STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Got a story about the Wood River Trail that stretches from Ketchum to Bellevue?
A storytelling session concerning the bike path is being held at 10 a.m. today—Friday, Dec. 4—as part of a virtual GoToMeeting.
Some of the stories collected during the session will be used in a coffee table book on the Past, Present & Future of the Wood River Trail System.
At the heart of the legacy project is former Blaine County Recreation District Mary Austin Crofts, who was in on ground zero of the effort to make the path along the railbed that once brought skiers to Sun Valley a reality.
The vision started in the 1970s but didn’t bear fruit right away. The BCRD had to work things out with sheep ranchers who trailed their sheep to and from summer pastures in the mountain. And it had to disarm property owners who thought it would hurt the value of their homes.
In the end it took a precedent-setting lawsuit to gain the necessary rights of way, along with funding and cooperation from property owners, local state and federal government entities and the community.
Groundbreaking took place in 1984; the trail was completed in 1991. Crofts remembers having to keep motorcyclists from driving down the path as soon as it opened.
The book is meant to preserve history and honor those who gave much of their lives to planning and building a system that is now “a sacred part of our community,” said Crofts.
“It’s projects like this trail system that make Blaine County such a special place to live,” she said. “Most of the team is still alive and healthy. Now is the time to capture the stories and preserve the memories forever.”
Among those slated to join the discussion are:
- Russ Pinto, attorney, planner and right of way expert, Union Pacific Railroad & ITD liaison.
- Bob Rosso, Board member 1982-1996, responsible for trail negotiations and decision making.
- Butch Harper, Board member 1982-1992 with Bob Rosso during the trail’s formative years.
- Dick Fosbury, engineer for the trail system.
- Jim Speck, legal counsel for the hundreds of needed contracts.
- Len Harlig, former Blaine County P&Z Chair and Blaine County Commissioner responsible for many positive governmental decisions regarding the trail system.
- Jim Phillips, attorney for the City of Ketchum & negotiator with the Gooding Livestock Association.
- Mary Austin Crofts, Executive Director, responsible for funding, organization, administration 1984 – 2004.
- Keith Perry, Board Member of BCRD 1992-2005.
- Tim Hamilton, Board Member of BCRD 1994-2018.
- Jed Gray, community leader and trail supporter.
- Joan Davies, Hailey P&Z, former Director of College of Southern Idaho.
- Wendy Jaquet, former Minority Leader in the Idaho House of Representatives.
- Sarah Michael, former Blaine County Commissioner and trail advocate.
Anyone wishing to listen in or tell a story should contact Mary Austin Crofts at maryacrofts@gmail.com or 208-721-2827.