Got myself to Montana but riding is tbd.  The route is free of fires but it sure isn't free of smoke.  AQI > 300 across much of segment 1 today. 

I'm gonna wait a few days, practice my Tenkara skills (or rather lack of) and see what things look like later in the week.

I have your route from Superior to Missoula. 

Thanks, I'll add that to the Garmin.

Inertiaman- keep an eye on fires and smoke- generally they have been more of an issue the farther south you go around here.

Everything up there was a mess when I rode the GDMBR in 2017, one fire blocked access to the Whitefish Pass section, the Rice Ridge fire blocked much of the route near Seeley Lake, I was breathing smoke for 2 or 3 days of the route, etc.  This year is looking great by comparison.

Looks like some travel issues may delay my departure to MT, so I am considering a different approach.  Park van in Missoula, one-way rental to Whitefish.  Ride Segment 1 to Superior; if I'm feeling good and forecast isn't bad, I can continue; if my bad leg is bothering me, its a short day on pavement into Missoula to my van.  If I continue thru Segment 2 to Darby, then I can again get myself back to Missoula via one day of pavement. 

This gives me more flexibility and more time to do some paddling and fishing before or after the trip. Also addresses some lingering anxiety I have about my still-recovering leg, which I haven't tested yet on demanding 4+ day trips.

@Iowagriz, check your PM . . . I may need a place to park my van in Missoula!

@threepin, if you have any dirt/gravel ideas for Superior==>Missoula or Darby-->Missoula, let me know.  At a minimum, from Darby, it looks like one can avoid the main highway 93 between Hamilton and Florence by staying on secondary roads to the east. 

Thanks for that first-person info @Iowagriz.  I've done lots of road tours so occasional pavement and traffic isn't a big concern for me, and given your description of the current state of the alternate, I'll definitely take the standard route.

Does your user name imply some Iowa origins?  I grew up in Cedar Rapids.  Ragbrai was my first "tour" in 1976

I've been wearing the original Adidas Trailcross model, which I like a lot, and would recommend if they were available anywhere.  I don't have any experience with the newer Five Ten branded versions of the Trailcross, but will likely buy the LT version you referenced if/when any retailers get inventory on the size 14.  Probably another example of supply chains being FUBAR due to covid.

The Trailcross seems to be lighter and dries faster than the leather-centric models of Fiveten like the Freerider.  Mine hike pretty well and ride pretty well.  But a big part of my attraction is that so options are offered in my size.

OK,, I think I understand your Clark Fork variation now.  You just avoided the intial 5 or so miles of HW56, but ultimately you follow the Clark Fork alternate in its entirety?  That still leaves the washouts in the Cabinet Mountains to contend with, so I'm unlikely to take that path unless someone indicates that it has been passable. 

I'm having trouble piecing together your proposed modification to the Clark Fork alternate.  Can't find Lower Lake Cr Rd or Iron Creek Rd.  Also, are you aware that they are currently recommending against the Clark Fork alternate due to severe washouts/landslides on the road about 12 miles or so after the intial turn to the west off the main WWR route?  Wasn't sure if your mod was intended to get around that or was in a different section.

Where is home?

WA and AZ.  Currently in AZ.

I've been to Glacier several times in the past so probably would not deviate all the way to Polebridge etc.

Do you have alternatives in mind for the Highway 56 section or the bit near the interstate west of Superior?  

On logistic detail I'm "struggling" with is where to buy fuel canisters en route.  While I can't rule out getting lucky at private campground general store or something similar, there seems to be few/none "deterministic" spots in the first 3 segments to acquire MSR style canisters.  Would like to avoid carrying ~ 3 500g (EDIT - I meant 220g size) canisters but would also like to avoid finding myself fuel-less.

@threepin, I'd happily consider any suggestions.  My thinking for Whitefish-->border was to ride the GDMBR route, since that was all closed due to fire when I did GDMBR in 2017.  The detour I rode was very similar to the WWR alternate.  May as well see something new.  Although I sure enjoyed a nice swim at Dickey lake that I wouldn't mind repeating.

I'm a little suprised how few ride reports and/or discussions of this route can be found online.  This thread is one of the only first-person accounts I could find.  Considering that there are now phone apps and both printed and pdf guidebooks available, this seems odd.

Anyway, I'm considering a trip on the northern portion of the route beginning in Whitefish in late August.  Objective would be to arrive in Park City by late Sept.  So pretty similar to Pete A's trip, but 2+ weeks earlier hopefully making a critical difference.

Has anyone else ridden all or portions of the WWR that can chime in here?  
Pete A, given your apparent experience w/ the locals in 2018, how would you predict they will behave given these Covid times?  Unwelcoming but tolerant?  One reason I"m considering this route right now is the remoteness.  Seems like very little interaction w/ others will be necessary.  My intention would be nearly 100% camping, and sanitize hands & don a mask during reasonably quick in/out resupplies.  

FWIW my background includes successful solos on the GDMBR, Baja Divde, TransEcuador, etc.  Although this will be my first major tour since a fractured femur in late 2018, so likely slower & less fit.

Dragonslayer is sold.  The REI bike is still available.  I'm sort of surprised at the lack of interest in the REI bike.  I suppose its not a well known bike.  But its a far better value than comparably priced Timberjacks.  Full SLX drivetrain, brakes, cranks, etc.  X-Fusion McQueen fork. 

Its easiest to just click thru to my Pinkbike ads to see photos and descriptions.  I'm leaving Seattle the first week of Oct and driving to east coast, so could conceivably deliver to reasonably convenient points en route.  Or can ship in Crateworks case.

https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2635024/
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2638533/

Dragonslayer is 2016 size small.
DRT 2.1 is a 2017 size medium.

I know, its sort of shocking that so few people are aware of this option.  I did a lot of reading/prep/searching when planning my logistics, and never came across it.  I only learned of it while chatting w/ the Border Patrol guy after I arrived at the end of my journey in October 2017.  He said my timing was good, that there would likely be two vans coming through about an hour later.  Stroke of luck for me . . . I had been planning to ride back to I-10 for a different shuttle.

During my shuttle, I talked to the driver and he told me they was generally one van every day, and sometimes two (weekends and holidays especially).  I even called the service in February when I originally posted this in the other thread, and confirmed they are still running these shuttles.  So should be a deterministic option.

I suppose if you had a larger 3-4 person group it might be riskier (van could be full), but in that case the pre-arranged private shuttles aren't so unreasonably priced.

This may be too late to be relevant, but my reply to a similar inquiry documents a straightforward shuttle option:

There is a cheap daily shuttle, which for reasons I've never understood, has not been well promoted in various GDMBR info sources.  For about $50 you can get a ride in a van, with your bike in the attached enclosed trailer, directly from central Phoenix to the Antelope Wells border crossing in less than 6 hours.

I used this service to return from the border to Phoenix after completing the GDMBR north to south.  You'll most likely be packed tight in a 12 or 15 seat van with no English speakers, so it might be a tad boring if you don't speak any Spanish.  But the drivers are courteous and professional and the trip is very deterministic.  Shuttles leave from Phoenix at about 6am daily. Contact Transportes Lozoya at 602-253-0843 or at 2208 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85006.  Try to have a Spanish speaker call them if you're calling . . . the person answering usually speaks very little English.  Their shuttle business is largely based upon the many families that go back/forth between the Chihuahua region of Mexico and the Phoenix area.  Its sort of a random convenience to bikepackers that the path of this trip is through the Antelope Wells border crossing.

With a noon to 1pm ish arrival at Antelope Wells, you'll have ample time that day to ride north 45 miles to Hachita.

However, if the aim is to reach high country asap is it not better to head NE from Phoenix directly?

As a bit of a purist, I'd say heading NE from PHX would be short-cutting the route.  Not that any bikepacking overlords are going to disqualify you.  But even from a purely practical perspective, why bother adding the complication/logistics of determining a viable route and cycling from PHX to intersect (somewhere) with the GDMBR, if you have an easy shuttle directly to the end point?   The GDMBR is a great route, so my advice would be to embrace (all of) it.

One other unsolicited suggestion:  if you're intending to ride the "updated" full route (which now goes 400 additional miles north to Jasper; great riding which I'd recommend if you have the time) then you might consider another alternative for return to London:  there is a daily train directly from Jasper to Vancouver, BC (and onward via easy connection to Seattle if desired).  You can take un-boxed bikes on the train.  I'm actually surprised there are direct flights from Calgary to London.  Maybe more/cheaper options from Vancouver??

Personally I would recommend you forego the riding and get a shuttle to the border.  There is a cheap daily shuttle, which for reasons I've never understood, has not been well promoted in various GDMBR info sources.  For about $50 you can get a ride in a van, with your bike in the attached enclosed trailer, directly from central Phoenix to the Antelope Wells border crossing in less than 6 hours.

I used this service to return from the border to Phoenix after completing the GDMBR north to south.  You'll most likely be packed tight in a 12 or 15 seat van with no English speakers, so it might be a tad boring if you don't speak any Spanish.  But the drivers are courteous and professional and the trip is very deterministic.  Shuttles leave from Phoenix at about 6am daily. Contact Transportes Lozoya at 602-253-0843 or at 2208 N 16th St, Phoenix, AZ 85006.  Try to have a Spanish speaker call them if you're calling . . . the person answering usually speaks very little English.  Their shuttle business is largely based upon the many families that go back/forth between the Chihuahua region of Mexico and the Phoenix area.  Its sort of a random convenience to bikepackers that the path of this trip is through the Antelope Wells border crossing.

I'm sure its a romantic temptation to ride to the GDMBR start, but personally I would recommend seriously considering just getting a shuttle.  The temperatures in your timeframe are not great for cycling, and you'll have enough challenge just getting north from Antelope Wells up the GDMBR to higher elevations and cooler temps.  No need to add several hundred miles of additional high temp riding. 

With a noon to 1pm ish arrival at Antelope Wells, you'll have ample time that day to ride north 45 miles to Hachita.

Nothing like a 10 year silence on a thread, only to be revived.  Shocked the OP was able to reply!

Elaine, could you offer some "macro" guidance about the route?  Things like optimal season, direction, typical pace (kn/day), typical food/resupply or challenges?

The site seems to have very detailed info on a km by km basis, but not much "overview" type of guidance. Maybe I'm missing it.

I've road toured several times in southern Spain so I'd guess that winter season is viable, but not sure about higher elevations on this route.  Also, w.r.t. pace, your trip report averages ~ 16 miles per day.  Is this a result of taste/preference for slow pace, or is the terrain really that slow?

I'm in a desperate time pinch, and my life could be saved by someone willing to sell me their Nano panniers.

Revelate is out of stock and my trip planning was badly procrastinated. 

Anyone?