Day 12: Friday 20th July: Billings MT to the most awesome trail in all Montana!
257 miles
I have to say, it does take some discipline to not have a second waffle at a Super-8 each morning. I'd elected to stay in Billings Montana last night, as I felt it was close enough to where I wanted to start my 2018 exploration (Big Timber), but without the expense or going over old ground that would involve staying in Livingston which is where I'd ended up last year after my epic river crossing foray.
However, when I tapped 'Big Timber' into my GPS as I rolled out of the carpark, I realised I actually had 83 miles of Interstate to endure before the good stuff. Hey ho. iPod it is then...
photo. I felt like I was in the Matrix here... this is my GS, in southern Montana 2018...
photo. and this is my XT in eastern Utah 2009.
I'd already uploaded my previous trip track-logs into my GPS, and the nice thing about the Garmin Montana is that you can select individual tracks to show on screen or be hidden as required, and also set them to display in a range of colours... In effect, I now had last year's network overlaid on the main maps, and could therefore plot my further exploration in relation to the previous year, and hopefully end up with a comprehensive network of 'proved' routes, that I could ultimately connect into a definitive 'Trans-Montana Trail' for the future...
Last year's route essentially connected the north western corner (near Glacier National Park, which includes the famous Going-to-the-Sun highway) with the Beartooth Highway (another Butler Gold Road, and world-renowned mountain highway) that crosses into Wyoming a little east of Yellowstone NP.
In between there was some prime adventure bike and dual-sport riding to be had - long stretches of unpaved gravel and dirt roads, punctuated by more technical OHV and Jeep trails. Although much of eastern Montana is flat, like Colorado, there is suddenly a defined ridge of mountains half way across the state (a continuation of the Rockies no less) that offers a wealth of more technical adventure riding potential, including dramatic elevation changes, forests, high plateaus... and like the big sky all around you, it's endless!
My plan for the weekend ahead was two-fold - to explore essentially a long loop sector north east of Great Falls (which I'd not had time to visit last year on my way through), plus revisit the Lewis & Clark National Forest to the south of Great Falls, where I'd noted any number of [presumably more technical and challenging] OHV trails off my main through-route... and fundamentally, to try and find the 'correct' way out of the maze of trails just north of the Crazy Mountains, where I'd had to wade my bike through a series of flooded creek crossings, and somewhat embarrassingly ended up in the front yard of a rather fancy hunting lodge (fortunately it appeared no one was home that evening ;o)
photo. Last year, on my CB500X - what do you mean you've not read
Northern eXposure already?!
However, before I embarked on that particular task (planned for later than afternoon), I thought I'd take the opportunity to reccy a few more modest trails that could offer an alternative outside of the seasonal closure (note. the mountain trail in question was only open from the 15th June to the 15th of September), or for bigger bikes for example.
photo. The Village People's retirement ranch...
photo. So close, but ultimately denied by a locked gate!
The trails directly to the north of Big Timber were simply all-weather access roads to ranch property on either side - pleasant enough to be away from the paved highway running parallel of course, but ultimately once I got due west of Two-Dot (crazy name, crazy town), I had no choice but to retrace my steps - over and hour and a half of my time, and more importantly 50 miles of precious fuel wasted - as there was no public though route to join with Cottonwood Rd that led up into the mountains.
photo. It appears to be the only place in town actually. And there is no fuel near here either.
Still, it wasn't long until I was back on my route from last year, winding up the rough road that leads to Forest Lake (plenty of dispersed camping options up here should you wish)...
photo. Last year I was here much later in the day, in the pouring rain - wondering if I'd made the right decision to try and cross over a 8000ft mountain pass in a thunder storm...
I have to say, this time I simply breezed across the meadow and pasture - winding my way on the two-track between cattle grazing, birds tweeting - it was like a scene from the sound of music!
photo. This is the point I elected to head straight downhill (on a faint track) last year, which ended in a series of creek crossings, trying to reach the Shields River Rd less than 3 miles away according to my GPS map.
The obvious track was indeed the one above (complete with trail number signage), but on reaching the crest, I was faced with a dubious looking narrow downhill on loose shale, with what looked like little opportunity to turn around should the trail eventually peter out. Of course had I the forethought to try and source an official OHV map of this area, it would have revealed if this were a dead end or not... as it was, I was relying on my GPS mapping software, which even using the TOPO maps, did not show a connecting trail in this area.
So, I felt it only prudent to head directly downhill again - as I had last year - and see if there was a more obvious way out that I'd missed last year in my desperation to cross the creeks before nightfall.
Of course, on a bright sunny afternoon, coupled with a closer look at my GPS maps, there was an obvious route out by turning Left (rather than Right, the natural direction, and which I'd taken last year) - doh!
However, in a double doh! - while this was clearly an established track, it was sort of dubious whether I was still on public land or not. And not as it turned out. I'd almost made it to what I considered was the public road (which led to a campground not far from here), when a huge horse trailer pulled up in front of me - not aggressively you understand, but making it quite obvious that there was no intention to let me pass.
Knowing the best way to defuse any tension is to immediately remove my sunglasses and helmet, I smiled apologetically at the lady driving the truck and exchanged a series of increasing pleasantries - thank goodness.
She was not the landowner herself, but informed me that the trail I was on [although in the GPS] was not a public road, and that this was not the first time people had ended up on their property in an effort to find the way down off the mountain. I stopped short of revealing that I'd actually been here before (ahem), and instead asked if she knew if there was a [public] through route from the trail I'd been on further up the hill... and in a scene reminiscent of my run-in with the Rangers in Idaho when I'd been pioneering my own route to join the new TAT with the old on Trinity mountain back in 2015, she reached into the cab and opened up a huge paper map of the area marked with all the official trails - result!
A quick glance was all that I need to commit the necessary trail numbers to my short-term memory, and I was on my way again with an series of contrite waves goodbye to her and the ranchers gathering their horses.
The evening was drawing in now, but armed with this golden information, I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass by, nor even wait until morning to finally join the two trails together!
photo. Heading back into the mountains, this time a little further west from neighbouring Smith Creek Rd.
photo. this is looking promising!
photo. Bingo! Bloody bingo!
photo. All the effort had been worth it!
Yes, as the sun was slipping rapidly away, I'd finally managed to join the two trails, and prove a perfectly legal route through these mountains (albeit still subject to the seasonal restrictions mentioned above of course), it was a tiny triumph indeed!
photo. This is at the top of the steep narrow trail I'd stopped at a few hours previously - turns out it is a legitimate through route after-all, although it is quite challenging in places - including tight switchbacks and off-camber side-slopes to negotiate...
photo. ...and not least this 50" bridge - only motorcycles and ATVs allowed beyond this point.
Elated, I retraced my route back down the hill - factoring that I needed to exit this way (west) anyway in the morning, and try and find somewhere to camp tonight... I'd noticed a nice flat level [parking/staging] area prior to the 50" gate a few miles back, that ought to serve such a purpose well.
photo. a deep and muddy bog-hole which I'd managed to avoid on the way down into the valley, caught me off-guard on the way back out!
photo. simple stealth camping at 7500ft.
It was such a balmy evening, I didn't even consider fitting the fly to my tent (note. I chose my Big Agnes Seedhouse 2 tent specifically as it can be erected as a self-supporting mesh 'bug-hut' on firm/hard ground as needs be, or pegged out with the rain-fly as required), and I slept soundly with my smelly stuff hung in a nearby tree, and my knife, lighter and can of WD40 (as a makeshift flame thrower ;o) to hand - should the local wildlife take a fancy to my deodorant or Clif bars.
photo. this is why I carry camping gear...
It had been a good day today!
Jx
