Famous Trails - Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew Visits Idaho

Lisa leads a crew of members from SWIMBA, CIMBA and the Payette National Forest de-berming a section of the 20-mile trail.
Idaho isn't just potatoes. Lisa samples some sweet North Fork singletrack.
A bull moose goes for a swim in Loon Lake.
Riders from IMBA, SWIMBA and CIMBA checking out the wreckage at the site of a WWII bomber emergency landing.
The Trail Care Crew enjoys a moment on Easy St. (in case you're wondering, it's in McCall, Idaho).

Joey Klein and Lisa Cramton of the Subaru/IMBA Trial Care Crew visited McCall, Idaho where they met with Kerry Greene, owner of Mountain Cycle & Snowboard and Wayne Ruemmele of CIMBA (Central Idaho Mountain Bicycling Association). While not as well-known to mountain bikers as it's glamorous neighbor to the southeast - Sun Valley - McCall has all the makings of a great mountain biking destination, including more US Forest Service land than you could ride in a summer.

This model visit also included IMBA's Idaho State Representative Harley Parson and Todd Olson, owner of Screaming Toads bike shop. Harley and Todd are both members of Boise-based SWIMBA (Southwest Idaho Mountain Bicycling Association). Two trails specialists from the surrounding Payette National Forest joined the group for a weekend of trail knowledge sharing.

The weekend was highlighted by Saturday's daylong trailwork session on the Twenty Mile Trail, just outside McCall. Several volunteers spent a day doing trail maintenance and learning about sustainable trail design and construction. The next day everyone enjoyed a group ride out to Loon Lake. This remote lake is the site of a World War II-era airplane's crash landing. Riders were also treated to a bull moose sighting and a visit to a local hot spring.

On Monday, US Forest Service personnel from nearby districts hosted a Trail Care Crew slideshow presentation. Special guest speaker Gary Sprung, IMBA's National Policy Advisor, gave a talk to local politicians and the Chamber of Commerce on the economic value of mountain biking. Gary spent a week in Idaho with Harley riding (and savoring) some of the sweetest singletrack in the west. Gary and Harley surveyed many miles of the White Cloud Range, part of which has been proposed as a new Wilderness area.

Joey and Lisa spent as much time as possible in Idaho, riding and inspecting trails in Boise, McCall and Ketchum. They refer to Idaho as the "land of endless singletrack." As a bonus, Joey and Lisa noted the region is laden with outstanding views and natural wonders. "It was great to work with so many positive land managers, and to see wonderful partnerships already formed to protect these amazing trails" they reported.

How good is the riding in Idaho? Joey and Lisa write, "We'll be back as soon as we can!"

Thanks to everyone in Idaho who's helping make Idaho the land of "Famous Trails." And thanks to those who helped make IMBA's visit to Idaho a big success

- Joey and Lisa, Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew