WWR Day 2 - Tobacco River to Loon Lake CG
Tobacco River CG to Loon Lake CG
Weds July 24, 2019
Distance 46
Start elevation 2470
End elevation 3620'
High point 4400'
Low point 2520
Climbing about 3000
Ride time 6:15
Total time 7:20
Days bike camping: 3
Contiguous days riding : 4
Today was my first full tast of the Wild West Route, riding up into the Purcell Mountains. Had been wondering how it would go, how challenging the terrain? How steep? Rocky? Can I make it between spots to camp? I knew I had a long climb today, but no easy way to judge the distance or the vertical, unlike the Great Divide route.
The day starts with a pavement detour, to avoid some early back roads climbing to save energy for the big climb later in the day.
I had been back there last year anyway checking out Pinkham Falls.
Well the Hwy 37 " shortcut" was suppose to be a warmup but a damn strong wind was blowing up the lake, making it some of the most challenging net downhill 10 miles of pavement .
I get to Lake Koocanusa and the bridge.
I swear I hear an otherworldly sornorous moaning like sound? is it wind through bridge? The sound of a drowned town? A train far away carried miles in the wind?
The lake has paved roads on both sides.
East side is Hwy 37 with all of the log trucks, locals, and tourists. The west side, almost empty. Rolling up and down, sometime stiff head winds, sometime sheltered by cliffs which I see some climbers enjoying.
After 19 miles I get to the forest road up Big Creek, which I am reminded is grizzly country.
Wind is now coming out the valley, no escape. But as I ride into the heart of the valley I am more protected and the road is quite nice for 10ish miles- easy riding, gentle grade, good shape. Eventually rocks do appear but they are mostly embedded cobbles and present little deyioration in the ride.
As I approach the head of the valley the oft quiet creek starts singing more loudly, and thus up the road goes for a couple of miles, bringing me to the top.
I get a ripping downhill, though I control my speed around corners and short line of sights. Some nice creeks are coming in, and some impressive groves with some big cedars in them.
The 6 miles of downhill dumps of onto the paved road between Libby and Yaak, close to the small Turner mountain ski area. This is like so many ski hill's I have seen in Montana and even and Canada. Small, local, no big city to serve.
The final climb is some of the toughest grade wise, and I am pretty tired already. But I grind my way up the road to Loon Lake and the small CG there on the lilypad choked lake. I settle in and make camp in the empty 4 site campground. No loons but an owl makes it presence known by a few hooting sessions as evening slowly settled in.
Weds July 24, 2019
Distance 46
Start elevation 2470
End elevation 3620'
High point 4400'
Low point 2520
Climbing about 3000
Ride time 6:15
Total time 7:20
Days bike camping: 3
Contiguous days riding : 4
Today was my first full tast of the Wild West Route, riding up into the Purcell Mountains. Had been wondering how it would go, how challenging the terrain? How steep? Rocky? Can I make it between spots to camp? I knew I had a long climb today, but no easy way to judge the distance or the vertical, unlike the Great Divide route.
The day starts with a pavement detour, to avoid some early back roads climbing to save energy for the big climb later in the day.
I had been back there last year anyway checking out Pinkham Falls.
Well the Hwy 37 " shortcut" was suppose to be a warmup but a damn strong wind was blowing up the lake, making it some of the most challenging net downhill 10 miles of pavement .
I get to Lake Koocanusa and the bridge.
I swear I hear an otherworldly sornorous moaning like sound? is it wind through bridge? The sound of a drowned town? A train far away carried miles in the wind?
The lake has paved roads on both sides.
East side is Hwy 37 with all of the log trucks, locals, and tourists. The west side, almost empty. Rolling up and down, sometime stiff head winds, sometime sheltered by cliffs which I see some climbers enjoying.
After 19 miles I get to the forest road up Big Creek, which I am reminded is grizzly country.
Wind is now coming out the valley, no escape. But as I ride into the heart of the valley I am more protected and the road is quite nice for 10ish miles- easy riding, gentle grade, good shape. Eventually rocks do appear but they are mostly embedded cobbles and present little deyioration in the ride.
As I approach the head of the valley the oft quiet creek starts singing more loudly, and thus up the road goes for a couple of miles, bringing me to the top.
I get a ripping downhill, though I control my speed around corners and short line of sights. Some nice creeks are coming in, and some impressive groves with some big cedars in them.
The 6 miles of downhill dumps of onto the paved road between Libby and Yaak, close to the small Turner mountain ski area. This is like so many ski hill's I have seen in Montana and even and Canada. Small, local, no big city to serve.
The final climb is some of the toughest grade wise, and I am pretty tired already. But I grind my way up the road to Loon Lake and the small CG there on the lilypad choked lake. I settle in and make camp in the empty 4 site campground. No loons but an owl makes it presence known by a few hooting sessions as evening slowly settled in.
Sounds like a tough, but enjoyable, day.
ReplyDeleteLife got better once I started toodling through mossy forests of hemlock cedar and larch. Don have back in CO.
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