Riding around Helena, MT?

**evasive_MT** · 07-23-2018, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

What's a good loop from town with about 2500' feet of climbing (or less) that avoids all the road work right now? Going to be there for work on Wednesday and the high is only 79. Amazing.

Mount Ascension to Top of the World/Rent Money is about that, and centered on Davis Street.

Climb Mount Ascension (several options for start point; Eagle Scout is probably best), descend Entertainment to Davis Gulch, climb Davis and Dry Gulch to Cox Lake, and up Lupine Drive to the Rodney Ridge trail.

**RootSkier** · 07-23-2018, 11:09 AM

Cool, thanks.

**RootSkier** · 08-13-2018, 01:05 PM

That ride was great. I realized partway through I had actually done that precise ride a few years ago but I was chasing some maniacs and so I had almost no recollection of Entertainment. Good stuff.

I have to be there super early on Monday for work again and so am coming over on Sunday. I see that the shuttle will be at Rimini Road Sunday at 10:15 and I might be able to make it in time. Does it ever fill up for these, especially when it is part of a bigger weekend event? Also, is the pick up right at the intersection with 12 and Rimini?

I am assuming the CDT > Switchback Ridge is well worth doing?

Last Q: are they done with the road work in Grizzly Gulch yet?

**detrusor** · 08-13-2018, 01:21 PM

Road entertainment a few weeks ago as well.

Way back in the day when climbing ascension was still a poach we started riding a great trail. It was so entertaining well.....

Climb used to be called truth, followed by justice. Man that was like ‘89 or ‘90.

The riding in and around Helena has always been great.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

**evasive_MT** · 08-13-2018, 01:26 PM

The Mac Pass pickup is 100 yards off Rimini Road, on the south side of the highway. It’s in the entrance to the city’s water plant. You’ll see cars parked there. It gets busy, but I’ve never seen it completely full. Hard to say about this weekend, though. I’m not sure if they’ll have a big draw for the music festival at L&C. I’d try to arrive a little early if you can.

Yeah, it’s my favorite Helena-area ride. It’s a blast. The CDT has several significant rock gardens, and isn’t like anything else around Helena (unless you know where some of the old flumes are). Really fun downhill, too. The turn off the CDT isn’t very well marked, but head left when you get into the meadow. Trailforks is accurate.

Grizzly Gulch is open again, but with a pilot car during work hours. You can ride through when they’re not working.

**stuckathuntermtn** · 08-13-2018, 02:33 PM

Make sure to comment on the new Lewis and Clark forest travel plan. I think one of the alternatives is to just let all the biking stand. Alternative C. No idea where I link is for that though. I feel like I may have done it once, but IDK.

**evasive_MT** · 08-13-2018, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn

Make sure to comment on the new Lewis and Clark forest travel plan. I think one of the alternatives is to just let all the biking stand. Alternative C. No idea where I link is for that though. I feel like I may have done it once, but IDK.

Thread drift, but it’s a forest plan revision DEIS. The forest plan sets the terms for all forest decisions (travel plans, etc.) for the next ~30 years. Comments are accepted until September 6th. If you don’t comment, you won’t have standing to object to the decision.

Don’t get caught up in the individual alternatives. It’s more important to clearly tell the USFS what you want, and why. They’re proposing excluding bikes from the Elkhorns because 3 people said that’s what they want.

The sleeper issue with this document is the recreation opportunity spectrum (ROS). It excludes MTB in the “primitive” category. It gives the USFS a precedent to eliminate bikes from landscapes outside of travel plans or RWAs. We are arguing that the definition of primitive should include the statement that bikes may be encountered. Otherwise we’re going to find ourself shut out of backcountry landscapes and relegated to frontcountry recreation zones like Copper City.

**Montana Rider** · 08-13-2018, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

I have to be there super early on Monday for work again and so am coming over on Sunday.

Despite nearly 20 years here, I still haven't sampled the goods in Helena yet, but I would put a second plug in for this ride mentioned on Page 1, which is on "my Top 10" funnest downhills.

It may be on your way, depending how you drive as it's outside Boulder in the Elkhorn Mtns...

https://www.trailforks.com/trails/muskrat-creek/

**yeahman** · 08-17-2018, 03:04 PM

Pretty cool footage of the CD trail off Mac Pass--especially the rock gardens lol--and Beartrap Gulch downhill. This video was posted by Bike Helena on Facebook today.

**Bunion 2020** · 08-17-2018, 03:43 PM

2 thumbs up!

**RootSkier** · 08-19-2018, 05:28 PM

The trail in that video is cool. If you can clean all the rock gardens on the climbs you are a golden fucking god. I ran into mtnlion this morning and we were 2 of only 4 people on the first shuttle for it. There were even puddles at the top and the grass was wet because apparently something called "rain" actually fell from the sky last night.

Worked for a while and then got a friend to give me a ride to Mt. Helena Ridge and rode Show Me the Horse directly to Blackfoot. Man, the biking situation here is rad.

**lifelinksplit** · 08-19-2018, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

The trail in that video is cool. If you can clean all the rock gardens on the climbs you are a golden fucking god. I ran into mtnlion this morning and we were 2 of only 4 people on the first shuttle for it.

Worked for a while and then got a friend to give me a ride to Mt. Helena Ridge and rode Show Me the Horse directly to Blackfoot. Man, the biking scene here is rad.

Mt helena ridge is my go to lazy option with a couple variations before heading to beer. I really need to hit mac pass.

**RootSkier** · 08-19-2018, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by evasive_MT

The Mac Pass pickup is 100 yards off Rimini Road, on the south side of the highway.

For anyone else who reads this in the future, the new pickup is just after mile marker 4 on Rimini Road on the left. There is a Trail Rider sign on the fence.

**evasive_MT** · 08-19-2018, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by RootSkier

For anyone else who reads this in the future, the new pickup is just after mile marker 4 on Rimini Road on the left. There is a Trail Rider sign on the fence.

Thanks for sharing. They must have decided to reduce the number of people riding the road now that it’s paved.

**stuckathuntermtn** · 08-19-2018, 07:20 PM

That video looks delicious. Hope I have some work or some other excuse to be there before the end of riding season. (not unlikely). Didn't realize McDonald was so rugged. Wish my full suspension didn't blow chunks.

**yeahman** · 08-19-2018, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by evasive_MT

Thanks for sharing. They must have decided to reduce the number of people riding the road now that it’s paved.

It's a damn fine cruise out of there now!

**rideit** · 11-14-2018, 04:57 PM

Can anyone recommend a nat. Forest campground near Helena that we could (preferably) do a bigger ride from? Hopefully something that takes reservations? (Next August)

**evasive_MT** · 11-14-2018, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by rideit

Can anyone recommend a nat. Forest campground near Helena that we could (preferably) do a bigger ride from? Hopefully something that takes reservations? (Next August)

Vigilante campground past York gives you two decent rides from the campground: Beartrap Gulch and Hanging Valley. Not sure if they take reservations or not. It’s about 30 minutes from Helena on the NE side of the valley. Plus is that the Friendly York Bar will give you an awesome cheeseburger.

**rideit** · 11-15-2018, 12:18 AM

Thanks. I imagine I will pick your brain further about a good route/etc. Maybe you would be into guiding for beer and dinner or somesutch?

It appears that Vigilante doesn't take reservations, is there any boondocking or other flattish sites in case our group can't get sites? (Two trucks with small trailers)

**evasive_MT** · 11-15-2018, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by rideit

Thanks. I imagine I will pick your brain further about a good route/etc. Maybe you would be into guiding for beer and dinner or somesutch?

It appears that Vigilante doesn't take reservations, is there any boondocking or other flattish sites in case our group can't get sites? (Two trucks with small trailers)

For sure. Happy to.

There is a MTB-oriented campsite that planned to open here in May. I know they had some timeline issues, but I haven’t heard anything for a while. They might be an option if they get off the ground. If not, yeah, I have a few options. Worst case scenario, they have a campground at the county fairgrounds on the north end of town.

**CountryFunk** · 11-21-2018, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by rideit

Thanks. I imagine I will pick your brain further about a good route/etc. Maybe you would be into guiding for beer and dinner or somesutch?

It appears that Vigilante doesn't take reservations, is there any boondocking or other flattish sites in case our group can't get sites? (Two trucks with small trailers)

There is a nice boondocking site near the base of the Muskrat Creek ride north of Boulder. Easy access (20-30 minutes) to town and Elkhorn rides from there. There is also a big bd site at the intersection of McClellan Creek and Crystal Creek Roads in the Elkhorns that is great for accessing all the Elkhorns rides and close to town. Moose Creek Campground on Rimini road and several boondocking sites south of the campground. Cromwell-Dixson Campground on MacDonald pass is close to the highway but would be cooler. Lots of boondocking sites off Little Blackfoot River Road near Elliston on the west side of MacD pass with Kading Campground at the end of the road.