Missoula Montana here we come.

Gypsie · Post by **Gypsie** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:18 pm

We are planning a trip to Missoula for the July 4th week. Gonna make a run for CouerD'alene on the first day to get to some mountains and then spend a leisurely week 'splorin from there to Missoula.

Anyone have any "Must sees" or other recommendations for this trip.

Route:

84 to 395 to 90 (through Spokane and CouerD'Alene).

We will prob'ly do an RV Park and or a hotel somewheres in there. I also plan on trying to find some out of the way wrecking yards and hopefully hookup with some other IAC'ers along the way.
If she can drag me into a hotel I can drag her to a wreckin' yard or a stopover at an IAC'er yard.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:38 pm

Take route 1 and check out the towns/sites along there. About 20 miles off of that route you can really go into the weeds to a place called gem Mountain where you can sift for your own sapphires....we had a great time and the scenery along that route is FANTASTIC...highly recommend.

Ohh....also a few ghost towns to check out down thataway.

hambone · Post by **hambone** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:40 pm

I would recommend US12, goes right thru the middle of wilderness and central Idaho, very beautiful. Might be some good free Forest Service camping along the way too. Interstates suck for long trips! I've gone from here to Chicago multiple times all on 2-lane US highways, very nice way to travel. You really see the country.

CoPilot · Post by **CoPilot** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:17 pm

Do NOT go, I repeat, do NOT go to the Missoula WalMart (as if you ever wanted to anyway).

There is a black vortez ignition snatching hole in that parking lot. We went in for mayo and it took us 6 hours to leave the parking lot...we were almost forced to camp ((GASP!!)) in the parking lot if it wasn't for this blessed thing called the IAC.

YOU WILL HAVE A FANTASTIC TIME!
Cheers.
Elaine

whc03grady · Post by **whc03grady** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:08 pm

CoPilot1978 wrote:Do NOT go, I repeat, do NOT go to the Missoula WalMart (as if you ever wanted to anyway).

There is a black vortez ignition snatching hole in that parking lot. We went in for mayo and it took us 6 hours to leave the parking lot...we were almost forced to camp ((GASP!!)) in the parking lot if it wasn't for this blessed thing called the IAC.

Now, now, I've parked Ludwig in both Missoula WM parking lots many times without any ill-effect (and even campedin the Great Falls WM lot).

There are some nice hot springs along US 12 in Idaho.
Do you fish? They say it's the best cold-water fishing in the world up here.
Lots of NF campgrounds, some mere minutes from town, plenty of hikes; if it's outdoorsy, we got it.
It could be bad news if it's a rough fire season, though. The smoke can make it nearly intolerable to be outside at times.
Feel free to get a hold of me before you come up. You'll love it, I think.

ruckman101 · Post by **ruckman101** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:27 pm

I think it's called the "Highway of the Sun", scenic highway of gorge vintage, cuts through Glacier National Park. Scenic indeed, runs out of Whitefish? I think. incredible, up over the continental divide into Browing. Don't spend any time there, talk about a depressed depressing burg.

neal

whc03grady · Post by **whc03grady** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:32 pm

ruckman101 wrote:I think it's called the "Highway of the Sun", scenic highway of gorge vintage, cuts through Glacier National Park. Scenic indeed, runs out of Whitefish? I think. incredible, up over the continental divide into Browing. Don't spend any time there, talk about a depressed depressing burg.

neal

"Going-to-the-Sun Road", runs from Whitefish/West Glacier to St Mary. Glacier National Park (and the Pacific terminus of said road) is about 3 hours from Missoula by ACVW.
You've gotta check out the largest pine tree in Montana, just a few minutes off of I-90 near Tarkio: http://ludwigcampervanbeethoven.blogspo ... -road.html

ruckman101 · Post by **ruckman101** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:54 pm

whc03grady wrote:
ruckman101 wrote:I think it's called the "Highway of the Sun", scenic highway of gorge vintage, cuts through Glacier National Park. Scenic indeed, runs out of Whitefish? I think. incredible, up over the continental divide into Browing. Don't spend any time there, talk about a depressed depressing burg.

neal
"Going-to-the-Sun Road", runs from Whitefish/West Glacier to St Mary. Glacier National Park (and the Pacific terminus of said road) is about 3 hours from Missoula by ACVW.
You've gotta check out the largest pine tree in Montana, just a few minutes off of I-90 near Tarkio: http://ludwigcampervanbeethoven.blogspo ... -road.html

That's the one, thanks grady.

neal

spiffy · Post by **spiffy** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:05 pm

Route 1 (Pintler Scenic Highway):

Little town of Phillipsburg.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:14 pm

CoPilot1978 wrote:Do NOT go, I repeat, do NOT go to the Missoula WalMart (as if you ever wanted to anyway).

Too funny, I've been there, also.

We were driving through the mountains in October, with no heat, and were literally freezing our behinds off. To the point that even though we are morally opposed to Walmart, we did what we had to and bought cheap blankets and boot to get us home.

Spiff, have you been everywhere?

deschutestrout · Post by **deschutestrout** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:20 pm

Ditto on the Rt 12 thing. One of the most beautiful roads I've driven. Northern Montana and "parts" of central MT are awesome. Look at maps and head for mountain ranges and rivers.

LiveonJG · Post by **LiveonJG** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:47 pm

If you have the chance, stop by Elkstrom Station. It's a nice campground and they have a great little restaurant with good breakfasts and some excellent brews on tap! I'm not suggesting you mix the two. Get some of their jam to bring home. They even offer guided horseback rides.

-John

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:08 pm

Montana pics.

In the mountains heading west to east, from Seattle:

[albumimg]1923[/albumimg]

Freezing in the mountains with no heat:

[albumimg]1924[/albumimg]

Coming into Montana...

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The chitwnmobile. Mandy's going to scope out the neighborhood...

[albumimg]1927[/albumimg]

Talking it over with the locals.

[albumimg]1929[/albumimg]

Montana is beautiful.

[albumimg]1933[/albumimg]
[albumimg]1932[/albumimg]
[albumimg]1936[/albumimg]
[albumimg]1937[/albumimg]

Mandy saying good bye...

[albumimg]1938[/albumimg]

glasseye · Post by **glasseye** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:28 am

The Going-To-The-Sun Highway is one of America's ten best drives. It's right up there with Beartooth Pass, attempted by Amskeptic last summer. If you're in Montana and miss either of these roads, you've missed a LOT. These images are on the GTS road

Sorry about the image quality, these pix were made with my camcorder about ten years ago. A third of a megapixel.

whc03grady · Post by **whc03grady** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:07 am

I can also advise you as to some good restaurants in town, if you'd like. Biga Pizza comes immediately to mind.

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Missoula Montana here we come.

Missoula Montana here we come.