Dubois to Signal Mountain, Jackson Lake

It's sub zero, snowing heavily, 7:30am, and Kelv and Bert are just finishing breakfast at the hunting lodge, fully kitted out (or so they think) to tackle the 60 mile ride to Jackson Lake, via the Togwotee pass (9658 ft). The owner of the lodge thinks the SUV will be lucky to make it in this weather, let alone the bikes. With the SUV as backup they decide it's worth a go, and set off into the blizzard.


I spend 10 mins sorting out my kit, and then follow on. I can easily see their tracks through the snow and slush on the hard shoulder, but I'm travelling slowly as visibility is poor. I catch up with them and wind down the window to check they are ok. Kelv signals a stop and I pull over onto the hard shoulder. Both of them look well wrapped up, but Kelv doesn't have a peak on his cap, and seems to have a face full of snow. A mixture of the melting snow and mucus dangles and sways a few inches down from his distinctly blue nose. Bert grins from behind his sunglasses, but doesn't say anything. I get the distinct impression neither wants to be the one to suggest that it's too much. My mind wanders off thinking that Kelv's blue nose matches his outfit.

Kelv breaks the silence and mutters something to no one in particular about liking the idea of a lift. An enormous snow plough bursts into view through the blizzard, heading straight for us. Bert legs it around the front of the SUV and Kelv rather bizarely decides to flatten himself against the wrong side of the SUV. I hit the window up switch, but I'm not quick enough, a wall of snow, ice and salty slurry slams into the side of the SUV, and a fully stretched out Kelv gets a proper drenching. We all agree it's not worth the risk to continue cycling, and the bikes are duly loaded into the back. We continue tentatively in the SUV, but after a few miles both the weather and the road clear, and all traces of snow disappear from the road. The bikes are unloaded, and the ride continues:

I scout on ahead to see what state the pass is in, and find that the blizzard conditions must have been reasonably localised to Dubois - the pass has been snowploughed recently, and the grip on the road is good.

I report back to the guys who have made good progress and are now only 5 miles from the pass (which is also the continental divide). I head off for a spot of offroading and discover that the SUV is in fact pants, and handles like a Vauxhall. Even the wildlife stops to stare at the incompetent animal with the round legs:
Meanwhile the boys are over the pass and speeding down the far side of the mountain, towards the lakeside lodge that we are staying at tonight. I make a final check on them, and then park up at the lodge which has a balcony overlooking the completely frozen lake, with snow covered mountains as a backdrop - this place is stunning.

Kelv and Bert arrive, and immediately insist that we drive to Jackson Hole to find a bike shop to buy more cold weather kit... Yellowstone National Park tomorrow, where they've had 1000 inches of snow this winter so far .....