Bailing on the Tour Divide (Bikepacking in Montana)

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Chris Wilson and his riding partner Rob had to face a tough decision and bail on their Tour Divide ride this year. But with train tickets in hand, the two made some adaptations and traveled from their home in Vancouver to Whitefish for a weeklong trip in the wilds of Montana. Watch the lovely video Chris made about their trip here…

Chris Wilson and his friend Rob had been planning to take part in the Tour Divide for over a year, riding from the Canadian border to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. Things didn’t go exactly according to plan, and just five days before they were set to leave, Chris had to make a tough decision to postpone the journey. With a pair of train tickets to Montana in hand, and only one week of vacation, they made some adaptations and set out for Whitefish to spend a week exploring Montana’s beautiful backcountry. Watch the video Chris made below followed by some stills and a brief recap of the route.

“Whether I’m following a 50-mile or 2,500-mile route, it isn’t following a red line on my GPS and getting to the end that’s memorable…”

  • Bikepacking in Montana - Bailing on the Tour Divide
  • Bikepacking in Montana - Bailing on the Tour Divide
  • Bikepacking in Montana - Bailing on the Tour Divide
  • Bikepacking in Montana - Bailing on the Tour Divide
  • Bikepacking in Montana - Bailing on the Tour Divide
Bikepacking in Montana - Bailing on the Tour Divide

After taking an Amtrak directly from their home town in Vancouver, they pedaled to the Whitefish Bike Retreat to begin their route. From there, they shuttled north to Rooseville, then traced the rim of Koocanusa Lake. Down near Libby, they headed Northeast through the Kootenai National Forest, past Dickey Lake, and then through Graves Creek and Whitefish Pass. Eventually, they made it to Polebridge and spent some time in Glacier National Park before heading back to Whitefish and catching the train home.

Chris WilsonChris Wilson was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and is based out of Vancouver, Washington. He started backpacking, then moved to climbing, and after riding the White Rim Trail, got hooked on bikepacking. Find another of Chris’s videos following the Goat Mountain Gusto route here.

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