2017 Lolo Motorway Recon & Trail conditions

[britz]

For anyone planning drive the Lolo Motorway this seaso , I popped up to see what the conditions were.

This trip I made it just shy of Rocky Ridge Lake, elev. 6200, before hitting snow and ponding on the trail. FR 103 is clear and passable and 500 from Canyon Junction to Pete Forks is open, though muddy. There's a timber sale around Pete Forks, so equipment may be present during the week.

I'll be popping up again after the Fourth to see if I can get to Saddle Camp.

 

[pierceg]

Nice update
Magruder is still closed as well due to snow pack.

 

[britz]

Yeah, getting close, though. Elk City Wagon Rd and Pilot Knob are open and cleared. There's a group that's supposed to do Magruder then Lolo the end of July, might be close!

 

[Fixitup]

Hoping Britz has another Lolo update soon. We had planned to do part of the Idaho BDR on motorcycles starting at Magruder and going to Canada, beginning 7/13. I am not too optimistic Magruder and Lolo will be open by then, but I can always hope.

 

[britz]

I just ran into a group of Enduros down in town this past weekend, they tried from the Powell end and got caught in 6-8' berms so doubled back and came down the 12 into Kamiah. We have 90+ degree temps scheduled for the next two weeks at my cabin (3300ft), so probably 80 up top. It will probably be a crapshoot, if not rotten snow, the deep ponds may be an issue.
Not sure if I'll get back on the Motorway before the 13th, I'm hoping to get over the Elk City Wagon Rd to EC and get some Magruder info in the next few days.

 

[Fixitup]

Good data, and very much appreciated. I agree with you that best case we will have rotten snow, puddles and mud on the Magruder. Lolo motorway will probably be worse in spots due to all the shade. We will be on loaded down dual sports, so no fun in the mud. I think we will solidify our plan "B".

 

[britz]

EDIT- Just looked up the road status and they officially listed Magruder as open, someone must've cut the trees so autos can get through, lol. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5158968.pdf


Talked to a buddy down in Elk City today who stopped in the Ranger Station for me. Atv's and Enduros are going through Magruder. They think a Jeep may have gone through, probably with beadlocks. There's some rotten drifts, but motos are driving around.

 

[Fixitup]

Just finished calling ranger stations trying to get Lolo motorway status, but no luck. Nobody has any fresh information. We also heard that the route going from Pierce to Avery was blocked somewhere between Avery and the Blue cabin.

 

[britz]

The Ranger Stations are pretty conservative for safety reasons, but from most reports there's still a decent amount of snow past Saddle Camp (that's as far as I've gone) on the LM. I haven't been up past Headquarters yet, don't have a trip to Wallace until August, but I posted in a local info group to see if anyone has info, since most folks out cutting firewood are on top of things. There can't be much snow, I know several adjacent rds are open all the way to MT, but Blue Cabin area is a bit higher elevation with afternoon shadows, IIRC.

If I don't do the Elk City Wagon Rd. this weekend, I'll try to pop up there.

 

[Fixitup]

We' re going to hit the road tomorrow. We will be doing the Magruder Friday, and will probe the Lolo Saturday. We will keep going one way or another up to Clarkfork. I'll give updates as possible. Thanks again for your info, it always helps.

 

[britz]

We' re going to hit the road tomorrow. We will be doing the Magruder Friday, and will probe the Lolo Saturday. We will keep going one way or another up to Clarkfork. I'll give updates as possible. Thanks again for your info, it always helps.

Sweetsauce! Have a safe trip and enjoy yourselves! Please do post updates when you have a chance.

 

[britz]

Both Magruder and Lolo are open. Loggers are decking at the Pete Forks CG, so exercise caution, check CB ch 7 or 8 if you're in the area before 3pm weekdays. The trucks are running down FR 103, but the jct will still be challenging with equipment running around.

 

[pierceg]

Thanks for the update

 

[britz]

Just got back off the Magruder to check the animals and meeting up with my group on the Lolo tomorrow. Magruder is dusty, but a Cadillac could drive it. I'm speaking of the 468road proper, not any side trails, Burnt Knob is still Burnt Knob, etc., but the biggest obstacle is the epic amounts of dust and if an Oldsmobile comes rolling down and freaks out, not knowing how to back up.

 

[Justin Moss]

Any updates on the road conditions? Sounds like the Magruder is good for the summer, more concerned with the Lolo motorway. I have trip planned for July 30th through August 4th to do the Magruder East bound and then hit the Lolo Motorway West bound. I called the USFS offices but they said the Magruder is open but they couldn't say if the Lolo motorway is open and they figured the ATV's have opened it but the windfall's might just be cut for their width. Has anybody in this thread taken a vehicle through the Lolo Motorway? I'm going to be dragging my Expedition trailer and I just want to have an idea of what I may run into. Thanks.

Justin

 

[britz]

Both Magruder and Lolo are open, we did it last weekend. One guy in our group pulled a Moby1 expedition trailer behind an Avalanche. His brakes heated up and he had a power steering issue, but everything is good to go. A motorcyclist got chased by a bear, but huckleberries are ripening on the Motorway, so that's common this time of year. Sandpoint Steve reported that Snowbank Camp has been commandeered by the firefighters due to the fires in the Lolo NF, but everything is good to go farther west for camping
. The route from Pierce to Avery is also good, just expect every route to be really dusty. I'll be running the LM again the beginning of next week.

 

[Justin Moss]

Great news. That makes me feel a lot better about the trip. I'll still have my chainsaw along but hopefully I won't have to use it. Thanks for the report. Time to start packing all the gear.

 

[britz]

Ran the Motorway today East to West starting at Parachute Hill across From Powell. A few snags to move, but nothing major. As Sandpoint Steve Reported, Snowbank Camp Is Filled With Forestry Service And Fire Crews for the MT Fires, and looks Like a large base camp near 12 mile saddle for a group clearing hiking trails off the Motorway. Very light traffic, but a few full size trucks. Rocky Ridge CG was half full at 4 p m.

Road is a little rough between Castle Butte and Rocky Ridge, but I averaged 15-17mph at 18psi.

Sorry for the funky caps in the sentences, my Kindle is flipping out.