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SANDPOINT & NORTH IDAHO BIKING & HIKING

Biking and racing down Schweitzer Mountain is relatively new, and in 2005 the NORBA national Series spent the weekend at Schweitzer resort in Idaho. This was the third year for NORBA at Schweitzer. There was plenty of fun to be had and a lot of racing. According to race enthusiast Kevin Tisue: "Schweitzer is a good venue in a far off location, but well worth the trip."

Check out this article from Velonews.com, July 15, 2005: NORBA brings whole show to Schweitzer

For all area rides visit the Pend Oreille Pedalers

And for other biking opportunities, visit All About Adventures

Schweitzer Mountain Trails

While Schweitzer played host to several sanctioned regional and national mountain bike races, the big ones were in 2003 and 2005 for the NORBA National race series. Schweitzer has an excellent set of trails for virtually every level of rider. The trails include demanding climbs,technical rock descents, such as the exhilarating Butt Slide Rock and Moffit's Edge. For the Intermediate riders there are less demanding runs, but a constant is the view of immense Lake Pend Oreille and numerous mountain ranges ring the land. Pick up a map in Schweitzer Village, up the hill, 11 miles from Sandpoint.
 

Upper Grr and Overland trails: Begin at the village plaza and ride past the Great Escape Quad lift to the trailhead. While it may sound funny, Grr is an actual real word, so follow the signs to the Upper Grr and/or the Overland trails. Overland Trail is to the right and offers a 4.5-mile loop that with a number of difficult and challenging side trails. A rolling road section brings you to Rolling Thunder, a quick but difficult section of singletrack. This can take you to Picnic Point where you can relax, soak up the mountain surroundings, and ever-present panoramic lake views. There is always wildlife around, and numerous other trails to ride, including Moose Trot, Bear Ridge and Cougar Gulch.

Trail particulars: If you bike the whole mountain, from top to bottom, there’s more than 2,400 feet of elevation gain. But biking Schweitzer provides access to a power assist, namely, the Great Escape quad chairlift. Running Friday-Sunday in summer, if you buy a ticket to haul your bike up on the chairlift to the top of Schweitzer peak you’ll be able to hammer downhill loops until you've rattled yourself silly. Advanced riders can try Off The Top, a 3.5-mile downhill plunge that drops you into the lift line, or Moffit's Edge, a technical section of the NORBA downhill course. Known by locals as "Snakebite," Moffit's Edge slithers down glades and ski runs, traversing wide-open slopes, then diving back into deep woods in a testy mix of fall-line and off-camber side-hilling, culminating in a nice eight-foot rock drop. Yee-haw for advanced riders.

There are a few shops in Sandpoint that are great for amateurs a pros alike:

Outdoor Experience 314 N. First Avenue, 208-263-6028
Alpine Designs 312 N. Fifth Avenue, 208-263-9373
Sandpoint Sports 214 Cedar, 208-265-6163
Sports Plus 102 S. Boyer Avenue, 208-263-5174

Click the map below for a PDF map of summer Schweitzer Trails