nickc
02-05-2010, 07:50 PM
This trail is located near Bozeman, MT and is one of the more spectacular trail runs I've done. It's run as a race every August and is one of those that fills up in a couple of hours or so online. The race link also has photos, instructions and a video of the race.
http://www.winddrinkers.org/BRR/BridgerRidge.html
A couple of summers ago I was there visiting my parents and decided to do is as a training run. As it's a 20 mile point-to-point run, I got my wife to agree to drop me off at the north end and pick me up. The drive to the north end up Bridger Canyon gives you a great profile view of your run. The last few miles to Fairy Lake campground (7400') are on a dirt road with a few very rough spots. From the lake, you quickly climb up 2 miles to the high point of the run, Sacajawea Peak(9200'). The last section to the peak is up a fairly steep scree slope. From there the view is fantastic. Along with half a dozen mountain ranges, you can see much of days route.
From the summit drops off the ridge and back below tree line to Ross Pass. From the pass it's another steep climb up talus and scree to the ridge above Bridger Bowl ski area. From there to the end you are truly on the ridge with a trailthat disappears and reappears across talus and scree fields, meanders around towers of rock, over the summits of Saddle Peak and Mt. Baldy and finally down the 'M' trail to the finish trailhead. If you do this run on a day other than race day you are unlikely to see anyone once you leave Sacajawea Peak. Even though this run 'only' gains 6000' and is 'only' 20 miles, a 6 hour run time is not unusual. There is no water on the ridge and thunder storms, strong winds, even snow are possible in summer. As is typical with mountain running, plan on something between freezing and 80 degree heat, or both.
http://www.winddrinkers.org/BRR/BridgerRidge.html
A couple of summers ago I was there visiting my parents and decided to do is as a training run. As it's a 20 mile point-to-point run, I got my wife to agree to drop me off at the north end and pick me up. The drive to the north end up Bridger Canyon gives you a great profile view of your run. The last few miles to Fairy Lake campground (7400') are on a dirt road with a few very rough spots. From the lake, you quickly climb up 2 miles to the high point of the run, Sacajawea Peak(9200'). The last section to the peak is up a fairly steep scree slope. From there the view is fantastic. Along with half a dozen mountain ranges, you can see much of days route.
From the summit drops off the ridge and back below tree line to Ross Pass. From the pass it's another steep climb up talus and scree to the ridge above Bridger Bowl ski area. From there to the end you are truly on the ridge with a trailthat disappears and reappears across talus and scree fields, meanders around towers of rock, over the summits of Saddle Peak and Mt. Baldy and finally down the 'M' trail to the finish trailhead. If you do this run on a day other than race day you are unlikely to see anyone once you leave Sacajawea Peak. Even though this run 'only' gains 6000' and is 'only' 20 miles, a 6 hour run time is not unusual. There is no water on the ridge and thunder storms, strong winds, even snow are possible in summer. As is typical with mountain running, plan on something between freezing and 80 degree heat, or both.