Norther Tier-Libby to Whitefish MT

[BikingViking]

Has anyone taken US 2 from Libby MT to Whitefish MT? AC maps go up to Eureka and then down to Whitefish, but parts of it are very hilly. Since I will be pulling a trailer, hills are not my friend. The MT state map of bicycling shows less hills on US 2, but less than 4 ft. shoulders for about half the way. Wondering if the tradeoff is worth it.

[Turk]

I Googled "bicycling US 2 from Libby MT to Whitefish MT" and found this link, that might be worthwhile:

http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Trails/9381/trip1996.html

I hope it helps.

[dombrosk]

In case others planning a Northern Tier tour look into this thread to consider detouring on their rides, I wanted to put in my two cents.  The ride from Libby up to Eureka is spectacular.  On my Seattle to East Glacier ride this segment was just about my favorite stretch.
Although you are on a paved highway, the traffic is so light you might think you're on a bike path.  There is a beautiful (artificial) lake on one side, an interesting dam and bridge to visit, good camping, and a real sense of isolation.
The hills do look daunting on the elevation profiles, but unless you are starting your ride here, they won't feel any worse than other stretches to the east and the west.  I found them to have an enjoyable roller-coaster effect, but then I enjoy riding in the rain too, so I may have some crossed wires.  

[BikingViking]

I posted the question last summer, 2005, prior to our tour. We decided to take Hiway 2 from Libby to Whitefish. We heard horror stories about log trucks and heavy traffic. Well we didn't see a single log truck and traffic was moderate. The scenery however was spectacular. The lake country along #2 was amazing. The road was flat to moderate hills with a couple of "passes" over some smaller mountain ranges. The shoulder was 18" to non-exixtant. So what else is new in Montana? The communities of Happy Inn and Moose Crossing were great places to stay and the people were very friendly and outgoing. In hindsight I would do it again. I think AC has safety in mind when they choose these routes but I found Hiway 2 to be no more dangerous than my daily commute to work.