Photo Essay: Fall in Sun Valley
Fall in Sun Valley is pretty spectacular: no crowds, perfect weather, incredible scenery, and endless big ride options. Earlier this week we wrapped up our final big-mountain trip of the year there with a great crew of riders, and it was nothing short of phenomenal. In total we managed just under 90 miles of high country bliss with about 10k’ of climbing and 15k’ of descent.
After a couple of trips bringing along the Insta360 Go 3S for video, we went back to our roots and brought along the regular camera, so we’re re-capping this trip OG-style with a bunch of photos. Take a look below for a day-to-day rundown as well as our favorite shots from the trip!
Day 1: Oregon Gulch to Adams Gulch
This is a great ride to kick things off, as there aren’t any huge climbs (most are 400-800′) so folks can get acclimated and used to the terrain. Between Saddle, Chocolate Gulch, Fox Creek and Adams Gulch there’s a bit of everything from endless flow to chunky tech to a properly built flow trail with Forbidden Fruit! Total ride with bonus options was 22 miles, 3500′ of climbing and 4500′ of descent.
Day 2: Osberg Ridge Epic
Since we had a large group for this trip, we alternated ride days 2 & 3 and half the group hit Osberg Ridge; a 27-mile, 3200′ epic from deep in the backcountry all the way back to town. Osberg is famous for its views and never-ending singletrack, and it certainly delivered. This ride isn’t for the faint of heart as it’s a BIG day on the bike; it always seems to be harder than the numbers themselves.
Day 3: Castle Creek to Red Warrior
Another big day in the backcountry, this ride starts from the Baker Lake TH about 40 minutes outside of town and ends up behind the ski resort. With two big descents (Castle Creek is 7 miles and Red Warrior is ~5 miles), the effort to reward ratio is high on this ride! All-time views combined with rugged descents and backcountry solitude make this a rider favorite every time. Total ride was 23 miles with 2900′ of climbing and 4200′ of descent.
Day 4: Greenhorn-Imperial Loop
Although it’s the last day of the trip and our ride is a bit abbreviated, this is still one of our favorites. The Greenhorn climb is mostly mellow until the last 1/2 mile, and the Imperial downhill is always a staff and rider favorite! Flow, a bit of tech, crazy views, and perfect fall conditions make this a perfect ending to the trip! Total ride this day was 12 miles and 2100′ of climbing/descending.
