Tandem Tom

Anyone have some suggestions? Preferably routes that have been ridden?
Thanks!

indyfabz

I can get you from Missoula to Mullan, ID to pick up the CdA trail to Plummer, ID. There are a couple of ways you can do that. The way I recommend, if you don’t mind a 15 mile gravel climb (that’s not all that tough grade-wise) includes the Route of the Hiawatha Trail. It’s a must-ride if you are going to be out that way.

But in general, there are plenty of ways between those cities, including heading from MSO up to Whitefish to pick up the Northern Tier route. All depends on how much time you have and your tolerance for climbing.

Providing as many parameters as possible helps with getting a tailored response.

Part of the Hiawatha:

Tandem Tom

Thanks for your reply! Would it be possible to get more info on that 15 mile gravel route? As for time we are not up against any deadline. Although the bike shop owner, where I work PT, might think otherwise! 😄😄😄

indyfabz

It's called Gold Pass from St. Regis into the St. Joe River Valley. It becomes paved for the decent in ID. When I rode it in 2019, the road looked like it had just been repaved. Smooth as glass. The decent and ride along the St. Joe are fabulous, although probably best done on a weekday. I did it on a Monday in mid-June and nearly all the site at the two campgrounds outside of Avery had tags on them from weekend use. You have to carry food the entire way from St. Regis, but as you can see from the profile, the average grade is not bad at all.

BTW...This very issue is being discussed in the Pacific Northwest Forum.

Here is the profile:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26472385

This is representative of the surface higher up. The early miles are smooth dirt:





Riding along the St. Joe in ID:





The edge of my campsite. (USFS place with water and pit toilets.) A bald eagle flew by low:





I stayed at mile 48.8

jkinner

See discussion here: https://www.bikeforums.net/pacific-n...la-pueblo.html

jamawani 

When do you plan on doing this?
MT 200 up to Thompson Falls, over Thompson Pass and the paved Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is another option.
Not as eye-popping as the Hiawatha Trail, but still pretty amazing.

Also, it's trickier getting to the start of the Hiawatha from Missoula with some I-90 riding and service roads.
US 93 north to Ravali is busy, but with shoulders,
then MT 200 has light to moderate traffic - some shoulders.
There's a lovely bike/ped bridge over the falls, then an empty road over the pass.
First time I did Thompson Pass was back in 1990 when it was still unpaved.
The old mining town of Murray has a saloon and B&B.
At Enaville you pick up the C d'A.

I've ridden west along the I-90 corridor a few times.
Back in 1989, I tried to ride the Milwaukee RR railbed - BAD idea.
It's too bad the chopped up historic Route 10 - it would have been a great bike route.
It's better, now, but you have to cobble together the old highway, service roads, bike trails, and some I-90.

From the Spokane area there are a number of general choices.
1) Northern Tier over Washington Pass - - Have y'all done the NT already?
2) US 2-ish over Stevens Pass - - gorgeous, but dicey in spots on the west slope.
3) Palouse to Cascades Trail using the Snoqualmie Tunnel.

Late summer can be pretty hot on the Columbia Plateau. (2&3)
But for the past few years, forest fires have closed Hwy 20 over Washington Pass.
You can combine 2&3 riding to Wenatchee and then US 97 over Blewett (Swauk) Pass.
Then connect with the Palouse to Cascades Trail (hard-pack) at Cle Elum into Seattle suburbs.

There are some wonderful empty stretches of the historic Sunset Highway parallel to US 2.
And the abandoned and derelict schoolhouse at Govan is a must.
If you haven't ridden the Grand Coulee from Coulee City to Soap Lake - it's spectacular - aim for a weekday.
And Wenatchee is very bike friendly.


Thompson Falls Bridge




Murray, Idaho




Along the North Fork



Coeur d'Alene Trail along the lLake


Palouse in Late Summer


Palouse in Late Spring

* My 35 year old photos are in a box somewhere and probably orange by now.
A couple of photos of recent rides on the Coeur d'Alene Trail.

indyfabz

The place in Murray has good sandwiches. The pizza looked good, but I didn’t have any. There is a water pump to conveniently fill bottles and bladders.

The climb up Thompson Pass that way is long, but not super steep. The reward is the descent. The first 4 miles averages over 7%, then it cools out.