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.