So....It’s suppose to be sunny this weekend right across the North West. And I thought just maybe a nice three day ride would be to peddle down to Missoula, stay over, do the Lolo, head south west to the bottom entrance of Hells Canyon, then up to Joseph, stay over, and head home up through Lewiston.

I called the Forest Service in Joseph a few minutes ago. The woman there told me she has a couple of crews working down there and they said there was 6 inches of snow on the ground. And said “maybe you missed it”.

My concern is the narrow steep valleys on the bottom end. There might not be enough sun on the road to melt any snow... and gravel if they plowed it.

 

Your thinking is sound. That is a steep deep canyon.

 

I just rode through Joseph in mid September' beautiful but not somewhere I'd ride now. Weather can change quickly. Plus, temps will drop at night; frosty corners, etc... Do it next year.