Gold Creek Area Recommended Loop?

[dirtbikesonny]

I am taking a riding vacation to Idaho in early June. Our group will be staying in CDA and we plan on taking a few day trips to a few different riding areas. We have a guy in the group who lives in CDA and says he can show us around his normal spots but Gold Creek is not one of them. Gold Creek is a priority for most of us on the trip. I am going to contact the ranger office and see about getting hard copies of the motorized trail maps before our trip. I was wondering if any one might have a recommended route for the Gold Creek area? Where would you recommend staging and what "seqence " of trails or loop would you recommend ? We will probably only get one day there so it would be cool to see the "must ride " sections of the area. We are all competent A/B level riders. Thanks in advance!

[Wonderspoon]

You may want to check in again nearer the ride. Early June can shouldn’t have much snow but some trails may not be cut by then. If it’s looking good I could recommend a good loop, but I’d hate to send you into deadfall.

[Dave Wood]

They should have chainsaws...

[Wonderspoon]

They should have chainsaws...

A good plan for sure early June.Most of the trails around gold creek get cleared out pretty well and I don’t carry a saw on them most of the summer, but early June, who knows?

[8675309]

I Rode Hood River four times since September and had to clear it three of the four rides including today. It's like chainsaws have been banned out there. I am still pissed about it. So yes better pack two saws if you want to ride that early in the season. Rant complete.

 

[dirtbikesonny]

1 hour ago, Wonderspoon said:

 

A good plan for sure early June.Most of the trails around gold creek get cleared out pretty well and I don’t carry a saw on them most of the summer, but early June, who knows?

 

Wonderspoon, do you live in the area or ride it on a regular basis ? We are going to be in CDA June  8th thru the 12th. Do you think it would be best to write Gold Creek off or just plan on clearing trail ?

[Dave Wood]

Wonderspoon, do you live in the area or ride it on a regular basis ? We are going to be in CDA June  8th thru the 12th. Do you think it would be best to write Gold Creek off or just plan on clearing trail ?

Responsible trail rider's who want to ride the good stuff, have a chainsaw or two in the group. Especially early season rider's.

Wildfires, Bark Beatles and natural blow downs are common. Even on a cleared trail, rider's are likely to encounter new downfall.

It's difficult to comprehend rider's who claim to be "experienced" or "A rider's" who do not understand the need for chainsaws?

Idaho State Park's ohv registration, most of it's ohv budget comes from quads and SxS. Which means fewer dollar's are allocated to the Trail Ranger's to clear single track.

It takes "all hand's on deck" to clear trail. Allowing USFS trail crews and the trail rangers time to take care of the problem area's. Mitigation work, bridge's, reroutes, erosion...

Saturday we started clearing trails. And by next weekend, more downfall will occur.

[Wonderspoon]

10 hours ago, dirtbikesonny said:

Wonderspoon, do you live in the area or ride it on a regular basis ? We are going to be in CDA June  8th thru the 12th. Do you think it would be best to write Gold Creek off or just plan on clearing trail ?

I live in Spokane and ride those trails a fair amount.  I check with PANTRA a few days before I ride and plan saw use around that.  There is usually someone who has been on the main trails within a day or two. I almost never need it in that area unless it's very early; it gets a lot of traffic.  It sounds like you aren't averse to trail cutting so I'd bring a saw and ask the lodge how things are shaping up as you get there.  They can probably tell you exactly what trails are completely clear and which haven't been touched.

[dirtbikesonny]

10 hours ago, Dave Wood said:

Responsible trail rider's who want to ride the good stuff, have a chainsaw or two in the group. Especially early season rider's.

Wildfires, Bark Beatles and natural blow downs are common. Even on a cleared trail, rider's are likely to encounter new downfall.

It's difficult to comprehend rider's who claim to be "experienced" or "A rider's" who do not understand the need for chainsaws?

Idaho State Park's ohv registration, most of it's ohv budget comes from quads and SxS. Which means fewer dollar's are allocated to the Trail Ranger's to clear single track.

It takes "all hand's on deck" to clear trail. Allowing USFS trail crews and the trail rangers time to take care of the problem area's. Mitigation work, bridge's, reroutes, erosion...

Saturday we started clearing trails. And by next weekend, more downfall will occur.
 

 

 

 

So if a guy packs 2 chainsaws would he be considered AA ?

[Wonderspoon]

I like your style. I’ll shoot a PM your way.

[350DirtRider]

On 4/22/2018 at 10:36 AM, dirtbikesonny said:

I am taking a riding vacation to Idaho in early June. Our group will be staying in CDA and we plan on taking a few day trips to a few different riding areas. We have a guy in the group who lives in CDA and says he can show us around his normal spots but Gold Creek is not one of them. Gold Creek is a priority for most of us on the trip. I am going to contact the ranger office and see about getting hard copies of the motorized trail maps before our trip. I was wondering if any one might have a recommended route for the Gold Creek area? Where would you recommend staging and what "seqence " of trails or loop would you recommend ? We will probably only get one day there so it would be cool to see the "must ride " sections of the area. We are all competent A/B level riders. Thanks in advance!

The only trail(s) that might not be open/cleared that time of year is Packsaddle and the trails that come off it.  It's been a heavy snow year and on a normal year Packsaddle is usually the last to melt off and get cleared.  Packsaddle is a must ride trail but it's for advanced riders only.

The loop I recommend the most for competent A/B level riders is, in order from the lodge: Kickbush, Ermine Ridge, Independence Creek, Devil's Peak, Larch Mtn (Powder-Larch), then down Gold Creek and back to the lodge.  It's a 60 mile loop that will keep you challenged but won't kill you.  The only exception of not getting killed  might be the easiest trail which is Independence Creek.  With all this snow we've had, the river on Independence Creek will probably still be deep and swift.  It's crossable but sketchy.  The problem is the full length of Independence Creek trail crosses the river 14 times.  I think from Ermine to Devil's Peak it only crosses it 4 or 5 times.

One trail that's a notable mention on the "must ride" list would be Green Monarchs because of the view once you get on top. There's a nasty double switchback with a hard enduro style climb out of the draw it takes you in before you make the final ascent to the top.  The Problem with Green Monarchs is you either have to carry gas or skip a lot of trails and take the FS road to it.

The PANTRA website logs all the trail clearing data in real time.  You can check to see if the trails/area you want have been cleared there.  PANTRA added six new saws and saw-mounts to their inventory this year so the trails should be getting cleared sooner than usual too.  PANTRA's website also has clickable trails on the "where to ride" section.  The yellow trails are single track and all you have to do is click on a trail in question and it will give you the trail name and number.  You can also download the .kmz file from the main menu page and load the trails on your Garmin or other navigation app.

Hope that helps!

[Wonderspoon]

10 hours ago, 350DirtRider said:

The only trail(s) that might not be open/cleared that time of year is Packsaddle and the trails that come off it.  It's been a heavy snow year and on a normal year Packsaddle is usually the last to melt off and get cleared.  Packsaddle is a must ride trail but it's for advanced riders only.

The loop I recommend the most for competent A/B level riders is, in order from the lodge: Kickbush, Ermine Ridge, Independence Creek, Devil's Peak, Larch Mtn (Powder-Larch), then down Gold Creek and back to the lodge.  It's a 60 mile loop that will keep you challenged but won't kill you.  The only exception of not getting killed ? might be the easiest trail which is Independence Creek.  With all this snow we've had, the river on Independence Creek will probably still be deep and swift.  It's crossable but sketchy.  The problem is the full length of Independence Creek trail crosses the river 14 times.  I think from Ermine to Devil's Peak it only crosses it 4 or 5 times.

One trail that's a notable mention on the "must ride" list would be Green Monarchs because of the view once you get on top. There's a nasty double switchback with a hard enduro style climb out of the draw it takes you in before you make the final ascent to the top.  The Problem with Green Monarchs is you either have to carry gas or skip a lot of trails and take the FS road to it.

The PANTRA website logs all the trail clearing data in real time.  You can check to see if the trails/area you want have been cleared there.  PANTRA added six new saws and saw-mounts to their inventory this year so the trails should be getting cleared sooner than usual too.  PANTRA's website also has clickable trails on the "where to ride" section.  The yellow trails are single track and all you have to do is click on a trail in question and it will give you the trail name and number.  You can also download the .kmz file from the main menu page and load the trails on your Garmin or other navigation app.

Hope that helps!

I was going to recommend Kickbush, Indy, Declaration, Ermine, Indy(east side), Devils, Powder larch, Goldcreek. Pretty close to your loop but a bit longer. I was just worried about powder larch perhaps not being cleared. 

Edited April 24, 2018 by Wonderspoon

[350DirtRider]

2 hours ago, Wonderspoon said:

I was going to recommend Kickbush, Indy, Declaration, Ermine, Indy(east side), Devils, Powder larch, Goldcreek. Pretty close to your loop but a bit longer. I was just worried about powder larch perhaps not being cleared. 

You're probably correct about Powder-Larch.  Last season we cleared most of it on Memorial weekend but got turned back about 3 miles in (from both ends) because the snow was too deep.  This year we have more snow.  All depends on how fast our warm up is this year I guess?

[Wonderspoon]

2 hours ago, 350DirtRider said:

You're probably correct about Powder-Larch.  Last season we cleared most of it on Memorial weekend but got turned back about 3 miles in (from both ends) because the snow was too deep.  This year we have more snow.  All depends on how fast our warm up is this year I guess?

The problem if larch is closed is that there isn't a super elegant return strategy.  Fire road it back to the lodge or retrace Devil's/Indy/Ermine.  That will pile up mileage.

[Tye Durden]

On 4/23/2018 at 5:14 AM, Dave Wood said:

... Even on a cleared trail, rider's are likely to encounter new downfall.

.....
Saturday we started clearing trails. And by next weekend, more downfall will occur....

 

For sure. I am surprised of not hitting more deadfall even in places like Taneum that are pounded. My one ride on Idaho ST was cut short by an impassable (peril too high for just two people to deal with) log on a trail with freshly cut and cleared blow down.