The route research project for 2026 will take place on the areas surrounding the Frank Church—River of No Return Wilderness. The hope is to create a loop which stays as close to it’s boundary as possible

This grassroots project is open to all bikepackers who wish to volunteer their time to explore any portion of this area during the riding season of 2026

After the autumn snows close off the high country to bicycle travel, experiences and routing will be pulled together and shared. Those who contributed will have the option to help decide on the final routing including alternates, decide on the name of the route, and decide on what organization(s) to donate the routing to

hypothesis

Strength in numbers—the belief that many contributing to a route is better than a few. Pulling the diverse perspectives of talented route researchers will aid to the development of quality experiences for future riders

faq

  • This is not an “event” with “participants”, but rather a project with volunteers. So, there is no event to register for

  • No. While volunteers may be associated with various organzations, the project itself is not a product of any organization, influencer, content creator or group

  • It will not be. It is a grassroots project created by the community, for the community.

  • In terms of cell phone coverage, it is one of the most remote areas in the lower 48

  • The Frank Church—River of No Return Wilderness is a vast, protected area in central Idaho that is the largest contiguous wilderness in the lower 48 states. It spans nearly 2.4 million acres of mountains, canyons, and wild rivers like the Salmon River.

  • The ideal time for a bikepacking adventure in the Northern Rockies is after the snow has melted up high, but before fire season. This gets tricky. Usually, that puts us in the late-June to mid-July timeframe. There also can be a window in Sept-Oct that is smoke-free, but still decently warm.

  • Yes, if needed. There are many options to cover in the area. Lot’s of unknowns

  • No. It is encouraged that riders get creative with their exploration and adventures

  • This is not an organized bikepacking race. It is encouraged that riders partake in their own style. If that means to ride faster, that’s great. If some route researchers come together to test themselves against each other on an agreed upon un-researched route within the research area, that’s great too

  • We’ll have a way for you to connect soon