Idaho Black Warroir Ride

[Justheman80]

I am looking to do a 30 mile ish ride over near Black Warrior or Horse Heaven, what would tails would make a nice ride to do some scouting? I have heard that couple of trails are pretty nasty over there.

[llamaface]

hmmm.

that's kind of in the middle of nowhere. every ride i've done that hit those trails has been close to 100 miles by the time we got there and got back.

horse heaven is not hard, if you're not a scaredy cat. the trails of the back side of the lookout have fairly severe switchbacks. black warrior is basically giant boulders with running water, and nothing resembling a trail. west warrior is straight the f** up and down, with very steep switchbacks.

No clue if that stuff is clear yet. I cleared grand mtn, hungarian, browns creek and barber flat, but didn't have enough gas or daylight to cross the road and head up to swanholm l ookout.

[obrianmcc]

I rode Horse Heaven last weekend....tried to ride through to Johnson Crk and up Lodgepole, but the trail has not been cleared....we came across deadfall on the backside of Horse Heaven in the old burn area. The trail up to the lookout on the North side is passable with a few small trees down. The trail from the lookout down to the Warrior lakes is all good......swithbacks are fun!

[Justheman80]

What do you mean by "horse heaven is not hard, if you're not a scaredy cat?" What could be scary about it?

[llamaface]

What do you mean by "horse heaven is not hard, if you're not a scaredy cat?" What could be scary about it?

like most trails in idaho it has some exposed sidehill, and IIRC there are a couple small rock maneuvers in exposed sections. not that bad tho if you are used to normal mountain trails here.

[Justheman80]

I did not make the ride this weekend, but a buddy of mine went over there and he said they were in the middle of clearing all those trails. So they should all be clear in the next day or so if anyone is headig that way.

[doggerdan1]

west warrior is straight the f** up and down, with very steep switchbacks.

.

Pretty much my recollection of west warrior too.

.....swithbacks are fun!

That's not what I was saying going down west warrior. Someone was talking about riding that the other day, I'm still not sure if I'm ready to attempt it again, it just wasn't that fun. Kinda like hitting myself on the head with a hammer, it felt good when I stopped.

Not sure if it was just a really bad day for me or what, but to this day it's still the toughest trail I've ever ridden.

[Justheman80]

The crew that was clearing the trail said there was 47 switchbacks and called them the switchbacks of doom.

I consider myself to be a good single track rider, but will probably stay away from that one. I like some good technicle sections on a trail, but when that is all the trail is, it becomes more work than riding.

[obrianmcc]

The crew that was clearing the trail said there was 47 switchbacks and called them the switchbacks of doom.

I consider myself to be a good single track rider, but will probably stay away from that one. I like some good technicle sections on a trail, but when that is all the trail is, it becomes more work than riding.

I'll have to agree with you on that one......and when Doggerdan and llama post how fun they were.....47 switchbacks.....jeesh

[llamaface]

The crew that was clearing the trail said there was 47 switchbacks and called them the switchbacks of doom.

I consider myself to be a good single track rider, but will probably stay away from that one. I like some good technicle sections on a trail, but when that is all the trail is, it becomes more work than riding.

I don't know that I'd want to go up it. With a 250/300 and a trials tire it would probably be fine, but with a little 200, carrying a chainsaw on the front, there are a couple of STEEP switchbacks that didn't look like fun.... and I like steep switchbacks and stoopid difficult trails.

The part that annoyed me more was the river that is allegedly black warrior creek trail. I flailed pretty hard there while doggerdan was coasting through it one-handed, holding a beer (or maybe flipping me the bird) with the other hand.

FWIW, the annual llamaface stanley camp and ride is this weekend, and guaranteed to be more fun than bulldogging down west warrior and kayaking out black warrior....

[llamaface]

On July 5th We rode from Baumgartner over to eagle creek/black warrior creek/west warrior/swanholm/horse heaven/grand mtn/browns creek/sheep mtn ending on green creek.

Without a question, West Warrior is the best trail out there. Black Warrior makes you pay your dues if you want to ride West Warrior. Bring an extra pair of socks and gloves for black warrior so you can be dry going up west warrior.

I hope you're not the guys from oregon that rode up little water gulch. Locals only ride down that to avoid destroying the trail.

Hope you enjoyed the rest of it. I cut the deadfall on grand mountain and browns creek this year.

Edited August 3, 2010 by llamaface

[Tim2]

47 switchbacks seems quite the exageration. It's been a couple years for me, but I've ridden it approx. 10 times. Went up once 10yrs ago or so. Biggest prob. is when it is open that face gets hottt by the time you get there. Never camped in the Mid fork area though. When I moved to Boise 13yrs ago, the first time I rode it the trail went straight down the creek (river in the spring). Bill Uhl rebuilt it about ^-8 yrs ago. Crossing in and out. 10x easier now. Still quite the challenge. Anyone that can ride to the trail head from either side can ride it. Go for it. Mark, where are you riding out of Staney? I didn't ride last weekend. All my riders went wake boarding. If they pull the same crap this weekend, I wouldn't mind joining you if that is kool? Later Tim

[mbaird]

On July 5th We rode from Baumgartner over to eagle creek/black warrior creek/west warrior/swanholm/horse heaven/grand mtn/browns creek/sheep mtn ending on green creek.

Without a question, West Warrior is the best trail out there. Black Warrior makes you pay your dues if you want to ride West Warrior. Bring an extra pair of socks and gloves for black warrior so you can be dry going up west warrior.

Exactly how many miles did you guys cover that day ?? !!

[veltex]

The crew that was clearing the trail said there was 47 switchbacks and called them the switchbacks of doom.

Hmmm, 47, steep switchbacks are my favorite:banghead: I would probably be repeating my "just one more, just one more" mantra quite a bit

[charlz]

Hmmm, 47, steep switchbacks are my favorite:banghead: I would probably be repeating my "just one more, just one more" mantra quite a bit

Or break into song!

47 switchbacks

47 F%^$ing switchbacks

Drop my bike

Pick it back up

46 more switchbacks!

?

[llamaface]

Mark, where are you riding out of Staney? I didn't ride last weekend. All my riders went wake boarding. If they pull the same crap this weekend, I wouldn't mind joining you if that is kool? Later Tim

Camping at valley creek thurs-fri-sat night. fri just goofing off, sat going past hindman lake down west fork of yankee fork, then probably up 5 mile, down ramey (poss lunch at the lookout?) and back on sawmill, hay creek, sunday/prospect, or maybe little-basin and east fork of valley crk. There'll be a tvtma sign somewhere pointing to camp.

[trailwhale]

Or break into song!

47 switchbacks

47 F%^$ing switchbacks

Drop my bike

Pick it back up

46 more switchbacks!

?

And if you are riding a KTM 600/620 (before the dawn of electric start:thumbsup:) add a chorus

Kick that motha

Kick that motha

Kick the SOB

Huff, puff, sweat in your eye

[obrianmcc]

llamaface,

Not "the guys who rode up little water". Contrary to the signature, I live in WA. Also lived in Idaho for years which is why I know the area. When we did the ride, Browns Creek and Grand Mountain had youth group crews on them that had done an excellent job at clearing the trails of brush - quite impressive.

mbaird, the ride in total was 130 miles. Had to carry fuel.

Group from Montana Conservation Corp was doing the same to Deadwwod this weekend.

[Dave Wood]

On July 5th We rode from Baumgartner over to eagle creek/black warrior creek/west warrior/swanholm/horse heaven/grand mtn/browns creek/sheep mtn ending on green creek.

Without a question, West Warrior is the best trail out there. Black Warrior makes you pay your dues if you want to ride West Warrior. Bring an extra pair of socks and gloves for black warrior so you can be dry going up west warrior.

I have done a similar loop several times. We cut out some of the road sections by starting up Virgina Gulch and heading West/Southwest (several options), gas in Pine. Green to Crosscut, Lava Mtn, Bear Gulch (more options) take Devils Creek or continue down to Sheep Creek. Sheep Mtn to Dismal Swamp, road to Hot Creek (Fire closed this trail a few years ago) Is it Open yet? Down Snow Line, head up West Black Warrior or Eagle Creek. Loop back to Atlanta for more gas. Decker over to trail 20/Little Water.

If the sun was still up, McNew would add a few bonus loops...

Our group gets a little smaller at the bottom of Snow Line, some prefer burgers & Beer in Atlanta...Now that distraction is no longer available! lol

I see a Forest order was just signed, fire closing the trails south/southwest of Baumgartner.

[llamaface]

road to Hot Creek (Fire closed this trail a few years ago) Is it Open yet? <snip>

I see a Forest order was just signed, fire closing the trails south/southwest of Baumgartner.

We (idaho ohv fund committee) approved a significant grant this spring to start rebuilding hot creek, which got heavily washed out in the period following that fire, but the wheels of government turn slowly, so I'd expect it to take a couple years.

The fire in beaver creek is apparently pretty small, and the area got rain yesterday. Hopefully it will just clean up some of the built-up fuels and then leave us alone. Ideally, we'll get patchy here-and-there small fires in that area, like the one near willow creek 2 years ago. That should offer protection against the really devastating fires.