TR: 2 mtb rides near Hamilton, Montana

Lots of posts in sprocket rockets about backcountry rides in Montana, so figured I would post a few photos and info from a couple rides I did first part of July. Was home in Missoula the second week in July, mostly for family activities, but managed to get away for a couple big rides.

July 10th plan was Ward Mountain in the Bitterroot Mountain range. A
majority of the range is in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, 3rd
largest in the lower 48 at 1.3 million acres. Ward Mountain at 9119
ft, is the highest one can legally go with a mountain bike.

Trail starts out around 4200 ft and is easy riding the first 2.5 miles
up to 5200 ft through a burn area with lots of flowers:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_093718.jpg

And views:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_100029.jpg

More flowers:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_103712.jpg

Just as I was starting to think it was going to be a cake walk, the
hike a bike started. Figures, because still need to go up 4000 ft and
there was only 3.5 miles of trail to the summit. The trail is narrow
most of the way, due to getting little use, so was a challenging hike
a bike. But the down looked like it would be fun:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_111558.jpg

Trail faces east, so cooks in the morning sun through the burned
area. Thankfully, into the trees for some shade and water from a
stream to cool off:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_115553.jpg

As the trees get smaller start seeing patches of snow:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_124338.jpg

Final push to the summit selfie:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_131410.jpg

Bike at the top shot looking west:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_131719.jpg

looking north:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_132114.jpg

180 degree pano looking west, click link for full size:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...d_top_pano.jpg
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...pano_thumb.jpg

Tiny flowers near the summit:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_133449.jpg

The snow patches were fun to ride on the way down:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_133925.jpg

Down was a blast, only took 1 hour and I stopped for lots of photos
and to spin the stans into a front tire leak. Nice views of the
Bitterroot Valley:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_140259.jpg

Nobody around at the trailhead, so I skinny dipped in the creek:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...710_144704.jpg

Only 13 miles, but 5k ft of up.

I had been on the fence about what to ride the next day. But in early
July a judge temporarily overturned the mountain bike ban in the
Sapphire and Blue Joint Wilderness Study areas. These areas were
designated by Congress in the 70's, and open to bikes and motos up
until the 2016 Forest Travel plan revision. More info:
https://www.bikemag.com/news/riders-...tional-forest/

Riding one of these areas became a priority, but I figured they
hadn't got much use in the last couple years not being popular with
hikers so would be covered in deadfall. Thankfully the Bitterroot Backcountry
Cyclists cleared a few trails in the Sapphire Mountains a couple
days before my ride, these guys are bad ass:
https://www.facebook.com/bitterrootb...type=3&theater

My toddler is a good alarm clock, waking up at 5 am typically, but
slept in an hour so I started an hour behind schedule. Thankfully
road was a relatively fast up, start is deep in the valley and aways
from the crest, but get some views on the way up:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_100315.jpg

Road turns into really nice trail:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_103921.jpg

The trail junction is easy to miss, look for cut logs:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_110555.jpg

Weasel Creek trail starts in the burned area and then into trees for
some fast fun ridge line riding:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_111355.jpg

Starts getting steep with a little chunk:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_111852.jpg

Then really steep and fun down to the creek. A mile of slow going
jungle, see the trail?:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_120807.jpg

I was 1.5 hour behind schedule, but figured it was my only chance to
ride Railroad, so hammered back up the road. Several short hike a
bikes with riding to get up to 313 trail:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_134024.jpg

Was only on 313 for a short way, it looked like this:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_141052.jpg

Railroad starts in the burned area:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_141725.jpg

~3 painful hike a bikes, but fun downs and views. Far off peaks got
washed out in this photo:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_142516.jpg

Into the green trees the trails gets really steep and is a blast:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_144308.jpg

Even more steep, but all rideable:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_144919.jpg

It also ends in a jungle and running late, I hiked up to an old
logging road and bailed on the last mile. Another post ride swim in
the creek:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_155144.jpg

Then back to Missoula to drop off rental bike and attend a family
function at Missoula Brewing Co:
http://umtgriz.com/forum/2018/MSO_Ju...711_180026.jpg

Ride total of about 25 miles and 5.5 k ft of up.

Damn, that's nice. Some of that is definitely full suss territory, bit seems like Ward wasn't?

Nice pics 406!

Most eggsellent.

Sweet, dude

Ohh I am stoked! Looking forward to it. Going to do Razorback and Little Blue Joint and maybe Rooster and /or Weasel/Railroad

Nice stuff!

Wish I'd been around. Going to have to get some guys together and head down there soon.

Looks like mbw hooked you up with a nice ride- that process is the shop owner's personal bike.

Count me in!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 406

I had been on the fence about what to ride the next day. But in early
July a judge temporarily overturned the mountain bike ban in the
Sapphire and Blue Joint Wilderness Study areas. These areas were
designated by Congress in the 70's, and open to bikes and motos up
until the 2016 Forest Travel plan revision. More info:
https://www.bikemag.com/news/riders-...tional-forest/

---

I'm no Open/Close Wilderness zealot, but this has me pretty stoked. Big ups to BBC, and thanks for sharing.

I'm also a lot faster than I used to be, just fyi. Although I haven't ridden in 2.5 weeks for various reason.