Ride the Boise Mountains Loop

Early in the week I decided to try to pull as many challenge sites within a days ride as possible on July 15th.  My regular riding sidekick was feeling overwhelmed having just returned from a fishing ride  to Cascade so I planned a loop that would take me northeast on ID 21 from Boise past Idaho City to Pilot Peak, east to Graham, south to Atlanta and Rocky Bar then on to Featherville, Pine, Prairie and back to Boise.

I knew when I started I was "under dressed" and the temp. dipped to the low 40's as the altitude rose.  The Boise National Forest map proved useful to insulate my chest.  At Mores Creek Summit, elev. 6,117', I rode up FS 380 to Pilot Peak, elev. 8,128'.  There I bagged my site photos and enjoyed the panorama of the Sawtooths before dropping back to the tar. 

Graham GS. was the next site after Pilot Peak so at Edna Creek campground I turned east on FS 384, then north on Pikes Creek on FS 312 with the intention of getting as close to Graham G.S. as I could get.  The IAMC Challenge Forum site contributors advised that the road was washed out at some point and only those on small nimble bikes, not KLRs, would be able to make it.  But I wanted to see for myself.  Just beyond the junction with the Jackson Peak L.O. road the "authorities" had erected a road wide barricade and I decided not to go further risking the rath of the Forest Service, the Sheriff or worse?

With Jackson Peak LO., elev. 8,124', only a few miles away I decied to take it in while I was in the area.  The view there is spectacular with views of the Sawtooths close-up and a look down into the South Fork Payette Canyon east and west.  The lookout gate there was locked to I wasn't able to continue to the top.

I then came back out to FS 384 and traveled southeast to the North Fork Boise River, turned northeast on FS 327.  At the junction with Trail Creek FS 327 becomes Swanholm Creek Road and heads southeast again to intersect the Middle Fork Boise River road, FS 268.  The century old mining town of Atlanta, Idaho, elev. 5,383', is at the western limit of this path as it is only a mile or two from the western edge of the Sawtooth Mountains and the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.  Not much remains of the picturesque once thriving mining community and if you travel there be cautioned that there are no services!  Please take water, food and enough fuel for the return trip, the locals may not be sympathetic.  If you experience any mechanical problems or flats you are on your own and there is only a pay phone on the porch of a closed bar.  There is a local voluteer fire department with emergency services and the road is well maintained. 

Greylock Mountain, elev. 9,363', flanks the town and is a fitting backdrop for the Atlanta Ranger Station.

From Atlanta I rode southwest on the James Creek road, FS 126, to take in Rocky Bar which was on the original wagon road from Atlanta to Featherville.  The Lower 2 miles of James Creek Road out of Atlanta was mildy rough having been recently rebuilt after the spring blow-out and a major avalanche of snow and charred snags blocked the creek. 

The views from the summit, elev. 7802', are truly amazing in spite of a fairly recent fire and the views on the recently graded down slope to Rocky Bar are about as pretty as it gets.

Rocky Bar was my last site for the day and by this time I was ready to find some deep shade.

Li'l Kawkroach resting before the final dash for home. 

After Rocky Bar, elev. 5,270', was collected I decided to "book-it" for home via Featherville as I had heard that the Trinity Lookout road was still snowbound.  I decided to save it for another day.  After a Mountain Dew / Almond Joy fueled binge in Pine, I took the Lester Creek, Fall Creek and Meadow Creek roads to reach Prairie, elev. 4,780'.  The Blacks Creek Road is the familiar road home for many of us that ride this part of Idaho and in some ways it is the most spectacular with great views of the South Fork Boise River Canyon, Trinity and Danskin mountains. 

When I reached home the GPS tallied 244 miles and saddle time was 7: 45 hrs. and I was feeling it.  The temp. when I hit home was a solid 96ºF and I was relieved to climb out of my riding gear.

Advise?:  Take twice as much cold water as you think you'll need; lots of energy snacks, a wet "Sham-wow" in a zip lock and towel to wipe the dust off your windscreen and face shield; the Boise National Forest and/or Benchmark map; spare tube and tire tools/inflator and enough fuel for 200 miles.  Your cell phone may work at the lookouts but don't count on it.  I carry a SPOT and use extra caution when I ride alone.

Although the failure to attempt Graham was a big disappointment  the rest of the day was amazing and the ride to Jackson Peak was new to me.  This ride did not suck .