Ride Series: Whitefish, MT

RIDE SERIES

WHITEFISH, MONTANA

In an effort to accomodate more bikexploring folks before the summit we are doubling the registration for the WTF Bikexplorers Ride Series Whitefish Rides from 13 to 26 spots available. There are two options to participate, a 3-day option from August 13-15 and a 4-day option from August 13-16.

We will start the ride as one large group at Depot Park on August 13 and will camp together at Red Meadow Pass the first night. The two groups will be following the same route, however the 4-day riders will be taking a small detour Bowman Lake on the second night and will be riding at a more casual pace and with a lower daily mileage. The 3-day route is designed for those who would like to get back to Whitefish with a bit of breathing room before the Summit starts. The 3-day route includes one big day that will be 47 miles. Check out the ride stats for each ride and pick the ride that best suits you!



RIDE INFO

DATES
August 13-15 & 13-16, 2018

START LOCATION
Whitefish, Montana

3-DAY ORGANIZERS
Whitney Ford-Terry and Sarah Swallow

4-DAY ORGANIZERS
Jocelyn Gaudi-Quarrell and Molly Sugar

3-DAY DISTANCE
106 miles

4-DAY DISTANCE
117 miles

3-DAY ELEVATION
Ascend +6,430 ft / Descend -6,430 ft

4-DAY ELEVATION
Ascend +7,375 ft / Descend -7,375 ft

ROAD CONDITIONS
Smooth and rough gravel roads

3-DAY AVERAGE MILEAGE PER DAY
35 miles

4-DAY AVERAGE MILEAGE PER DAY
29 miles

3-DAY DISTANCES BETWEEN FOOD RESUPPLY
There are two opportunities for resupply. The first occurs at mile 47 at the Polebridge Mercantile and the second at mile 80 in West Glacier. The distance between resupplies are 47, 33, and 26 miles.

4-DAY DISTANCES BETWEEN FOOD RESUPPLY
There are two opportunities to resupply on this route. The first comes at mile 47 at the Polebridge Mercantile and the last occurs at mile 92 at West Glacier Mercantile. The distance between resupplies are 47, 44, and 26 miles between each resupply.

DISTANCES BETWEEN WATER RESUPPLY
Opportunities to filter water daily

SUGGESTED WATER CARRYING CAPACITY
2-3 liters

SUGGESTED TIRE WIDTH SIZE
Minimum of 43mm tires

MUST KNOW
This route travels through bear country. Each person must have a can of bear spray with them at all times. If you are flying into Whitefish, you cannot fly with bear spray so you must acquire a can from one of the many outdoor stores in Whitefish (or Kalispell) when you arrive. You must also be prepared to store your food and toiletries by hanging them in a smell proof bag each night or storing them in a bear proof box (available at most campgrounds in the Whitefish area but not all). Review this Bear Safety information to stay safe around bears.

RSVP

Each ride is limited to 13 people identifying as women/trans/femme/non-binary who must RSVP prior to the event. Specify which ride you want to join when you sign up.

These rides are free of charge and are unsupported. That means each participant is responsible for carrying their own gear, food, water, and appropriate supplies to safely navigate and complete the ride. There is no sag or support vehicle. Have questions on what to bring? Check out the WTF Ride Series Bikexploring Check-List.

Riders are also responsible for their own transportation to and from the ride start in Whitefish, MT. Opportunities for carpooling will be available when the roster is full and introduction emails are sent. Please coordinate with each other for transporting yourself and your bike. Check out these transportation options to Whitefish.

Once you RSVP we will send you another e-mail confirming your expected participation in this ride and a link to a Google group where we will follow up with more details about the ride!

3-DAY RIDE



4-DAY RIDE

3-DAY ROUTE OVERVIEW

This 3-day ramble through the rugged Northern Rockies begins in the mountain town of Whitefish Montana where you will find several bike shops and grocery stores to meet your pre-trip needs. From there we’ll head north along Whitefish Lake before entering the Kootenai National forest and starting our first big climb up to Red Meadow pass along gravel fire roads. This 5600’ pass may be the largest climb on the route, but your sweat equity will really pay off once you get to the top. Here you will be greeted by the opalescent waters of Red Meadow lake, a high alpine lake perfect for swimming and relaxing after your first day of tour. The campground at Red Meadow Lake is a dry camp. There is a pit toilet, but riders will need to filter water from the lake and make sure to pack out all their trash.

After camping atop the pass we will begin day 2 with an epic descent back down the pass toward the east entrance to Glacier National Park. Before entering the park riders have the option of stopping off at the magical Polebridge Mercantile for coffee and a sweet (or savory) treat before hitting the trail. Rumor has it that the good folks at the Merc will give you a FREE pastry just for riding your bike to Polebridge. From here we will head into Glacier to ride along the oldest road in the park through breathtaking mountain landscapes. Inside North Fork Road is closed to vehicles and is more trail than road ranging from rugged gravel double track to washed out single track and back again. As we near the end of the road on day 2 we will pedal along Fish Creek toward Apgar Lake where we will camp for the evening. If you didn’t already stock up on treats from the bakery at Polebridge there are a few shops and eateries near the campground and plenty of access to water and restrooms.

On the last day of our trip we will cruise through Glacier and exit the park through the west entrance to begin our trek back toward Whitefish. We’ll follow along forest service roads past lakes, rivers, and streams before rolling into town. The town of Whitefish is a great spot to end up after a long day of riding with lots of dinner options from bistros to breweries. There is no reserved lodging for this night so feel free to check out the local hostel or campground options, heck maybe even treat yourself to a motel room with a few buds to wash up and get ready for the Summit the next day.

4-DAY ROUTE OVERVIEW

This 4-day ramble through the rugged Northern Rockies begins in the mountain town of Whitefish Montana where you will find several bike shops and grocery stores to meet your pre-trip needs. From there we’ll head north along Whitefish Lake before entering the Kootenai National forest and starting our first big climb up to Red Meadow pass along gravel fire roads. This 5600’ pass may be the largest climb on the route, but your sweat equity will really pay off once you get to the top. Here you will be greeted by the opalescent waters of Red Meadow lake, a high alpine lake perfect for swimming and relaxing after your first day of tour. The campground at Red Meadow Lake is a dry camp. There is a pit toilet, but riders will need to filter water from the lake and make sure to pack out all their trash.

After camping atop the pass we will begin day 2 with an epic descent back down the pass toward the east entrance to Glacier National Park. Before entering the park riders have the option of stopping off at the magical Polebridge Mercantile for coffee and a sweet (or savory) treat before hitting the trail. Rumor has it that the good folks at the Merc will give you a FREE pastry just for riding your bike to Polebridge. After a quick snack stop we’ll enter the Glacier National Park through the east entrance and follow a rolling dirt road up to Bowman Lake to swim, explore, and make camp for the evening. Similar to the first night’s camp at Red Meadow there are pit toilets and accessible water for filtering at the lake.

On day 3 we’ll double back toward the park entrance before heading south to ride the oldest road in the park through breathtaking mountain landscapes. Inside North Fork Road is closed to vehicles and is more trail than road ranging from rugged gravel double track to washed out single track and back again. As we near the end of the road on day 3 we will pedal along Fish Creek toward Apgar Lake where we will camp for our final evening. If you didn’t already stock up on treats from the bakery at Polebridge there are a few shops and eateries near the campground and plenty of access to water and restrooms.

On the last day of our trip we will cruise through Glacier and exit the park through the west entrance to begin our trek back toward Whitefish. We’ll follow along forest service roads past lakes, rivers, and streams before rolling into town. The town of Whitefish is a great spot to end up after a morning of riding with lots of lunch options from bistros to breweries. Once you’ve snacked up head on out to the Whitefish Bike Retreat for the WTF Bikexplorers Summit!!!

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