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49 – Water Crossing

Just as the name suggests, this checkpoint is any water crossing. How deep do you need to go? How wet do you need to get? That’s up to you! The idea is to push your limits and have fun. Bonus points if you tip over.

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Additional Info


Coordinates: ????, ????
Elevation: ???? ft
Difficulty: 1-5
What to Expect: Minor chafing

Check In

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Use the form below to check in. Check in’s must include a photo of you or your bike, at the challenge site, with the 2025 bandanna. To check in, all participants must be registered IAMC Challenge Members. Be sure to leave a description about the ride, and share any road conditions as snow, water, or obstacles. Please provide any other information that might help future visitors navigate to this site safely. Replying or commenting on another persons Check In is encouraged, but take care not to create your own Check In on accident.

The stated ride difficulty is just an estimate. By rating the ride difficulty in your experience according to this scale you can help future riders stay safe. You, and you alone are responsible for the safety of your ride. While we do our best to accurately convey the challenge level for each site, it is up to you to make sure you have the skills needed to reach each destination. If you feel the trail exceeds your skill level please turn around immediately.

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Check-Ins are Closed for the 2024 Challenge.
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Tim Ahrens

This crossing (43.18656° N, 117.18774° W) was not threatening, but still fun getting the boots wet on a hot day. There were some bogs we also went through in and around that area and also a water crossing (43.14408° N, 117.20576° W) we decided against – too deep!

What bike did you take?
'22 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
3
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Tjames

Indian creek hot springs

What bike did you take?
Tenere 700
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
5
Messenger_creation_83C5F62F-FEA4-40BD-AB13-1B3BB31FA5EF
Frankie

Fun splash on the road to deadwood mine.

What bike did you take?
KLR 650
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
IMG_20241114_213602
foolhardy

Succor Creek near Lonesome road.

What bike did you take?
KLR 650
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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MalibuStacy

On our way back from Keeney Pass we hit a water crossing, second left turn on Succor Creek road then right at the Y. Foolhardy has better directions if you want them. The road was rough but luckily only a few miles in the we back tracked.

What bike did you take?
Yahama TW200
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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Dougiethenoo

Feels like cheating because there wasn’t that much water.. but got Alec very wet taking the picture 🙂

What bike did you take?
KLR
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
Water-crossing
ShaneV

Might have to update with a cooler picture in the future, but throwing this one up there for the stats.

What bike did you take?
Africa Twin
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
Water-Crossing
Boltupright

On the way to Birch Creek. One of 4 or so.

What bike did you take?
BMW 1250 ADV
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
3
water-crossing
Robert

Easy water crossing trying to find a different way back from succor creek mine. The road got steep and rocky then dead ended.

What bike did you take?
KTM 890 R
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
3
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chatty03

Came across a water crossing while making a wrong turn 🙂

What bike did you take?
TE310
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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jsk83687

Fearless leader, Alex, making the crossing. While I held the flag after I crossed. This was on the way out to Leslie Gulch.

What bike did you take?
Husky 901e
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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Trent01

A large washout near Deadwood.

What bike did you take?
GSA
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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Peyton Crane

I crossed a collection of water on my ttr 125 while riding with my dad. The water got up to my footpegs and got my feet really wet. Under the water was some river rocks that could have made me slip but i ended up avoiding them.

What bike did you take?
TTR 125
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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FW190Pilot

This is the water crossing at the Doyle Place Cabin. Keep turning right off the main road (the one with all the new culvert pipes) to get to the crossing. Cross over this water crossing and you are in the front yard of Doyle Place Cabin. These shots are of me coming back over from the side of the creek where the Cabin sits. Be sure to duck going both ways….the crossing is quite overgrown (literally)….standing is definitely not an option! 2 all the way up until you get to the track leading to the water crossing; then 3.

What bike did you take?
KTM 350 EXC-F
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
3
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WC2
WC3
WC4
Idabiker

Chatty is correct, this was one of the easier ones! Several mud bogs, and crossings on the way to Birch Creek Ranch were more challenging than this one. This one was easier for taking photos.

What bike did you take?
KLR 650 2008
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
1
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chatty

We were spoiled for choice today with water crossings heading out to Birch Creek. This was one of the easier ones.

What bike did you take?
Norden
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
1
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englund

easy crossing

What bike did you take?
DR650
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
1
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Caleb Forrey

Was well worth the wet feet.

What bike did you take?
V-Strom 650
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
WaterCross1
WaterCross2
NormOps

I think this was one of the crossings going to Birch Creek

What bike did you take?
Tiger 800
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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Justin Wilke

We hit many water crossings going down and out of Birch Creek Ranch, but this one on the southern half of Succor Creek Road on our way to Birch Creek is the only one I got a picture of.

What bike did you take?
DR650
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
49-Water-Crossing
NjD

McBride Creek H20 crossing on the ride to Leslie Gulch. Gravel in great shape, some dust, and the hills were green and vibrant.

What bike did you take?
KTM 890R
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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Jeff Dyer

It was April 24th and 285 miles round trip with a small group of guys from the adventure club. This was only one of the many water crossings that day.

What bike did you take?
Yamaha tenere 700
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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BB445

Mellow water crossing at McBride Creek on our way to Leslie Gulch 04/29/24. Going to be bone dry really soon!

What bike did you take?
890R
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
H20CrossingRockville
Alex Crane

The only thing that would have made this better is if I had remembered to bring my snorkel.

There were many water crossings on the way to Birch Creek Ranch.

What bike did you take?
R1200GS
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
3
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Ed Torrey

Splash!!

What bike did you take?
KTM890
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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silverspurs

When yer riding by yourself, it’s kinda hard to get a water crossing pic!… I was making the loop from Reynolds Creek over Rabbit Creek over to Wees Ranch and Rabbit Creek was still running at Murphy! so I took my pic there where I crossed it at the low water crossing… If I get a chance later in the year to have someone get an “action” shot of me crossing a stream… I’ll change out this picture… Was a fun loop ride.

What bike did you take?
Yamaha xt 250
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
1
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Tumbleweed208

On 4/13 I was on a mission with Dusty1 and another rider to hit 6 sites in a weekend and camping off our bikes along the way. On day two we were 200+ miles into the journey out in the Owyhees and we came across the biggest water crossing of the trip at McBride Creek / Deadhorse Creek along The Rocks Road / Rockville. On this trip I lost track of how many water crossings we did because many of them we had to come back across. Thankfully not this one though. This big one was wide and steadily flowing. It was murky so we could not see the bottom. Pick a line and pray.
Dusty1 crossed first and positioned himself so he could help grab our bikes if we started to go down. Sacrificing his dry boots and dealing with soggy feet for the next 4 hours of our ride. (That’s a good riding buddy right there!) I took a deep breath and went for it. The water flew up in my face and I could not see anything for a second. Fortunately it turned out well and I got a huge boost of adrenaline as I hit land on the other side. What a rush!

What bike did you take?
KTM 500 EXCF
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
4
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Dusty1

We technically had around 15 water crossings on our 300 mile multiday ride. Specifically on Birch Creek rd on the way to the old ranch. But the most notable was the deep and wide crossing on jump creek coming in from succor creek. Was a good time! The difficulty was more mental than physical, but it could have major consequences. I waded in to support the others just in case and enjoyed 60 miles of wet feet as a reward.

What bike did you take?
CRF450L
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
4
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BobbyRay208

There is a water crossing at indian Hotsprings. The ride to the hotsprings is rated a 4. The water crossing I would rate a 1.5 mainly if you fall off it’s freaking hot water

What bike did you take?
03 DRZ 400e
Ride Difficulty (1 to 5)
2
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