I've always enjoyed riding the mountain passes in Colorado because they always include a lot of beautiful scenery and plenty of curvey roads. After enjoying the BMW Motorcycle Club of Colorado's Pass Bagger 50 quest so much over the past several years, this year I didn't travel to any new Colorado passes, but did bag a bunch of them in Wyoming. They don't count toward the COLORADO pass bagger, but sure were fun to ride. Here are some of the details.

For maps and more pass photos, check the passbagger.org site.

August 21-23, 2010 – No passes for PB50 – Seventeen Wyoming Passes and Divides. About 1750 miles.

I don’t know how many days I’ve taken a short break from work and sat in the car letting my mind wander around on a map of Wyoming. And Bear Tooth Pass has been on my “to-do” list at least since 2004 when my friend Terry and I ran out of riding time on our way back from Hyder, Alaska. So when a weekend became available in August, away I went on a trip that was short in time, long in miles, and bountiful in passes, even though they wouldn’t increase my Colorado pass bagging total.

Leaving early on a Saturday morning I crossed the Divide on Berthoud Pass and saw three moose right near the moose warning sign down at the last switchback. After passing through Granby, my route continued along the waters of Willow Creek and a big rock formation that looks like a dinosaur backbone. The bike was on the sides of the tires as the curvy road, one of the best in Colorado, weaved its way to Willow Creek Pass. On the straight road on toward Walden I stopped for photos of the police car at Rand, a bonus in the 2009 Iron Butt Rally that was key in Jim Owen’s win. The small, peaceful town has big sky views of cattle country and the Never Summer mountain range in the distance.

After a quick stop in Walden for gas and a quick chat with some other Concours riders I headed north for the border. Along the way were opportunities to pause for additions to my photo collections of Colorado Historical Society markers and “Welcome to Colorful Colorado” signs. Wyoming provided views of a ranch with white, red-roofed buildings, surrounded by grazing lands leading up to a backdrop of evergreen-covered small mountains. In Riverside I passed by the shady campground where our COG group stayed on a weekend trip long ago while exploring the roads in the area. From there I took off on the first of many side trips to bag some passes, this one being a 12-mile jaunt through Encampment and up the winding road through the forest to Battle Pass, a 9,915 feet crossing of the Continental Divide. After a stop for photos, I headed back downhill and toward the next pass.

Before reaching Saratoga, home of Mom’s Diner, I turned east into the Medicine Bow Mountains and the pass formerly known as Snowy Range Pass, now just named Libby Flats, maybe because the location really isn’t on a dividing point between two watersheds. Nevertheless, the 30-mile side trip included plenty of curves and high altitude scenery. The 10,847’ elevation of Libby Flats was a perfect place for a 180-degree panorama photo full of blue skies, white clouds, and green forests reaching to the horizon dominated by the mountain peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park about 80 miles away.

After the winding 30-mile descent back to WY-130 I headed north to Rawlins, bought some more gas, and visited with a couple who were on a 3-week trip from Tennessee to the West on their two Harleys. North of town the Continental Divide splits and circles around each side of the Great Divide Basin. It wasn’t the most scenic area out there with prairie to the horizon, but the Continental Divide Elev 7,1,74 and 6,720 signs of course couldn’t be passed without stops for photos.

At Muddy Gap I turned west following the general path of the Oregon Trail along the Sweetwater River and through Jeffery City. When I reached WY-28 I just had to turn southwest for a 32-mile side trip to South Pass, where the Oregon Trail finally crossed the Continental Divide. Along the way the road climbed along and then around the south end of Red Canyon, a valley with a massive wall of red bluffs on the east , a winding red dirt road along the edges of green grasslands by the creek in the middle, and gently rising hills to the west. From the turn-out by the highway I could see almost forever, with the Wind River Range in the distant haze to the north. What a beautiful sight.

About 20 miles later I reached South Pass, which without the rest area and signs would have easily been missed. It is just a low spot on the current highway which crosses the old route used by Indians, mountain men, Oregon Trail emigrants and Pony Express riders who came up the Sweetwater and went west down toward the Pacific. The flat valley to the east and the tree-lined gap to the west weren’t especially photogenic, but History was in the air. Suddenly motorcycle riding seemed extremely easy and comfortable, no matter how many miles of heat, cold, wet, and dry were to be encountered.

On the way back north I took some gravel roads through the old gold mining towns of South Park City and Atlantic City, now just small rustic artist-type communities. Then past Red Canyon again and on to Landers before heading along the east side of the Wyoming Rocky Mountains to Dubois. The KOA and nearby deli were welcome after a full 600-mile day.

When the sun is up, you should be making hay. So dawn the next morning came early with tent and sleeping bag being rolled and stashed on the bike for a departure soon after six. I headed out toward Togwatee Pass, on the look-out for deer and for the slippery roads reported by the guys riding in the IronButt 5000 rally the previous week. But since it was Sunday there weren’t any water trucks or other equipment on the gravel and dirt surfaces through the construction zone, making travel easy. There also weren’t any signs for the pass so I had to make my best guess as to where the summit was located and took photos there. Riding on downhill in the Shoshone National Forest I rounded a corner and suddenly saw the Teton Mountains framed by the trees on either side of the road. A great view that well could have been the inspiration for the 2010 IBA National Meet artwork, and one that called for another photo stop.

Nearing the entrance to Teton National Park, I turned southwest for a 45-mile side trip through Jackson to Teton Pass. Outside of town, I had the 11 mile twisty climb to the pass almost to myself, making for a fun bit of riding. At the summit I paused for photos of the whole Jackson Hole area, and then had the 11 miles of twisty descent again almost to myself. Cool. Back along the highway north of Jackson I stopped at a turn-out that was well situated to get another panorama photo, this one of the Teton range lit with early morning sunlight.

I soon made the turn into Teton National Park, and time slowed down. Pretty scenery through the forest and along Jackson Lake, busy 2-lane highway, and a very slow tourist at the front of a long line of cars. It was expected so I just puttered along until coming to the first of three Continental Divide crossings in the park, this one at elevation 7988’. West of West Thumb I stopped at an empty picnic area for a refreshing lunch consisting of a can of Ensure and a Clif Bar, watching for bears the whole time. Right up the road was another marked Divide crossing (8391’) and then the one at Craig Pass (8262’) which had a Continental Divide sign, but not a single one marking it as Craig Pass. But with photos taken (seven Divide crossings so far on this trip), I headed back to West Thumb to buy a few things to take back home.

The next part of the route wound along the west and north sides of Yellowstone Lake. Gaps in the trees provided views across the very large lake and the big blue sky above. Several times I passed by hydrothermal features (geysers, hot springs, mudpots, and fumaroles). Some were a pretty, deep aqua color, and others gave off strong odors, something that is very noticeable on a motorcycle. From Fishing Bridge I took a 20-mile detour to Sylvan Pass, stopping along the north shore of the lake to wait until a small herd of bison decided they had held up traffic long enough. After getting some photos at the summit it was a quick curvy ride back to Fishing Bridge before heading north to Canyon Village and Dunraven Pass.

With photos taken at that 8859’ pass it was time to head for Bear Tooth Pass, the main goal of this trip. I passed more mudpots, went past Tower Fall, and then headed northeast along the Lamar River where there were scenes of fly fishers, hikers, and herds of buffalo, all with a background of forested mountain sides. Past Cooke City I somehow missed Colter Pass, maybe because I had my eyes on a Corvette not far ahead. After buzzing down the winding road, we both turned east on Beartooth Highway, and he lit out, never to be seen again.

The first fourteen or so miles were sweepers, left and right, high mountain scenery all around. The next section of road was above timberline and reminded me of the upper section of the Mt. Evans Road. No trees, tight switchbacks, a mix of blue and stormy skies, and visibility for miles. At the 10,947’ flat summit I stopped for photos and to stand in the wind admiring the road just traveled and the awesome views of the mountains in the distance. Nearby was the Montana border, posted with 70 MPH speed limit signs. It wouldn’t have been reasonable or prudent to go that fast up there, but Montana gives you the freedom to exercise your own judgment and to take personal responsibility for your decisions. Only 3 miles away restraint was in order as the road dropped very steeply and serpentined for 6 miles down into a valley. The horizontal distance wasn’t much, but the vertical sure was. Now I know why everyone speaks so highly (no pun intended) of Bear Tooth Pass and why it is listed on so many lists of “best roads”. Wow.

Originally I had planned to ride to the valley, then ride back over the pass, crossing Dead Indian Pass on the way to Cody and Greybull. But by then it was past 5 P.M. and the 120 miles would have taken about 3 hours. So I took the 120 mile, 2 hour route via Red Lodge and arrived at the KOA in Greybull around 7:30, right before a rain shower began to fall. After the 500 mile day, supper was another Ensure, some jerky, and a Clif Bar, accompanied by the soft pitter-patter of rain drops on the tent.

So much for making hay the next morning. I spent too much time talking to a BMW rider in a nearby camping spot, and didn’t leave until 7:30. At least I didn’t have to worry so much about deer as I headed east toward the Big Horn Mountains that sure looked pretty in the morning light. US-14 headed into the mountains via a tight and twisty canyon road barely wide enough for two lanes. Rock wall on one side, rushing, tree-lined creek on the other. The narrow road soon opened up to sweepers as it climbed to the high plateau and Granite Pass, about 16 miles from the canyon entrance. Across the top of this northern end of the Big Horns were about 10 miles of meadows and forest with lots of camping, hunting, and exploring possibilities. I turned east over Cutler Hill and began the long 20-some mile, very twisty descent toward Sheridan, and sure wanted to go back once I got onto straight, level roads again.

At Sheridan, a town with lots of stories from the 1870s and 80s, I fueled the bike and hit I-90 for some fast but boring miles until arriving at Buffalo where I turned off onto US-16. It went right past the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum and its bronze statue of Nate Champion, a dynamic work of art that reminded me of the last scene of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I would have stopped, but there were many miles still in front of me, including a 30-mile trip up to Powder River Pass near the southern end of the Big Horns. Was it ever a fun road with its sweepers, great pavement, and almost no traffic all the way to the summit. After a stop for some cold, windy photos, I got to ride the sweepers all the way back to Buffalo! There sure is a lot more to the Big Horns than what can be seen from I-25 and I-90.

From Buffalo I simply headed south on I-25 hoping to hit Denver before rush hour, passing up on a more appealing route over the mountains south of Casper and down part of the old Lincoln Highway to Laramie, with a side trip to Morton Pass. On I-25 I stopped at the rest area at Kaycee and wish I had known about another of D. Michael Thomas’ bronzes right across the highway in town, this one called "Good Ride Cowboy", a tribute to Chris LeDoux, a saddle bronc rider whose Western music is among our favorites. After a 625 mile day I rolled into the driveway, tired, but ready to ride to some more passes. And ready to ride some more miles in Wyoming!

-Randy Bishop, Highlands Ranch, Colorado

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Last modified: December 5, 2010