Idaho Centennial Trail

[ScottM]

Anyone know anything about this monster of a trail?

http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/recreation/trailoverviewmap.aspx



I've had some limited contact with the main guy behind the trail, Leo Hennessy.  He more or less tried to dissuade me from thinking about a bikepacking thru-trip on the trail.  Sure there are some access issues and the always nasty thorn-in-the-side of skirting Wilderness areas.  But it definitely has me intrigued.

He's a mountain biker who claims to love technical challenges, but seems to think the hike-a-bike could be extreme.  He does report that he has ridden the first ~150 miles (from the South) and that it's ideal to bikes.

There are some maps available, and he did indicate the possibility of GPS data available sometime in 2009.

[WillyK]

I have ridden/hike-a-biked several sections of the northern end of this trail.....from about where your map says Idaho Panhandle NF to the Canadian border. ( approximately Interstate 90 to Canada ). It has many flavors of terrain as one might expect..... wooded, root infested cedar forests, buff dirt singletrack, non-existant track through beargrass meadows, talus slopes, and more.  Nothing from that point North is Wilderness.

There is at least one section ( 20 miles or so ?? )that nobody I know of has been able to locate. From Priest Lake Lionhead area, eatsbound up to the ridgeline of the Selkirk Mtns.

I have no gps info at all, but I have paper maps of some areas and I have some pics. I will upload some pics later today.

[WillyK]

http://www.ula-equipment.com/idahocentennialtrail/index.htm

I was recently forwarded this by a friend (backpacker) I haven't read it all yet, but he does mention the missing link I refered to and he skirted some of it by hiking a road. ( a road I have biked in and out on many times)

edit... fwiw.......the hiker and his dog in the above mentioned link found their way up the part I described in my last post.....the part he skirted by hiking the Upper Pack River road is another missing link, from Dodge Peak to McArthur Lk, sections 71/70.

[WillyK]

pics...
Dirt  trail... tr 404, just North Thompson Pass, in section 60 or 61.
Talus slope just South of Black Peak, section 61, the flattened area is the "trail".

[WillyK]

a couple more.....

Fault lake and Hunt peak, section 72.
huckleberries.....Yum, section 61.

oops...put one in that was not from the route, so I deleted it

[tackhammer]

http://www.ula-equipment.com/idahocentennialtrail/index.htm

I was recently forwarded this by a friend (backpacker) I haven't read it all yet, but he does mention the missing link I refered to and he skirted some of it by hiking a road. ( a road I have biked in and out on many times)

I've read most of that log - pretty neat, and he did it with his dog. 

[chuckc1971]

I know nothing of the trail you speak of, but did get the chance to ride some most excellent trails in the Sawtooth area just outside of Stanley, ID.

From the pic below, you can see why they call the range sawtooth:



Here's the rest of the album:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v64/chuckc71/Idaho%20trip%202007/

[700see.]

Scott,

I've ridden some of the northern sections, mostly the fireroad bits on pieces of Maps 76-66 from this page:

http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/recreation/centennial_trail_map.aspx

I found that living in that area, things weren't marked as well as what I was used to in Colorado.

A lot of the singletrack in the extreme northern sections (around Priest Lakes and up to the falls) is stupid fun, the dirt road sections are definitely nice and the traffic is light.

Some of the stuff in the east of the Panhandle is pretty bomber/primitive, but definitely up your alley Scott. Plenty of foot time to be had - especially with a load. Most of my time in the area was logged on a 'cross bike on dirt roads. I can make some calls and maybe get you some contact + beta with a few more MTB-y locals that aren't spending any time on computers. It might take me a little bit to track them down though.

mc

[ScottM]

Thanks for all the info (and pics!) everyone.  I'm going to set up a route page for it here in bikepacking to consolidate what we know.

WillyK, can I use one or two of your photos for the page?

mc -- yep, Leo informed me that they have only signed a very small portion of the route, so it'll be an adventure.  I reckon there'll be plenty of foot time, as you put it.  Good to hear you think it's worthwhile stuff towards the north.

The biggest obstacle is the middle of the state.  Huge expanses of Wilderness -- including one where I spent a summer as a wilderness ranger.  I think it's going to be a long road detour.  Hopefully dirt.

I'll keep going on this, with the big hope that I can get some GPS data to begin planning wilderness detours where there aren't any already.

[WillyK]

Scott,
Sure,  use whatever pics you like......I'll even add a couple more to choose from. 

The first is Priest Lake and the sunset taken from atop the Selkirk Crest, just above Fault Lk.
The second is a sweet cascading waterfall on the way up to (or down from) Fault Lk. Always a great place to stop and filter water.
 
I have never seen a sign for the ISCT on any of these routes, but the individual trails have names and numbers with some signage to try to follow.  Some are carsonite and some are routered wood signs.

700see,
Thanks for linking to the map with the section numbers on it, I spaced out doing that when I started referring to section numbers in my other posts.
We've never met, but I know we've ridden with a bunch of the same guys in the panhandle.

[chrisx]

http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/recreation/ictgpsresources.aspx
they have posted gps info and alternate routes around wilderness for bikes

looks like an energetic person could take a train to Glacier then ride the pacific northwest trail to the idaho centennial trail

then end up in nevada not sure which way to go

[Rooster Cogburn]

I am reviving this thread to look for any new information about bikepacking the Idaho Centennial Trail.  I've read some blogs of those who have recently backpacked the trail and they talk of rapidly deteriorating trail conditions due to a lack of maintenance by the BLM and Forest Service.  Some trail segments are buried under fallen trees and signage is minimal.  I've not come across anything about the bypass routes that mountain bikers would need to use to get around the wilderness areas.

Scott, you mentioned above that you were going to set up a route page for the Centennial Trail.  Did that happen?

This route has the potential of matching the beauty and challenge of the Arizona Trail, minus the Grand Canyon.  Yet, too much challenge is a close cousin to misery.
 
Does anyone have something to share about this route?

[caseygreene]

Nice to see a revival of this thread, Rooster. I've also been thinking a lot about this trail lately. Would you post up links to those backpacking trips? Another good source of info for the alternates are moto riders blogs. Although i can't seem to locate any right now, I know I've come across them in the past.

I ran into the ICT numerous times last summer while researching the Hot Springs Route. One thing I will say is that every time I did, it was impeccably well marked with the little ICT signs. There were even quite a few times in the narrative/cue sheet where I used those signs because they would be the only marker at a junction. Too bad it is not as well marked throughout it's entirety.

I think the main ICT route is perfect for true backcountry bikepacking/packbiking/hellbiking. The reason no one really even thru-hikes it, is that the re-supply logistics are insane. But, a combo of riding the bike + backpacking with it would solve that problem. Well, at least theoretically. You'd still have to deal with the biggest logistical nightmare: The SBFC wilderness complex.

As far as riding goes I only have limited experience. Basically 10 miles here and there. Here are the few bits I've done:
 - Willow Creek (main route) from the top of the pass coming out of the Ross Fork Basin to the trailhead is rippin' (don't miss willow creek hot springs near the end!)
 - Secesh River Trail (west alternate) One of the toughest trails I've ever ridden on a rigid singlespeed. Tons of rock-dropping no-fall cliffside singletrack. On the north end of that section, from Burgdorf Hot Spring to Secesh River, its great.
 - Stanley to Galena Summit Area (east alternate) It's nice, well marked, and has great views, but it's all dirt roads.
 - Between Hoodoo Pass and the Hiawatha Trail (main route) It's great but mostly roads. I haven't ridden all the trail in this section though.

Maintenance is getting better in the Wilderness areas, but that's about it. The Selway-Bitterroot Foundation just became the Selway Bitterroot Frank-Church Foundation about a year-and-a-half ago. So, trails in the Frank are getting much more love then they use to. On their site you can check out what trails they have cleared in the past: http://www.selwaybitterroot.org/. Outside the wilderness it's pretty much the moto riders, and the Backcountry Horsemen, we have to thank for clearing trails. In my experience, unless it's a popular trail, it's not on the Forrest Service's radar.

Hour-long video on the Idaho Centennial Trail for anyone who hasn't seen it: http://video.idahoptv.org/video/1564889327/

What are you thinking in terms of direction? I was thinking North to South, but i think most people do it the other way.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Thanks for the speedy response.

Postholer.com has an exhaustive journal entry by Yurtdog on his 2013 trip (http://postholer.com/journal/viewJournal.php?sid=dd28c6c6df56fda37c950de555618650&event_id=1687)

Here is his summary of the trip:

"OVERALL- I would say that for all the climbing, there are very few views...most of the ridges are thick with trees throughout the entire length of this hike...it also seems that the GPS and map routes have definitely not been ground checked in most places, don't trust them.

This trail looks great on paper, but I'm not sure it lives up to its billing. Maybe the 100 miles I have left are the best miles though!

Be sure to call and see what has been worked on lately, it's your only hope of thru-hiking this trail.

Lastly (for now), I think it's a shame that the ICT after 23 years as Idahos state trail, remains an idea more than an actual trail. It certainly has a lot of potential, but alas, the forest is reclaiming it faster than it is being maintained and I think it will be gone soon unless something major is done."

Seems like taking his journal and cherry-picking the good parts might be the best tactic.  Combining that with the new ACA route, including the single track sections (yea!) might be even better.

Looking forward to the ACA maps.  Still on for a January release? 

I live in far northeast Oregon (Joseph) so have first-hand knowledge of this year's failed snow season.  If this keeps up I might consider a May start at the Nevada border.  If Stanley isn't melted out in May perhaps early June.

[caseygreene]

Damn. That's super discouraging.

Maps to the printer in a few weeks. So, probably Feb release.

[ScottM]

I am reviving this thread...

Scott, you mentioned above that you were going to set up a route page for the Centennial Trail.  Did that happen?

This route has the potential of matching the beauty and challenge of the Arizona Trail, minus the Grand Canyon.  Yet, too much challenge is a close cousin to misery.

Looks like I added the trail to the table on the Routes page, but didn't create a page for it.  I believe I got discouraged by reports of non-existence and non-love, as just above in this thread.

Interesting to read of Casey bumping into it, though.

I still think someone needs to go give it a shot and see what happens.......