ID Hot Springs Main Map - Road closure due to construction. May 18 - early Sept.

[sprocketgizmo]

Planeguy5,
Congrats on finishing grad school!  One other tip for you.  When you get to Galena summit take the old toll road.  We took it last year and thought it was way better then riding on the pavement over Galena.  Nice single track like route through the trees to the head waters of the big wood river.  We had read that it was bad and rocky, but we didn't think so.
Sprocket

[rebjac]

Hi all,

Three friends and I plan to set out on July 2, and we were wondering if anyone has updated information on road closures and/or tips on reroute options. Jeremy, how did your trip go? Where did you need (or opt) to deviate from the official route? We’ll also be riding CCW.

Very grateful for any input!

Thanks in advance,

Rebecca

[planeguy5]

Hi Rebecca,

We were able to get through the washout! You'll have to go later in the day (after 7pm) to avoid the work crew. We went at 6pm and were caught, but the individual told us how to bushwhack around the work zone. You'll likely have to do the same. There will be a series of muddy trails to the right of the new road construction. They go on longer than you'd think, but will take you right to there outskirts of Smokey Bar! Let me know if you have any other questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

Also, don't let Steel Pass intimidate you too much. It'll be the first pass you encounter, and it's a big one! All others have been more reasonable.

Jeremy

[sprocketgizmo]

I have not been over that way in a few weeks, so I do not have an update about the closure or when the construction might be finished.  I will reach out to some of my contacts in the area to see if there is a change in status.  Your message indicates a little confusion.  As far as I know there is only one closure on that leg of the route.   That closure is west of Warswick HS.  So the two closures you mention, I think are one and the same.  Sunday I rode part of the official re-route, up Camp Creek, over Richardson Summit and into Hailey.  And the owner of our local bike shop rode a big part of the original route over Dollarhide Summit, combined with riding over Wells summit, which is part of the alternate route that I suggested in a previous post.  Both of those routes were in good shape.  It has not gotten to hot yet this year.  There was still water in the Camp Creek drainage.  On the Camp Creek, Richardson Summit, Hailey route the cows and sheep have been turned out to pasture on public land.  That means on that more southern route you will have to deal with cow and sheep poo, in the water and on the road.  :-(
Let me see if I can find out any more on the closure in the next few days.  If I hear anything I will let you know.  BTW it's a fun route, I hope you have a good ride!!
Sprocket

[sprocketgizmo]

Jeremy,
Alright!!  you made it through the dreaded closure.  It's funny, we didn't think that Steel mountain was all that bad.  Of course by the time we got there we had been on the road for 10 days or so.  I think it seems big  because most people start in Boise and it is the first climb they encounter.  I hope you had an enjoyable experience.

Sprocket

[skiercrocker]

As of last week the downstream section seemed to be complete, and they were starting to work on the upper section. They seem to still be trying to keep cyclists out, but we made it through just fine by waiting until construction was done for the day, and using the old pre-rebuild route, not the new roads they are building.

[poidogwandering]

We're starting a CC loop of the bottom portion of the route (using the Lowman Cuttoff) from Ketchum this weekend.  I was reading a blog (https://www.brianlucido.com/idaho-hot-springs-loop/) about this route.  Brian mentions using Skeleton Creek Trail (Trail #024) up to Little Skeleton Creek Trail to forest service road 014 to 011 that has bridge over the South Fork then over Fleck Summit down to Smoky Bar.   When I look at this on Google Maps and on topo maps, this appears to be a very rideable route.

Any locals have info on the Skeleton Creek (024) and Little Skeleton Creek trails?  Rideable?  Too exposed? It's difficult to tell from Google Earth, but they look good.  And it looks like a good, short bypass of the construction site.  Thanks for any insights.

Poi Dog

[poidogwandering]

July 1st, 2020 update from the Forest Service.  Explicitly mentions bicycles not be permitted and calls out that they are irked that some have gone through.  Also, mentions weekday closures near Worswick Hot Springs.  https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sawtooth/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD759963

Hopefully the Skeleton Creek route will work out even though that update mentions that road 012 will also be closed for construction with limited times to get by (and the Skeleton Creek trail bypass I have uses that road to return to 227. 

It's gonna make for an adventure.

Poi Dog

[CMajernik]

This is what the USFS project update says that was mentioned in the previous post:

Please note that from now until the South Fork Boise River Road “realignments” are completed (sometime in August), the area along the FR 227 washouts between Bowns Campground and the confluence of the South Fork Boise River/Big Smoky Creek will be closed for public safety.  This includes all travel, motorized and non-motorized (bicycling, walking, etc.)  Please plan ahead to take a different route, i.e. through Fairfield.  Bicycles and motorcycles have been traveling through the construction zone and this must stop!  Please help avoid an accident or a delay in completing the road reconnection by staying clear of construction activities and not traveling through the closure.  Tickets and fines will be given to those who do not heed this closure.

[atbnomad]

you should look up the Smoke and Fire gravel race that starts in Boise . they have a reroute that will get riders around the road construction . Elev8/208 Bickepacking on facebook . I live in ketchum and have been following the construction progress .

[ntaylor]

It sounds like the FR 227 detour that the Smoke and Fire event (https://smokenfire420.wordpress.com/route/) will use will take participants (CCW) through Pine, Soldier, and over Couch Summit back to the main route. This has been suggested by a local sprocketgizmo in a previous post. Here is a link to the route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33320179

As others have stated, this includes less hot desert sagebrush riding than ACA's official detour and will return a rider to the main route faster than going all the way east to Hailey. As for challenges, the climb up Couch Summit (about 1000 ft in 4 mi.) is followed by the climb up Dollarhide Summit (2500 ft in 9 mi) just 4.5 mi. further to the east.

Additionally, this detour rejoins the main route directly at the intersection of FR 094 and FR 227, where the road closure west of Worswick Hot Springs due to hauling rock for construction is slated to occur starting July 8. To avoid this closure, a rider can stick to the official ACA detour. Here is the USFS statement on this closure:

Beginning as early as July 8, the contractors will start hauling rock from along Forest Road 227 west of Worswick Hotsprings to the Bowns Project Area.  Full daytime closures on the 227 road between Five Points (intersection of FR 094 and FR 227) through the “narrows” to Worswick Hotsprings will occur at that time on weekdays only.  Travel over Couch Summit to Smoky Bar will not be affected, nor will travel to Little Smoky Creek (or Ketchum) from Wells Summit.

Nathan
ACA

[ntaylor]

Sorry, the distance between passes was off in my above post:

"the climb up Couch Summit (about 1000 ft in 4 mi.) is followed by the climb up Dollarhide Summit (2500 ft in 9 mi) just 4.5 mi. further to the east"

should say

"the climb up Couch Summit (about 1000 ft in 4 mi.) is followed by the climb up Dollarhide Summit (2500 ft in 9 mi) 18 mi. further to the east"

Nathan

[ntaylor]

Here is the official ACA detour: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32604552?utm_source=BE&utm_campaign=20200514_Routes

Nathan

[So Cal Joe]

Is this repair the section I have been seeing in youtube videos as I do my research for a possible ride? 
It's been in need of repair for several years?

https://youtu.be/WuQFw0z5JR4?t=593

[aweissfeld]

Wondering if anyone here has ridden this ID Hot Springs route in Oct? Temps look fine, but what about snow? Thanks - love the collective wisdom of this group!