I’ll be in Whitefish, MT for a week starting next Tuesday and plan to ride the Going To The Sun Road. I’m seeing that biking between 11 AM and 4 PM is prohibited on a crucial stretch, however, and am trying to figure out how to fit the ride in before 11:00. So . . . a couple of questions:
1. How early is too early to start? I’m an early bird. I could conceivably be up and out of Whitefish in time to start at 5:00 AM or 5:30, but I prefer not to ride in the dark on unfamiliar roads. How early does the sun start coming up in the first week of August up there?
2. What’s a realistic goal? I had wanted to ride from Apgar campground to Rising Sun campground and back, but it’s 48 miles one way. I probably can’t get 96 miles done before 11:00 AM, unless I start earlier than I’m comfortable starting. So I’m wondering what would be realistic? I’m thinking that I could start at Sprague Creek campground and ride for about 30 miles to the Going To The Sun Point. That would get me up and over Logan Pass and the opportunity to see some of the east side of the pass on the way down to the turnaround point. Would like to do more than 60 miles, but having never done this road, I have no idea how long the sustained climb will take me. The national parks website says it takes 45 minutes to get from Sprague Creek campground to Logan Creek and about 3 hours from Logan Creek to Logan Pass. I’m assuming that’s at a pretty slow pace for recreational riders. I’m not a bad climber, but I’m a 47-yr old big guy at 6’ 4" 175 lbs. I do live in Colorado, so I do a fair amount of climbing at altitude. Most of my non-race, non-structured rides involve SOME climbing, and most are usually completed with a NP in the range of 210 watts to 275 watts. Rides with more sustained climbing (and thus more descending) are usually closer to the lower end of that spectrum. Am I setting my sights too low, or should I just take what I can get? Keep in mind that I’ll need to have a place to park the car, so I’m kind of limited where I can start.
3. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I’m not married to any particular start location or turnaround point, and I am completely unfamiliar with the route. Anyone have a better suggestion how to maximize my distance within the cycling restriction of 11:00 AM?
I live near here and have done the ride from the West side (Lake McDonald to Logan Pass) several times.
I will say riding much after 11 a.m. is both not allowed and not cool, so yeah, you may have to cut down your “Century.”
You might want to start at Avalanche Trailhead at 5 a.m. (You ll need a light) or even 6 a.m. That makes it just 15-16 miles to the top / Logan Pass (very easy in 2 hours, even with a break or two).
… Then determine what you can pull off from there. All the way to St Mary and back to Logan might be a bit much, maybe just the end of the lake?
Edit: Explore Strava segments for good info: Assume 30 - 50 % slower than those top riders for a pleasant ride, I would say ?
Edit: Just saw a certain rider named Levi did 83.5 miles of that ride a month ago in 4:20. So that ll give ya something to shoot for: ha ha!
Coming down from the Pass back to Avalanche is all down and very easy, but should not be done fast due to tourist traffic.
Its a classic ride (But not terribly hard). Have fun !!!
PS - The best time is in June after its all plowed but before the whole road is open to traffic, but that window opens and closes pretty quick
I’m not a bad climber, but I’m a 47-yr old big guy at 6’ 4" 175 lbs.
Unfortunately, I have nothing of substance to offer regarding your questions, but I had to comment on the above sentence. I believe, technically speaking, you are a stringbean.
I’m not a bad climber, but I’m a 47-yr old big guy at 6’ 4" 175 lbs.
Unfortunately, I have nothing of substance to offer regarding your questions, but I had to comment on the above sentence. I believe, technically speaking, you are a stringbean.
Signed,
6 foot, 185 pounds.
Ha! Yes. I should’ve put “big” in quotes. I suppose I meant big for climbing. The little guys that weigh 130 lbs infuriate me in the local races.
Anyway I stayed in West Glacier. My hard ride was 3:06 to go 67 miles on my road bike.
I left at 5AM. It was a bit dark and will be very dark early August. The entire road from the west gate to the bottom of the climb is 99% dead flat. So it’s fast and mostly along the lake which is scenic at times as you can see the mountains. Believe it or not there some light traffic at 5AM because folks are trying to get to the top for hiking. The parking lot was full by 8:15 the morning we drove up (after I rode). So plan accordingly if you plan to hike from Logan Pass. Expect to see reasonably heavy traffic heading up by 7AM.
This is not a hard climb at all either side. Grades are relatively reasonable but just sustained in the what…5-6% range. The pavement is almost entire mint. As in perfect. Lots of cyclists park along the road more nearish to the climb. I did that on day 2 as I was more limited for time and took pictures. I’d find a spot between Avalanche and the base of the climb. Expect cool temps as the base of the climb was about 39 when I rode it the first day. I wore a standard kit with arm warmers, a synthetic t base layer and a light hat. Most have jackets / leg warmer / etc. If you are riding with effort that’s over dressed as the rocks on the climb radiate quite a bit of heat. The base of the climb was the coldest spot for me both days. It was warmer at the top (upper 40’s?)
Bottom line is I cannot say it enough the earlier the better. When I was descending at 6:30 AM traffic going up was heavy at times. The cyclists don’t like that and the vehicles don’t like that. When we went back at 9 we had delays because cyclists were hogging lanes and holding up a very long line of traffic! So DO IT EARLY. Preferably the crack of dawn.
I also did Beartooth Pass twice on this trip. Definitely more of a climber’s climb than Going to the Sun Road.
I live near here and have done the ride from the West side (Lake McDonald to Logan Pass) several times.
I will say riding much after 11 a.m. is both not allowed and not cool, so yeah, you may have to cut down your “Century.”
You might want to start at Avalanche Trailhead at 5 a.m. (You ll need a light) or even 6 a.m. That makes it just 15-16 miles to the top / Logan Pass (very easy in 2 hours, even with a break or two).
… Then determine what you can pull off from there. All the way to St Mary and back to Logan might be a bit much, maybe just the end of the lake?
Edit: Explore Strava segments for good info: Assume 30 - 50 % slower than those top riders for a pleasant ride, I would say ?
Edit: Just saw a certain rider named Levi did 83.5 miles of that ride a month ago in 4:20. So that ll give ya something to shoot for: ha ha!
Coming down from the Pass back to Avalanche is all down and very easy, but should not be done fast due to tourist traffic.
Its a classic ride (But not terribly hard). Have fun !!!
PS - The best time is in June after its all plowed but before the whole road is open to traffic, but that window opens and closes pretty quick
That is some great information. Thank you. I have a feeling I’ll be just a little bit off of Levi’s pace. I do want to enjoy the scenery, right?
Good suggestion on Avalanche. I can gauge my progress as I go and still manage to get two trips over Logan Pass. Thanks again. I do have a couple of good lights, so I’ll just light myself up for the early part.
Wish I could’ve gotten up there in June for the bicycles only window. My parents live in Whitefish, so they mentioned that little window. It would be nice not having to contend with cars.
Anyway I stayed in West Glacier. My hard ride was 3:06 to go 67 miles on my road bike.
I left at 5AM. It was a bit dark and will be very dark early August. The entire road from the west gate to the bottom of the climb is 99% dead flat. So it’s fast and mostly along the lake which is scenic at times as you can see the mountains. Believe it or not there some light traffic at 5AM because folks are trying to get to the top for hiking. The parking lot was full by 8:15 the morning we drove up (after I rode). So plan accordingly if you plan to hike from Logan Pass. Expect to see reasonably heavy traffic heading up by 7AM.
This is not a hard climb at all either side. Grades are relatively reasonable but just sustained in the what…5-6% range. The pavement is almost entire mint. As in perfect. Lots of cyclists park along the road more nearish to the climb. I did that on day 2 as I was more limited for time and took pictures. I’d find a spot between Avalanche and the base of the climb. Expect cool temps as the base of the climb was about 39 when I rode it the first day. I wore a standard kit with arm warmers, a synthetic t base layer and a light hat. Most have jackets / leg warmer / etc. If you are riding with effort that’s over dressed as the rocks on the climb radiate quite a bit of heat. The base of the climb was the coldest spot for me both days. It was warmer at the top (upper 40’s?)
Bottom line is I cannot say it enough the earlier the better. When I was descending at 6:30 AM traffic going up was heavy at times. The cyclists don’t like that and the vehicles don’t like that. When we went back at 9 we had delays because cyclists were hogging lanes and holding up a very long line of traffic! So DO IT EARLY. Preferably the crack of dawn.
I also did Beartooth Pass twice on this trip. Definitely more of a climber’s climb than Going to the Sun Road.
Thanks for the info! 10 KOMs is impressive to say the least. I won’t be KOM hunting, but I won’t be going at a tourist’s pace, either. I like to get into a rhythm and just climb steady. 5-6% is definitely in my wheelhouse for comfortable, but not burning up the road. The weather info is good to have, too. I figured it would be chillier than Colorado tends to be this time of year, but 39% at the start is cooler than I expected.
Now I have to go look up Beartooth Pass and convince my wife to let me try that one, too.
Edited to add: I checked out your Strava link. One of our local Cat 2’s here is on the KOM list at No. 10. If Clyde averaged 12.5 mph on that KOM, I’m looking at 10 mph or less. Yours, however, is just sick.
