The Best First Stage; Otherwise, Idaho’s Better | MTBDR Epilogue

After completing the Montana Backcountry Discovery Route, we're up to ten BDRs since we started running them in 2017. Through the running of each one, @mrs.turbodb and I are - as you can imagine - regularly comparing the current BDR to the past ones. Now that I've been writing down these thoughts for the last five or so, it seems like a good tradition to continue into the future.

TL;DR - The Montana BDR had the absolute best Stage 1 of any BDR we've run. Working through the ridgelines of the Gravelly Mountains - especially early in the season when there's still snow above 8,500 feet - is magical. The views - in all directions are the best on the route. North of Butte though, there's not much variation - it's one tree tunnel after the next - and since the route largely parallels the MT-ID border, it feels like the Eastern-Idaho BDR rather than something unique to Big Sky Country. That wouldn't be bad, but for the fact that the Idaho BDR is one of the best, and following its route north is significantly more rewarding from both a scenery and history perspective.

And so, with that, let's get into the details!

The Roads

By and large, we were happy with the roads of the Montana BDR. While there weren't any real "fun" roads like those on the UTBDR Stage 2 ALT Exp through Lockhart Basin or the COBDR Stage 2 through the Alpine Loop, the roads of the MTBDR seemed appropriate for a 900-mile route through the state. There was less pavement and more remoteness than many of the other BDRs we've run, and while we never felt like we were "too far out," we also didn't feel like we were perpetually in civilization.

There was very little pavement, which was a pleasant surprise given how much we've encountered on the more recently released BDRs.

A few specifics:

Stage 1 - both climbing into the Gravelly Mountains, and dropping down into Virginia City - is extremely sloppy when wet. I'd recommend doing this part of the route a week after the most recent rain, as the mud here is clay, and that clay is some of the stickiest you'll ever encounter. Plowing through snow on the ridgelines is fun; cleaning the film of moly-based mud off the truck for months after heading home; not so much.

This stuff was so sticky and thick that it threw off the wheel balance and was undrivable at speeds above 30mph.
Stage 2+ - was mostly standard FS roads. Some stretches were more smoothly graded than others, and certain sections were frustratingly filled with the potholes that make you wince when hit at higher speeds.
Alt-Expert segments are all worth doing, or at least, shouldn't be avoided due to difficulty. While some of the terrain is rockier and require slower speeds and a bit more attention, none of it is difficult for a high-clearance vehicle with 4WD.

The Scenery / Landscape

The scenery of the Montana BDR was where the route as a whole came up short. This was unfortunate because the first stage was one of - if not the - best of the ten BDRs we've run to date.

Right off the bat, the Centennial Mountains were jaw-dropping.

Where most BDRs start and end on pavement, the MTBDR was almost immediately - and definitely before crossing the Idaho-Montana border - on dirt. The views - first of the Centennial Mountains and then, through the early-season, snow-covered Gravelly Mountains - were spectacular. Part of this was surely due to the fact that we were there on July 1, the very first day the roads opened for the season, but this part of the state is full of jagged peaks and distant views, both things that make-or-break a BDR.

Stage 2 - to Butte - and a bit beyond, also provided a reasonable mix of mountainous terrain and historical sites (ghost towns, mines, and lookouts) to make it worthwhile adventure for anyone looking to explore the southwestern part of the state.

But then, from the middle of Stage 3 to a few miles south of the Canadian border, there's no other way to say it, Montana BDR is boring. One tree tunnel after another define the route. Views - few and far between - are of blankets of green. A drone - sent high into the sky - can mitigate some of the monotony, but that sort of thing should not be a requirement of an adventure route. Especially one focused on 2-wheeled travel, where stopping to launch a flying camera is inconvenient at best, and unlikely given the risks associated with packing such an accessory on the back of a bike.

When you can't see more than a few dozen feet for hours on end, what's the point?

Highlights

Stage 1. I've covered this above. If you have time, spend two days on the stage. It is one of the longer stages on the route, and worth the time to enjoy. Stop frequently, soak in the surroundings.

So cool.
Charcoal Kilns - buried in the woods on Stage 2, it's rare to find a still-standing kiln, since their brick-by-brick construction quickly collapses when they aren't constantly maintained. Seeing more than 20 kilns - full of history and in various states of decay - is a highlight of the route.

Brick beehives.
The old Mill and Boarding House in Comet - an old ghost town on Stage 3, these structures are imposing and rarely seen in this day and age. Worth visiting, and poking around for half an hour.

A rare find.
Thompson Falls Dam - I was surprised at how neat this dam was when we arrived. Approach it from the south side, and cross the high bridge to access the island; the "usual" access from the north is less impressive and usually crowded. Plus, you don't get to experience the high bridge!

Unexpectedly cool.

Lowlights

The tree tunnels. These started in Stage 2, but were omni-present from Stage 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and the first 80% of Stage 8. In fact, there were so few breaks from the roadside evergreens that we found ourselves stopping for otherwise innocuous views, just because the were there. There'd have been even fewer views if we'd been limited to ground-level sights; the drone enabled a few opportunities that we'd have otherwise missed.
This is the "Eastern Idaho BDR" The fact that this route is so close - literally only a couple hundred miles; look at them together on a map - to the Idaho BDR for the entire route, is a huge miss on the part of the BDR organization. Sure, the mountains are fun, but when you have 15 routes, the experience of each state as part of a whole should be a part of the focus. A route through Montana should include some of the wide-open, and this route did not.
The inaccessibility of Fire Lookouts along the route. There were more than a dozen lookouts - a clear indicator that there are views to be had - but we were only able to reach three of them. Only a couple hundred miles away - on the Idaho BDR - it was an entirely different story. A better story.

Side Trips That Should Be Enjoyed

Like Many BDRs, the Montana BDR seems to go near several attractions without visiting - or in some cases even mentioning - these worthwhile waypoints.

Morrell Lookout - this is an "extension" route on the BDR, making it optional and usually skipped. It is, however, one of the best views of the entire 900-mile journey, and overlooking Seeley Lake, it's definitely the best camp site along the way.
The Boulder/Wickes Tunnel - this is a mile-long passage that is an unreal experience to drive. It is not for the faint of heart - high-clearance vehicle with at least 15" of clearance is necessary to navigate the thigh-deep water that floods most of the track, but the utter darkness is worth every heart-pumping minute of the drive.
Garden of One Thousand Buddhas - is half a mile off the route in Arlee and isn't even mentioned as something to see. While it's not the usual outdoor activity, it's a display unlike any other one is likely to encounter and worth a few minutes to enjoy.

With the Montana BDR slotting into the lower half of our "best of" list, I think it's safe to say that the first two stages are worth doing, and the route north of Butte - at least as a whole - isn't worth the time.

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