“When does it go?” In any given month the full moon is on a particular night. But what if it is cloudy that night or your days off are Saturday and Sunday? Not to worry. Thanks to the clear atmosphere in Glacier there is plenty of moonlight to enjoy a “full moon” bicycle ride several days before or after the night of the actual full moon. Therefore you can choose between four or five days and adjust your ride to the weather or your schedule pretty easily. You need to account for two factors: the moon rises in the east and sets in the west (!), and each evening the moon rises about one hour later than the previous evening.
Factor number one: most of us in the Flathead Valley ride up the west side of Logan Pass, so you need to schedule the timing of you ride to coincide with the moon cresting the pass or you won’t be in the moonlight. Some people begin early in the evening, ride up the pass in the twilight and come down in the moonlight. Or wait until later and ride up in the moonlight and down in the moonlight. Or go very late at night, riding up in the moonlight and down in the dawn.
Factor number two: if you choose to do the moonlight ride before the cruel date of the full moon, then you can get an easier start in the evening because the moon is up in the sky earlier. Each day the moon comes up about an hour later, so if you wait until a few days after the full moon to do the ride, plan on starting late at night and finishing in the wee hours of the morning.
Where do you start the ride?” Well, where ever you want to! Some people park at Avalanche Creek. From there to the top of the pass is 17 miles and the first few miles after Avalanche are in deep shadows because of the trees. Another option is to drive to the Loop and begin there, an eight mile ascent. For the faint of heart and poor of shape, I suppose you could even begin at Bird Woman Falls, but the further you drive up the less downhill you will get to enjoy.
This ride is spectacular and the answer to “how do you do it?” should be, “in style!” Put a pair of panniers on your bike so you can take stuff along. We have taken our Primus stove, some chocolate milk and peppermint Schnapps and make hot chocolate and Schnapps, for instance, and enjoyed it and the view at the top. Pack a dry shirt or jersey and throw in a warm jacket for the trip down, for while you are warm and sweating on the way up, it can be a chilly descent. If the weather is brisk, gloves feel good on the way down, too.
To Be Continued . . .
