This is the run the Sun Valley locals hit when they're jonesing for a trip to Pioneer Cabin but want to avoid the crush of tourist traffic that can make an outing to the popular destination more travail than treat mid Summer. It's about 3 - 4 miles longer than the standard routes up to the cabin (detailed here), with a little more vert and a lot more technical trail. But the payoff in views of the Pioneers and solitude on the run make it well worth it.
The Hyndman Creek trailhead and Johnstone creek trailhead are about a mile apart via dirt road. I prefer to run the loop clockwise and start at the Hyndman Creek trailhead, which means you start the run backtracking on foot down the dirt road to the Johnstone Creek trail. But, it's nice to get this over with first, since it's the least rustic mile of the loop. For directions to the Hyndman Creek trailhead, visit SummitPost. This link is for the hike to Hyndman Peak (also a great outing, previous post), which shares the same lot.
For a run that's not that far off the beaten path, this one up Johnstone Creek trail is one to put toward the top of the list, if only for the stunning views of the timeless-feeling Pioneers.
A two minute photo guide -
Photo Guide to Sun Valley Runs: Johnstone Creek - Hyndman Creek Loop (Pio Cabin Alternate) from Run Junkie on Vimeo.
3 comments:
Nice photo guide. (Dig the M Ward, too.)
Great vid!
Thanks for the comments. That M Ward track came on a Teva Anthology that came in a race packet (can't remember race), so seemed a pretty apt soundtrack. Cheers.
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