Fish Creek Summit by Bicycle - Velo

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Fish Creek Summit

The black pillows of lava in Craters of the Moon National Monument are nestled against the White Knob Mountains. Still - they are barely noticable as a backdrop. They are just a low section of generic grassy triangles. This summit fixes that misperception. Despite its short, rough and steep top, this is the second prime entrance into Antelope Valley, the main thoroughfare in the norther part of the White Knob Mountains.

1.START-END WEST:jct US20 - Fish Creek Rd
2.turnoff to Fish Creek Reservoir
3.TOP: Fish Creek Summit, 7360ft
4.profile turns right onto Antelope Valley Rd
5.jct with Bear Creek Rd on left
6.START-END EAST ALT: jct with Doyle Creek Rd on right
7.START-END EAST:jct US93 - Antelope Valley Rd

Approaches

From South. 15 or 16 miles west of the turnoff to Craters of the Moon National Monument a signed turnoff to Fish Creek Reservoir starts the profile. I love riding through these stark valleys without trees and straight sharp lines defining triangular outlines green foothills. This is also prime ranching country and the road leads through a patchwork of private and public land.

The beginiing of the route features a medium heavily graveled washboard. But it improves in waves as you travel up the valley. By the time tur road turns into a more easterly direction, it sporadically tunnels through narrow sections of aspen forest supported by the moisture of the the nearby creek.

As things get steeper, walking becomes inevitable on the short section of switchbacks above treeline below the summit. The surface is deeply rutted and it is a mystery to me how so many of the trucks containing armies of hunters, that I met in this area, have managed to get across this summit. At the top the view stretches north to Smiley Mountain and the cliffs surrounding it. On both sides there are tracks further up the green mounds.

From North. (described downwards) Rolling down is no problem on an old mountain bike, which is still very capable of longer touring rides. I think on a gravel bike some of the stretches would be perceived as too rocky. The yellow aspen trees dancing in the wind lead the eyes down a narrow road leading down green ravines with high bare mountains in the distance.

Leadbelt Rd is a short potholed connection to the gravel highway down Antelope Valley. The profile continues down this perfect gravel raceway for bicycles, if you like to race by yourself, all the way to the junction with US93 direction Arco. The dayride below turns off across another summit about halfway down.

cLiCk on image , arrows , or thumbnails to advance slideshow

Dayride with this point as highest summit:

PARTIALLY PAVED / UNPAVED

( < Antelope Pass | Pine - Featherville Rd s(u) > )

Fish Creek Summit , Doyle Creek Rd s(u) , US93 Craters of the Moon(sh) : Fish Creek Reservoir > Fish Creek Rd north > Fish Creek Rd s(u) > Leadbelt Creek Rd north > Antelope Creek Rd east > Doyle Creek Rd south > N3600W Rd south > US93 west > US93 Craters of the Moon(sh) > Fish Creek Reservoir back to starting point at Fish Creek Reservoir: 77.1miles with 4850ft of climbing in 8:28hrs (garmin etrex32x m5:23.09.28)
Notes: strong headwind on US93 made for a slow way back