325 miles from Darby MT, over Lost Trail Pass, down to Salmon Idaho, then through long valleys to reach the west end of Yellowstone
Hwy 93 runs south from Missoula to Darby and beyond. It is not curvy; the road links long pleasant straight stretches through the countryside, offering views of cattle and farmland framed by a mountainous backdrop. This road has the highest concentration of motorcycles I’ve seen.
Temperatures got colder and colder on the long ride up to Lost Trail Pass at 7,600 feet. The snowpack got higher and higher, although the road is bare and dry.
But the main thing on my mind was the rest stop at the summit. Thanks to Miss Shawna’s coffee, I was “fully hydrated” at the B&B this morning. Well, too bad! The rest stop is closed by snow. I could barely see it behind the drifts and under the load. In summary, let me remind you: Don’t eat yellow snow.
Oops, I missed the turnoff at the top of the aptly named Lost Trail Pass. Just as well — temperatures in the 40s make it a cold ride. The planned route would be many more miles of mountain passes and near-freezing air. Continuing on down to the valley warmed up to mid 60s. I guess I’ll have to put up with experiencing scenes like these:
