It’s been almost a year since President Obama signed a bill establishing three new Wilderness areas in Idaho’s Boulder-White Cloud Mountains. With the designation comes tourism, and one writer wants to help more people explore the landscape.
Matt Leidecker has written five guidebooks, including one on Sun Valley and one on the Sawtooths. His fifth book, “Exploring the Boulder-White Clouds - A Comprehensive Guide,” comes out this month.
For the book, Leidecker traveled every mile of trail, covering 530 miles on foot and by mountain bike. His book breaks down every hike in the mountains, along with some history and even a wildflower guide. He’s heard from folks who are pleased with the Wilderness protection and from mountain bikers who aren’t, since the designation means bikes won’t be allowed in the area.
Hiking all the trails in the Boulder-White Cloud Mountains is no easy task, whether you go by foot or by mountain bike.
"So there’s the granite basins with the alpine lakes, there’s big sedimentary walls with folded rock and crumbling volcanic rock in the boulders, so a huge variety in the landscape," says Leidecker.
Leidecker is hosting a Kickstarter campaign through the end of the week to help cover printing costs for his guidebook “Exploring the Boulder-White Clouds.” It comes out this week.
Find Samantha Wright on Twitter @samwrightradio
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