Clark Fork

another section of my 7 year hike across Idaho.    the ICT goes right through the town of Clark Fork.  

Stateline Trail video

Stateline Trail video

another part of my 7 year Idaho Centennial Trail adventure. 

the Stateline Trail runs along the Idaho - Montana border for approx. 150 miles. 

this is a section of that trail, which I hiked solo in July of 2009. 

this video is actually Part II. Part I is still in the *production* phase. 

This segment is 22 miles between just south of Eighty Seven Mile Peak along the stateline to a point on Dry Creek Road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBp3KOg2Asc

Gospel Hump part B

I completed another hiking video.  This is part B of the Gospel Hump Wilderness, one of the sections I hiked as part of my Idaho Centennial Trail experience.   in Part A which was titled Buffalo Hump, I hiked with my son Daniel in from the eastern side of the wilderness to Buffalo Hump.   in Part B, my oldest son John and  I hike in from the western side and go almost all the way across the wilderness and back.   from August of 2009   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoOnOAm_Tu4 Ron http://llamasyndrome.blogspot.com

Gospel Hump Wilderness

I hiked the ICT West Alternate route, part of which passes to the north side of the Gospel Hump Wilderness.   through the previous experience of my friend Jerry Finnegan (ICT Class of 2009) I learned about the *horrible* condition of the trail from Sourdough Lookout east to Five Mile Pond.   I made the decision to go THROUGH the Gospel Hump rather than around it.   I wound up crossing the Gospel Hump twice.   I came in from the east, from Orogrande Summit on one hike with one of my sons, then came in from the west from Square Mountain Lookout and went across the wilderness to connect, with another one of my sons.   in this way, I made a connecting trail between Rocky Bluff Campground all the way over to Five Mile Pond.

This illustrates a point I would like to make to prospective ICT hikers.   especially when dealing with the trail up north (north of the Salmon River).   it's okay to give yourself permission to deviate from the *official* trail.   There were several places that I chose to re-route, for various reasons.   Water and Safety were usually high on the priority list.  

This video shows my first Gospel Hump hike, from Orogrande Summit to Hump Lake, with son Daniel.  

http://youtu.be/GmcSbFcil-g


Ron

(ICT Class of 2011)

http://llamasyndrome.blogspot.com

Owyhee Desert pt. 1

Two friends and I attempted the portion of the ICT from the Nevada Border to Winter Camp on June, 17, 2012 with mountain bikes.  We were all in pretty good shape, and had prepared and coordinated our work schedules for this day months in advance.  I guess we couldn’t prepare for the 1^st triple digit degree temperature of the year.  Although we made it to Poison creek with ease and knew prior to arriving that there probably wouldn’t be any water, it was still a kick to the gut when our assumptions were confirmed.  It was a few miles north of this, that one friend began to slow down, and take a lot of long breaks.  When we got to the cut off road to the Bruneau River, we knew that he was going downhill quickly, and that he was probably going to need medical intervention.  My other friend rode on, in hope to find our support team who was at Winter Camp.  I stayed with my sick friend and urged him to go on as I attempted to get to a location with cell service.  15 miles from Winter Camp, I was able to get a text message to my wife, but not my support team.  10 miles from Winter Camp, my friend collapsed with heat exhaustion.   I had brought my work radio, and was able to communicate with Elmore County Dispatch.  I relayed my urgent situation and our GPS grids to them.  I stood in the blazing heat acting as an umbrella while sprinkling my remaining water on my sick friend for 90 minutes until Life Flight arrived.  My father-n-law arrived on his motorcycle around the same time as Life Flight.  He gave me much needed water and took my sick friend’s bike back to Winter Camp.  My sick friend started losing feeling in his extremities, and went into heat stroke minutes before Life Flight landed.  I now had to continue my trip and try to catch up to my other friend.  I met up with him on the west side of Winter Camp Canyon, just in time for me to start suffering from the effects of heat exhaustion.  We rode through the canyon at an incredible slow pace, until the both of us came upon a rattle snake in the middle of the trail.  My senses were probably only at 50% and I only saw a dark blur and heard only a faint rattle, before I was right on top of it.  My friend was able to maneuver away, but not before he witnessed the snake strike and bite the frame of my bike.  I received a surge of energy and sped to the base of the east grade of the Winter Camp Canyon.  I couldn’t ride or push my bike up the 200 yard long grade.  Half an hour later, I got to the top and met the rest of my support team.  I started to vomit uncontrollably and had horrendous body aches.   They rushed me back to my wife who is a nurse and (pardon the pun) nursed me back to health over the next few days.  My sick friend actually recovered faster than I did, but my medical bill was $30,000 less than his.  Come to find out, he had just recovered from the flu and an 8 pound weight loss the week before.  We found out the hard way that this portion of the trail shouldn’t be attempted after the first of June through the end of September without an immediate support team.  Also, I cannot stress enough the importance to pre-hydrate the day before your trip and the need to bring PLENTY of water with you!  As for the trail itself, It was well marked, except for the mile right after the Poison Creek crossing, which added another two miles to our trip.  During our ride, I would say that only 20% of it was mostly smooth compacted dirt, while the rest of the trail was both very rocky and bumpy or 4” of fine dust.  For the most part, this portion of the trail wasn’t fun at all.  We did see plenty of cows and antelope, in which we almost ran over 2 fawns that were bedded down on the trail.  Good luck and be safe out there!

class of 2012

Thomas Oord completed his thru hike of the ICT on August 17, 2012.  
CONGRATULATIONS TOM!!!!

Thomas Jay Oord

August 19

I completed the Idaho Centennial Trail on August 17! Thanks to all for your support on this long journey, especially to my wife,Cheryl Oord. I'll post photos when I arrive back in Nampa...

Marble Creek in Frank Church Wilderness:

On August 2-11, 2012, a group of volunteers and myself cleared the Centennial Trail from the Thunder Mountain trailhead about 10 miles down to Bellaco Mine and then down to Dynamite Creek.  We cut out hundreds of large downed logs, brushed the trail 8 feet wide for pack stock use, rebuild numerous rock retaining walls and widen the tread in many sections.  There are over 12 fords (ranging from 6"-24" inches deep) of Marble Creek in the section we worked on.  Expect to get your feet wet.  The Centennial trail downstream from Dynamite has over a hundred down logs and a few brushy section.  A volunteer trail crew is going down there next week to try to cut a few more miles downstream and hope to get the trail cleared 6 miles down to Canyon Creek.  If you are doing this section expect numerous fords and sections where you lose the trail.  The old trail bed is still intact but often hard to find in the brush.  You can find good camps at Bellaco, Brush Creek and Dynamite Creek.  Have fun.

ICT thru hiker 2012 update

Tom's latest progress report is from August 9th.

he made it to the town of Clark Fork, and is still experiencing stomach problems from the *bad water* a couple of weeks back on the Stateline trail.

he has about 10 days of hiking left to get to the northern end of the ICT.

ICT thru hiker 2012 update

here was a previous update post for Thomas Oord, so it's a little out of sync but still showing his progress.  

Tom's Walkabout Stats so far:

700 miles completed
300 miles to go
1 wolf sighting
4 bear sightings

1 pair of shoes demolished
1 backpack too small due to weight loss
60 mile daddy/daughter trek
2 walking sticks stolen by porcupines
15 family resupply trips
1 adventure of a life time

= 1 happy hiker husband

 — with Thomas Jay Oord and 3 others.

ICT thru hiker 2012 update

1. 
   

   
   

   Thomas Jay Oord

   Friday

   I'm taking a sabbath rest from the trail in Mullan/Wallace. I drank some bad water 50 miles back and have been sick on the trail the last few days.
   
   I did see a moose, another wolf, and a badger during the last week. I've walked more than 900 miles now, and I've got about 200 to Canada.

   
   

Hunter Transfer Camp to Willow Creek Rd/S Fk Boise

July 5^th 2012 - ICT Hunter Transfer Camp to Willow Creek Rd/ South Fork of the Boise River -  Hiking about 16miles in about 9hours 30mins. Ok no bicycle this time it’s all Shanks Ponies as my Folks always called ‘em. Just a Day Pack about 20-25lbs of mostly survival gear and of course my walking sticks. For those of you who don’t hike with Treking poles, an old stick you carve along the way or something to steady you on the uphill and downhill sections –“Just get some and try them on one long downhill that’s steep sometime and then see if you don’t carry some after that”. The hike went smooth and the trail was easy to follow. From tracks I would say more dirt bikes thru here than anything else. I can’t complain they keep the logs cut out and the trail well worn, I must admit sometimes the dirt bikes leave nasty ruts and loose rocks on the steep sections but it’s all good. If you are on a steeper section and hear bikes coming, it can be smart to give them a little room. Most of them are real good people but they might have to be blasting bye to make it up the section you are on, so step off the trail if you can and wave as they go bye. I find most are very respectful and only a few jerks give these guys bad names.  The hike up the N Fork Lime Trail was rather easy with several creek crossing most knee deep or less but you will get your feet wet unless you do some long jumps or bank exploration. Fill up on water before hitting the top or you won’t find any water until you get almost to the S Fork of the Boise River, about the last 6-7 miles. There was one small drizzle near the top of Trail 037 but it will likely not run for much longer. The last 3-4 miles down Trail 037 is steep and single track with loose dirt, gravel and rocks from the dirt bikers, use caution going down this and definitely get some hiking poles. These steep loose rock sections will hurt you fast if you don’t take them slow and steady, plan on only making 1 to 1.5 miles per hour thru here. It can be done faster but you can also roll to the bottom of the canyon on your head too. This is a good long day hike that will be about all most people will want in a day. It is also a great assessment hike for me to see exactly how much mud I got for the upcoming sections that are longer. Came accross a herd of sheep near the top of the drainage and two big sheep dogs that gave a few growls and barks but stayed their distance. Great views from up top before dropping back down to the Boise River.

Happy Trails

Bennet Mtn To Hunter Transfer Camp

June 30 2012- Near Peak of Bennet Mtn Rd to Hunter Transfer Camp aprox 26.5 miles Bicycle and some Walking-3hours 15min. Downhill from top of Bennet Mtn across Highway 20 and onto the Castle Rock Rd small walk but otherwise ride like the wind. Going up Castle Rock had some walking uphills as well but otherwise a nice bike ride.

                          Just one of Many of the Rock Formations

The Rocks are Amazing and very interesting to see. I could go back here to see those again. Across Pine Featherville Rd a nice change from the dirt for a litle ways. Now thru the Cows and the fine silt dirt that feals like wet cement. Watch out for the Bulls They DO Have the Right-of-Way! No problems at all with the Cows for me. The last couple miles downhill to Hunter Transfer Camp. Goal Score and anotherone bites the Dust.

ICT thru hiker 2012

in 4 weeks Tom has walked the ICT from the Nevada border to roughly the middle of the Frank Church Wilderness.     Options Thomas Jay Oord Friends, I'm sending this from a "ranch" in the middle of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. This is my sabbath day in the middle of a 17-day, 230-mile trek through some wild and wonderful places. It's part of my summer-long 1,000+ miles Idaho walkabout. Things are going well, although I really needed a rest day today. I hiked 31 miles through the wilderness yesterday, and about 12 of the miles had a lot of downed trees across the trail. Bummer. Enjoying the adventure! Tom

ICT desert Rock Coral Access to Bruneau Canyon

June 16th 2012, Bike and Hike from near Rock Corral Access to Bruneau Canyon Overlook, About 37miles with a backtrak of another mile or two, about 5 hours. Started where I left off from after my derail episode earlier(see previouse Blogs). Day was long trail conditions dry rocky and like what I had encountered thru here before on the earlier forays. Came across two sisters who were hiking the ICT and well due to the heat, their water situation and sore feet caught a ride with my support Crew. A note of caution for those of you hiking this desert section, from Nevada to Hammet, You can not carry enough water or walk enough miles to make it with any measure of saftey. This whole section can be accessed with 4x4 no problem unless wet and muddy. Either Cache lots of water at short intervals or just have them follow you or go ahead several miles and make camp with all the fixings. This ain't no joke or me being a wimp, just straight up good advice that might save your life. Sure there are people that do it have done it and  will do it again without support vehicle but they run a big risk. Do Not underestmate the Desert or you may not live to regret it.
Water can be found at Winter Camp along the trail and that is about it. Watering tanks for the Cattle off the trail a mile or more at times might have water but....
Walked thru winter Camp for a break from bike and met a Father and Son on Enduro Dirt Bikes who were riding the trail. Funny he said his first impression was to fly over this whole section and riding it on motorbikes was kind his limit. Other Motor Bikers I met on the Trail Called me "HardCore" for riding a bicycle thru the desert. Frankly I thought I was kinda cheatin and wimpin out. So if I am Hardcore for Bicycling you people that Hike this entire Desert Section.... Well you have my Respect and my hat is off to you "AdamantiumCore"(I guess?)... LoL
Finished up at the Overlook and was quite happy to have this Desert Done!

ICT Bennet Mtn to Hammet/I-84

June 10th 2012 - Hwy 20/Cat Creek Rd to Hammet/I-84 Was supposed to be about 36.5 miles but I bailed on about 5.5 of it, save till next time. So I started out on my bike at Hwy 20 and made it less than a mile up the road before my chest was beating outa my heart and dizzy was getting my head. Ok I wimped out had no mud and had the suport crew drive me to the summit for some down hill I wouldn't die trying to bicycle. So the other side and I'm flying down hill no pedaling needed for the most par clear to where the trail leaves Bennet Mtn Rd and goes out to the HOODOOs. After surveying the first bit near the Road I put up the bike and got on the hiking shoes to hike thru the next 3 or so miles. The walk down over the Basalt Rim Rocks(Hoodoos) was a nice break in between biking sessions. The Trail is not always apparent but the White Trail Markers are plentiful and have little arrows even to direct you in the general direction of the next marker. You eventually hit a real old and brutal 4X4 goat path that winds accross the face of the rim and down thru a draw that had running water in it. Didn't really expect it but it was there. there was anoter small old drain that also had water down lower a mile or so before you hit Alkali Rd. At Alkali I got back on the bike and rode in the wing the howling wind to I-84 near Hammet. This lower section over the rolling gravel roads ate my lunch. The wind at one point was in my face as I came down a small hill pedalling to gain momentum for the up section to follow only to have the wind blow me to a stop. Now I know it blows out here Heck ya think them big windfarms are for grins and giggles but this was not fun but plain old pound it out work. I later learned that the Ironman Triathalon in Boise the same weekend was shortened on its bike ride due to wind, and this made feel proud that I still managed to grind out nearly 27+ miles on my bike and the "Iron Men and Women" only did 12.

Thomas Oord thru hike 2012

Thomas Oord has started his south-to-north ICT thru-hike attempt.  He began at the Nevada border on Sunday June 3rd and is already at the southern end of the Sawtooth Mountains.  I have been following his Spot messenger updates.   Let's cheer him on as he attempts to go all the way on the ICT in the next few weeks, targeting mid August for the finish line.    his latest Spot link (this opens in Google maps).
http://www.findmespot.com/mylocation/?id=8Em7m

Murphy Hot Springs Airport -2miles past Corral Rd.

June 2nd, 2012 - Murphy Hot Springs Airport to about 2 miles past the Corral Access Rd, Bicycle, about 24.5miles in about 3 hours. Planned to go about 34 to the Indian Hot Springs Access but a rock had a different idea and derailed me wrapped my chain around the crank and pinned it between the frame and the rear suspension. Hey at least I didn't go over the handle bars into the sagebrush n rocks, thats gotta be good fer somethin'.

Somewhere in the Desert there is a Rock with a mark on it, I know I should try harder to leave no Trace, but.....
Trail conditions were good, rocky n rough but passable, well till ya hit a big rock anyways. There were a few small muddy places, probably left over from last weekend when it snowed and rained out in this section otherwise dry. This section is fairly rocky in places with the Poisin Creek Drainage having nice smooth basalt black rocks, the rest on the trail are rather jagged and gnarly. Support Vehicles with High Ground Clearacne will do for most but 4x4 to cross the Poisin Creek Drainage might be needed.

Flora and Fauna included 4 deer, numerous antelope, 2 bull snakes on the trail, scattered Indian Paintbrush, small blue wildflowers, cheat grass, sage brush, and a crested wheat grass the cattle eat. We saw Real Deal Cowboys rounding up the Cattle off on the ridge a mile or so away at one point.

Map up by the Murphy Hot Springs Airport showing the trail and surrounding area.

This is one of the Trail markers. I like seeing these along the trail and I like the design. Wonder who I gotta bribe to get one of the stickers?

Hope to be back out and finish this desert off here in the next couple weeks, so untill then....

HAPPY TRAILS!

ICT HIKING AND BIKING- THE DESERT SECTION

April 14th 2012-  Nevada border to end of Three Creek Road near Murphy Hot Springs Airport, approx 1.9miles one way. A little muddy but not bad. Nice walk to Nevada and then back.

Trail head down to Nevada from Murphy HotSprings Airport and the Three Creek Rd. Kind of hard to see but there are two white trail markers on each side of the Trail.


May 28th 2012- Bruneau Canyon overlook to Hammet & I-84, approx 26.6 miles one way. Rode my Mountain Bike thru this section in about 3.5 hours. Saw 4 antelope, 3 phesants and several lizards, well and some cows down in Browns Creek area.  The section from the Overlook to the end of the pavement of Hot Springs Road (about 5.5miles) was fairly good even though the roads are not all that apparent for the last couple miles. 3 gates to go thru here and they are marked but I would still recomend a GPS with the route in it as you get out to an old watering/ feeding location and the good road ends and several very old minor tracks take off and you might choose the wrong one if you didn't have a good sense of direction or a handy dandy GPS. The next section from end of pavement Hot Springs Road to Browns Creek Road that comes off of Hwy 78 about 6-7 miles from Hammet, about 12miles. About 4 miles along the rim after leaving Hot Springs Road/ Three Creek Road, fairly easy riding and well marked, easy to follow. The drop from the rim down into Browns creek was a nice downhill section on my bike, no pedaling required but you might grab some brakes a couple times, about 2.5-3miles. The rest of Browns creek was ok with part of the road being kind of rough from rain and cattle walking on it but still very passable. Couple of gates one of which had so many tumbleweeds against it I wondered if I was the first one thru in quite some time. The last section Browns Crk Rd & Hwy 78 on into Hammet and to the on-ramp at I-84, about 9.3 miles. This section is obviously paved and went by without incident.

I plan to finish off the desert here in the next couple weeks and will report as I get the sections done.

Backpacker article

page 52 of the January 2012 issue of Backpacker magazine has a survival feature which includes my survival story from this summer, while hiking on the Idaho Centennial Trail along the Idaho - Montana border.

ICT - A Piece at a time - Leg 7

On October 1 we hiked from Grandjean to Stanley Lake on the ICT. The total distance was 11.4 miles. It took us a little over 6 hours. My yellow lab was our partner on this trip. We had an elevation rise from 5,200 ft. at Grandjean to about 8,100 ft. at the highest saddle during the first 5 miles. The signage for the ICT along the trail is not good, but it is a well worn trail and fairly easy to navigate. Even this late in the year there was water all along the route. The weather was great and the fall colors were glorious. The route we took follows along with a few photos. John and Hank.

ICT - A Piece at a Time - Leg 6

On September 10th, 2011, Hank and I biked from Burgdorf Hot Springs to the Wind River Pack Bridge on the Salmon River. This is on the Western Alternate section of the ICT. We went up the Jeanette Creek trail from an elevation of about 6,200 ft. to 8150 ft (more pushing than riding). Fortunately a trail crew had come through about 2 weeks earlier and cleared the deadfall, otherwise we would have had to lift our bikes over several hundred logs. We did not have to hop a single log on this trip. Something to seriously consider before biking this section. We thought the downhill trip (about 12 miles) would be relatively easy, but not so. The upper portion was not too bad, but was dusty and rocky. The lower portion on the Carey Creek side was very steep, rocky, rutted and dusty from trail bikes. This made biking treacherous and difficult. Brakes all the way and had to walk the bikes quite a bit. We both took a spill and got wounded, but not seriously. My brake cables stretched 1 inch. There was lots of water along the way if you need it, even near the top.

Overall it was a great trip on the ICT, as usual, with lots of great views and wildlife, but next time I would hike it and leave the bikes at home. The total distance was about 22 miles and it took us 9 hours to complete. Following is a photo of our route and a few more photos of the trip.

Burgdorf Hot Springs to the Wind River Pack Bridge on the Salmon River.

Burgdorf Hot Springs cabin the night before our ride.

Hundreds of these sawed away thanks to a trail crew.

The Salmon River is down in the far valley.

John White and Hank Boomer taking a break at 8100 ft. elevation.

Going to cool off at the end of our ride at the Wind River Pack Bridge.

Paige and Nick,

700 miles is quite an accomplishment! I'd love to read more details about your hike: where you had trouble finding the way, what the ridge north of Magruder road was like, what springs were dry, etc.

Mike O'Brien

ICT ?

I am planning a trip for next summer so I am looking for some trail information. I am considering a solo thru-hike. I would like to hike the entire trail system including the alternate routes. I would like to speak with anyone that has hiked the trail especially anyone who has done something similar. I anticipate many questions and I would appreciate any input. Is 1,200 miles accurate for the trail including the alternate routes? I look forward to hearing from you. Thank You,BZ

class of 2011

I did it!

it was actually 76 miles left to go, not 65. and I finished on Thursday evening, July 28th, at about 9:10 pm Pacific time, at Lionhead campground. I wanted the big dramatic finish at Upper Priest Falls, but the way it worked out, it was better to go to the falls then work our way south back to Lionhead campground on the northern tip of Priest Lake.

thanks to Stephen Stuebner for his book on the ICT.

thanks to Leo Hennessey for my first taste of the ICT 7 years ago on a work hike on North Fork Lime Creek.

thanks to my chief partner in crime on the ICT, Jerry "Frog" Finnegan. together we are "Doofus and Lark" exploring across Idaho!

thanks go also to the many friends who have joined me for segments of the ICT and for the many family members who have helped me with shuttle rides.

Ron Whittaker
"Llamamoto"

http://llamasyndrome.blogspot.com

He's headin' for home!

As of July 26th Ron Whittaker has completed all but the upper 23 miles or so of the ICT. He's planning to complete his seven year adventure on Thursday July 28th!

Watch out for those snow fields Ron, and congratulations!

Our First ICT Segment--June 23-25, 2011

Hammett to Highway 20/Camas Reservoir
Day 1: 13 miles. Bryan and I set off from the 84 at N. Hammett Hill Road exit at 1:30 p.m. Despite 90-degree temps and relentlessly hot pavement, we got lucky with cool winds, lots of clouds and desert rain showers that made their way around us instead of giving us a good soaking. The trail here is mostly paved and gravel roads, and the trail markers are clearly visible. We saw plenty of wildlife despite the heat, including rabbits, badgers, deer, hawks, pheasant and quail.

Day 2: 16 miles. Set off at 8 a.m. for an all-day, uphill hike into Little Canyon. Great valley views from the surrounding buttes. Climbing out of the valley was finally on-trail, a refreshing break from the noisy, crunchy gravel roads, but it wasn't long before we were back on the road when the trail joined Bennett Mountain Road heading up to Mount Bennett. Lots of cattle out grazing. Sometimes an entire herd was our audience as we passed by. This portion of trail is spectacular this time of year--the flowers are in bloom, the hills are green and the snakes and lizards are sunning themselves. We stopped just short of the summit to make camp and rest.

Day 3: Six miles. Headed out early to take advantage of the cool morning air and meet our noon ride at Cat Creek Rd. and Highway 20. We enjoyed great mountain views once we reached the summit. Near the end of the trail, we surprised a few Harley riders who thought they were alone, enjoying a beer. They asked us a lot about the ICT and wished us luck.

You can view all of our photos here. BTW -- Bryan and I are avid backpackers who are taking on the ICT in segments. We're based in Boise and can help anyone seeking assistance/support as they make their way through the southern portion of the ICT. We'll post our own progress as we complete each segment (give us a few years).

One Month to Departure !

It seems we may be the only ones committed to an unassisted thru-hike on the ICT this summer, but we are excited and finishing up our planning, cooking, and packaging in the coming weeks. We plan to hit the trail on July 4th and thought other ICT enthusiasts might be interested to follow our adventure this summer. I am planning on updating my personal blog with details. I haven't figured out how I will manage this while on the trail, but optimistically, here's the link: http://www.guernsi.blogspot.com

One detail which we are working on currently are resupply locations. If anyone has a list with phone numbers and addresses, we would greatly appreciate it. Thanks !

Cheers,
Paige and Nick

Hi,

We are planning to at least attempt part of the ICT when we visit next year. We will be flying into Bozeman Montanna from UK.
Can anyone advice what section we should do that offers medium to hard challenge, good views etc and where we can pick it up (the trail) that's convenient to where we land.

Thanks
Gerard

65 miles left

Hello all:
I am anticipating the completion of my ICT quest this summer. This year will make 7 years that I have been working on it. I have 65 miles left to make the chain complete. The first section is 30 miles on the Stateline Trail, from Missoula Lake north to near Dominion Peak. The last and grand finale' section will be from Priest Lake, near Indian Creek, north to the falls just south of the Canadian border. Targeting last week of July for completion. What plans does everyone have for the ICT this summer? Ron http://llamasyndrome.blogspot.com

ICT - A Piece at a Time - Leg 5

Over the period from July 15th to the 17th we biked a section from the Hunter Creek Transer Station above Anderson Ranch Reservoir to Castle Rocks and then hiked from the Willow Creek trailhead back to our starting point at Hunter Creek Transfer Station. The biking portion was relatively easy and downhill most of the way. The Castle Rock area was the high-light of that section. We started the hiking portion about noon on a hot dry day. We climbed about 2,500 that afternoon and it tested us a little. We found water fairly high, but ran out before we reached the highest saddle. Extra water is needed on this section when it is a hot summer day. As we headed down the Lime Creek draw, that little trickle of water was a very pleasant sound. A sheep band had been in there just before us, but we still managed to get some good water. We forded Lime Creek multiple times. Plan to get wet if you travel at this time of the year. We camped along Lime Creek and then enjoyed a liesurely hike back to the Hunter Creek Station where we had a vehicle waiting. We covered a total of about 38 miles on this section.

John White and Hank Boomer.

Photos of this section of our trek can be seen at the following web site:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jetjwhite/Leg5ICTWillowCreekTrailheadToCastleRocks0715172010#

ICT - A Piece at a Time - Leg 4

On May 16, 2010 Hank and I tackled our 4th leg of the Idaho Centennial Trail. We biked from the Cat Creek Summit area to the Snake River bridge near Hammett. Great weather and a great trip. We had some fast biking down the grade toward Hammett and some slow hiking through the Hoodoo rock formations above Hammett. We covered about 4o miles on this section. We did this the day after we finished our 3rd leg. You can see photos our trip at the following web site:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jetjwhite/Leg4ICTCatCreekSummitToHammettBridge05162010##

ICT - A Piece at a Time - Leg 3

On May 15th we tackled our third leg of the Idaho centennial trail. We biked from the Nevada border to the rafting put-in road for the upper Bruneau River. For this portion we camped the night before near Murphy Hot Springs and did most of our ride starting in the morning. There is no water on this approximate 40 mile section so we carried plenty. The trail was much rougher than Leg 2. We did not have recent grading and the cattle had made plenty of tracks in the mud which had dried into very regular bumps. The rocks added their portion so riding was not as pleasant. The day was gorgeous which made up for the rough ride. The auto shuttles on this section were very long across some very straight desert roads. We saw many antelope and sage hens with lots of blue sky. You can see our photos at the following web site:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jetjwhite/Leg3ICTNevadaBorderToBruneauRiverPutInRoad05152010#

ICT - A Piece at a Time - Leg 2

On April 11th we (Hank Boomer and John White) tackled our second leg of the trail with a biking section in the southern desert. We travelled north from the road that leads to the Bruneau River for rafting put-ins to the Bruneau Canyon overlook where we had started Leg 1 of our journey. We were fortunate that a good portion of the trail had been graded in the spring after some heavy rains. It made the trail much smoother than it normally would have been. It was quite a warm day so we were glad that we packed 3 liters of water each. All in all, it was a beautiful day to be in the desert. The photo trip report can be seen at the following web site:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jetjwhite/Leg2ICTBruneauPutInRoadToBruneauRiverOverlook04112010#

ICT - A Piece at a Time - Leg 1

Bruneau Canyon Overlook to the Snake River Bridge near Hammet

On March 20, 2010 Hank Boomer and I (John White) began our quest to travel the Idaho Centennial Trail, either by hiking or biking. This first section was a challenge for us because we tackled 20 miles, but we were able to complete it in one day and thoroughly enjoyed early spring in the desert. The signage in this section was quite good and we had no trouble finding our way. More to come. You can see our photos at the following web site:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jetjwhite/Leg1ICTBruneauOverlookToSnakeRiverBridgeAtHammet03202010#

ICT - A Piece at a Time - Introduction

A friend of mine, Hank Boomer, and I decided that we would begin to travel the Idaho Centennial Trail in 2010. Our goal is to complete it sometime, just not sure when. We plan to travel the full length either by hiking or biking. Our trips are not in order from beginning to end, but are a piece at a time when and where we can make it. We have been Idahoans all of our lives and value this wonderful state in which we live. We are not purists when it comes to back country travel, but we take out what we bring in and we protect the land we pass through. We are both still employed and can only take on small sections at a time. I will be posting some photo trip reports shortly which will give you an idea of what we have experienced. It is a pleasure and a treasure to experience the ICT at this time in our lives. We hope the information we share has value.

John White.

2010 ICT Hikers

Who has ICT plans for 2010? Starting where and when, which direction and how far? I'm wishing all hikers a great adventure!

Be sure to sign Trail Registers at the Hammett, Mullan, Clark Fork and Naples Post Offices.

Dogs

Little Earth,

Dogs are welcome on all of the trails but you might have to leash them in the Sawtooth Wilderness depending on the time of year you are traveling through the wilderness. I think July 1st to Sept 1st you need to have them on leash.

ICT talk at Boise REI 3/17/2010

Ken and I have an hour long presentation on our ICT hike. REI in Boise will host the presentation as one of their regular events on Wednesday evening, March 17th at 7pm.

Bart Robinson

Bart finished his ICT hike on Tuesday 09-15-09. I have been following his Facebook/Twitter posts and tracking his position on Google maps. Congratulations on completing the ICT Bart!

Ken and Marcia

Ken and Marcia Powers also finished their ICT thru-hike, on August 31st, in just 59 days.

http://trailjournals.com/gottawalk

He did it!

Jerry (Frog) Finnegan finished his ICT quest today! I was privileged to be a part of the last 30 miles of his 60 mile final section from Grandjean to Willow Creek. Awesome scenery. Awesome experience topping out at Ross Peak at 9200 feet. An awesome welcoming committee of family and friends at the trail's end. I hope to make some videos available.

Through Hiker Request

I was asked to post this for a through hiker:

Hi Leo,
Some info for the ICT blog:I will be starting a six-week trip on the ICT on August 17. I have one section south of the Selway left and then everything north of Wilderness Gateway. I will be sending out updates from the trail via satellite phone at http://twitter.com/ZippyMorocco. With luck, this will complete my 5-year journey on the trail (photos and maps from previous years are at http://www.bartrobinson.com/trips/index.php?page=1&group=1).Thanks,Bart Robinson

trail #120 access info update

I have been contacted by a property owner on E.Spring Creek Rd. (north of Clark Fork) who would like to pass along the following clarifications:
The entire north end of the road is apparently posted as "NO TRESPASSING". Unless you know someone who invites you to cross their property take the alternative route around this area. This would include dropping off the ridge at the Porcupine Lk. trailhead (southbound), then continuing down to Lightning Ck.Rd. You can follow this into town but will have to ford the creek (i.e. don't plan on doing this in the spring!). Of course, if you are northbound, you can pick up Lightning Ck Rd off Hwy 200, walk north until crossing the creek, then follow signs along the road to Porcupine Lake. Unless the Forest Service has done some serious maintenance, the trail will be invisible, requiring a bushwhack up to the ridge. The road across Lightning Ck should be rebuilt next year (2010).

Stateline Ridge

Did the ridge from Little Joe Rd down to Hoodoo Pass over the 4th of July weekend. Trail is in good shape and easy to follow (a rarity up north) with the exception of just north of Hoodoo Pass. If you take the road down the montana side from the pass, then the first left and start climbing, you will see the trail exit on the right. Pick it up here, because you'll never find it from the pass.

Also hiked down from Trestle Creek to E. Spring Creek Rd outside of Clark Fork. Access issue with private property owner at bottom of mountain.
If you are southbound: Take all switchbacks until you come to one with a metal stake in the trail (the last one). Contour further to the west (leave trail) until you clear the end of a large brown metal-pipe fence, then drop down to road.
north bound: go to near end of road until you see large brown metal-pipe fence on left. Stop at last home BEFORE fence and ask permission to walk down their driveway to the mountain behind them. Bushwhack up and to the right until you find trail.

Class of 09

Jerry "Frog" Finnegan is only 60 miles away from completing his ICT quest!

with the 18+ mile section we did last Tuesday up above Clark Fork, he only has 60 miles to go.

He has saved the Sawtooth section from Grandjean down to Willow Creek for the grand finale'.

Thru Hikers Starting

They are on the trail and asked me to post this.


Leo,

We are starting a self supported ICT thru hike beginning 7/4/2009 using the usual thru hiker mailing of supplies. Boxes are now in position at our chosen resupply points.

Our ICT journal is at www.trailjournals.com/GottaWalkICT and our own website is www.GottaWalk.com We will update journal entries and photos as we can while hiking.

Our contact email is OnTheTrail@GottaWalk.com Hope to see you out on the trail!

Hello Leo,

We are driving to Idaho tomorrow. Can you please post the above to the 2009 blogs? While checking on resupply I heard that a hiker from Virginia was also planning a thru hike and was scheduled to be in Naples the first week of August.

You, Steve and all the organizers and trail crews have our thanks and appreciation!

Ken and Marcia Powers
...GottaWalk

Brian Frankle hikes the ICT North to South

(All photos courtesy Brian Frankle, http://www.ula-equipment.com/)

Hi all,

I wanted to share Ron Whittaker's post from the Idaho Outdoors Yahoo Group regarding ULA owner Brian Frankle's successful journey on the ICT this summer, traveling north to south.

I must say, to watch Brian's slide show, is to experience a wonderful scenic sweep of Idaho, north to south, along the jagged backbone of our state, meandering from the British Columbia border to Fairfield, and then across the desert to finish. Awesome pics and congrats on an incredible journey, Brian.

Many thanks, Ron, for sharing the links from Brian's successful trip.

Here's Ron's post:

"First a little back-story: When Jerry Finnegan, Nick Abshire, and I were onthe ICT in northern Idaho in summer 2006, we met Chris Harrington, who finishedhis ICT hike that year. Chris was using a backpack made by ULA Equipment.

That's the tie-in to this story. The guy who runs ULA Equipment, BrianFrankle, this summer completed his thru hike of the Idaho Centennial Trail from north to south.

Here is the link to Brian's website: http://www.ula-equipment.com/idahocentennialtrail/index.htm

and his photo album, recognize any of these places??? http://picasaweb.google.com/briansbliss/IDAHOCENTENNIALTRAIL

Ron Whittaker (60% of ICT done)"

Trail Route

The Idaho Atlas and Gazetteer and the only guidebook on the trail, “Discover Idaho’s Centennial Trail,” are 5 to 10 years old and some trail sections have been moved.

Again, the ICT maps on the IDPR web site are the best and most up to date routes. Users tell us that the guidebook and the Idaho Benchmark Atlas provide valuable supplementary information.

On the ground, follow the ICT markers and USFS trail signs, where they exist. One recent user said it best, “Traveling the Idaho Centennial Trail is a challenging, discovery type of experience. I enjoyed that aspect of the trip.” It is incumbent on ICT backcountry travelers to research and plan their journey in great detail, and you’ll have a great time. The trail is not signed, marked or blazed in the same manner as the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail.

Go to The IDPR web site and read more about the ICT.

Leo Hennessy
Centennial Trail Coordinator

ICT web site

For those of you who are yearning to plan a trip on the Idaho Centennial Trail, or if you're just curious about what it is, check out the new web pages on the Idaho Centennial Trail on the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation web site.

The web site has a ton of information and photos about the Idaho Centennial Trail, how the trail was created, where it goes, what trail uses are allowed, how to find the best trail maps for the ICT, notes on resupply points, trail access issues and more. The web site also links to videos from a great program that Idaho Public Television did on the Idaho Centennial Trail.

Since the ICT was created in 1990, there haven't been very many people who have conquered the full length of the trail in one summer. Now there's no excuse ... we've provided the information you need, now you just have to plan a trip, get the time off reserved, and check out the trail.

Have fun!

Best, Steve

ICT Snow Conditions

I just returned from Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and all of the high mountain passes are in the process of melting out. They are passable. The snow line on north slopes was 8600 feet as of 7/7/08.

Leo

Welcome to our new blog

Hi everyone,

This is Leo Hennessy, trail coordinator of the Idaho Centennial Trail, from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. I want to welcome you to this new blog on the Idaho Centennial Trail.

We hope this will be a useful tool for people and public agencies to find out the best information about the Idaho Centennial Trail.

Please feel free to post information, photos and video from your trips on the Idaho Centennial Trail.

We'd also like to use this blog as a forum between trail users, the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Idaho Parks and Recreation to discuss issues related to the Idaho Centennial Trail.

In my mind, the Idaho Centennial Trail is a relatively undiscovered jewel that runs through the best of Idaho's outdoor settings, from the colorful desert in the Owyhee Canyonlands to the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, to the Stateline Trail, to the Cabinet and Selkirk mountains in the Idaho Panhandle.

I hope this blog inspires you to get out there and enjoy the trail.

Leo