“No bup, do you really get the network of Winter groomed snow machine trails between Island Park and West Yellowstone?”

1500 miles of Snow Machine Trails between West and Island Park

Alright, I can’t possibly fake it at this point so I admit I really have no clue, other than stories and local lore, as to what awaits up North.  I’m a skier… so why should I care about a network of relatively flat snow machine trails in the opposite direction of all my skiing fantasies?

At the time this conversation was going on, Jay and I were huddled (not literally, I swear) inside his garage deciding weather or not to drive to Rexburg for a Cube ‘Cross race in near blizzard conditions. I’d like to tell you we finished the conversation on the drive to the race… I’d really like to tell you that.  Actually, I’d really like to tell that to Saur-dude and Harder but, I can’t.  Damn it.

Anyway…. Jay went on to give me the one on one low down on the shangrila that he and Tracey have been pioneering for the past few Winters in our back yard.  Ha! Pioneering groomed trails you say?  Here they were, against all odds, forging across the tundra, fighting for survival in a new land… while yielding to ‘biles the whole time.  Yes, I was in my skin suit, on the edge of my seat.

The trails and the roads around Island Park yield primo riding.

After some more yapping from Jay, I was convinced there are some sweet trails up North that are worthy of some attention.  Remember, he’s the man and the man should be listened to.  With that out of the way, Jay laid on me the concept of the West n’ Back ride.

“Imagine if we laid out a 50 mile route from Ashton to West Yellowstone on groomed trail?” Jay spun the tale while I was all ears, “A rider could choose to ride 50 miles to West, or 100 miles West and back. Not only that, the route would have multiple points of access to gas stations, bars, and lodges while sneaking in and out of some seriously remote Continental Divide trail.”

This sounded better by the minute as our day of cross racing disappeared in the conversation.   He explained this idea was not aiming at a formal race, but rather a free group ride with a competitive edge.  Something in line with the dozens of free Mountain Bike and Gravel Road races that are popping up across the West.  That morning, the cross race in Rexburg was dead and the West n’ Back Grand Fondo was born!

After adjusting for a Snow Machine race this was the final proposed route in yellow.

As the day of the event approached… so did the storm.  No matter, the date had been set, riders had traveled, West n’ back was on and we gathered at the shop Friday night for a chalk talk.

With its many turns, riders made sure to check and recheck the route.

Morning came and Teton Pass was closed – No Jackson riders this year unfortunately.  We had to wonder what awaited us up North since the storm continued to pound all night.  I told myself years ago I would never go for a long Fat Bike ride in on a powder day again after pushing my bike for nearly 7 hours a few years back at the Togwotee Winter Classic.  Oh well, since the Pass would be closed most of the day, my ski area was closed too.  Might as well go explore some new trails with some good people!

Foster the People? No - Shuttle the People, Foster!

Thanks to JH Limo Lounge we had a pimping 4WD Van for the drive up – bikes and riders were clean livin’ on the inside!

uh, yeah. About that storm last night...

Once in Island Park, it took about 5 seconds to realize that even though all the trails were groomed last night, another foot of fresh snow fell and made them un-rideable.  So we changed course and headed to the Ponds Lodge for another chalk talk.

Time for another chalk talk

Jay double checked the grooming report, talked to the great ladies at the Ponds, and poured over the map to save the day and the ride.  Joe and I waited patiently… at the bar.  I have to give another shout out to the Ponds Lodge.  If you are driving or riding through Island Park, be sure to stop in and enjoy a great staff, awesome food (we sampled the breakfast burritos and the pizza later on), a huge tap wall, and a clean, modern sports bar atmosphere.  They have newly remodeled cabins for rent too and there is Fat Biking, XC Skiing, and Snow machining out the door.

Time to ride.

All riders had lots of STOKE even with the change of plans!

Jay and Bergy itching to ride.

Here's the "start line"

Since the trails were too deep, we opted for an out and back road ride.  The conditions were on the soft side of things but in general the riding was pretty fast.  Even though we weren’t on trail, it felt like it!  The whole crew moved along together all day.

The roads had great riding!

Joe Meiser, Product Manager from Salsa/Surly/45NRTH, flew out from Minnesota to check out the emerging scene here.

Back to the Ponds for post ride Pizza, Wings, and Beer!

After all riders were sufficiently soaked through from sweat and snow, we called the Ponds Lodge the “finish line”.  About 32 miles in all through beautiful country.  The day was filled with “thumbs ups” from snow machiners and when we were hanging in the Ponds parking lot there were lots of questions and enthusiasm from the ‘bilers.  The Ponds owner, RJ, came over to our table after his snowmobile ride and was super welcoming!  He was excited to have another user group visiting his business and he gave us some great advice while pointing out trails on the map.  I personally can’t wait to rent a cabin at the Ponds and explore more trail!

Jay P called it – this is the place to ride!

Cheers!

Everyone loves Fat Bikes!

2012 Grand Targhee Snow Bike Race from Dave Byers on Vimeo.

Here’s what a HTW bag looks like in the nude.

Hamilton Thread Works Frame Bags

Local sewer Sarah Hamilton is making stock and custom frame bags for fat bikes. Fitzgerald’s is currently stocking Salsa Mukluk frame bags. Her stock bags are made of X-Pac ripstop nylon and include a large drive side and non drive side pocket. There is a bag for each size of frame so you get the perfect fit.

Sarah knows how to make me stoked!

Revelate Designs

The whole concept of frame bags is not new, but these manufacturers are taking old ideas and making them sweet.  Stock bags will fit a variety of bikes, but to really experience the glory of a frame bag a custom fit is the way to go.  In the winter a frame bag is key for storing food, water, extra layers, maps, tools, and my personal favorite – a beat stick to keep the Mt Lions away (J9 gets a little paranoid)!  Most bags will have some degree of compartmentalization to keep your sh*t straight.

Surly Endomorph

This is the tire that started the fat bike revolution and relegated sewn together, home made fatties to folk lore. The Surly Endomorph at 3.7 inches was the only tire available for many years. It has a shallow, fast rolling tread pattern that works especially well for the rear wheel on packed surfaces. This tire is still revered by some as their favorite tire to run because of its weight and speed.  2012 is rumored to be the final year for this tire as newer and better performing tires come out.  Get one while they last!

Surly Larry

The Larry at 3.8 inches was the second tire introduced by Surly. This tire has more of a mountain bike directional tread pattern. Some choose to run this tire both on the front and rear, but we prefer it as a front tire. The Larry provides much better steering stability as compared to the Endomorph which tends to loose traction more easily when changing direction.

Surly Big Fat Larry

At 4.7 inches the BFL is the widest fat tire offering and shares the same tread patter as its smaller brethren the Larry. The BFL is best suited to be run on a 90 or 100mm width rim to achieve the widest, flattest tire profile. The BFL is being run by many in the area for the softer conditions. Some are choosing to run the BFL front and rear while others are just using it in the front. Those just using it in the front contend that the wider tire allows for better steering in firm and soft conditions and adds stability to the handling.  If you’re not looking to go out in the deeper snow, stick with the ROL (regular ‘ol Larry) for more speed.

Surly Nate

If you want your bike to look Bad Ass, mount up a Nate or two.  The Nate at 3.8 inches is a new tire for this year and is truly inspired by dirt oriented mountain bike tires. The large center paddle grips extremely well in soft snow conditions however and there is a good amount of side knob traction. This tire will be a good alternative for those looking to ride their fat bike on the dirt come summer.  But beware, the tractor tire sound on firm trails or roads is really the sound of your mph dropping…

45NRTH Husker Du

The newly introduced Hu Du, Husk, or HD as it is known, is labeled 3.8″ wide and provides a wider profiled knobby tire. The knobs on the Hu Du aren’t as deep as the Nate but there are more of them providing potentially better handling. This tire will be faster rolling than the Nate due to the tread pattern despite being a little wider. The Hu Du is quickly becoming the most popular tire for the dirt user and we’re thinking this will be the perfect tire for someone looking for the year round, 1 tire that does it all.  The HD is also the lightest tire out there these days.  I’ve got 30 miles on a set in soft conditions and they performed just as good as the Larry/Endo combo.

Call down to the shop if you want to demo a Larry or Husker Du.  If you have an older Pugs, spice things up with a new Fatty or two!

Christmas Day Snow Bike 2010 from Dave Byers on Vimeo.

Of course these groomed trails don’t come without a cost and as responsible Fat Bikers, we have been looking for ways to contribute.  At first we thought purchasing snowmobile registration stickers was the way to go.  A few of us were able to substitute our bicycle serial numbers for snowmobile VIN numbers and successfully by stickers, but the powers that be didn’t like that and we were told that the State of Idaho would not allow the sale of snowmobile stickers for anything other than snowmobiles.  Here we were, looking to contribute with no way of doing so.

The inability to financially contribute to the program was one issue hanging over our heads, but uncertainty about Fat Bikes being allowed on the trails at all was an even bigger one.  Each year our local Fat Bike die hard, Dave Byers, would start his Winter with a visit to the local Forest Service office to make sure he was ok to ride on these trails.  “No problem, just be careful of Snowmobile traffic” was the typical response for years.  But then something changed last year (Fall 2010).  Instead of the “go have a good time” answer, there was a bit of, “well, I’m not sure if you can ride those trails legally.”  uh-oh!

Apparently there was a new Idaho statute that spelled out Grooming Trail regulations a bit further:

Oh boy, do we really need to be Winter Trail Pirates to have fun on these trails?  Thus began our quest for legitimacy!  Initial interpretation of this statue made us believe that we needed the blessing of our County Commissioners and that was it. Not so fast, the County Commissioners wanted to think it through a bit and make sure everyone was ok with this new trail user.  As a former politician myself I can understand the “not wanting to inadvertently piss anyone off” mentality.  So, Dave spent the next year reaching out to the snowmobile grooming community to see if we could share their trails.

Things were progressing somewhat but the Winter was quickly approaching and we were still in limbo. It was time to be heard by the Commissioners.  On December 12th, the Teton County Commissioners heard testimony from the Fat Bike community, the Grooming District, and a representative of the Idaho State Snowmobile Association.

Before we all had our chance to speak, however, the Teton County Attorney addressed the Commission with her opinion on the situation.  She felt that two issues kept the Commission from really being the decision makers on this issue.  First, the land in question was US Forest Service land and the County had no authority to regulate who is, or is not allowed to recreate on it.  Second, within Idaho Statute 67, there was no definition of the word “vehicle”.  Even though very specific motorized vehicles were defined and banned from the groomed trials, a bicycle was never clearly defined nor banned.  “A bike in my opinion is thus not one of the “vehicles” that the County may by ordinance allow to operate on groomed snowmobile trails; a bike may simply use these trails the same as walkers or skiers.”

Nonetheless, the Commissioners wanted to hear what the Fat Bikers and Snowmobilers had to say.  The Snowmobile community addressed three major concerns: Funding, Social Conflict, and Safety Hazards.  They felt that trail users who were not paying their way should not be allowed on the trails, that increased non-motorized use could push out the motorized use over time and that Snowmobile/Bike collisions could have major ramifications.  We the Fat Bikers explained that we were willing to pay our way if someone would let us, that we had no desire to push out snowmobiles (we need them to ride our bikes on packed trails), and that a Fat Bike rider with proper etiquette was no more of a hazard than the skiers, snowshoers, and horses already using the trails.

During the testimony, our local Forest Service District Ranger told the crowd that ultimately the Forest Winter Travel Plan was the guiding document for access questions.  Currently, there was nothing in the Travel Plan barring Bicycles from using the Forest. A State statute could not over ride the Travel Plan and Fat Bikes were allowed in his opinion.

At the end of almost two hours of impassioned testimony, the Commissioners were ready to vote on a non-binding resolution allowing Fat Bikes on groomed trails.  Although we technically didn’t need this action for the Forest Service trails, there was one section of State owned Rail Trail that would need to be regulated.  But… before the Commission voted, they wanted the Fat Bike and Snowmobile communities to come together and form a plan for some sort of cost sharing agreement.  Their vote was postponed until December 27th.

Ahead of the meeting on the 27th, we were able to arrive at a 1 page Memorandum of Understanding between the Fat Bikers and the District 33 Grooming District which you can read HERE.

Now keep in mind this is being treated as a one year Pilot Program for Idaho Parks and Rec.  There are still many unknowns and there are sure to be those who in both communities that are unhappy with the situation.  But for now, we have begun to form a great partnership between the Motorized and Non-Motorized Trail users that will be helpful with year round trail development!

After nearly a year of conversations with our County Commissioners, County Attorney, Snowmobile Grooming District, we had an agreement and it was time to ride.  The onus is now on the Fat Bikers to ride responsibly and make this pilot program a model for other communities.
Common Questions:

How did you arrive at $50 for the permit?

Snowmobile permits are $32.50.  However, a large part of the grooming budget comes from snowmobile gas tax revenue.  Since Fat Bikes are not burning gas, we felt that a higher registration fee could be justified.

Who receives the money?

All the net sticker revenue (after costs of sticker printing are recouped) will be remitted directly to Madison County who runs the grooming program.  Only 85% of snowmobile registration goes to the District selected by the owner.

Is the MOU binding?

There is really no way for us as Fat Bikers to speak for the entire Fat Bike, and certainly not the whole non-motorized, community and there is also no ability for the snowmobile community to issue tickets to non-stickered Fat Bikers so the MOU is largely symbolic.

Are all Non-Motorized users really expected to pay $50 to use these trails?

This MOU was drafted very quickly.  We as the Fat Bike community did not intend to try to regulate the entire non-motorized community.  The MOU really should have read, “All Non-Motorized users are encouraged to purchase a donation sticker”.

What if a Fat Biker wants to ride on another Grooming District?

Great question.  Snowmobiles only buy one sticker for their home district.  This question needs further thinking.

Why should a Fat Biker join ISSA?

The Idaho State Snowmobile Association works very hard to make sure the State grooming program is successful and continues to grow.  As users who are dependent on these trails to ride, it only makes sens that we join forces.

Grand Targhee Snow Bike Race January 15th, 2012

Results

We had 45 racers at the start line for the 1st Annual Targhee Snowbike Race.   Conditions were amazing and the stoke factor high!  Thanks Andy Williams for the great event!

Togwotee Winter Classic March 3rd, 2012

Now in it’s 5th year, The TWC is truly becoming a “classic”.  Once again Dave Byers will be offering two distances so there is something for everyone!  Don’t forget, this event is FREE!
2011 TWC Race #1 from Dave Byers on Vimeo.

West Yellowstone Equinox Snow Challenge March 24th & 25th

Formerly the Equinox Ski Challenge, organizer Sam Newbury is expanding the race to include Fat Bikes this year.  Come up to race in the 3, 6, 12, or 24 hour categories!

It’s been a fun month of scheming on how to build the shop we’ve always dreamed about.  We are fortunate to now own our building and finally be able to invest in the future of the shop.  Big thanks to Jay and Brandon for the sweat equity and Carney Logan Burke Architects for the invaluable guidance.

Here are some photos to give you a little taste of things to come.  Click on a photo to enlarge.

I’m only showing this side of the shop since the other side is still loaded with construction debris and you don’t want to see our dirty laundry.

This will have to do for a sign for now.

Come on up.

Follow the Rubber Brick Road.

The new home for the Indoor Cycling Center.

The new Fit Studio still has some finish work to be done.

5 years ago we brought the first Surly Pugsley into the shop and wondered if this whole concept of Fat Biking would catch on.  At first most customers scoffed as they proclaimed with polished pride, “That’s cool and all, but I’m a skier in the winter.”  It was as if to say, “Sure, I live and breath all things bike from April to November but Ullr, the great god of Snow, would forever render my skis waxless and my goggles fogged if I ever thought about throwing a leg over a bike in the winter.”  We just smiled and politely offered these apostles of shuss a demo to see for themselves.  One by one the die hard skiers fell to the magic of the Fat Tire while assuring Ullr that they would not stray too far from the flock.  Ullr sat back and laughed at his fearful minions, “FOOLS!  I love to ride the Fat when the skiing blows!”

Now the greater Teton area has become a mecca for Winter Fat Biking and the people rejoice as their legs are prepared for the Spring riding like never before and the lack of a powder day offers a wondrous opportunity to explore new lands.  Come… rejoice.

Etiquette

We Fat Bikers are the new users on the trails and should be extra polite and courteous when out there riding.  Here are a few tips to always keep in mind when riding Fat (or skinny for that matter).

Fat Biker Snowmobile Trail trail etiquette:

• Install white flashing front lights and red flashing rear lights on Fat Bikes
• Yielding to Snowmobile traffic
• Riding as far right as possible at all times
• General awareness of parking area conditions that make it hard for Snowmobile trailers to maneuver
• Communicating with other trail users in a friendly manner
• Idaho Fat bike owners are encouraged to join the ISSA (Idaho State Snowmobile Assoc) http://www.idahosnow.org/

Fat Biker Nordic Trail trail etiquette:

• Do not ride if the Nordic track is posted for skiing only
• Do not ride if the snow is too soft
• Give skate skiers a wide berth
• Do not ride in the classic ski tracks
• Make a donation to the club or organization who grooms your local Nordic trail
• As a general rule, if you have to get off and push your bike, the snow is too soft and you absolutely shouldn’t be on the Nordic trails. If you are leaving a trough deeper than an inch or are having a hard time riding in a straight line, it is probably too soft to be on the Nordic trails.

Grand Targhee Fat Bike Guidelines and Rules

• Bikes – should yield right away at all intersections.
• Snow bike lane- ride to left of classic track/ yield to all skiers.
• Stay to right side of trail around corners and for oncoming
• Snow bike riders – should let track set –up until 10:00am on morning in which the track is groomed.
• Snow bikes – Ride Rick’s Basin and Quakie loops
• Counterclockwise only( best direction for hills)
• All riders should have trails pass.
• Trails – Do not ride in soft conditions.
• Hard packed conditions on trails with 2”new snow is ok, more than 2”( you can’t climb or descend very well)
• In a snow cycle 12” or more with freshly groomed trails can be too soft. If you leave a rut, it’s to soft.
• Snow bikes only on trails, tires must be 3.7” or bigger.

Fat Bike Etiquette Article by Dave Byers

What’s the deal with the gear?

Ahhh, there are many secrets to be discovered in this new sport.  Let us begin with the bike…

Salsa Mukluk 3 Complete $1599 ------ Rentals: $35/day $50/weekend

At Fitzgerald’s, we are a big supporter of the Salsa Mukluk.   The Mukluk offers you a light weight Aluminum frame and modern Fat Bike geometry at an amazing price!  Fat Biking is not the fastest form of cycling so you’ll appreciate the lighter frame and fatter rims when you’re cruising along at 5 miles an hour

There are many other options out there and here is a good article from 2010 that will give you some more ideas…

2010 Snowbike State of the Union Article

We have much more to discuss in the “gear” category… stay tuned.

Where to Ride.

Contrary to popular misconceptions, you can not “braaaap” your way across an open snow field on a Fat Bike.  The critical component to a successful Fat Bike ride is a supportable base under your rubber (good tip for life in general).  So groomed Nordic trails, snowmobile groomed trails, snowmobile “singletrack”, and winter roads is the arena in which this sport takes place.  Around here there is no shortage of destinations.

Wyoming:

Around Jackson you can keep yourself entertained with a handful of groomed trails.  The Cache Creek and Game Creek trails offer consistent grooming and easy in-town access.  Keep an eye on Putt-Putt and Hagen for doable Winter singletrack riding when the snow storms have been few and far between.  Hagen specifically can be awesome!

If you are looking for a more “back country” experience, take the beautiful drive to Togwotee Lodge on a sunny day and explore the Continental Divide Trails.  The CD-V-CD route is a great 25mile loop or make it a big longer by substituting the K Trail instead of the V for a 35 mile option.  This is the home of the Togwotee Winter Classic Snowbike Race.

Teton Valley Idaho:

The real goods are in Idaho.   Thanks to an extremely active State Parks and Rec grooming program, we have literally hundreds of miles of groomed trails to be explored.  Have you ridden your bike in the Horseshoe Canyon?  Well that’s a great place to begin your Winter ride too.  Head to the end of Horseshoe Canyon Rd and park where the plowing ends (be aware that snowmobile trailers need ample room to maneuver).  Ride out and back to Packsaddle Rd or climb high into the Big Holes for an all day adventure.  Trail head maps will show you the way.

On the East side of the Valley, look to the canyons for more adventure.  Teton Canyon is groomed thanks to Teton Valley Trails and Pathways and Darby Canyon is snowmobile packed and less frequently traveled.

Don’t forget Grand Targhee!  Thanks to Andy Williams at the ‘Ghee, they are the first resort in the Country to offer Fat Biking on their Nordic trails.  Check in with the Activity Center for your day pass and be sure to check the grooming report before you go to find out if conditions are favorable for bikes that day.

Of course, you haven’t really experienced Teton Valley until you have turned off the highway and explored our back roads.  When the snow builds up, the Valley Fat Biking is amazing.  Whether you are heading out for 5 miles or a Winter Century, there is no limit to the exploration.  Check in with the shop for a suggested route and current conditions.

Island Park, ID and West Yellowstone, MT

Have I used the term Mecca too much already?  Well ignore all the previous references because this is it!  The snowmobile trails book-ended by these two communities is EPIC!  Phenomenal day rides or multi-day adventures await.  Check in with the shop for more info on these areas and take a look at the map below:

Freemont County Grooming Map

For latest grooming report call 208-624-7266

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks:

Don’t get me started…. Although both parks boast a desire to increase non-motorized Winter use, riding your bicycle on groomed park roads is currently illegal.  This bicycle ban is the result of misconceptions about the safety of other Winter users sharing the trail with cyclists.  Yes, that’s right, even in Yellowstone you can not ride your bicycle on the road where snow coaches, snowmobiles, skiers, and snow shoers are peacefully co-existing.  Stay tuned as we continue dialog with both parks about changing these unfortunate regulations.

Events

Grand Targhee Snow Bike Race — Results

Togwotee Winter Classic

West Yellowstone Equinox Snow Challenge