Pink Bike explores the singletrack mountain biking around the Sun Valley & Ketchum, Idaho area.
Sun Valley Mountain Bike Advocate – Adrian Montgomery
Let me tell you a secret about Sun Valley’s mountain bike scene: it’s kind of fun to fly under the radar. It’s not that we don’t love sharing our trails (we do) and it’s not that we aren’t proud of what we have (we are), but there’s something cool about being that place that people whisper about in hushed tones. And for the last decade, says local mountain bike advocate Adrian Montgomery, mountain bikers, in particular, have been whispering to each other on the trail, “Hey, have you been to Sun Valley?” The Sun Valley area has over 400 miles of singletrack (300-plus of which are accessible from downtown Ketchum), two closed-loop pump parks, over 40 miles of multi-use graded trails, and lift-serviced downhill mountain biking on Sun Valley Resort’s Bald Mountain. The trails range in difficulty from beginner to extreme, but they all have two things in common: they won’t be crowded, and you won’t be able to get enough of them. At least that is how Montgomery, a consultant at Ketchum-based CrankTank and former marketing director at SCOTT Sports and Backcountry.com, felt when he first landed in Sun Valley in 2004. “After six years of traveling for the …
Outerbike Sun Valley
This will be the first visit for Outerbike to Sun Valley and we’re still left blushing knowing that we’ve been included in the mix. We have all the details on what Outerbike is all about.
Guide to Winter Fat Biking in Sun Valley
Two-Wheeled Winter Fun It is rare in the world of winter sports for a new activity to gain a foothold alongside alpine skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. But over the past couple of years, fat biking has managed to do just that. Here in Sun Valley—where mountain biking reigns supreme during the summer—we jumped into fat biking with reckless abandon. Want to join us? Here is all about how to enjoy a day of winter fat biking in Sun Valley. What is Winter Fat Biking? Winter fat biking is the act of pedaling a bike with super-fat tires over a packed trail of snow. A fat bike’s signature tires, which are typically over 4 inches wide, provide a loft and float that allows the bike to glide over groomed snow trails. Fat bikes are beefy in size and stable in their construction. If you can ride a bike on the pavement, you can ride a bike on the snow. Where to Ride in Sun Valley You’ll find no shortage of places to ride a fat bike in Sun Valley and its neighboring communities. With over 60km of trails groomed for fat bikes, the world is your (snowy) oyster. Sun …
Top 8 Fall Mountain Bike Rides
The air expresses a distinct chill and the golden glow of autumn is illuminating the landscapes of the Wood River Valley – the famed “Two Wheeled Nirvana.” Among the 400+ miles of singletrack in the area, several mountain bike trails hit the fall-riding sweet-spot. We’ve outlined top trails that optimize sweeping singletrack through the vibrant fall leaves located at lower-elevation exposed to sunshine maintaining tacky, yet drier dirt. Fox Creek Loop Difficulty: Moderate Miles: 5.6 Ascent: 728ft Descent: 677ft Access: Fox Creek, Lake Creek or Hulen Way Trailheads Description: The Fox Creek Loop is a prime trail for any season with stunning open views of the valley, surrounding mountain peaks, and ample swaths of golden aspen groves. To optimize the downhill flow, bikers should ride counter-clockwise. After the one small creek crossing, the mellow climb gradually winds up through burned forest from the fire in 2007. The vibrant colors emerging from regrowth are fascinating to witness. At the top of the climb, refuel while enjoying scenic views of snow capped peaks in the distance. The next segment of the trail is a fast flowy singletrack with some slightly rocky parts as it weaves through aspen clusters with glowing yellow leaves. After the …
Five Reasons to Love Fall in Sun Valley
Fall is Sun Valley’s secret season, that perfect time when the crowds have left yet the days are still warm. Here are some of our favorite things about fall in this mountain town.
Summer Day Trip to Stanley
The town of Stanley, Idaho is nicknamed the “Trailhead to Idaho Adventure,” for all all of the right reasons. Boasting a host of awe-inspiring mountain bike trails, splash ready whitewater rapids, high alpine lakes, and jagged mountain views are just a few traits that make this place stand out. It’s close-proximity to Sun Valley makes for an ideal must-see day trip destination. We’ve put together a collection of our top things to do on your trip over the hill. Sunrise Drive Over Galena Summit Stanley is a quick 60 mile drive north of Sun Valley over Galena Summit with awe-inspiring views the entire ride. I prefer to start the drive just before sunrise to catch the first morning light beaming across the valley from the pull out overlooking Galena Peak. Breakfast at the Stanley Bakery Ask anyone where to eat in Stanley and the answer consistently is the Stanley Bakery. After the sunrise drive into the basin, stop by for a famous cinnamon roll, coffee, and Bear /breakfast Bowl. As your food is prepared, ask the owner Tim about his legendary ski lines in the Sawtooths. He’s one of the few people to have skied “The Shield” of Horstmann Peak. Before making moves …
Finding the Mountain Biking Trails in Sun Valley – Maps, Apps, Shops & Guides
In an effort to keep your relationships in tact and maximize your time the saddle, we’ve created a mountain biking resource guide for the Sun Valley, Idaho area filled with maps, apps, guides and shops all ready to ease the trail selection pain.
The Refinement of the Rad: Why Sun Valley is the Best Place to Learn
Like many other ski towns, Sun Valley boasts a high expert-per-capita ratio when it comes to all things outdoor recreation. Walk into any given bar to encounter three ski movie stars, one insta famous rock climber, and a handful of Olympic gold medalists. The defining factor of Sun Valley locals, however, is that most folks are not all that pretentious about their expertise. Take this example. One of my friends came to town without knowing how to ski. On his first day on the mountain, a new acquaintance offered to teach him some tricks and proceeded to spend the entire day helping him pizza and french fry down Baldy’s most mellow slopes. A week later, my friend attended a local showing of a ski movie only to discover footage of his humble instructor smashing graceful lines on the world’s tallest peaks. “I had no idea he was a professional skier,” my buddy told me. “I can’t believe I spent eight hours snow plowing with a professional skier.” Like I said, as ratios go, we have a high expert per capita, low ego per expert. But what about us non-experts? What about our egos? When I first came to Sun Valley, …
Tour de Suds: Sun Valley’s Bike-to-Brewery Tour
Bikes and beers go together like bacon and eggs, Batman and Robin, or hot summer days and ice cream cones. Like most ski town dwellers, Sun Valleyites have a penchant for cold brews, especially after a long, hot bike ride in one of the surrounding five mountain ranges. Sun Valley and the surrounding areas offer a plethora of places to quench a hard-earned thirst with local beers. So grab your bike and make your own Strava segment to and from these thirst-quenching locales. For the ultimate tour de suds, we suggest starting in Ketchum and making your way to Hailey.