Destination Showcase: McCall, Idaho [Updated for 2024]

Mar 21, 2024
by Tory Powers  

MCCALL, IDAHO
A Mountain Playground in the Pacific Northwest
Video & Words: Tory Powers
Photo: Anthony Smith
Riders: Braydon Bringhurst, Nicole Bringhurst
Presented by Visit Idaho


You’ve seen what Boise has to offer here, but what else lies within a short trip from Idaho's capital city? Our next must-see location was McCall, a quick two-hour jaunt north from downtown Boise. We packed up the car and headed on a beautiful drive through the canyon in Boise National Forest. The whole drive is outstanding, with views of the Payette River and the rolling hills outside of Boise that slowly transition into a true taste of the Rocky Mountains.

McCall may look like a tourist town at first impression with its antique storefronts, but there’s so much more to McCall than fudge shops and pristine views of Payette Lake. If you thought the riding scene in Boise looked all-time, McCall has a completely different style of riding and so much more to offer to the state of Idaho and the world of cycling.

Downtown McCall is a favorite destination for Southern Idaho residents.

The vibe in McCall felt very quaint and welcoming, even though we (or at least myself) were far from locals. We stayed at the Scandia Inn–a Scandinavian-renovated drive-in motel that totally fit the bill. I mean, come on, they have a waffle truck out front on Saturdays. McCall felt very much like the Pacific Northwest with its pine trees and wet climate, so naturally we knew this was going to be a blast.

Lacing up at the Scandia Inn for a day in the mountains.
Braydon lacing up in front of the Scandia Inn in downtown McCall, Idaho.


Jug Mountain Ranch


Our first stop in McCall was Jug Mountain Ranch. In my opinion, Jug Mountain Ranch alone makes the drive up to McCall worthwhile. Located about 15 minutes outside of McCall, Jug is a mini-paradise built on private golf course land. In the Ponderosa forest lies 17 miles of trail with maintenance supported by the Clubhouse Restaurant and Bar just down the road. Now, 17 miles total might sound underwhelming until you realize that these trails felt like a private lift-access bike park.

An easy pedal to the top via fire road leads you to trails of all skill levels, from beginners looking for a fun and flowy descent to expert riding with massive wood features, rock gaps, and pure speed.

Jug Mountain Ranch in McCall Idaho offers up an much different landscape to Boise s rolling hills.
Braydon rolling fast into a curved wall ride on Stitches.

My personal favorite was Berm and Ernie, a blue trail that was full of flow and, you guessed it, berms.

Braydon Bringhurst cutting it close at Jug Mountian.
Brushing through the tight turns on Berm and Ernie.
The high speed flow at Jug Mountian does not dissapoint.
Constant snake runs for perfect flow.

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A flowy rock gap on Stitches.
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The rocky Idaho terrain as shown by a section on Double Shot.

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Lush greenery and ladder bridges on one of Jug Mountain XC loops.


This was Braydon's playground. He had all of the lines, hucks, and flow dialed.


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Didn't believe me when I said "hucks"?

If you’re looking for something a bit more tame, head to the top of Jug to ride around the stunning Jug Creek Reservoir.

The perfectly manicured trails at Jug Mountian are a hallmark of this unique network of singletrack

The Shoreline Trail was an absolute blast. We were all on mid-travel enduro bikes, and the constant up and down of this loop was actually pretty refreshing. It’s chock full of fast loam (we got absolutely amazing conditions with some rain that rolled in right before we arrived), some long meandering wooden bridges over streams, smooth rock gardens, and even some roots. This loop had it all, and it’s a great way to get some mileage in between downhill laps.

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Braydon on another favorite, Double Shot, with some technical rock gaps and tight turns, in and out of the trees.

A couple other notable mentions are Exfoliator, a jump trail with big wood features and rocks, and Vandalay, a nice, easy blue.


Jug Mountain biking trails


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Goose Creek


The next day we visited Goose Creek in the morning just northwest of the Brundage Mountain Resort trails. Braydon and Anthony were making fun of my jaw-dropped response to the approach while we drove up through the clouds. Being from Colorado, I’m not used to low clouds, but I think that these photos speak for themselves. I had the window down and my camera out practically the whole ride as we had received another awesome evening shower the evening before.

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A light dew on the trees and shrubs was a true indicator of perfect conditions.

This is where I first noticed how similar Idaho felt to the Pacific Northwest: damp dirt with just the right consistency and grip, and air with just the slightest bit of chill to it. This geographical realization was partly due to my own stupidity given its close proximity to Washington and Canada, but you never really hear anyone talk about Idaho this way, so I needed to do it some justice.

I've spent my fair share of time in the PNW but either without a bike or during the intense wildfires and drought of Crankworx 2018, so unfortunately I've never truly experienced the feeling of the world-famous pristine dirt. It's incredible to finally understand what I've been missing out on all of these years living in Colorado.

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Braydon brushing through the tall, damp ferns before breaking out of the ponderosas into the open.

Goose Creek was a must if you’re looking for a mini adventure. The ride started out with a pretty large river crossing before it started descending back below the clouds.

Goose Creek near Brundage Mountain is a raw and rugged out and back.
This log was a fun yet treacherous start to the trail.

At each turn before we got deep into the ponderosas was another textbook view with wet rocks and clouds dissipating as the sun rolled in.

roots rocks and lush fall colors on Goose Creek.

As we got lower in elevation, the rocks became more intermittent and were replaced with roots and fresh loam.

Slippery roots and green moss probably isn t the first thing people think of with tails in Sounthern Idaho.
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We didn’t see any mountain bikers or hikers on this 12-mile out-and-back ride and boy did everyone else miss out. As you approach the “end” of the ride, you get to a beautiful bridge going over, you guessed it, Goose Creek.

The high desert of Boise counldn t be more different to the desnse forests near McCall.

At this junction, it’s definitely more of a river, as this area has multiple decent-sized waterfalls and pretty heavy water flow. You can actually access the same road we used to get to the trailhead and utilize it as a shuttle location if you’ve got a willing soul to take you back to the top. This would be a blast to shuttle because it’s definitely a long, tough climb after already experiencing a solid six miles of riding. Unless you're Braydon (and even he had a few times off of the bike), expect to hike a good portion of the technical riding.

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After a pretty intense mileage and elevation accumulation over the past 24 hours, we were relieved to learn our last two zones were more on the mellow side.



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Braydon enjoying evening light at the lookout in Ponderosa State Park.
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Ponderosa State Park


That same evening we checked out Ponderosa State Park, which sits on the peninsula that rests inside Payette Lake. This area was perfect for a post-ride, well, ride. The most technical trail here rates as a blue, but holy moly it was a blast. Truly, you come here to get some mileage in and check out the views when you reach the high point, which coincides with the tip of the peninsula. You can rack up eight unique miles here, and it’s perfect for the whole family. The green trails feel a bit more like bike paths, but if you sneak onto Huckleberry Bay Loop, you’ll actually catch some nice singletrack with some fast, snappy turns.

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Braydon finding traction in the perfect dirt on Huckleberry Bay Loop.

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There was no shortage of speed on the smooth, fast trails in Ponderosa State Park.
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One of the wider, more family-oriented trails in the park.

Trust me when I say that the view alone is worth the effort.

We got a solid final night of rest in McCall so that we could get up bright and early for a sunrise lap at the Payette Rim Trail.


Ponderosa State Park mountain biking trails


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Payette Rim Trail


Another six-mile long trail, this one meanders through what I’d call foothills right alongside the Payette Lake. As you ride north, the sun rises right over the lake and creates some amazing light. Payette Rim Trail can be as fast as you want to make it or as relaxing as any Sunday stroll.

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Nicole and Braydon grabbing some rest before the sun peaks over Payette Lake.

No extreme elevation gain, mileage that you determine–a perfect trail for your hardtail or short-travel trail bike. We were lucky to experience the fall foliage and light amongst the dirt that was miraculously maintaining its composure from the storm a few days earlier.

This area is perfect for yet another easy ride with the family or a post-ride lap before dark. You can also connect this area to a multitude of other zones, extending along Payette Lake, a quick pedal down the dirt road to Brundage, and also even closer to Bear Basin, which is potentially the easiest access to mountain biking you can get out of McCall. We only checked out Bear Basin for a quick test, but this is another great area right off the main road that you can get your tires dirty and get some cardio in.




Braydon Bringhusrt overlooking Payette Lake in McCall


Well, Idaho, you stole my heart and potentially my next travel plans. It’s just close enough to a lot of cycling hot spots for a road trip, so don’t think twice if it’s on your list. I’ve had the pleasure to check out a lot of unique riding spots I wouldn’t normally think of in the past couple of years, and Idaho is officially at the top of my list. The progressive way that they have been developing ample riding that is both safe and pushing boundaries made me envious. I hope that other areas can learn from what is happening in both Boise and McCall.


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Local Knowledge

Getting here: If traveling by air, McCall is most accessible after arrival at the Boise Airport (BOI). From Boise, make your way north on State Highway 55, the Payette River Scenic Byway. The mountain town of McCall sits on the shores of Payette Lake and is a year-round vacation destination.

The Climate & Wildlife: McCall has mild summers and cold, snowy winters. But don’t worry—it still has four breathtaking seasons. With fantastic weather and a mountainous ecosystem comes diverse wildlife. Located within the Payette National Forest, the McCall area is home to 300+ species of wildlife including beavers, foxes, river otters, deer, moose, and elk. Birding and fishing are also popular draws for visitors and Idahoans alike.

Bike shops and repairs: If you’re looking to rent a bike, grab some gear, or need a tune-up before hitting the trails, stop in at a local bike shop like Gravity Sports or McCall Sports Exchange. Another popular option, Home Town Sports, has been around since 1979 and provides gear, rentals, repairs, service, and local knowledge.

Local Mountain Biking Clubs: In 2015, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) recognized McCall as a Silver Ride Center for its community support and maintenance of trail systems. Central Idaho Mountain Bike Association (CIMBA) works to keep trails in pristine condition while supporting local events like the annual Mountain Bike Festival and scheduled rides.

Food and Drink: No matter where you’re shredding, good food is always a must. Before heading out on a ride, get your caffeine fix at Fogglifter Café or Mountain Java.

For a fine-dining experience, visit Rupert's at Hotel McCall for pan-roasted sea bass and steamed local yak dumplings. Then mosey on over to the bar for a variety of signature cocktails like the Huckleberry Breeze.

For panoramic views of Payette Lake during dinner, head to The Narrows Steakhouse at Shore Lodge. Indulge in the signature lobster bisque and a selection of steaks topped with an array of sauces and compound butters, like a blackberry cabernet reduction or a honey thyme Rogue River blue cheese.

Must Dos: If you can’t get enough trail action, head to Brundage Mountain Resort and enjoy a scenic summer ride with chairlift access. Tamarack Resort to the south near Donnelly offers ziplining for an adrenaline experience above the trails.

A McCall staple, Ice Cream Alley has been serving up mountain-sized scoops for 40 years. Choose from 20 flavors with heavenly spoonfuls like Huckleberry, Lemon Pie, or Espresso Explosion.

And of course, if you want to ditch the dirt for a day or two in favor of some water, Payette Lake offers a variety of activities including swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. For another round of water activities, spend the day paddling the whitewater of the Payette River. You’ll find a number of nearby outfitters and trips to match your adventure level.

For help planning your Idaho mountain biking vacation, ride on over to VisitIdaho.org and download our Official Travel Guide today.



McCall mountain biking trails


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Presented by Visit Idaho.


Author Info:
torypowers avatar

Member since Aug 5, 2011
15 articles

151 Comments
  • 151 1
 Wow, never expected my home trails of McCall to be featured on Pink Bike like this. Come and enjoy. If you do, please be respectful of other trail users. We have worked very hard here to maintain relationships with all users, especially the motorized community. They are responsible for keeping the vast majority of our backcountry trails cleared and open. For that we owe them many thanks.
  • 10 5
 So does that mean the e-bikes are also cool?
Asking for a friend Smile
  • 14 3
 @Dustfarter: In my book they are. We have hundreds of miles of backcountry trails. In the right hands they are a weapon for all day epics. Just make sure the ride doesn't have too much hike-a-bike!
  • 7 9
 Anyone with plates having that red cursive writing at the top can just keep on to Montana, right?
  • 4 0
 @jslaidlaw the funnest trail I found in McCall passing through there a few years back was a moto drop that crossed that road up to the lookout above Bear Basin. The sheep and warning signs about "dangerous sheepdogs" were out then too. A Ranger had told me they weren't supposed to be in that area because I was trying to avoid them on account of the reputedly deadly dogs. The Ranger confirmed they were indeed incredibly fierce and dangerous. I was so pissed to run into them on the ride and confronted the head herder who had the most precious deadly sheep dog puppy across his saddle in front of him who had to be petted. No English but he indicated it was fine to ride into the herd. So I worked my way up the climb and one of the gigantic super friendly deadly sheepdogs escorted me all the way through what had to have been a couple miles of sheep LOL. Sheep are really stupid. And the moto drop was a blast.
  • 3 0
 @Redhawk: I think that about sums it up around here. If you treat people with respect you will most likely get an extremely warm and accommodating response. I did a stint living in the Wasatch and had a sticker on my touring skis that said, "Act like an a*shole get treated like an a*shole." Most locals here share the same sentiment.
  • 2 0
 Yep! It’s awesome to have my home town on the radar for must ride!
  • 14 1
 I love Jug, especially when in non-Covid times you can book a seat on their Unimog Shuttle on the weekends. A few years ago, I felt like I progressed more in a McCall weekend of lapping Brundage and Jug than I did the whole rest of the year.

Parts of Idaho also don’t have the quality of trail building that you might expect if you’re from BC or Western Washington, but Jug’s trails are top notch. They’ve got a great crew there building great flow, and the kind of tech that rewards you more the faster you go.

The only downside is how stupid-expensive anything near the lake in McCall had gotten during the summers. But the shoulder season is a great time to visit. And non-Pandemic summers away from the lake aren’t too bad.

Bear Basin is another great compact riding area with some well-build trails.

Also, don’t bother coming any further north into Idaho. It’s gross and the riding’s terrible. Trust me.
  • 16 3
 I learned McCall is in the Pacific Northwest... though locals call it the Northwest or Inland Northwest or InterMountain West ... being 300 miles from the ocean... you can drop the Pacific.
  • 7 2
 True that. Never considered ID Pacific Northwest by any means.. Inland northwest is what we’ve always been called.
  • 8 0
 I don't think whether something is in the PNW is defined by how close it is to the ocean, per say. The Cascadia Bioregion is one way and that encompasses most of Idaho. If you were defining the PNW by rainforests, most of Washington and Oregon wouldn't even classify as PNW. Once you drive past hood river, Oregon is just dry and looks a lot like southern Idaho.
  • 21 0
 Ohh! This is something totally meaningless that I've spent way too much time thinking about.

My thesis is: if you accept that the definition of the "Pacific Northwest" should have some kind of geographical or natural boundary, as opposed to a manmade one, there's no reason to exclude at the very least Idaho North of Lewiston, and very likely all of the state.

You know what the geographical/nautral difference is between Post Falls and Liberty Lake? Between Moscow and Lewiston? Between Newport and Oldtown? Absolutely nothing.

So, if your definition of the PNW includes Eastern Washington, it had better include North Idaho.

Now, you could make a case that the Snake forms a natural boundary where it's the border between Idaho and Oregon, but that becomes a problem once it starts flowing East/West.

You could also say that the PNW is the green rainy bit of the continent between Southern Oregon and Central BC, but then the PNW's eastern border in Washington is going to be somewhere around Cle Elum, which I think most people would agree is a bit small.

My personal candidate for a definition is based on Watersheds: www.usgs.gov/media/images/watershed-map-north-america - and would make up the PNW from the Columbia River and Frasier River watersheds, as well as the Pacific Ocean Seabord Watershed between the Northern and Southern boundaries of the Columbia and Frasier River watersheds.

Practically, that makes the Eastern boundary of the PNW the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains. The Northern boundary around Stuart Lake a bit Northwest of Prince George in BC, and a Southern boundary that cuts through Oregon a bit south of Bend, and then dips down below Boise roughly along the Idaho / Utah border.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
  • 10 8
 @atourgates: Fabulous explanation....a little simpler would be Idaho is

50 % So Cal
25% Arkansas
25 % multiply wives
Zero percent NW

HA
  • 2 0
 @atourgates: Lol, good Ted Talk. At least people know that Idaho touches Washington/Oregon. I lived on the East Coast for a year and a half after college and people knew that Idaho wasn't Iowa, but didn't believe that it was in the western US. I literally had an argument with a partner where I worked that Idaho was not next to Illinois.
  • 1 4
 300 miles to the ocean ain't that far, though it's a stretch to call it the PNW, perhaps NW would make more sense, it's certainly a continental climate, aint no ocean affect in Idaho. McCall has a much more liberal vibe than Boise, but it's not a place you can live year round unless you like snow and cold.
  • 3 0
 @nurseben: What? No ocean affect? Do you realize the reason that there is so much good snow in Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming is because of the strong storms that come through the PNW? Also, Oregon and Washington turn brown like 40-50 miles out from the coast, so not much of an ocean effect there either. This is a debated thing, but at least some of Idaho certainly should classify as PNW.
  • 1 0
 @nurseben: Oh man. I'd love to live year-round in McCall if I could do that, and have a good non-seasonal job.

If you were a remote worker that loved mountain biking and skiing, McCall would be a great place to live. Before the pandemic blew up the real-estate market last summer, you could get plenty of nice, single-family homes in town for ~$350k. It'll be interesting to see what happens to home values there after COVID is over.

I can't really think of many better places to live and have outdoor fun, or to raise kids having outdoor fun than McCall. Just, not a ton of employment opportunities outside of seasonal tourism-related work.
  • 5 1
 Yep, anything west of the Cascades is the PNW, plain and simple. I lump ID in with half of MT being part of the NW region
  • 4 0
 Yeah, Idaho, Pacific Northwest? Hero dirt? Loam? Are we looking at the same state?
try riding the 99% of the year that isn’t immediately after rain, Idaho riding climate is nothing at all like coast riding climates, there’s hero dirt once a year, and the rest is dust on top of cat litter on top of hard rock in 100° (85° in McCall at least)
  • 1 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: I agree, but again, geographic boundaries are usually not defined by the type of dirt an area has. Go ride most of Oregon that isn't close to the coast. Same kinda crap dirt that SW Idaho has.

I will say the dirt up by McCall is much better than Boise, however.
  • 2 0
 @Remedy808: hahaha
  • 4 2
 @HB208:
The dirt in McCall has a 2 week grace period before it turns into garbage dirt like the rest of the state, being higher up and cooler, but still, you can count the number or rainy days per year on one hand, it’s kinda misleading to spin this like it’s Bend or Bellingham riding or something. There isn’t loam, there’s rocks and dust, you just get lucky riding during/after rain (luckily Idaho’s terrible dirt drains really well, the best dirt I ever rode was at tamarack in the middle of a lightning storm)
  • 2 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: I thought the Boise dirt description was more misleading. I rode like two days last year that wasn't dry and moondust. Keeps you on your toes for sure. I basically don't know what to do when I actually have grip.
  • 10 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: Bend? Bend's dirt is worse than Boise's. Oakridge would support your point better.
  • 2 1
 @boadway: The Pacific Northwest is the region of the western United States located adjacent to the Pacific Ocean. It runs north to south from British Columbia, Canada, to Oregon. Idaho, parts of Montana, northern California, and southeastern Alaska are also listed as parts of the Pacific Northwest in some accounts.

cheers!
  • 1 0
 @atourgates: Fraser River. Not Frasier. Keep that in mind before your TED talk. Cheers.
  • 2 0
 @tsn73: Wait. You're saying it's not named after Seattle's favorite fictional radio psychiatrist?

This changes everything.
  • 1 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: Rarely 85 degrees in McCall, I would say mid to high 70s for most of the summer. Fun after the rain, actuall fun all the time. Moon dust in late summer for sure!
  • 1 0
 FYI Idaho actually is part of Cascadia. He's not wrong.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascadia_
  • 16 2
 Great to see Idaho recognizing the benefits of increased MTB tourism which means better and more trails!
  • 9 0
 Yes generally. Though this part of Idaho wasn't suffering for summer tourism before it got great trails.

Payette Lake has some of the most expensive lakefront property in the state, where nice waterfront homes often go in the 20s-of-millions, even pre-pandmic-rural-land-rush. Many summers, it's impossible to get a room or vacation rental anywhere near the water for quite a few weekends.

That said, Jug Mountain in particular is an interesting story. The way our Unimog driver told it a couple years ago, it was started as a golf course / housing development, away from either of the region's lakes. Some of the employees asked the owner/developer if they could use some of the earth-moving equipment to build a flow trail (Berm and Earnie), and the owner's response was, "Sure, if having mountain bike trails sells a single lot, they'll pay for themselves."

I have no doubt they have, and I'm sure they engender a ton of goodwill in the community, sell more than a few lunches and beers at the clubhouse, and contribute a reasonable amount of tourism income for the region.

Heck, I have no interest in Golf, and if I had an extra $500k to spend on a vacation house, Jug Mountain would be on my shortlist.
  • 1 0
 @atourgates: Smart owner. Jug Mountain has turned into one of the most talked about MTB systems in Idaho.
  • 16 0
 @atourgates: Actually, some of us were bootlegging trails on public land and the owner of Jug, who is a close friend, invited us to start building in his land. Started as couple of riders and hand tools building trails like Stitches and has evolved into what it is today. The owner of Jug has always been a big proponent of golfers, bikers, and trail runners coalescing in the clubhouse over food and drinks. He and his family have always been huge supporters of the local community.
  • 23 10
 Stop by Boise to burn your mask on your way home.
  • 23 10
 @HB208: Show me where I mentioned that it was not happening in MT...simply stating a fact. We live in backwoods conservative places...
  • 5 2
 @MikeyMT: Ok, but you were calling out Boise specifically. I am saying look in your own backyard before trashing Boise because some idiots came to our capitol to burn masks. Unfortunately, we are getting a shit ton of California's crazies (and yes we have homegrowns too).
  • 6 4
 @HB208: Boise news from literally yesterday vs. an article from last September. lol. All good man...the places we live are attracting all kinds of people - you guys have the LDS influence as well which always makes things interesting.
  • 19 11
 @HB208: It's not the Californians making Idaho look bad
  • 6 5
 @Remedy808: I agree.
  • 2 1
 Brilliant.
  • 11 4
 @Remedy808: No, but my experience has been that a lot of the Californians that move here are very very conservative. More conservative than a lot of the long time residents. My wife works with one of them as a teacher... her coworker moved here from Cali two years ago and is full on q anon, racism doesn't exist and if it does it is against white people, anti-mask/vax, etc.
  • 13 2
 @Remedy808: the Californians sure make California look bad though.
  • 6 4
 @TypicalCanadian: 100% but the dudes from idaho that keep blaming Cali for their problems is like me blaming you for loving poutine.
  • 4 3
 @HB208: Yeah , I have spent the past 32 years working in the timber industry all over the west, the racist are still there, they are from Idaho, Northern Idaho is still full of extremist. Just my experience from last week working with some N Idaho loggers.
  • 2 2
 @Remedy808: That's fair, but I'd also imagine loggers are going to attract more of this type than other professions.
  • 4 1
 @HB208: You would probably be surprised, and I'm totally generalizing but I know plenty of loggers based in science and reality, none of them are from Idaho.
  • 4 1
 @HB208: People move here for lots of reasons. But there are definitely a significant number of Californians who move here because they feel like they can be more openly racist and will have more alt-right neighbors than where they came from.

I thought the "Ex LA-County Sheriff's Deputy's moving to Kootenai County" was just a thing people said, but Buzzfeed (the news part of Buzzfeed, not the clickbait part) did a really great investigation a few years back: www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/wackadoodles-north-idaho
  • 3 1
 @atourgates: That was my point up above. The people moving to Idaho are very often more conservative than the people already here and are very vocal about "keeping Idaho, Idaho" or whatever nonsense they spout after just moving here from another state.

www.postregister.com/news/local/moving-right-the-rise-of-the-political-migrant-in-idaho/article_398be39f-80b9-5214-b565-dec2882c37ef.html
  • 4 1
 There is also that famous governor race in 2014 that makes ID people look insane. If you don’t believe me, grab some popcorn and watch the show: youtu.be/kPwW8nBVc0g
  • 2 1
 @Batipapo: I know, Russ Fulcher is insane. The other guys look rational in comparison to him... given that he just pushed a capitol police officer and voted to not allow the presidential confirmation process to proceed even after the riots.
  • 3 1
 Idaho,CA 90210
  • 2 0
 @Batipapo: O.M.G. hahahahahaa
  • 13 2
 Soon to be... McCallifornia jajajaja
  • 8 0
 McTahoe
  • 4 0
 I call it McCallywood
  • 1 0
 Macbook, Tesla, LaCroix, WiFi, Pilates...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iysw5I50Cr0
  • 8 0
 I keep hearing front range Colorado people saying they are looking at McCall to move to. Prepare yourselves for the micro puffy invasion.
  • 4 0
 Dude, micropuffies are life. Also, yeah, McCall is blowing up right now.
  • 6 2
 So, uhh, former Californians looking for another place to ruin?
  • 1 0
 Former franger happily relocated . No Micro Puffy yet!
  • 6 0
 Great shots and looks like a solid little riding area. Cheers to all and rubber side down!
  • 4 0
 I love McCall! The riding there is super rad. I know you mentioned this, but tamarack is also a way fun bike park. Like way better than I was expecting the first time I rode there.
  • 1 0
 Tamarack is superb!
  • 5 0
 As someone who lives in a very popular outdoor town on the coast of Washington State, I 100% endorse McCall Idaho as the new place everyone should move to!
  • 4 0
 From Stanley up to Sunbeam From Clayton on to Chalice, Heading down the Salmon river To a rangeland palace Sage brush all around
  • 2 0
 Challis.
  • 2 0
 I am lucky enough to live in Washington. Every time I hear about something in Idaho or Oregon or Washington or BC, it's kind of cool to know I'm not more than an 8 hour drive from any of it. I have yet to actually use any of it though, I don't have anyone to go mountain biking with.
  • 5 0
 Stoked y'all finally made it to McCall. We got lots more trails on the way....check back soon!!
  • 5 0
 Brundage and Tamarack are both good times
  • 1 0
 just don't go to TAM right after the NW cup, I wish they took better care of it because it never rides to good after the race.
  • 2 0
 yes, it's an ad. yes, it's good.
if that's the kind of ads you have now pinkbike I'll gladly take them (we do come from "adjusting xt 4 piston brakes with feedback tools" and cringe-worthy things like that...)
  • 1 0
 Deciding on a trip for mid July this summer, Coeur d'Alene and hit silver or McCall and hit Brundage, Tamarack and Jug? Specifically what does the dirt look like mid summer as I can tell things will get crazy dusty at both spots. Silver seems like it's got a lot more advanced trails in that single spot which appeals to me but when you combine all the advanced trails at the three spots in McCall it seems pretty even. Thoughts?
  • 1 0
 It will be dry, especially so this year!
  • 4 3
 This article is complete trash and nonsense. Idaho sucks, there's literally nothing good in the entire state. Hell you can add the entire PNW to that. Just stay in California or wherever you are. No reason to move or visit up here. We'll just have to pretend to enjoy it.
  • 1 0
 yeah man its totally awful, don't ever think of even visiting here.
  • 3 0
 Braydon Bringhurst friggin rips! That was a fun vid to watch just for the riding.
  • 2 0
 I hope I can ride as good as Braydon when I grow up. Every time I see him ride it makes me want to get my bike and hit the trails.
  • 5 1
 Idaho sucks, we are full, stay away, tell your friends! hahahaha
  • 2 0
 @stalkinghorse: ok, from some of the comments it does sound like it sucks.
  • 4 0
 Updated in 2024 = Visit Idaho paid us to post it again?
  • 3 0
 Looks super fun. Just wish that Bogus Basin or Tamarack hosted more races.
  • 5 0
 Tam is a NW Cup site. They could do more races, but that is a fairly big race.
  • 3 0
 they also did several other smaller races at Tamarack this summer. TeamTrailParty (www.trailparty.com) came through for a lift served "enduro" where you can ride each course as many times as you want. The Trail Party races are the most fun that can be had and still call it a race. The local "Twisted Turtle Racing" also did an enduro and XC race at tamarack this summer
  • 3 0
 @aiden-mclean1214: Bogus should do more races though. They should also open up the backside to MTB. There is way more vertical.
  • 1 0
 @HB208: I’ve got good news for you! Just scrolling through on and saw this. The backside is getting worked on, and there are some super motivated people leading handbuilt volunteer dig day! Hit me (@aiden.McLean) or Cheddar (@cheddarchild) up on Instagram if you’re interested in being a part of the next chapter of bogus’ biking
  • 1 0
 @aiden-mclean1214: For sure man, I have seen the work that is happening. Once they can get trails accessed by the backside lift its game over for the other resorts.
  • 2 0
 Watching this guy ride i think, damn, i need a smaller bike. ...then need to learn how to corner on that bike.
  • 1 0
 Goose Creek is a good ride,down towards riggins slate Creek ranger station down is a epic run, tamarack and brundige are fun as well...
  • 2 0
 As a visible PoC Idaho is absolutely the last place on Earth I would ever go by choice.
  • 1 0
 The only reason I’ve ever been to McCall is for the skate park. Looks like I’ll have to bring bike next time.
  • 2 0
 Solid shots! Love that one on the wet bridge.
  • 1 0
 These Showcase series have been amazing. You know quality content when it makes you actually want to ride in these places.
  • 1 0
 whats the green jersey braydon is wearing? like the look without big logos on it
  • 1 0
 It looks like a Smartwool merino long sleeve. Maybe patagonia. IDK. He is responsive on Instagram if you message him.
  • 1 0
 that flowy rock gap photo is Double Shot not Stitches
  • 1 0
 No connection between the ads and the articles, right?
  • 5 0
 don't care..
  • 2 0
 Beautiful country
  • 1 0
 Great trail ambassador. Love McCall area riding, can't wait til summer.
  • 1 0
 respect to the camera man
  • 1 0
 Very beautiful place, great pics
  • 1 0
 Are these trails good now, or do they get snow?
  • 4 0
 They had a lot of snow this winter! The ski season has not ended yet.
  • 4 0
 Lol, no way. The valley is still filled with snow. Boise's trails are barely ridable right now due to mud and there is no snow on the lower elevations.
  • 3 0
 There's about 3 feet of snow or more on most of those trails, but Jug grooms single track for and rents fatbikes, it's way more fun than one might think after watching the current crop of winter videos there. Also on the subject of wildlife, I've seen both black bear and mountain lions in those areas which were not mentioned. Anybody needs a guide during a visit pm me, I'm always up for a ride.
  • 1 0
 Going to have to make another trip there... @zhendoo
  • 1 0
 Any mention of bear prep?
  • 1 0
 they're around, but not a problem out here. no prep needed.
  • 1 0
 @payettetrails: Really? That's good! Thinking I need to get out there this aug/sep
  • 1 0
 The “equalizer” town
  • 2 3
 Where are the big balls I was told about?
  • 1 2
 Okay Brayden that was seriously impressive.
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