Schweitzer has a fine trail system to accommodate every level of rider and hiker. There are brutal climbs and technical rock descents, like the exhilarating Butt Slide Rock and Moffit’s Edge. Intermediate rides for mortals exist too, mixing woods, ridges, and crumbling granite on swooping, leisurely rides. And on almost all rides, you’ll get those big, in-your-face views of Lake Pend Oreille and surrounding mountain ranges. Below are just a few ride options; check the trail map to see more. You’ll also be able to get more local knowledge and a hard-copy map once you arrive at the mountain village, which is 11 miles from Sandpoint.

Trail descriptions for Upper Grr and Overland trails: Start in the village plaza and tool past the Great Escape Quad lift on your way to the trailhead, following signs to Upper Grr (it’s a growl, not a typo) and Overland trails. Because many of the mountain bike paths are nordic ski trails in winter, signage is frequent and reliable. Steer right onto Overland Trail to access a 4.5-mile loop that offers a number of side options that would be considered technical for mountain goats. A rolling road section brings you to Rolling Thunder, a quick but difficult section of singletrack. Wend your way through glades of alder and spruce to a gradual climb that then plunges you down to Picnic Point. Dismount here and breathe in the hackberry, rosehips and stunning lake views, then start back toward the village on Overland, skirting Bear Ridge and numerous game trails. Look for critters, especially during late spring and berry season. Deer, black bears, moose, and cougars share the singletrack, and the names of adjoining trails are apt: Moose Trot, Bear Ridge, and Cougar Gulch. You may also ponder the challenge of the nefarious Butt Slide Rock, an exposed granite slab that you may need a few attempts to master. Late summer riders should brake at Huckleberry Hill to pick the purple, tangy berries. Stay on Overland and push past the satellite dish on the 3.5-mile service road that leads back to the base area.

Trail particulars: If you bike the whole mountain, from top to bottom, there’s more than 2,400 feet of elevation gain. But biking Schweitzer provides access to a power assist, namely, the Great Escape quad chairlift. Running Friday-Sunday in summer, if you buy a ticket to haul your bike up on the chairlift to the top of Schweitzer peak you’ll be able to hammer downhill loops until you’ve rattled yourself silly. Advanced riders can try Off The Top, a 3.5-mile downhill plunge that drops you into the lift line, or Moffit’s Edge, a technical section of the NORBA downhill course. Known by locals as “Snakebite,” Moffit’s Edge slithers down glades and ski runs, traversing wide-open slopes, then diving back into deep woods in a testy mix of fall-line and off-camber side-hilling, culminating in a nice eight-foot rock drop. Yee-haw for advanced riders.