Idaho-Montana-Wyoming-Utah Loop run

[Frulk_imp]

By the numbers

4 states...1247 miles....2.5 days

Too many major mountain ranges and rivers to list..

Thursday at 7:30 departure:

Ogden to Brigham City via the 89. Brigham to Corrine on the 83 then on to Howell Utah and I-15 to Snowville. Snowville UT on the 38 through Curlew National Grassland to Roy and the 37 to American Falls Idaho .

Then back on the 39 on west side of the American Forks Reservoir through Aberdeen-Springfield-Pingree and then Rockford Idaho to the 26 heading NW to Atomic City (no services...I was hoping to grab a burger on the run). Left there and headed to Howe, Idaho via the 33.

After Howe onto the 22 and then the 28 NW to Lone Pine (where I arrived on fumes).

Pumped gas there on an old manual pump and had to report the total to elderly proprietress. As luck would have it I wanted a burger and she replied matter of factly " My cook left..not sure if she's coming back". After a bag of chips and Miller High Life I was back on the road with a quick stop at Leadore ID. Walking into the restaurant after seeing the OPEN sign lit up I was surprised that no one was in there. I shouted HELLO" twice. Not receiving a reply I walked out the front door and into the adjoining bar which was also showing a sign that it was OPEN. In this bar were two aussie sheppards and a huge compressor that was running at full tilt making the racket from Hell, myself and apparently no one else. I stood there for a few seconds, then uttered an unrepeatable word. As I walked out I had half a mind to leave the door open to give the dogs a reprieve.

The next three towns ( Lemhi-Tendoy-Baker) are only on the map to frustrate, confuse and disorient travelers. I'm not even sure I went through them but they are shown on the map none the less. Could be like Brigadoon and I rolled through there at the wrong time. Somewhere in this general area I crossed this....



Salmon is a well established small city with lots of shops and touristy trappings. Still, parts of it are pleasing to look at. I fueled up and hit the 93 north just ahead of a group of Harleys, passing some resorts on the way to the Broken Arrow Resort which I arrived at after 400 miles at 4:40 pm. See my write up under Gatherings

Friday: At approx. 7:30 AM I headed north on the 93 taking sweepers and tight hairpin curves while being mindful of the elk and deer I saw standing close to the road as I was heading up to the top of the pass that crested at just over 7,000 feet at the Idaho/Montana state lines. From there I turned east on the 43 to Big Hole Nat Battlefield (well worth the stop if you're into the history of the American west) and into Wisdom were I procured gas and an early cup of coffee.

Somewhere on the 43 south of Wisdom Montana.




By pure luck I stumbled across a hidden gem of a road called the Pioneer Mt/s Scenic Byway. I've been passing these mts from the east on I-15 going on 2 decades and this road goes right through the backside. An ABSOLUTE MUST on a bike!!!!



I came off this road onto the 43 at Wise River Montana where I fueled up and headed south on the frontage road after hitting I-15. I followed the frontage all the way south into Dillon...an excellent stretch of the old 60's red/pink agate (???) material used for roads back then. It was like riding on sandpaper and instilled confidence that had me hitting triple digits repeatedly

Bridge on that stretch of road.



Then on to Dillon Mt on the 278. Leaving Dillon on the 41 north east I hit the following towns Twin Bridges-Sheridan-Alder (where I had a late lunch) Virginia City (tourist trap) and Ennis on the 287. From there I went ever south and skirted west Yellowstone via the 20 and Island Park.

Trying to outrun a random thunderstorm west of Yellowstone. I had to do this two or 3 times during the day at various places.



Eventually I ended up in Driggs, Idaho on the 33 and headed south east over the pass into Jackson.

On top of the pass to the west of Jackson/Jackson Hole looking east.




Getting gas at Hoback Junction I went east on the 191 about 8 miles and camped at hoback campground within 25 yards of the river. At 9 PM I had some hot Land-O-Lakes hot mint chocolate with a shot of Jameson and called it a night.

Campsite. I slept like a baby on my $200 Thermarest after knocking out almost 600 miles




Saturday: On the road by 6:45 and cold as all get out. Luckily I put on my jacket liner but even that didn't take the severe bite out of the cold. There was frost on the seat as I climbed on the CB and pointed her north at the Hoback Roundabout. A short time Later I was looking at the Grand Teton and SNAP SNAP had the pics to prove it and was heading back south through Jackson and into Alpine Wy (where I had breakfast) and Star Valley.

The Wyoming Range in background, lesser known red headed cousin of the Wind Rivers Wilderness.



As the sun warmed up my black jacket and I spent more time out of, instead of in, the shadows I started to get feeling back in my hands and hammered south at well above legal limits on the 89 either through or by Freedom, Thayne, Afton, Cokeville Wy and finally onto the 16 towards Woodruff and Randolph UT where I turned west on the 39 through the backside of the Wasatch Range climbing over Monte Cristo at a little over 9,000 feet, through the Ogden Valley, past snow Basin Resort down trappers loop onto I-84 for a short burst home.

Downtown Afton, WY:




My house sits within a mile of these mt's on the other side

[the Ferret]

Man, I love that country. These pics are awesome reminders of the beauty of that side of our country.

More please

[Frulk_imp]

Random pics along the way

On the east side of Monte Cristo UT heading west to the summit. Still low arid scrub land



Main street in Randolph Utah. Little known factoid. Randolph runs neck and neck with Warroad, Minnesota for being the coldest place in the lower 48.



Gran Teton from the west looking east. That was Friday PM before I crested the pass to the south of them into Jackson.



Sat AM about 7:45 am looking at them from the east just north of Jackson



Dinner in camp Friday night.



Somewhere just south of West Yellowstone



In Wisdom Montana for a coffee stop. Almost bought a Stormy Kromer vest but didn't have any in extra husky.



On the Pioneer Mt Scenic Byway in Montana south of Wisdom

[LongRanger_imp]

Excellent trip and great routing. Very jealous. Thanks for sharing the pics! Another neat spot that I imagine you've been is Redfish Lake, near Stanley, ID. Took a ride through there many Septembers ago on a ride north to Banff, via Kalispell. Freezing cold in the morning!

[Cormanus]

Great pics and report Frulk. Stunning country you got to ride through.

[Rocky_imp]

Great report and super pictures
But you really hammered it in such a short period of time Mr. Ironbutt

[Capo]

Beautiful, thanks for the travelogue. I've only been out in that part of the country to ski, really want to ride it extensively some day.


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[Ron in MO_imp]

Great photos of your trip! I love that part of our country and would really like to ride it someday soon! Thanks for sharing.

[redbirds_imp]

Simply beautiful Frulk. Thanks for the photo journey.

[Jonz_imp]

I had forgotten that I had been in that I have been in that part of Montana/Idaho until I read this post. The Big Hole National Monument rang a bell. Not on a bike back then but did some nice hiking and moose watching. A friend was caretaker at a small hot spring resort just a few miles north, off 93. Didn't get as far south as Gibbonsville then, so I'm getting excited now. Jon Z