SW Montana Offroad Week
Well. A month in Montana was great. I needed to get out of Philly for a little.
Ending a month in MT with a week long offroad dirt bike trip was the best.
Colin led us through a crazy off-road enduro adventure through SouthWest Montana.
Such varied terrain. I can’t think of how to summarize the week. It ruled. Endless epic view and dirt trails and dirt roads in the absolute middle of no where.
Day 1 – Missoula to Sula mountain side
- leave Missoula and head south on highway
- camped on the side of a mountain next to a babbling brook
- Sick first day/night
Day 2 – Sula mountain to Ajax Lake
- wake up with light rain
- Coffee on babbling brook
- Pack up and head up the mountain 2-track
- As we continue climbing on dirt roads rain gets worse
- Turns to snow at 7-8k elevation
- Prob 2 hours of 2-track in rain/snow
- Eventually pop out on highway and have freezing 20 min ride into Wisdom MT
- Go to a restaurant and wait out freezing rain for 2 hours
- Drink 100 coffee
- Rain dies and head more off-road 2-track to Ajax Lake
- Ajax Lake sits up 8k elevation in middle of no where at top of a mountain in Big Hole Valley (BHV)
- Road towards top got gnarly
- Super rocky and steep
- XRs barely could make it up but did
- GS1200 was too heavy to make it
- Camped about 30 min hike from the lake
- Was raining almost all day into night
- Freezing at night – prob 34 degrees
Day 3 – Ajax Lake to west side of BHV
- wake up at Ajax Lake and it’s finally nice weather again
- Hike 30 mins up steep shit to the lake
- Coffee at the lake and hang
- Go back to camp and let shit dry in sun
- Pack up then head back into mountain 2-track
- Find a single track to take us up and around the mountain sides
- Colin said the single track was chill and he’d prob be able to do it no prob on the GS1200
- He was wrong. The single track was gnarly and intense. Pretty hard on the XR. Almost undoable on the GS
- Many spots help needed to spot each other
- I took a semi bad spill uphill on rocks, toppled over
- Finally got through it all sweating asses off
- Cool creek crossing at the end
- Adams boots got wet as shit bummer
- More 2-track until a sick camp spot on a bending creek – super sick creek spot
Day 4 – BHV to Centennial Valley
- great weather now compared to that second full day in rain
- My RSD jacket zipper took a shit
- We do more endless super fun 2-track for a couple hours and end up in Dillon MT
- I buy a Wrangler cowboy cut jean jacket and throw out my RSD jacket
- Tried to do 100mph on dirt road. Only hit 95
- Get more beer and get a solid burger
- Head out of town on more endless dirt fire roads for 50 miles into Centennial Valley.
- Camping in the open valley with nice mountain views
- We shoot the gun Colin bought in Dillon.
- Moon was real good
Day 5 – Centennial Valley to Ruby River Creek Griz country
- endless dirt roads
- I hate my tires. Garbage off road. TKC80 front is bullshit offroad. Pushes and slides too much.
- Legit in middle of Griz area now
- Meet cowboy Bill herding ton of cattle
- Hang for a while eat lunch but get eaten by flies instead
- More endless dirt roads – insane views can’t describe it
- Pretty technical riding 2-track
- Find insane camp site on Rosa Creek
- Legit swimming hole on creek
- Colin fishes
- Sleep in fear of Yogi
Day 6 – Ruby River Creek to Meadow Creek Lake
- leave Griz spot and head out
- Really technical but really fun 2-track with even more insane views than before
- Super warm during day. Sweating on the bike
- XR is a champ
- Head into Ennis MT and grab a late lunch and chill
- Head towards Meadow Creek Lake
- The lake is similar to Ajax Lake, as it sit at the very top of a mountain primitive road
- Colin is a nut. The road got insane rocky but he still tried it on the GS. Eventually accepted defeat the trail was insane too steep
- Headed back down and found a sunken valley style camp spot with a nice mountain look out view
Day 7 – Meadow Creek Lake to East Fork Reservoir south of Phillipsburg
- Head into Sherredon. Grab breakfast
- Then head back towards mountains for today’s off road route Colin put together
- Today was fun riding off road trails all through the valley. Felt like the desert
- Lots of miles today. Dusty
Day 8 – Head back to Missoula
- Really cold morning.
- Saw 2 female Moose. Saw a nice Waterfall.
- Ride some highway and get back to Missoula. Tired now.
3 responses to “SW Montana Offroad Week”
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Published - Aug 1, 2021
Vegas to Montana – from Kendra
Ed hates everything about Vegas, except Fat Tuesday Pina Colada. After 2 hours at Eagle Rider Ed finally got the insurance so we could leave. He is also the proud owner of a new Harley cut off. The drive through Zion was incredible. Exceeded all expectations. Grand Canyon was surprisingly underwhelming compared to everything else. […]
The only thing that looks cooler than this trip is that sick new Wrangler jacket! Any chance you have a map of the route?
That turnaround spot for the GS looks insane. I’m sure it was even gnarlier in person. I’m sure all those roads are old cowboy routes, you guys are basically well traveled cowboys now.
Nate – I added a map under day 1. Not exact but gives you an idea.