February 27, 2012
Lolo Pass - from the easy side
We headed for home (British Columbia) from Missoula this day, anxious now to get our final packing and arrangements for Europe done. There are still two months to go, but we want to be packed and ready. This could free Dodie for yet another trip to Missoula, in advance of our departure, which begins with ... a trip to Missoula. What's so great about Missoula? Oh yes:
Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Missoula also has the Adventure Cycling head office, and we usually stop by to have a look at it.
Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
The Adventure Cycling route through Missoula uses the Lolo Pass (Highway 12) on the way to the Coast. When we came through heading East last year we chose to go by way of Lookout Pass (I-90) but have always been curious about Highway 12. We did drive it West to East in the van a while back, but since it was night could not tell much.
So this time we headed out on a bright sunny morning. Coming out of Missoula, there is about 20 level km before the road begins to climb. After that, yes it does go up, but (in the van anyway) did not strike us as too terrible. It was the backside, though, that looked brutal. We didn't measure the kms, but the road seemed to go down and down and down. Indeed, the elevation of Missoula is 978m while that of Lewiston, Idaho is 227m. So that's about 750m (about 2500 feet) more climbing if you do Lolo west to east than if you do it the other way round.
Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 0 |
Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |