Biking the CDT in Montana

A few miles East of Butte, Montana is the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. I spent the night at the Homestake Trailhead (exit 233 of Interstate 90) which just happens to be the Continental Divide trail. There is clear boondocking to the North of the Interstate and even a small lake, but I stayed at the trailhead as I planned to take the “Homestake South” trail which is known (now that I read up on it) as one of the premier mountain biking trails around.

The trail included climbing over and ducking under the trees.

I got up as early as I could, swallowed down a few cups of coffee,a big bowl of oatmeal, and a protein shake and set off the wrong way “up” the trail. Although I was going South, the trail led up for the next 13 miles., not that I was planning to go that far. I simply rode out 45 minute… all of it was supreme riding trail twisting among the pine and climbing all the way. My lack of mountain biking in the recent months showed itself with two major stops and near vomiting (whoa!).

Butte Montana was visible from the trail

When my MP3 player ran though an entire album, I stopped and turned the bike North… “down” the trail, back towards my van. I estimate I got 3-4 miles out which meant I got a great 3-4 mile downhill run in the cool morning air. I changed to the next album, where the music matched the steep, fast, twisty descent. What took me 45 minute to climb, look less than 15 minutes to coast down, but man was it worth it.

The trail was much like Picture Rock trail in Colorado (see below) only steeper and all of it amongst the trees. I have biked a few miles of the CDT down in New Mexico last winter, and now a few miles way up here in Montana. Maybe I will bike it all in small chunks :)