for that session, but more projects are happening on April 14th, May 2nd and May 6th. They need volunteers to build a new trail in Harrison Hollow on May 2nd, in cooperation with Boise REI, and they're doing trail-enhancement work on April 14 and May 6. Go to the Land Trust of the Treasure Valley or Boise REI to sign up online.
2. The Idaho Trails Association has a full slate of trail projects on the calendar for the entire year. This is a solid group with leaders who have experienced know-how to teach folks how to maintain existing trails and build new ones. There's a trail project planned in the Owyhee Canyonlands on June 6th, National Trails Day, East Fork of Lake Fork in McCall on June 27, Box Lake Trail in McCall, June 28, Alice-Toxaway Loop in the Sawtooths July 19-25, and much more. Check out this map for all of their projects planned this year.
   
   The ITA is having a fun Volunteer Appreciation Party on April 18th at the Ann Morrison Old Timers Shelter from 5-9 p.m. In the Wild Chef Steve Weston is going to be cooking up some excellent D.O. fare, and I'm hoping to join the party and cook up one of my favorite D.O. desserts, Devil's Tooth Cheesecake. They'll have some craft beer on tap. See you there!
3. You can always count on the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association (SWIMBA) to dial up a bunch of trail projects every spring. SWIMBA has four work days set up this month -- April 4, 18, 21, 25 -- to work on Peggy's Trail in the Daniel's Creek area near Polecat Gulch. Just like ITA, SWIMBA has a lot of strong leadership in the trail-maintenance and -building department. Plus, you can count on some beers after the work day!
4. Our beloved Boise Foothills take a beating from all of the public use, so it's always a great idea to give back to the foothills trails by signing up with Ridge to Rivers for a volunteer trail project. Watch the Ridge to Rivers web site and Boise Foothills Trail Conditions Facebook page for upcoming trail events. Sam Roberts handles volunteer projects for Ridge to Rivers, sroberts@cityofboise.org.  
5. How about a little love for the rivers? The Idaho Whitewater Association is hosting a riverbank cleanup on May 9th along Idaho Highway 55 from Cascade Kayak to the Beehive Bend boat launch. People are meeting at Beehive Bend at 8 a.m. More information here. 
6. Last but not least, the Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation dishes up a bevy of trail projects every year for volunteers to benefit the wilderness resource. These projects require more of a time commitment in terms of a week-long backpack in "the Frank" or the Selway-Bitterroot that also involves trail-maintenance work with the assistance of crew leaders, pack stock, tools and materials. The Foundation also has opportunities for cabin and lookout hosting! Contact the Foundation for more information.
   
   Think about what a privilege it is to enjoy our public lands in Idaho. Pitching in on these volunteer projects will make a difference! Have fun!
   - SS

Idaho Velopark is awesome

My son Quinn and I rode several trails at the Idaho Velopark last Sunday as part of the Trailpalooza event. It was great to see a ton of people out there at the Velopark, and it's impressive to see all of the new trails that are built and ready to ride - just 6 months after work began this spring.

Check out the Velopark web site for a new trails map.

Two You Tube videos of the park riding experience are really fun to watch, too. Dual Slalom. Pumps and Jumps.

Do what you can to support the Idaho Velopark project and contribute funds if you can. The web site has information on how to donate.

There's an REI - Velopark trail project going on next weekend.

REI Trail Day
When: 9 a.m. -3 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 27.
Where: Idaho Velodrome & Cycling Park.
What: REI employees and their affiliates will build a new trail at the cycling park. The public is welcome to join in. You can sign up at REI, or call REI, 322-1141.

I found the photo at broadbandsports.com.

-SS

Loon Lake video link is cool

Check out this video on You Tube about mountain biking the Loon Lake trail by Kevin Mullin of Boise. It's got great flow ... just like the ride itself.

I rode the Loon Lake loop with my friend Mike from McCall on Saturday afternoon, and it was positively sweet!

Gorgeous colors springing forth, deep reds and yellows starting to pop. Really fast after the first long climb ... can't get too out of control, tho, got to watch out for other trail users. And on the Loon Lake Trail, you WILL run into other people on the trail - hikers, backpackers, motorcycle riders, mountain bikers, horses, Boy Scouts, you name it, I've seen 'em on that trail. On Saturday, tho, just a few hikers and bikers.

Loon Lake glistened in the afternoon light, surrounded by mountain splendor. Last year's fire opened up some country, but really didn't spoil the view of the lake whatsoever ... now there's new green growth coming up under the blackened forest.

We watched for spawning salmon in the deep dark-green recesses of the Secesh River as we pedaled back to the campground/trailhead, slaloming around the rocks, roots and creek-crossings. Didn't see any fish but I know they're in there.

Topped it off with soak at Burgdorf. Yee haw.

- SS