Blue Point Ride

Terrain Distance (approx): 16.5 miles
Climbing Distance: 4,927 feet
Highest Altitude: 7,042 feet
Trip Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Extremely Hard Climbing.

I rode from my house in Missoula to begin this challenging ride. The ride starts up Woods Gulch and continues up the ridge as if you were going to Sheep Mountain. At 1 hour I only made it to the first of two logging road crossings on the climb. Little did i know that the hard part was yet to come.

The next hour was spent suffering up brutal loose and rocky single track. At one point I broke my chain. At the end of hour two the ride started to get rewarding. There started to appear wild flowers and side hill single track with great views ... even a little downhill to the next climb up the ridge.

Hour three, again ... brutal climbing. I was forced to walk a long section and at the same time try and not to pass out from exhaustion. Finally though a junction appeared and I had made it to the Blue Point turn.

As you top the tiny climb to the top of the open area you are greeted with great views of Sheep Mountain and its heli-pad. A large bowl with numerous rocky cliffs can bee seen also. Start to ascend through the grassy ridge line to the South. Keep to the jeep trail and watch out for obstacles. At this point I was delirious so a couple close calls with branches and rocks grabbed my attention back to the decent. The jeep trail just disappears in the clearing above the power lines. Head straight to the power lines and this section is almost straight down so be careful. You must negotiate logs, ditches, and rocks.

Once on the logging road head right and look for Big Horn Sheep. I saw a huge muscular ram here. A little under a mile you will reach kind of a saddle and you must take a jeep trail down and to the right as soon as you hit the power lines again. A good rule of thumb is to follow the power lines for a while until the road gets more dominate. This trail is called Midtower. Follow this taking no turns onto other roads until you come out at the Marshall Canyon Road.

Enjoy the smooth road and go back to East Missoula. Just before you reach the ramps to get on I90 there is a road to the right that goes past a business (I forgot what it was.). Go through their parking area and by the garage to the single track leading up through the field.

This climb is also brutal. It is extreme but only until you gain altitude and start to traverse over to Missoula through Hellgate Canyon. Watch out for grasshoppers, brush, and the narrowest trail I have ever experienced on a steep side hill.

Climb up over and to the Jumbo Trail head. Congratulations it is over and now you need a hammock and a beer.

I give this ride 4 stars ... This trail is relentless but the trail conditions are bad as a result of last weeks rain storm.

(Click on any image to enlarge)