Dash Cam Unpaved: Backdoor to Broadus - Scenic Cut to 212 Thru Custer N. F. via Sonnette, Montana

04 DEC 2023. DC timestamp data inaccurate. Begins approx. 1030 hours.
Route: east out my "driveway" access road on Ten Mile Road into Custer National Forest (Ashland Division), then north onto Sonnette Road until meeting U.S. Route 212 (22 miles or so east of Broadus).

A logistic gaffe on my part necessitated the trip but other than ferocious winds, I had good, dry roads and temps pushing 50 ... remarkable weather for the season so a great excuse to not only take the scenic, zero-traffic loop through the Custer but explore some of the abandoned sites along the way.

Notes:
1. Shortcut? According to Buckshot, it's exactly the same (23 miles or so) from his ranch -- about 2 miles from here -- to the 212 link. Given that data, I'd save perhaps 4 miles. At the cost of about 20 minutes due to the lower speeds. Thus the choice is all about 2time, weather and mood.
1a. Hwy 212 is pretty darn scenic as it is. But much more open, out on the Great Empty vastness outside of the river canyons here. NICE to get out of the serious wind and buffeting; not an issue with my heavy Envoy but much more pleasant.

2. Zero traffic on this leg. Extra caution due to the narrow width and sharp turns but still better than constant traffic zooming by in opposite lane out on the highway. OK, "constant" may be a stretch but seems busy when compared to zero.

3. Unknown if the roads are always this good or just lucky due to circumstances. To wit, enough spring rain to make some mud which dried to a lot of smooth hard pan. That seemed to take care of a lot of loose rocks on this side of the Custer NF. Increased hunter traffic tends to rough it up and, esp on the heavier-traveled farm route past Sonnette, develops that damn accordion rattetrap we all know and love. Only a few hundred yards of that at the end.