Day 3: Top of the World

(Return to the first Utah Loop trip post)

Helena, MT, to Yellowstone National Park, WY (630km)


View Larger Map

Based on Camper Dan's advice I checked out a few of the historic corners of Helena (state capital, former mining hub, competing religious monuments) and rolled out via Hwy 12 onto 89. These were great fast fun roads. Montana is the hilliest place with the straightest roads making for interesting rural skylines. A bit of interstate 90 then the goal of the day was in sight. I turned onto Hwy 70 and approached Red Lodge MT and the start of the Beartooth Pass, a famed 11,000ft summit that is only open for a few months of the year. This being August I wanted to get some Northern advantage for the heat I knew I would suffer further south. Joining Hwy 212 I started the accent and for the next few hours rose into the sky along an extraordinary series of switchbacks. Numerous times I looked for the summit sign only to roll on to another then another incline. Once finally at the top it was the top of the world. This was one of my favourite spots of the trip and I lingered alone at a summit view down a gravel road out of reach from cars and tour buses. Finally moving on it was onto Cooke City and the last stop before entering Yellowstone Park. The Park is featured in so many American myths I didn't know what he reality would be. With my $20 paid they let me in the gate and Yellowstone unfolded in inimitable style. Rather than natural grandeur it is really a park of curiosities and novelty. Yes, there is a lot of wildlife but it is the volcanic geography that gives it the sulphuric smells, glazed canyons, and bubbling pools. My task at hand was finding a camp spot as I knew many would be full. After visiting 3 and turned away from all I was starting to fret. Sixty km to option 4 and the rains started, and it rained hard. Sun descending it was a relief to score a 'hikers walk-in' at the Norris campground. As I uncurled the tent onto wet ground a buck elk with mighty antler strolled past on the nearby river. I'd accidentally settled into a beautiful spot out of the way of all the car plots. Yellowstone is known for bears and there had been a grizzly attack earlier in the year. I was meticulous with putting all foodstuff in bear boxes then drifted to sleep, knife and bear spray at hand. The rain died down as the moon rose. Next occurred a dreadfully frightening event. I awoke to a foul odour, musty and dank. Then the sounds… heaving breath then a cavernous grunt. Objects being shifted clumsily. I couldn't be still as my own shaking set in and I was sure it was a bear scouring the site. One of the scariest 10 minutes of my life until I noticed that I wasn't hearing any footsteps, just the sniffing and growling. Then I realized it was, most possibly, the snoring of the human in the campsite next to me. Anther 10 minutes and the pattern was clear and it was, in fact, not a bear but an oaf. For the rest of the night i kept awaking to the thought, 'wow, he really sounds like a bear!' The smell? I later realized it was my body reconciling the yummy Indian curry I had boiled for dinner in the evening mist. At least it was a comic ending.


Starting early - Day 3!


Making a quick stop at a rise behind my campsite as I head into Helena and start the day.




These roads... this sky... it doesn't get any better!




Everything was running so well when I finally did have a mechanical malfunction I needed to make a production of it. See, got to make the tools feel useful. A mirror was loose and thankfully I had the 14mm spanner to save the day.


Another cute small town on the road.


Starting the switchback up Beartooth Pass.


Check out all those layers of switchback in the distance!


'Welcome to Wyoming... and the top of the world!


Finally the summit is reached at 10,947ft. It's impossible to describe the feeling being up here.


Finding a quiet rest stop at the top of Beartooth Pass.




The view is okay, but the helmet hair is awesome.




Down from Beartooth Pass, $25 paid, and into Yellowstone National Park.


Welcome to Yellowstone. Yes, the roads all pretty much look like this.


Bison alert! What's Yellowstone without large animals and slow traffic?


The land opens out and the skys close in.


Last picture of the day. Looks pretty doesn't it? This was just before a massive storm rolled in and I rode the final 100km past 3 campsites looking for a place to pitch tent. Fourth was the charm and I set up in the dark, cooked, and settled in to a now infamous 'sleep'.