Stephen Koch

I had a lovely mountain bike ride recently, leaving my house at 7 a.m., riding up Farrins to the back side of Snow King Mountain then headed down to Game Creek and finally out Cache Creek. This route is a variation of the “Race Course,” which originally went up the front/north side of Snow King (a total grind I avoid biking like the plague). The newer route up Farrins is much friendlier with comparatively mellow switchbacks, less people and cooler temps, especially later in the day when it is in the shade. At this hour of the morning though, I was loving the early sunlight filtering through the trees, leaving me happy and content.

Leaving at 7 I was a bit cold for the first few minutes, having only worn a short sleeve shirt, until I started up hill.

I brought a couple GU Energy Gels and the new GU CHOMPS (here). It was the first time I had eaten the Chomps while biking and they were suprisingly easy to down and didn’t even require any water becasue they activated my saliva enough to swallow. I followed up with water as soon as it was safe.

While on route I  couldn’t help but stop and take a few photos (below) with my mobile phone. I was inspired with the early morning light, dew on the well grown vegetation and flowers everywhere – more flowers than in all of Manhattan!

The ride took me 2 hours. One can extend it by taking the entire Putt-Putt trail down or heading back across Snow King via the Hagan trail to Sink or Swim. Conversely, one can shorten it by heading down/west once you meet the Game Creek Trail. This requires a ride on the beautiful bike path once out on the Highway to get back to Jackson.

We have phenomenal mountain biking in and around Jackson Hole!

If you want to buy a guidebook on the area’s mountain biking, check out Brian Prax and Mark Schultheis’s book, Guide to Mountain Biking in the Jackson Hole Area (here).

Photo: © Stephen Koch, 2009

Photo: © Stephen Koch, 2009

Photo: © Stephen Koch, 2009

Photo: © Stephen Koch, 2009

Photo: © Stephen Koch, 2009