Crestline Trail (McCall) - June 30th

 
 

The sign that carried more meaning than just the trail name…


While a good showing of Eastside riders headed for Galena lodge for the Grinder marathon Angela and I headed to McCall for some R&R and a long ride for myself.

Saturday morning greeted me with 45 degrees and clear skies. I mixed up two bottles of Perpetuem and two bottles of nuun and a 5th bottle of straight water to consume early in the ride. Further fueling consisted of Stinger products (two waffles, two gels and two chews!). Angela sent me off well with an egg sandwich to complement the morning’s coffee.

Heading north out of the Northwest passage campground we stayed at, crossing the inlet to Payette Lake, turn south for 50ft before heading left and swinging north on a gated road still within Idaho State Department of Lands property. Angela and I discovered these roads the night before while out for a walk. They are in excellent shape and gated, so no traffic! The roads are barely distinguishable from the contour lines on the McCall Mtb map, but they are there and worth taking! (best trail/road of the day). This service road paralleled the road to Upper Payette lake on the opposite side of the river for about 5 miles. Crestline trailhead is about 3-4 miles East and up from the bottom of the valley from the first road the crosses the river as you head north after leaving Payette Lake.

Passing one small lake on the way north I flushed out a herd of Elk (you can just make out two of them in the above photo). Other than that it is was brisk and quiet broken only by the occasionall roaring creek spewing ice cold, clear mountain water. This road section was over far too early and it was absolutely obvious when I had crossed over from IDL to Forest service roads. (muddy, rutted, giant water bars, downed trees; less maintained roads).

Overall the roads were great and provided views across the valley and you climb to the Crestline trailhead; somewhere in the 1,500-2,000ft climb range.

I was having a great time and feeling strong.  Finally I came across the first obstacle to climb over (vs going around).

Then the first drift that was easy to ride over:



And then I arrived at the trailhead.  I could not stay long as the mosquitoes where horrendous; only enough time to check cell service and send Angela an update “made it to trailhead; still peeing; 16miles to go!” You have to give your crew enough info to know you’re doing good and taking care of yourself! :)

The first ½ mile of trail only had two downed trees and meandered through an old burn area with gradual climbing.  I tested out the Maxxis Ikon tires and found their limit in the mud as I pushed my bike in a few inclined, muddy sections.

The trail occasionally spilled out into beautiful meadows surrounded by the remaining, standing burned trees in shallow marshes.

I started to keep the camera in the pocket as I practiced my cross re-mounts on a dozen downed trees before coming to the first significant creek crossing.

Luckily; all the downed trees provide options for you to cross without getting wet!  Shortly thereafter I encountered my first snow drift.  Up until now I was not thinking much about lingering snows or downed trees, but that would soon change.

But I was drawn deeper and deeper into the side country as I road picturesque single track...

The trail descends into two basins which proved to be very slow going.  There were close to 75 or so downed trees, varying in diameter from scraggly branches to home wreckers.  Some you could break some, trim branches and go over or under and others you had to put your bike on top, climb up, lower the bike and then jump down.  Not knowing the trail, a few times I had to cross some significant trees to find out there was a switch back and I had to cross the same tree(s) again.  

I was starting to get tired.  No more cross mounting for this guy.  I reverted to “scootering” my bike from downed tree to downed tree (right foot on left pedal, not straddling bike).

This was going to be a long day; and I had better get cell service again so Angela knows I will need more time before she should be legitimately worried (look for a moto guy to go ride the trail!).

I had only crossed the first drainage and was headed for the second which included a steep pitch that I suspected was a 1/2mile hike a bike over a ridge before descending into the Xterra course.  I laughed aloud to myself thinking of what Greg McRoberts had mentioned to me “Might find some snow out there, however.  You'd be amazed how much snow there still is up high”.  Yeah sure, I had seen and crossed some snow, but compared to the downed trees, snow was not the issue…until:

Now I had a decision to make.  I was only 5-6miles of trail in, and had 6-7miles left.  I suspected the other side of the ridge (facing south) would be clear as it was prior to this section.  There were sooooo many downed trees I had gone through, and it would take a few hours to backtrack; and that would mean backtracking.  I studied the map, collectively, for about a ½ hour as I contemplated my situation.  No time to be brazen.  You’re alone, far from help and on a time line.  But what would it hurt to go as far as I felt comfortable (within the bounds mentioned).  I pushed on, reached the snowline and started hiking with bike on board.  Within 30ft I had my first incident.

I had crossed too close to a rock (rocks are warmer, melt the snow on them, but not directly above them; leaving a shallow layer above a hole) and I sunk down, slipped and took the impact on the knee cap.  This is the kind of thing that happens when you push just a bit too far or too fast.  I had to verbally remind myself that “you’ve got to be more careful!”  I must be getting older.  I’m starting to parent myself.  Apparently I listened; as I’m currently writing with only the one small scab I received (outside of the dozen punctures and small abrasion from normal wear and tear).

I have never before picked a mountain bike route to avoid avalanche danger.  There were still sizable cornices on the ridge and I was climbing the leeward side.  Having picked the safest route up and across the face with exit strategies and safe zones identified, I filled two of my empty bottles with snow in hopes that I’d have more water later for my delayed adventure and pushed on.

I am not sure how long it took to climb to the ridge, but I made it; had cell service and a nice view of Payette, far below.  I was able to send Angela a picture (proof of life) and inform here that I had made it half way and to expect delays.  She was on the beach swimming with Kaiya while I was jogging my bike across snow fields in the blinding sun.  You’ve got to love mountain lake towns! J

Crossing over the ridge I found another snow field I had to cross.  Finding the obstacle humorous at that point, I had to text Angela the picture before I conferred with the map on how to proceed.  This section actually went rather fast.  Aiding me in my route were little rock cairns poking out of the snow indicating I was actually on the trail or had found it again!

I could not help but wonder how a fat bike would have fared if I had one.  Though carrying it would not have been very pleasant.  Besides, adding another pony to the stable always calls into question the necessity of all the bikes currently sitting idle waiting for some TLC!

Once I approached the south side of the pass the snow cleared revealing a rocky ridge to descend into the final lake before the Xterra course.  It was here that I started noticing saw dust!  The trail was cleared!  I was FLYING!  Making great time!  The last 5 miles of the trail were going to be 10X faster than the last 10!  I had service and relayed the information to Angela at the beach.  We had planned to meet at the trail head and then grab lunch in town. 

I love the smell of saw dust.  And I swear, one of the larger trees that someone cleared smelled like a bourbon barrel…it was beer-thirty.

I descended to the Xterra loop, crossed the outlet of Blackwell Lake and there were 8 day hikers there to greet me.  I was dressed in the Bob’s kit – white/blue and defiled with sweat, blood, mud and charcoal from all the downed trees.  I’m sure I was a sight; one that would dissuade anyone from picking up the sport of mountain biking…

The final few miles went by relatively fast with two punchy climbs out of the Xterra loop followed by the new section they bladed in.  I’m tempted to come up to the Xterra triathlon to see all those poor participants covered in the black, loose soil that will inevitably cover them from head to toe before their 6mile run.  Ehh-gads.  No thanks.  That course was dangerous moon dust when I did it years ago.  Now it is dangerously loose dirt hidden in the partial sun/shaded woods on a good pitch.  No thanks. Not for a race! 

A text miscommunication between Angela and I left me to finish the ride along the lake and back to the Northwest passage campground.  The road miles (5?) went by fast and allowed me to get some miles in without getting off the bike and dragging it under a downed tree or over a snow field, which, I think, would be better endurance training than a hike-a-bike over a snowed in mountain pass.

Aside from the loose/dusty descent on the Xterra loop, I’d highly recommend this trail as I did it, but later in the season when it is cleared of snow and trees!  Finish the route by taking the west side of the Xterra loop vs going by Blackwell Lake.  I’m just not a fan of ‘new’ ATV trails… perhaps it will settle in a year or two, perhaps not.  Let me know!

Cheers,

Z