Banner Ridge Rd(sh) by Bicycle - Velo

The Clearwater Mountains south of Grangeville have a large number of steep, smoothly surfaced dirt road climbs. Like many other summit points in this area, this point can be approached many different ways, and the pictures and description are for the particular approach I tried out.

1.(00.0m,1570ft)START-END SOUTH: FR2028 branches of US95 in Salmon River Canyon
2.(03.3m,2090ft)jct with FR463 on right
3.(06.5m,3230ft)route turns left onto Fosket Grade Rd
4.(07.9m,3880ft)route turns right onto Banner Ridge Rd
5.(10.1m,4570ft)TOP
6.(10.7m,4540ft)profile turns left on Free Use rd
7.(18.0m,1840ft)profile turns left on Old White Bird Rd
8.(19.8m,1560ft)START-END NORTH: White Bird (village)

Approaches

From South. The first part of the approach up Skookumchuck Creek Road is common to the FR2028 Skookumchuck Rd(sh). At about 3200ft elevation a sign stating Fosskett Summit points in direction of a sinusoidal traverse up a bare grassy hillside. The profile follows this. This section is smooth but steep.

On top of the ridge the visitor is not only greeted by a view of the Salmon Canyon, but also a decision about which way to proceed at a T junction. This is Banner Ridge Rd and the profile goes right uphill. Surprisingly this is anything but a wilderness up here. The road goes past a large well endowed home, following the edge of this slanted plateau shelf uphill. There is a continuous great view towards the north. The summit appears immediately after the road turns away from the edge, in the forest, without views

From North. (described downwards) There is another shelf with an incised canyon waiting on this side, another T junction too. Going right leads to higher points on another good dirt road and eventually to Id14. The profile turns left and takes a fast descent, mostly between farms and hay bails, with widely variable grades, in order to swoop down onto the village White Bird like a falling bomb. The last part is paved. - Great views of the switchbacks on Old White Bird Grade.

( < FR2028 Skookumchuck Rd(sh) | FR5080 King's Lake Rd - Halfmoon Lake Rd s(u) > )
Banner Ridge Rd s(u) , Old White Bird Hill Rd s(u) , White Bird Hill Rd(sh) : starting at ~4600ft on Skookumchuck Creek Rd > down Skookumchuch Creek Rd > up Fosskett Ridge Rd > up Banner Rd > Banner Rd s(u) > down Free Use Rd > White Bird > up old White Bird Grade > up US95 > up Old White Bird Hill Rd > White Bird Hill s(u) > down north side of White Bird Hill Rd > Lake Rd west > US95 south > White Bird Hill Rd(sh) > new US95 north > up Skookumchuck Creek Rd back to starting point: 57.0miles with 7860ft of climbing in 6:47hrs (garmin etrex30 m5:17.7.10)
Notes: on top of White Bird Rd s(u) I met Susie and Stefan in their rented Wohnmobil, from Texas and Stuttgart, who were kind enough to let me refill a bottle of water, and talk to me about Suttgart and El Paso . Another slow and hot ride.