This tour was conducted in 1990, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2001, and 2004. Lots of stupendous mountain scenery, with some desert plains thrown in for leavening. We started out going Mexico to Canada, but lately have been doing Canada to Mexico.
19 riding days 1,943 miles 88,000 feet of climbing
Begin in Kalispell, Montana
Fly into Kalispell, Montana on July 28th, 2008
Fly home from El Paso, Texas on August 17, 2008
$3000 based on double occupancy
$1000 (total due) by March 30, 2008
Remainder due by May 28, 2008
Sign up before May 28th, 2008 to guarantee your jersey
add $850 for a single room
The Ridge of the Rockies crosses the major passes of the Continental Divide in six states. This is a very mountainous route with long climbs and great descents. This will be a wonderful time of year to ride through the mountains. Arrive 1 or 2 days early and enjoy a nice ride through Glacier National Park or to the Canadian Border on your own.
The Ridge of the Rockies is the oldest PAC Tour ride which is still being offered. It was started in 1990 when only twelve riders participated. This tour has grown to average about 50 riders per tour. This event is also unique because it has been ridden in each direction depending on the season. Sometimes it starts near Mexico and sometimes it begins near Canada.
In 2008 our tour begins in Kalispell, Montana located fifty miles south of the Canadian border. Our route follows along the valley of Flathead Lake. This will be one of our longest mileage days but also one of the flattest. The dense forests are good places to spot deer or bear crossing the road.
The next several days across Montana are some of the most scenic with many postcard quality picturesque rivers and mountain views. Each day will have some notable climbing as our route crosses the mountains of the Continental Divide region. The cycling roads are good with ridable shoulders and moderate tourist traffic.
By the the fourth day we are approaching the town of West Yellowstone, Montana. You will have the option to ride extra miles into Yellowstone National Park by passing through the west gate. The next day we continue south to Jackson Hole, Wyoming and finish the day with a tough climb over Teton Pass and a fast 9% descent into town for the final five miles.
Our route will cross many famous pioneer trails from the mid 1800’s. We traverse the Oregon Trail, Bozeman Trail and Lander cutoff during the first seven days of our tour. There will be plenty of roadside historic markers for history buffs. Each of our nightly stops will have points of interest and museums to learn more about the region.
One of our toughest, but also most scenic days, is the 147 miles from Evanston, Wyoming to Vernal, Utah. We ride through the Flaming Gorge region which has dozens of steep climbs that reward riders with cliff side overlooks of the valley far below. You will be reminded of why this tour is called the Ridge of the Rockies and recommended only for riders who like to climb mountains.
As we enter Colorado the mountains are taller and the passes are higher. We will average at least one major climb over 10,000 feet elevation for the each of the next six days. Some riders consider these days the best cycling of the tour. The climb over Grand Mesa heading toward Montrose is a classic ride with a good mix of mountains and farms. Equally spectacular are the passes near Orray, Silverton and Durango. These are the heart of the Rocky Mountains with constant steep climbs and fast descents.
The next state we enter is New Mexico. Juan de Onate de Salazar traveled this region and founded Santa Fe in 1598. He came north along the Rio Grande (river) and opened the Camino Real trade route from Mexico. This was the first “Super Highway” in America traveling north from Mexico into the Indian regions of New Mexico. He would also discover the Turquoise Trail that would connect Santa Fe with Albuquerque.
Our final five days will travel these same original routes through the Rio Grande Valley. The terrain will change from the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the tan and brown hills of the desert southwest. This route has its share of hills and each day still contains about 4,000 feet of climbing every 100 miles.
During the nineteen day journey, The Ridge of the Rockies Tour will have traveled almost 2,000 miles. We will see some of the best scenery available in the United States. We hope you can join us on this strenuous but rewarding tour across America from North to South.
If you have some extra time, a nice cycling option is to arrival a few days early and tour Glacier National Park on Saturday, Sunday or Monday on your own. (Motel and other costs are at your expense). A nice bike route is to either ride 50 miles to Glacier National Park and return in one day or to rent a car and drive into the Park and ride your bike over the “Going to the Sun Highway”. There are several motels and lodges near Glacier National Park if you would like to stay closer to the Park and ride more. You should plan to be back in Kalispell by 3:00 PM Monday, July 28 for the rider meeting.
Kalispell has a modern airport with a good selection of flights from all parts of the country. Everyone should be in Kalispell by Monday afternoon, July 28th. Registration will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 PM. Riders can pick up their packets and route maps at this time and assemble their bikes. We will have a rider meeting at 3:30 PM and group dinner that evening. We begin riding the next morning Tuesday, July 29. Detailed travel plans will be included in your rider packet that you will receive five months before the tour.
Sign up before May 28 to receive a custom tour jersey.
| Day | Date | Start | End | Miles | Climbing |
| Mon July 28 | Fly in day | Lodging & Evening Banquet Included | |||
| 1 | Tue July 29 | Kalispell MT | Missoula MT | 148 | 2600' |
| 2 | Wed July 30 | Missoula MT | Butte MT | 134 | 4100' |
| 3 | Thur July 31 | Butte MT | Bozeman MT | 101 | 4200' |
| 4 | Fri Aug 1 | Bozeman MT | West Yellowstone MT | 90 | 4000' |
| 5 | Sat Aug 2 | West Yellowstone MT | Jackson WY | 135 | 6000' |
| 6 | Sun Aug 3 | Jackson WY | Montpelier ID | 117 | 3650' |
| 7 | Mon Aug 4 | Montpelier ID | Evanston WY | 93 | 3200' |
| 8 | Tue Aug 5 | Evanston WY | Vernal UT | 147 | 8700' |
| 9 | Wed Aug 6 | Vernal UT | Rangely CO | 52 | 2000' |
| 10 | Thur Aug 7 | Rangely CO | Grand Junction CO | 94 | 3100' |
| 11 | Fri Aug 8 | Grand Junction CO | Montrose CO | 119 | 6000' |
| 12 | Sat Aug 9 | Montrose CO | Durango CO | 112 | 9200' |
| 13 | Sun Aug 10 | Durango CO | Chama NM | 120 | 8600' |
| 14 | Mon Aug 11 | Chama NM | Espanola NM | 82 | 3500' |
| 15 | Tue Aug 12 | Espanola NM | Moriarty NM | 75 | 5300' |
| 16 | Wed Aug 13 | Moriarty NM | Socorro NM | 105 | 5000' |
| 17 | Thur Aug 14 | Socorro NM | Truth or Consequences NM | 75 | 4600' |
| 18 | Fri Aug 15 | Truth or Consequences NM | Las Cruces NM | 80 | 2000' |
| 19 | Sat Aug 16 | Las Cruces NM | El Paso TX | 64 | 1600' |
| Sun Aug 17 | Depart for home | ||||
1943 miles, 102 miles per day, 88,000 feet of climbing
Price based on double occupancy hotels each night. Pay an additional $850 if a single room is desired or required. PAC Tour can not guarantee finding everyone roommates. Should you be the final person to register for an event and wish double occupancy, PAC Tour may not have that room available and you may be required to pay the single supplement if you wish to register. If a roommate becomes available, you will be refunded the unused portion of the single supplement.
A journal from Dave Smith
http://www.davesmithinstruments.com/rockies/main.html

2001 "Ridge of the Rockies" Canada to Mexico
Kalispell, Montana to El Paso, Texas
September 13 - 29 riding days (Sept. 12-30 fly in)
1,900 miles 17 days 112 miles per day
Optional earlier arrival tour of Glacier Park Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Depart from Kalispell, MT
| Day | September | End for day | Miles | Climbing | |
| 1 | 13 | Thur | Missoula MT | 144 | 2600' |
| 2 | 14 | Fri | Butte MT | 131 | 2100' |
| 3 | 15 | Sat | Bozeman MT | 100 | 3200' |
| 4 | 16 | Sun | West Yellowstone MT | 85 | 4000' |
| 5 | 17 | Mon | Jackson WY | 135 | 6000' |
| 6 | 18 | Tue | Montpelier ID | 116 | 3650' |
| 7 | 19 | Wed | Evanston WY | 95 | 3200' |
| 8 | 20 | Thur | Vernal UT | 138 | 8700' |
| 9 | 21 | Fri | Grand Junction CO | 132 | 5100' |
| 10 | 22 | Sat | Montrose CO | 119 | 6000' |
| 11 | 23 | Sun | Durango CO | 115 | 9200' |
| 12 | 24 | Mon | Farmington CO | 59 | 3600' |
| 13 | 25 | Tue | Gallup NM | 134 | 5500' |
| 14 | 26 | Wed | Springerville AZ | 120 | 5300' |
| 15 | 27 | Thur | Silver City NM | 148 | 7000' |
| 16 | 28 | Fri | Las Cruces NM | 136 | 6650' |
| 17 | 29 | Sat | El Paso TX | 55 | 1600' |
1962 miles, 115 miles per day, 83400' climbing, 4906' climb per day
Read Don Friedlander's daily journal of the 2001 trip.

Read Mike Ingram's Journals and Roger Pierce's writeup on the 1998 tour at another site (includes many pictures). 19 Days, 2250 Miles, 92,000' of climbing.
![]() | Silverton, Colorado lunch break |
|
Robert Ames Kirsten Ames Linda Baker Lori Barr Susan Barr (R) Eric Bianchini Ed Boecker Phil Bohaty (C) Barb Bohaty (C) Greg Brown (C) Rachel Brown Shannon Brown Brandon Chambers (R) Carol Clark Carl Clogston Richard Davis Bonnie Esposito (R) Martin Fahje Reed Finfrock Janet Finfrock (non-rider) Roberta Fischer Nancy Frechette Matthias Gehmlich Hans Graf Peter Graf (R) Mark Greenwald (C) Rebecca Haldeman (C) Lon Haldeman (C) Manfred Hertig Guy Hopwood (R) Mike Ingram |
Robert Kash Jerry Khorll Peter Knox (R) Rieks Koning John Lake Ray Latimer Cassandra Lowe Mac McDonald (R) Iain McFadzen (R) Bernd Messemer Beatrice Meyer Susan Notorangelo (C) Wim Pauw Roger Pierce (R) Bill Roberts Jurg Schmid Kurt Schroeder Doug Slack (C) Joe Smith Jim Smith (C) Ruedi Spalinger John Stoneman (C) Elizabeth Sumption (R) Holger Tillmanns Harold Trease Jeff Weible John Wharem Michael Wiegand (R) Edy Wiersema Jack Wolff Richard Zipf |
(R) = Rookie; (C) = Crew
![]() | Ridge rider Harold Trease upon completing RAAM six weeks after tour. |
(2001 route will be in reverse)
Begin El Paso, Texas
| Day | June | End for day | Miles | Climbing | |
| 1 | 9 | Tue | Las Cruces, NM | 55 | 1,600' |
| 2 | 10 | Wed | Silver City, NM | 136 | 6,650' |
| 3 | 11 | Thur | Springerville, AZ | 148 | 7,000' |
| 4 | 12 | Fri | Gallup, NM | 120 | 5,000' |
| 5 | 13 | Sat | Farmington, NM | 134 | 5,500' |
| 6 | 14 | Sun | Durango, CO | 59 | 3,600' |
| 7 | 15 | Mon | Montrose, CO | 115 | 9,200' |
| 8 | 16 | Tue | Grand Jct. CO | 117 | 6,000' |
| 9 | 17 | Wed | Vernal, UT | 147 | 5,000' |
| 10 | 18 | Thur | Rock Springs, WY | 109 | 8,700' |
| 11 | 19 | Fri | Montpelier, ID | 158 | 3,200' |
| 12 | 20 | Sat | Jackson, WY | 116 | 3,650' |
| 13 | 21 | Sun | W. Yellowstone, MT | 135 | 6,000' |
| 14 | 22 | Mon | Bozeman, MT | 90 | 4,000' |
| 15 | 23 | Tue | Butte, MT | 100 | 3,200' |
| 16 | 24 | Wed | Missoula, MT | 133 | 2,100' |
| 17 | 25 | Thur | Kalispell, MT | 144 | 2,600' |
| 18 | 26 | Fri | Cardston, Canada | 116 | 4,700' |
| 19 | 27 | Sat | Calgary, Canada | 116 | 1,240' |
![]() | Richard Zipf on Day 3 (6/11/98) on the Continental Divide just west of Silver City on Hwy 180 |