Ride Director: Warner Griswold
Ride Driver: Marty Fink
Report by: Peter Wood
July 15, Kalispell to Eureka MT, Early start as Warner has us on lunch duty but we get the tables set up and the lunch fixings on the tables for everyone to make their lunch. All are finished by 8:45am and the baggage is loaded without a hitch. All are on the road by 9:15 am.
Weather is already warm and we take a nice road to skirt around Whitefish. It’s quiet and then at 35 kilometres we join US 93. Traffic is busier with lots of RV’s and pickup trucks. 15 k’s up the road is lunch.
Most of the riders are already there when we arrive just before noon. After lunch and a refill of water bottles we are on the bikes again. It’s hot and for the last 20 k I am hoping for a chocolate shake. Fortunately as we arrive in Eureka we spot a gaggle of bikes in front of Mr. Jax’s Cafe. We stop and like the rest of the gang I order a large shake that motivates me to ride the last 3 k’s to our final destination total distance 105 kilometres or 65.625 miles.
July 16th. Left Eureka MT in beautiful sunshine and rode towards the Canada/US border on a quiet road paralleling US highway 93. We crossed the border at Roosville with no problems and rode up BC’s tobacco valley to Elko BC where we stopped for lunch. After lunch we rode on a busy Highway 3 into Fernie BC a popular winter ski town.
Marty got happy hour going with an “ice breaker” with each of us telling three facts about ourselves, two were true and one was false. The rest of us had to figure out which fact was false. It was a great mixer.
July 17th a day without a cycling destination. A number of went hiking to fairy creek water fall. There were a number of mountain bikers were active on the trail. Four of us started hiking towards Mount Fernie but were warned that bears were active in the area and therefore we needed to carry Bear Spray. An inquiry at the local Canadian Tire store indicated that bear spray can’t be carried across the Canada US border.
July 18, An early start as this will be the longest day of the tour. The first 36 kilometres out of Fernie were good and we stopped at Sparwood to see the large ore carrying dump truck formerly the world’s largest. We headed up the Crowsnest Pass on a gentle climb and stopped at the continental divide. From this point all the rivers flowed east into Hudson Bay or the US Mississippi/ Missouri River basin. After lunch at the Alberta welcome centre we headed east towards Coleman and the massive Frank Slide of 1903, where a large rock slide covered the railroad and the town of Frank Alberta. At this point the weather started to deteriorate and the wind kicked in from the North east making cycling a challenge. As the skies darkened we made the turn onto Highway 6 and our destination of Pincher Creek. Everyone arrived safely and the storm missed us. Good times were enjoyed in the hotel pool and water slide
July 19, A shorter ride today of 50 kilometres from Pincher Creek to Waterton Park. The terrain is rolling but the traffic is much lighter than on Highway 3. Some of the hills are a little steep and the landscape is dotted with large farms and ranches. Not too many people here. The pavement improves as we enter the Waterton National Park ( no longer chip & seal) and just before the gatehouse to the park we are greeted by a bear beside the road. The bike path paralleling the road has its ups and downs but we arrive in the Townsite and head to the Prince of Wales Hotel standing on the bluff overlooking Waterton Lake. Built in 1927 by the Great Northern Railway Company (USA) it is one of the Grand railway hotels built to bring tourists to the Canadian Rockies. Some of the riders are having afternoon tea with scones and pastries before heading to our accommodations at the Bayshore Resort. A quick trip to Cameron Falls and then dinner in the dining room at the Prince of Wales Hotel for some ends our days activities.
July 20, Hiking day in Waterton. With a spare day in Waterton our cycling group dispersed in a number of different directions to find adventure. Seven of us took the boat across the lake and did the Crypt Lake trail with an ascent of 2300 feet including climbing a ladder, travelling through a tunnel and holding onto a steel cable as we edged along a white knuckle edge. The reward was a pristine high mountain surrounded by glaciers, beautiful cascading waterfalls and a lovely valley. Others took the boat down the Waterton Lake to Goat Haunt on the American end of the lake. Still others went to Bertha Lake and Bertha Falls, a relaxing 3 hour hike rewarded with a great view of the waterfall.
July 21, On the bikes again. This time to go from Waterton in Canada to Many Glaciers in Glacier National Park. The day started with a climb for 5 miles followed by 3 miles of downhill beside the Blood Indian reservation and another 5 mile climb up to the border crossing at Chief Mountain. Once we crossed into Montana we had a 5 mile ride for our lunch stop before a 10 mile downhill ride into Babb Mt. A stop at the general store then back on the bikes to Many Glaciers inside Glacier National Park. A good headwind and rough roads make cycling a challenge but we arrive at the historic lodge built by the Great Northern Railway Company to entice tourists to this part of Montana. A pleasant dinner is enjoyed in the dining room followed by a Ranger talk “Prey and Predators.
July 22, a hiking day, off to Iceberg lake, a 1700 foot elevation gain starting off from behind the Many Glaciers park store. The hike is strenuous but is rewarded by close up views of two moose resting on a patch of snow, some nice waterfalls and finally the lake surrounded by ice fields with broken little icebergs in the lake. The water was cold. On the descent we meet rangers who report that a bear has taken a run at tourists. A stop at the store for ice cream and then happy hour. At happy hour we learn that a group of hikers met a grizzly and her cubs on the trail. One of the hikers took a picture with a flash on his camera which startled the bear. The bear then headed for the hikers and panic ensued. Fortunately nobody was hurt.
July 23, Another hiking day. This one was supposed to be an easy day. We caught the 9:00am boat to Grinnell Lake. This involved two boat rides of 20 minutes each and a short portage between the lakes. On arrival at the second landing we were greeted by a moose slowly wading along the shore. The hike to Grinnell Lake was short and uneventful so we mad e a short diversion to Grinnell falls before tackling the more ambitious hike to the Glacier. The hike had about 2600 feet of climb. About two thirds of the way to the Glacier we received a cold shower from a waterfall which the path crossed. We stopped for lunch near the Glacier entertained by a small herd of mountain sheep grazing near a small snow field. The visas on the descent were wonderful as we saw the chain of three lakes which form the valley where the Many Glacier Hotel is situated.
July 24, a morning to sleep in. Our ride is short from Many Glaciers to St Mary’s, only 20 miles or 32 k’s for us on the Metric system. We have leisurely breakfast and the load the baggage into the truck at 10:45. Some of us stay for lunch on the Terrace at the hotel before finally departing for St Mary’s. we are told our rooms won’t be ready until 3:30 pm so here is no point rushing. We quickly get out to the highway at Babb and then stop at Two sisters Cafe for their famous Huckleberry pie. Tonight’s debrief is about the big ride. The Ride to the Sun Highway and all the things to be aware of.
July 25 St Mary’s to Lake McDonald. The ride over the famous Logan Pass. We have more downhill than uphill with about 2000 feet of climb and 3500 feet of descent. Georgina, Beany and Laine leave early to avoid traffic but the rest of us leave at around 7:00am or later as the distance is about 42 miles. Most of the ride up to Logan Pass is uneventful and the climb doesn’t really start until we get about three quarters of the way to the summit. As we get closer to the summit traffic is busier and at the summit the parking lot is jammed. The temperature is also cooler so we put on our warm clothes and go to the visitors center to warm up. After 45 minutes it is time to head down the hill to Lake Mc Donald. The descent is steep but for 10 miles we don’t need to use our pedals only our brakes. We are heading down the side wall of the canyon formed by Logan Creek. Many cars are slowly coming up the ascent. We pass the weeping wall, we pull into many of the viewpoints to enjoy the vistas and to give our hands a break from the squeezing of the calibers. As we descend the temperature gets warmer and warmer. After the loop turn we peel off clothing and we continue to descend. Finally 12 miles down from the top we need to pedal a few turns and the it is down again although not so steep. About 6 miles from our destination we are stopped by road construction. We have an interesting talk with the flag woman and then head to our final destination.
July 26, Lake McDonald to Logan Pass and return. 3500 feet up and 3500 feet down. Total distance 42miles. We are going eastbound up the Road to the Sun Highway and because of road traffic we must be at the summit by 11:00am so we have another early departure. Rumour has it that Werner and Marty are departing at 5:30 am. We leave at 6:40 and traffic is light for the first 12 miles. Marg has a bear cross the road just in front of her at mile 13. The final 10 miles are consistently 6% grade and we are on the edge side of the cliff with terra firma 1000 feet below. Richard who is cycling with us doesn’t like heights so he cycles a little closer to the centre of the lane rather than on the right hand edge. The last 600 feet of vertical is in the fog and when we get to Logan Pass it is cold with most hikers wearing fleece and toques. Time to the top 3 hours and 20 minutes. We decide not to continue the ride to St Mary’s but repeat the ride of yesterday back to Lake McDonald getting back before noon and lunch.
July 27th our last ride. We loaded luggage early because Werner and Marty needed to get the U hall truck unpacked at the hotel in Kalispell and back to the rental agency. Again weather was good. We rode the 4 miles to Agpar village and after a quick loo though the gift shop we headed to the Park exit at West Glacier. Already the cars were lined up to enter the park. We headed west on A nice bike path adjacent to US highway 2 with a short deviation onto Old Highway 2. Our second deviation off the bike path put us on a road with gravel for about 2 miles. Karen & Phil we’re smart and returned to the bike path. The bike path along Highway 2 evaporated but the shoulder was wide until we came to bridge project at Corum. It was a difficult 4 miles with no shoulder and some impatient drivers. After Corum it was a straight ride to Columbia Falls where we left Highway 2 and took secondary paved roads towards Kalispell. We ran into Richard and Marianne who took a wrong turn and then found their way back to the route. A nice ride past the West Glacier Airport and soon we were back at the Holiday Inn where the trip started.
The final afternoon was spent disassembling and packing up bikes for everybody’s flights home. A Group dinner at the restaurant next door and good byes to all. The trip was too short but we did make new friends and look forward to future BAC trips. Thanks to Warner and Marty for organizing and conducting such a great trip.
Bicycle Adventure Club
PO BOX 23998 San Diego, CA 92193
Telephone (858) 715-9510 office@bicycleadventureclub.org