2025 TRAILS CHALLENGE

THROW THE HAMMER DOWN ON YOUR TRAILS!

 
 

About

Adventure seekers, trailblazers, and lovers of the great outdoors—get ready to put your trail sneakers, bike tires, and hiking boots to the test! The Wood River Trails Coalition is inviting you to throw the hammer down on your trails with the Summer Trails Challenge.  This epic summer-long adventure pays loving homage to the iconic Baldy Trails Challenge by daring participants to hike, bike, or ride 100 trails in the Wood River Valley by October 1, 2025.

Think you’ve conquered the legendary trails of the Ketchum Ranger District and the Bureau of Land Management? Think again! From breathtaking alpine peaks to winding desert flow trails, this challenge is designed to push your limits and immerse you in the stunning landscapes of the entire Wood River Valley.

We’re bringing awareness to the trails that we build, maintain, and sustain for all users.  As you know, we do this through volunteer work parties, through community membership program, and (most notably) through partnering with the Ketchum Ranger District to hire the professional trail crew that maintains the over 400 miles of trail that this challenge will highlight. 

Getting the community to really understand the scope of the Ketchum Ranger District and Bureau of Land Management trail networks is a big goal of the challenge.

Quick disclaimer here: embarking on this challenge is not for the faint of heart. Some of these trails may see so little traffic that sections of them have faded into the landscape. Some of these trails are super far from any kind of cell service. Research any trail you plan on tackling, and only take off on adventures you are ready for.

So how does it work?

  1. Pick up a Trails Challenge Card at any of your favorite local shops, or download it here!

  2. Starting June 1, hit the trails!  This is an “honor system” style event.  We’re not tracking you, but we will make you answer a pop-quiz at the end of your challenge, to see if you can remember some of the more ‘off the beaten path’ trails in the area.

  3. Turn in your card by September 30 to PK’s, the Trails Coalition offices or Sturtevant’s.

  4. Join us at PK’s on at the end of the season where we’ll have a little post-challenge party!

  5. If you completed all 100 trails, you will win a Golden Hammer to signify that you really THREW THE HAMMER DOWN on your trails.  If you completed either of the “mini challenges” we salute you and you’ll win a mini golden hammer!  

  6. All participants, regardless of how many trails you finish, will be entered to win one of the rad locals-only prize packages. 

the different challenges

  • The Full Challenge: Complete every trail on the list to win the Golden Hammer

  • The BLM Challenge: Complete every trail labeled “BLM” and win a mini Golden Hammer

  • The ABC’s: Complete a trail that starts with every letter of the alphabet (except U,X,Y,Z because those don’t exist) and win a mini Golden Hammer!

  • The Kids Challenge: Complete 10 trails and win a mini kids hammer! Try to push yourself with your trail choices - the point of the challenge is to try hard and have fun!

QUESTIONS

Q: Is there a map of the trails?

A: Once you have the list of trails, you can use any mapping app to find out more about each individual trail! You can use Trail Forks, The BCRD’s Summer Trail Link, or any of the Adventure Maps!


Q: Is there a different challenge for different user types?

A: Nope. You need to respect non-motorized trails, as per usual (including ebikes/pedal assist!), but other than that, you can complete the trails any way you’d like. You can combine styles (mountain biking some trails, running others), etc. While it may seem like motorized users may have some kind of upper hand, there are hundreds of non-motorized trails that will prove really challenging to someone not accustomed to non-motorized travel.


Q: Can staff and Board participate?

A: Yes! You can have a golden hammer too!  Of course, staff and board members will not be entered to win any of the prize packages though.


Q: How do I keep track of what trails I did?

A: Just make a note of the date that you completed the trail on your trails challenge card! You have to complete the whole trail, not just sections, so you need to be strategic to get the full length of the trail.


Q: How do I know other people aren’t LYING about their trails? 

A: You don’t. This is a fun way to get everyone to explore a bit more of the Ketchum Ranger District and the BLM. We don’t have any way of tracking that people have completed the sections they say they have, so we’re just going with the honor system. If you complete the challenge, we will ask you to answer a few “pop quiz” style questions with staff, as a mini-check. If you’re really concerned with tracking, you can throw us $30,000 so that we can become an official Strava Challenge (yes, that’s how much it costs).


Q: Is the hammer the only prize?

A: Yep! We don’t want to encourage any trail exaggerating by having a super valuable prize. But, of course, you will also get BRAGGING RIGHTS!


Q: Will there be a leaderboard so I can see where I stand during the challenge?

A: This isn’t a race - there is no ‘fastest trail finisher’ or other kind of ‘leaderboard’ style hierarchy.

SPONSORS AND PRIZES!