Sun Valley, Idaho MTB

Idaho fires have created some spectacular skies

With "family" in Sun Valley, Idaho, and only 4.5 hours away, there was a great opportunity to get out of the smoke-covered Jackson and into a different area to mountain bike and hike for a short weekend stay. Idaho, too, is seeing smoke cover it's skies as they are seeing forest fires as well, but did not seem as bad when we were there in comparison.

Day 1:
Forbidden Fruit Flow Trail & got lost on the Fox Creek Loop
Distance: 9.82 Miles
Time: 2:29
Vert: 1000'

We rode the Forbidden Fruit trail and it only took about 17 minutes to get up, so after getting back down thought we would get up another trail. We ended up trying for the Fox Creek Loop and, at the time, felt like we did not have the time to complete it. From where we stood it looked it just kept going and going. In hindsight after looking at my GPS tracker on my Suunto watch, it looks like we could of but would of gotten back to the car late. The trails up here are fast, flowy, loose rock, and rooty. All in all really fun, just beware of kicking up rock and hitting your shins/bike frame. Shins will heal, bike frames won't.


Day 2:
The lady-friend, Ali, wanted to try hiking up Bald Mountain, the ski resort in Sun Valley to see how much it would suck compare to how when she did it with her family back when she was 18 years old. With the idea of it overlooking the whole town it did not sound too bad of an idea. We got up and around 7800k we got turned around due to a giant thunder boom right over our head.

 The uphill slog of a resort.

Day 3:
Name unknown
Distance: 21.3 Miles
Time: 3:32
Vert: 2000'

Last day in Sun Valley, our hosts took us out on a bike ride just outside of their house, no car required. After about 10 miles of rough road leading to a singletrack section just below Hyndeman Peak, I had wished we had driven. About 3.5 miles of singletrack up and tracking back on what we climbed was a surprisingly rewarding ride. From the climbing perspective, the elevation change seemed so subtle, but it was fast and flowy. Seems to be common theme for the area.

 A small portion of the track, Hyndeman Peak looking on.

The canyon itself is picturesque with wildflowers on each side, tall grasses, a 6' wide creek crossing leading to another creek about 10' wide. The area is surrounded 270degrees by rolling peaks and hills, with the dominating Hyndeman Peak straight ahead, that look prime for repetitive powder laps come winter time.

Fire/smoke modified sunset.

UPDATED AS OF 11.17.19

Day 1:
Fischer Creek
Distance: 17.53 miles
Time: 2:54

Fischer Creek is labeled as "a classic loop" and I could see why. Outside of the north facing sections just below the ridge line that were covered in snow and ice, it was an amazing ride. The up route was double track but the down was all single track. If it was not for the ice and snow it would have been the top ride, but man the snow was bad here. Serves me right for coming in November.