5: Alpine #7!
Each day, it seems. will have its unique cause of delay. Yesterday, it was berries and the awkward labor of pushing a bike through dense thickets of Flathead jungle. Today’s delay… the stunning landscape and wildflowers and wanting to soak it all in. I keep stopping, then stopping again, to take it all in—unwilling to pass up these blissful moments for the sake of making progress.
Yesterday was tough, with little joy in it beyond the berries. Today has been pure bliss—my most profound alpine experience since running along the Gallatin Crest to Yellowstone back in 2019. Alpine #7 is likely the hardest trail I’ve traveled with a bike, but also one of the most rewarding. I think it would make a better fastpack than bikepack, but it worthy of being on any Montanan’s destination list.
So far I’ve seen more porcupines than people out on the trails (and only one of the former).
Now playing: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow