Posted on 08/19/2007 3:23:42 PM PDT by Jeff Head
In the mid 1990s, while living in southwest Montana, I did a lot of hunting and exploring around the mountains in the area. This included those ranges bordering the Beaverhead, Ruby, Red Rock, and Big Hole Rivers. I also got up on the Bitteroot and over the mountains onto the Selway which is where this web page and story has its origins. I learned of a road out of Darby, Montana that followed the Nez Perce indian trail over the monuntains into Idaho, which conected to a primitive road that continued across the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Chuirch - River of no Return Wilderness areas over near Elk City, Idaho. I decided I wanted to travel this road, so I gathered up my gear and told my wife where I was going and started off. I got over to the Selway River only to find the wilderness road closed. This was during the Clinton administration and there were quite a lot of such road closures during that era.
Fast forward to July of this year (2007). Now living in southwest Idaho, I was recently asked by a friend if I had ever taken the Magruder Corridor Road in Idaho. I told him did not know the road, but when he described it coming off of the Elk City road and going over to Montana across the Selway, I immediately thought of my failed attempt twelve years earlier. It is the same road. This web page is dedicated to the two day trip that my 17 year old son and I made on July 21st and 22nd.
The Magruder Road itself, FS no. 468, runs from just south of the old Red River Ranger Station in Idaho, over to Darby, Montana. About 120 miles of no services whatsoever. The actual wilderness road is about 90 miles, starting from FS No. 223 just south of the old Red River Ranger Station, to the start of pavement climbing away from the Selway River into the Bitterroot Mountains. This pavement is shortlived, maybe ten miles, and then reverts back to gravel, but from that point on it is in very good shape and plenty wide enough for two cars.
The wilderness road is a rough, one lane road, with some parts primitive, but nothing that any well maintained four wheel drive vehicle with good tires and suspension cannot handle. The spurs, or side roads, however, are very primitive where good clearance, good tires, and a heavier frame are required for the four wheel low driving. Carry a good spare on this trip.
CLICK HERE FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP REPORT INCLUDING 90 STUNNING PHOTOS I TOOK
A few examples of the photographs from this trip follow:
In Alaska the Rockies are foothills the wilderness is wilder..
Every American should become a tourist to Alaska..
Well, I was just running the standard 4-ply tires that came with the vehcile (my mistake there). Have since bought four much more aggressive tread, much stronger ply tires. The really rough ride up to Burnt Knob weakened the stock tires and then the road going up Salmon Mountain had a sharp rock poke on through.
I have to say, for vistas and stunning scenery, this trip was the match for it...though the mountains are not nearly as high...and though up there a couple of hundred miles south of White Horse, you are much more remote.
Excellent post. Thanks for posting.
“America the Beautiful”, indeed.
This was a great trip.
Sounds like a fun project on the Willys. You'll have a lot of fun taking such trips I know. This would be a good one for you if you could get out this way...but I am sure you will find plenty of places to exercise that rebuild...hehehe!
Sounds like a fun project on the Willys. You'll have a lot of fun taking such trips I know. This would be a good one for you if you could get out this way...but I am sure you will find plenty of places to exercise that rebuild...hehehe!
(mine now...)
What's your camera?
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Beautiful place. Lucky you. :)
One was the Kodak, dual lens, 10X optical zoom V610 (which took the nice hazy, smoky, and sunup pictures, as well as the wide angle pics that it stitched together autmoatically very nicely), and the other was another Kodak Digital 10X optical zoom DX6490.
Great post Jeff!
But ahh, you don’t want to see this great jeep road suffer gridlock do you?
Some things are better left unsaid.
But since we are all fellow Freepers here you are amoung friends. Just don’t go TOO PUBLIC with it.
Amazing how big this place is.. As big as most of the western United States.. I am constantly amazed.. You could live a lifetime here and not see it all.. Wyoming, Montana and Idaho are wonderful but just wet the hunger for wilderness.. We have National Parks as big as some States.. bigger really..
Thank you. When I worked for the State of Alaska, one of my jobs was to type up the EIS (Environmental Impact Statements) documents. I do remember that all motorized traffic inside the boundaries of designated Wilderness, as well as in the air above them. I’m glad you got to see that magnificence. Idaho is a beautiful state.
Outstanding, Jeff and Jared. Beautiful pix you’ve presented on your site.
Thanks for the ping.
Absolutely beautiful. I expect the road was closed just waiting for your son to grow up so he could go with you. :-)
Just beautiful and really special.
Thank you Jeff.
Wow. Thanks FRiend...amazing pics.
Awesome, Jeff! Thanks for sharing these wonderful pics and experiences.
Absolutely beautiful...
I am so glad that you and your boy were able to take this trip and share it with us.
Thanks again...
(small tip...proof reader)...((;O)
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