In this July 2014 photo, Mike Wieser of Boise, Idaho rides Sun?Valley, Idaho's newest flow trail, Saddle Up, during a race at the ski resort. Sun?Valley's trails and lifts are open to cyclists for the summer. (AP Photo/The Idaho Statesman, Roger Phillips)

In this July 2014 photo, Mike Wieser of Boise, Idaho rides Sun?Valley, Idaho's newest flow trail, Saddle Up, during a race at the ski resort. Sun?Valley's trails and lifts are open to cyclists for the summer. (AP Photo/The Idaho Statesman, Roger Phillips)

Mountain bike trails go with the flow

BOISE, Idaho — Mountain biking started on hiking trails, then trails were later built with bikes in mind. The latest evolution in bike trails is commonly known as a “flow” trail, which enhances the riders’ experience as much as getting them from Point A to Point B, or around a loop.

If you haven’t ridden one, you’re missing out on an exciting ride that is not only fun, but will improve your mountain biking skills.

There are a variety of these trails in the Treasure Valley and beyond, and it’s worth a road trip to ride them, especially with the heat arriving here.

There is no exact definition of what constitutes a flow trail, but it typically features bermed corners, rollers (a mound you can roll over or launch off) and jumps.

A flow trail is also downhill-oriented and designed so riders can descend it with minimal pedaling and braking. Some flow trails are solely constructed from dirt, and others incorporate man-made structures like wooden ramps, bridges and berms.

There’s a lot of variations to a flow trail, and builders put their creativity and touches into them. Flow trails are usually designed with most skill levels in mind, so an expert can ride fast and catch lots of air, while less experienced riders can enjoy them while keeping their tires firmly planted in the dirt.

Another fun thing about these trails is you can ride them repeatedly in a session. They’re typically fairly short, so you can ride back to the top in a reasonable amount of time and effort, ride a chairlift, or use a shuttle service, such as at Jug Mountain Ranch near McCall.

Some trails built years ago, if not decades, also have similar qualities, even though they aren’t considered flow trails by modern standards.

You can find cool flow trails and similar ones throughout Central and Southwest Idaho from McCall to Eagle to Sun?Valley.

“There’s some great new-school riding opportunities,”?said Greg Randolph, a former professional mountain biker and director of Sun?Valley Chamber of Commerce.

With Foothills trails getting hot, dusty, sandy, crowded, or all the above, it’s definitely worth heading out and discovering some new riding areas. Plan on spending a weekend and hit several of them, and mix them with traditional cross country trails to get the full mountain biking experience.

Here are some to try:

SunValley

Sun Valley recently unveiled its “Saddle Up” Trail on top of Bald Mountain, which is lift-served daily throughout the summer for mountain bikers.

The trail starts at 9,100 feet elevation and drops about 1,300 vertical feet in less than 4 miles. There’s some disagreement among mountain bikers whether this strictly qualifies as a flow trail because it has numerous short, steep uphills so you will be pedaling some sections.

But it’s also stuffed with an arm-cramping amount of berms, rollers and jumps.

“It’s one trail with a variety of experiences for riders of all ability levels,” said Julian Tyo, director of summer trails for Sun Valley.

Riders should remember the trail was recently completed and there are still some pretty loose sections. Sun Valley’s bike trails are also a work in progress, and Tyo said the company is committed to creating a first-class riding experience for mountain bikers.

He also points out that if the new trail doesn’t live up to their expectations, riders have 30 miles of trails accessible from Baldy’s lifts, so there are lots of other riding options, as well as about 400 miles of singletrack in the Sun Valley area.

For more information and trail maps go to sunvalley.com.

Riders can also check out the “Forbidden Fruit” trail accessible from the Adams Gulch trailhead northwest of Ketchum, which is the first one-way, mountain bike-only trail in the Ketchum Ranger District.

It starts from lower Eve’s Gulch. About 300 vertical feet of climbing puts you at the top of the descent with bermed turns and multiple roller sections with straight sight lines, so you can easily see what lies in ahead.

Jug Mountain?Ranch

Jug Mountain near McCall is a mountain biking gem in the Central Idaho mountains. It’s a privately owned development that welcomes the public to ride and enjoy its trail network for free.

Since they’re on private land, Jug Mountain’s trails can be designed however the owner sees fit, and it has some really exciting ones.

If you’re an advanced intermediate or expert rider, check out “Double Shot.”?

Jug Mountain describes it as a “half mile of pure downhill-only bliss.”

It has a mixture of rocks, wood features, table tops and berms to create “the perfect trail to get your flow on.”

Riders without the skills to tackle Double Shot can ride North and South elk loops “undulating” trails through rolling terrain.

You can ride uphill on Main Line and then head downhill on sections of those trails, then repeat or explore one of the many other trails at Jug Mountain.

The company is also offering bike shuttles every other weekend for $15, or through private bookings for groups. Shuttles run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 19-20; Aug. 2-3, 16-17 and 30-31.

For details call 634-5072. For directions, trail maps and more information, go to jugmountainranch.com.

Eagle Bike Park

You could easily argue the park ushered the whole “flow” thing into the Treasure Valley with its professionally designed trails, jump lines, pump track, and in-progress flow trail, which is still waiting on a bridge to connect the lower section.

The bridge is expected to be completed this summer, and possibly this month. In the meantime, you have other options.

Mike Wieser of Boise is an expert “enduro”?bike racer sponsored by the Wild Rockies Series. Enduro is where racers compete on trail bikes, but on downhill-oriented courses much like a flow trail.

He said aside from the newest flow trail at Eagle, “Feeling Lucky” has most of the qualities of a flow trail.

It’s short and with easy access back to the top for multiple runs, and it’s a good example of what a flow trail feels like.

Although not solely a downhill trail, Junkyard has some really fun, tight, bermed corners and rolling terrain where you can catch air or keep the tires grounded.

Beware of other trails at the park that are more jump oriented and experts only, such as Stormin’ Mormon.

Bear Basin (McCall)

The Bear Basin trails are pretty unique, because they’re like a bike park in a National Forest without a ski resort or any other entity directly tied to them.

But what really makes them unique is the Upper and Lower Drain trails, which are expert-level trails that provide a white-knuckle, downhill-only ride.

While they’re designated as expert trails, intermediate riders can also enjoy them if they watch their speed and stay grounded.

Ride the trails slowly the first time so you know what you’re getting yourself into, then let it rip as fast as you feel comfortable.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself going a little faster the next time and occasionally slipping the bonds of gravity.

You can get a map of the trails by doing an Internet search for Bear Basin trails.

There two marked trailheads — Westface and Bear Basin — off Idaho 55 a few miles west of McCall.

Brundage Mountain

Elk Trail may not meet the modern standard of a flow trail, but in some ways, it set the standard.?

This 6-mile downhill trail was built in the mid 1990s and has been Brundage’s signature mountain biking trail since then. It’s a fast, swooping trail that cuts across open slopes and zig zags down the mountain.

What’s made this trail so successful is it can be enjoyed by riders fast or slow.

You can also check out Brundage’s expert downhill terrain in Hidden Valley, and Brundage has extended Growler trail for non-experts.

For a map, go to brundage.com.

Brundage runs its lifts for bikers, hikers and sightseers from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday throughout the summer.

Bogus Basin

It’s a stretch to call an 8-mile cross country route a “flow” trail, but it’s also hard to ignore Around the Mountain trail.

The trail was completed last fall, and a couple miles of it definitely have flow-trail qualities, which was by design.

But leave the full-face helmet at home because it might be a little toasty. Also be prepared to see hikers and possibly uphill riders, but enjoy the flow of this trail.

By the way, you access ATM from the Deer Point Trailhead near the Simplot Lodge, and take Deer Point Trail about a mile to intersection with Around the Mountain.

Tamarack

Tamarack’s mountain biking program has been in limbo in recent years, and with a few exceptions for races, its lifts have not been available for mountain bikers.

But Tamarack still welcomes mountain bikers on its trail network, and you can get a trail map at the golf course.

Tamarack was actually one of the first resorts in the state to pay a company to design and build mountain bike trails.

Check out Super G, which is a 2-mile downhill trail that has lots of flow trail features.

Unfortunately, without lift access, it’s a fairly long ride up the mountain to the top of the trail, but it’s still worth checking out if you’re fit and want to ride the trail.

Tamarack officials hope to resume their mountain biking program next summer, and Wild Rockies will host a bike race there Aug. 2-3.

For details, go to wildrockiesracing.com.

The original story can be found on the Idaho Statesman’s website: http://bit.ly/1nxdGdZ

Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com

More in Life

This Korean rice porridge, called dak juk, is easy to digest but hearty and nutritious, perfect for when you’re learning how to eat. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
A comforting meal for new beginnings

Rice porridge is a common first solid meal for many, many babies around the world

file
Minister’s Message: The sound of God’s voice

In all my desperate prayers, I sometimes forget that God has spoken definitively already

Rivers and Ice by Susan Pope. (Promotional photo)
KPC Showcase to feature discussion with Alaska author Susan Pope

Pope will discuss her memoir “Rivers and Ice: A Woman’s Journey Toward Family and Forgiveness”

Promotional photo courtesy Sony Pictures
Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace and Celeste O’Connor appear in “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.”
On the Screen: New ‘Ghostbusters’ struggles to balance original ideas and nostalgia

“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” picks up right where “Afterlife” left off, and it also succumbs to a lot of the same problems

document from ancestry.com
William Raymond “W.R.” Benson’s draft-registration card from 1942 reveals that he was 52 years old, living in Seward and self-employed. His wife, Mable, is listed as a person who will always know his address.
Hometown Booster: The W.R. Benson Story — Part 2

W.R. Benson was a mover and a shaker throughout his life, but particularly so in Alaska

Terri Zopf-Schoessler and Donna Shirnberg rehearse “The Odd Couple: The Female Version” at the Kenai Performers’ Theater near Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
‘Iconic, classic comedy’

Kenai Performers debuts “The Odd Couple: The Female Version”

Photo provided by Sara Hondel
Sara Hondel stands with a leprechaun during Sweeney’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Soldotna on Sunday. Green, leprechauns and Nugget the Moose poured down the streets for the 34th annual parade hosted by the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce. Under cloudy skies — but fortunately no precipitation — a procession of viridescent celebrants representing businesses and organizations brought festivities to an array of attendees lining Redoubt Avenue.
Go green or go home

Soldotna turns out for St. Patrick’s Day parade

Eggplants, garlic, lemon juice and tahini make up this recipe for baba ghanouj. (Photo by Tressa Dale/Peninsula Clarion)
When making a good example is hard to swallow

Preparing baba ghanouj despite a dislike of eggplant

William Raymond “W.R.” Benson (front row, far right) poses along with the rest of the Sigma Nu fraternity at Albion College in Michigan in about 1908. Despite a lifetime spent in the public eye, Benson was apparently seldom captured on film. This image is one of the few photos of him known to exist. (photo from the 1908 Albion College yearbook via ancestry.com)
Hometown Booster: The W.R. Benson Story — Part 1

W.R. Benson was a man almost constantly in motion

Most Read