A whole new appreciation for Lewis and Clark

After a conversation with the desk clerk (and maybe owner) of my motel in Drummond I adjusted my plan (not that I really had one) and headed down the road to Phillipsburg MT which was only about 20 miles away. It is an old mining town (I am discovering that there are lots of old mining towns in MT) but unlike many of the others Phillipsburg appears to be thriving and has made the turnaround. It sits on the side of a hill and has a beautiful and well kept courthouse as well as a place called The Sanctuary, which is billed as a biker sanctuary.
You can find more detail at bikersanctuary.com

Like many towns out here the streets are wide (I recall wide enough to turn a cart and 6 horses?) and this is still put to good use when they deliver the beer or other goods. The trucks just park in the middle of the street!

I had looked on the map the previous evening and decided to test my spirit of adventure and check out the Skalkaho Pass which crosses the Bitterroot Range at about 7200 ft. This on a gravel road. They close the pass in winter and I discovered why.

The first 16 miles are paved and the road is very good and fast, but gets narrower and more curvy and eventually turns to gravel as you start the climb to the top of the pass.
What I had not anticipated is that the climb would be in a forest with views only of the road and surrounding area. 
I came around a bend to find a semi loaded with bridge culvert concrete structures. The driver escort said there were two trucks coming down the grade and would I wait. We chatted and I found out about some waterfalls on the other side of the pass. I eventually got on my way and passed through the construction and to the other side of the pass. There was no view at the top because of the trees. A little disappointing but still a great adventure.

 

The road at this point got very narrow and curvy, and the drop off on the left side going down was at least a couple of hundred feet with of course no guard rail.

I found the waterfall that was mentioned and it was not a huge cascade of water but as I was out looking around I heard a motorcycle coming up the grade, and much to my surprise it was a motorcycle and side car. Not something you see on the highway let alone up on some random gravel road in Montana.

I turned around and retraced my steps eventually coming down to a couple of small rivers and some fly fishermen.

 I turned back towards Georgetown Lake and Anaconda and came across an impressive waterfall right beside the highway

You can see the highway on the right hand side.

I will continue with the rest of the day and Saturday in a separate post. I need to get going to meet up with Renee in West Yellowstone