Sun valley

[homemadesalsa]

Are you guys going to be there for the weekend?

No we'll head home Friday after riding.

And we were able to grab a shuttle from some other bikers that we met on the trail. Osberg- Alden is a 5-star ride- best thing I've ridden yet this year (which isn't saying much...).

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[rideit]

Ok, would this be up Rachel’s alley? (We are here now) She’s not in tip-top shape. Is it Osberg-Alden? Maybe 2 hours ride, I can shuttle her. Would you mind sending a track?
Thanks!

Edit: from looking around on Trailforks, the Alden Gulch re-route looks perfect, unless anyone can suggest an easier shuttle-assist ride?
How does one drop someone off for the Alden Gulch reroute? (Or pick them up?)
Thanks in advance!

[Spencer123]

For The shorter version drive up the east fork baker creek road (left off of baker creek) and drive to the beginning of osberg ridge. From that side it’s a pretty mellow couple of miles on the ridge to Alden. It’s much long from the main baker creek side. You can then pick her up right where Alden gulch comes out at the bottom on baker creek road.

Oregon gulch off the same road is a true shuttle with only 150 ish feet of climbing at the beginning (basically a steep walk up), but the riding on osberg to Alden is really nice from the east fork.

[CaliBrit]

I don't find the restaurants very appealing in Ketchum, but in no particular order:

Enoteca - new American, crowded $$$

Christiana - old school french w sauce. $$$

Sawtooth Club - log cabin American w dusty 50 year old elk mounts (clams are good) $$$

Rickshaw - they don't give a fuck so look elsewhere for anniversary dinner $$

Knob Hill - eat in the bar or outdoors, the main seating area is a 1950's era daylight $$$
basement

Pioneer - haven't been in decades but the line starts around 4:30, no reservations. $$$

Cookbook - never been. $$$$

Lupo's formally known as Il Naso - was low key, decent food, and reasonably friendly haven't been since the name change $$$

La Cabinita - gringo pablum $

Despy's - authentic Baja style MX, best food and restaurant in town. $$

Saffron - nice people, some good dishes, but as an Indian restaurant it's a fail. $$$

Limelight - workers don't give AF. $$$

The Ram - It's SVCo you never know what kind of experience it will be. $$$$

There are a couple more. Keep in mind that the restaurants have a continuous supply of new customers so most don't really try very hard and they've been rotating chefs around town for the last 3 years anyway. The reviews from out of towners are over the top positive so keep that in mind. Reservations often require a non-refundable deposit of $25-$50 a head.

La cab is way better than Despos gringo mex.

Saffron is actually excellent. Just don’t expect regular style curry.

Rack of lamb at Sawtooth Club is a standout.

Others mentioned the Covey. It’s very good. Bring your big boy wallet.

Cellar pub is pretty good bar food.

Grumpy’s burgers (1/2lb) are better than Lefty’s but their fries suck.

[basinbeater]

I'm up in Ketchum for a couple weeks if anyone wants to go for a ride. I'm down for mtb, faves are osberg ridge, love upper Oregon to fox connector, etc... also down for gravel ride.
Or if you got kids that like to ride, my almost 12yo is chomping at the bit. Loves the little pump track in town, likes forbidden fruit, etc.

[evdog]

If you want an easy ride that is pretty nice and flowy fun check out Corral Creek Trail. Good both out and back. For something harder I liked Pioneer to Johnstone to Bear to Parker Gulch loop, with side trip to the Pioneer Cabin.

Pics of both of these - https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ght=sun+valley

[rideit]

Circling back, we had a stupendously great weekend. Ketchum is just so chill compared to the tourist insanity we have here! Wifey rode Oregon Gulch, loved *most* of it (but said the upper part should be labeled black).
Unbelievably great food at both Rickshaw and Serva.



Thanks for the hospitality!

[basinbeater]

Yeah rickshaw is the bomb. Love the BBQ ribs and KFC.

Upper Oregon really only has a couple steep(ish) sections if I recall correctly. Rode it once last year and once the year before. Not a lot of what I would consider black around. Caveat... That I am aware of. Would love to find a bit more gnar around.

[rideit]

Goddamn photo uploader!

[evdog]

Not a lot of what I would consider black around. Caveat... That I am aware of. Would love to find a bit more gnar around.

Have you ridden up in Stanley? I wouldn't say there is a ton of gnar but definitely more chunky up there in places. Big Casino is a nice chunky descent and makes a good loop after climbing Little Casino. Big Boulder to Little Boulder is a hike from Ketchum but is a killer ride with great views and an awesome descent down Little Boulder (not chunky, but super fast/flowy). If you get up into the more backcountry moto trails above Ketchum I'm sure you'll get some more difficult trail.

[basinbeater]

Sweet. I've ridden some stuff, Fisher Creek, some of the red fish trails. I'll research the little and big casino trails.

[Spencer123]

I did little casino as an out and back to the sunny gulch junction on my trip and it was great. I wouldn't call it gnar, but a lot steeper and more technical than the stuff on the Ketchum side. It feels super remote so all of the exposed and challanging sections have an extra element of seriousness to them if you are riding hard. Definitely worth checking out, wish I had time to loop it with Big Casino.

Sweet. I've ridden some stuff, Fisher Creek, some of the red fish trails. I'll research the little and big casino trails.

[basinbeater]

Just because it's hot doesn't mean the kids don't wanna hit the pump track.
That new jump in the middle is fun

[Mountainman]

If you get up into the more backcountry moto trails above Ketchum I'm sure you'll get some more difficult trail.

No, you won't. The whole area really doesn't have anything that's technically very difficult. Little Casino is about as 'chunky' as it gets there.

[The Reverend Floater]

No, you won't. The whole area really doesn't have anything that's technically very difficult. Little Casino is about as 'chunky' as it gets there.

Elk Mountain Loop is max tech and it's not much.

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[The Reverend Floater]

Also, Fisher is pretty damned dry currently. Rode it a few days ago and it's dusty AF. Regarding it's iconic status, I think peeps (myself included) harken for the good old, pre-burn days when it was tacky and flowy.

Elk Mountain really is underrated as a easy/moderate morning ride. Fast flowy two track, a sustained gravel road climb that's as easy or tough as you want it to be, and a somewhat techy/bouldery singletrack that's just enough to demand your attention--a little if everything. I believe it's around 14 miles and I really enjoy it. Bonus: Halfway point is Stanley Lake for a cool down.

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[hick]

Miner lake is fantastic chunk, up Pioneer Cabin and down Long Canyon has some good tech, Hyndmen is really good tech. Just a few off the top of my head.


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[allTandA]

chiming in here. lived in ketchum for year and still work there + semi connected.

town is going to hell in a handbasket..... but what do ya do.

Vintage is some of the best in town. Period dot. Fine hardworking mexican bros bought it from Jeff a rad old hippy chef. they are good hombres.

when not on fire Redfish lake loop is sick AF. prairie gulch and all the greenhorn rides also.

[rideit]

Hey kids, what is the outlook for this coming weekend regarding trails, smoke, etc?
I have been invited, but I’m assuming Galena/Stanley is out.
I know the Private Idaho is going on as well.
Thoughts?

[powcom]

Stanley is hit or miss with smoke. It’s usually ok these days. Galena is fine. SV is quite dry, but it always is this time of year. Planning rides for the whole weekend and galena on Monday. Smokes not been an issue but you know we are one wind shift away from no riding due to smoke. Been fine all summer except a handful of days.

[John_B]

Stanley is hit or miss with smoke. It’s usually ok these days. Galena is fine. SV is quite dry, but it always is this time of year. Planning rides for the whole weekend and galena on Monday. Smokes not been an issue but you know we are one wind shift away from no riding due to smoke. Been fine all summer except a handful of days.

I don't pretend to know the area but my brother just texted about the Wapiti fire making a pretty significant run towards Stanley.

[powcom]

It’s right there for sure, but the adjacent riding and specifically the sv side of the pass have been nice.

[basinbeater]

Yeah we're headed up this weekend as well. Not much more to add than that, we've been on the fence about planning a lake day given the fires up there. Leaning towards staying on sv side of the pass. Haven't thought about what to ride yet, but I have not gotten a good osberg ride in this year yet...

[powcom]

SV air quality has gone to shit.

[Hopeless Sinner]

Yeah we're headed up this weekend as well. Not much more to add than that, we've been on the fence about planning a lake day given the fires up there. Leaning towards staying on sv side of the pass. Haven't thought about what to ride yet, but I have not gotten a good osberg ride in this year yet...

Perhaps you should reconsider. Ketchum is at 299.