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Rocky Mountain / idaho hot springs current conditions - July 2017
« on: July 11, 2017, 09:15:59 am »
I know there's another thread out there, but I cannot find it.
Check with Pat at Cyndi's Featherville Cafe or Roger at Elephant's Perch in Ketchum for conditions of the sections between those towns. We had to bypass that section due to a mechanical issue, but we were told that 7 miles of the route were wiped out this spring by snowmelt.
Galena Lodge has a bike wash station.
We met a bikepacker at Galena Lodge who was overnighting in a yurt, unpacking his bike, and exploring the local trails unloaded. Sounded like a great idea.
It was a little tricky to find the Old Galena Toll Road. About 1 mile up the pavement from Galena Lodge, there's a pullout on the left side with yellow snowshoe signs nailed to the trees. It appears not to go anywhere, but if you follow the creek downstream for about 50 feet, there are some fallen trees with plywood laid across the creek. Cross and go ahead to get on the old toll road. There are a dozen or two trees down, all but 2-3 are easily bypassed. You have to heave your loaded bike over 2-3 of them. There's also a trail thru some willows where a bridge is out, but it's easy to spot and follow. North of Galena Summit, the toll road is clear and fast, a fun down hill.
At Ponderosa Campground up by the Secesh singletrack, we met some dirt bikers with a chainsaw. They were riding a loop from Burgdorf Hot Springs, not sure if it matches the the Secesh singletrack option (didn't compare maps). They said they cleared 95% of the down trees between Burgdorf and Ponderosa, and that the first 3-5 miles up towards Bergdorf were really easy until it gets steeper.
Check with Pat at Cyndi's Featherville Cafe or Roger at Elephant's Perch in Ketchum for conditions of the sections between those towns. We had to bypass that section due to a mechanical issue, but we were told that 7 miles of the route were wiped out this spring by snowmelt.
Galena Lodge has a bike wash station.
We met a bikepacker at Galena Lodge who was overnighting in a yurt, unpacking his bike, and exploring the local trails unloaded. Sounded like a great idea.
It was a little tricky to find the Old Galena Toll Road. About 1 mile up the pavement from Galena Lodge, there's a pullout on the left side with yellow snowshoe signs nailed to the trees. It appears not to go anywhere, but if you follow the creek downstream for about 50 feet, there are some fallen trees with plywood laid across the creek. Cross and go ahead to get on the old toll road. There are a dozen or two trees down, all but 2-3 are easily bypassed. You have to heave your loaded bike over 2-3 of them. There's also a trail thru some willows where a bridge is out, but it's easy to spot and follow. North of Galena Summit, the toll road is clear and fast, a fun down hill.
At Ponderosa Campground up by the Secesh singletrack, we met some dirt bikers with a chainsaw. They were riding a loop from Burgdorf Hot Springs, not sure if it matches the the Secesh singletrack option (didn't compare maps). They said they cleared 95% of the down trees between Burgdorf and Ponderosa, and that the first 3-5 miles up towards Bergdorf were really easy until it gets steeper.