Hiking to Canyon Lake – Revisiting a Challenge
Canyon Lake, a trail that seemed to almost kill us the last time we hike it. The last mile to the lake had my knees sounding like rusty hinges and my legs shaking. I still remember the sore legs for several days after that hike. So, why do it again and see what happens. To […]
West Fork Fish Creek to the Cathedral of Cedars
Looking for a cool hike on a hot summer day? The West Fork Fish Creek starts out hot as we hiked through the blackened spires from the 2015 burn. But eventually, we reach the Cathedral of Cedars where towering western red cedars shade the cool waters of Fish Creek. This is a relatively flat trail that follows along […]
Fish Lake – Another hike in the Lost Horse Country
From the Bear Creek Pass Trailhead, several great hikes spread into the Lost Horse Country, and the trail to Fish Lake is exceptional. Starting out, we hiked through a mixture of forest and boulder fields until we reached a junction in the path. By this time we were solidly within the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area. Continuing […]
Hiking to Little Rock Creek Lake
The best hikes, like this one to Little Rock Creek Lake, are always those spur of the moment, look at the map, and go. “Let’s go for a hike.” “Never done Little Rock Creek Lake.” “Let’s do it!” And with that, we were off to the Little Rock Creek trailhead, located above Lake Como to the […]
Bear Creek Falls (low-flow version)
It has been awhile since we have been to Bear Creek Falls, so why not a quick hike to the cascade and see how it looks without any rain in a month and a half. Arriving at the falls in less than an hour, the chasm contained only a trickle of water compared to the raging […]
Day Hike to Coquina Lake in the Lost Horse Country
Nestled in a tight basin, Coquina Lake is a true gem of a day hike in the Lost Horse country of the Bitterroot Mountains. I have fallen in love with the Lost Horse country, which I have not hiked until this summer (next hike will be the Spruce Lake). From the Bear Creek Pass trailhead, […]
Hiking to Castle Rock – Blue Joint Wilderness Study Area
Located within the Blue Joint Wilderness Study Area, Castle Rock is easily one of the most recognizable features in the Magruder Corridor. The bare prominence stands boldly above the ridge that stems southward from Nez Perce Pass. The actual “castle” of Castle Rock is a mass of porphyritic andesite, a highly durable volcanic stone. So, […]
Mount Sentinel after the first rain in 45 days
It rained…I almost forgot what rain was, but there it was falling from the smokey sky. Vida had the idea of hiking in the cool air, so we decided on a quick hike up Mount Sentinel from the Crazy Canyon trailhead. Mount Sentinel (formally known as Mount Woody) stands above Missoula, and it is the […]
Hike down into Walton Lakes, Idaho
Two hikes in a row have started a hefty downhill, which the end of the day is uphill (shaking a fist at the gods). From a ridge near Tom Beal Park, you descend nearly 1000 feet to the first lake of the Walton Lakes. The trail is generally in great shape. The huckleberries were abundant […]
Quick afternoon Blue Mountain Lookout jaunt
For those of us that live in western Montana, we are extremely fortunate to have so many great hiking destinations in such close proximity to our homes. Blue Mountain stands over Missoula, and on top of its forested slopes is a little-used fire lookout. The hike to the summit is a rather quick 1.9 miles […]
Hike to Glen Lake (with extension to No Name Lake)
Through a forest of gray spires, the hike to Glen Lake offered us the immense vistas of the Bitterroot Mountains. I have also enjoyed the Glen Lake hike as it is relatively easy and a cruise. The biggest plus is the short additional hike to No Name Lake, a small, shallow pond that sits in […]
Evening hike along Bass Creek
O! Bass Creek, how I love thee? Is that flowery enough? But seriously, I love hiking the Bass Creek drainage with its proximity to my home and the vistas that abound on this trail. On this evening, I was joined by my two favorite hiking partners, Vida and Jeff. They are my favorites because they graciously […]
Hopping along Big Creek, Bitterroot Mountains
Feeling a little tired and sick, but needing some outside time, Jeff and me decided to hike to pleasantly inclined Big Creek trail. Following the, well, big creek, the sweeps under and through western red cedar, western larch, and ponderosa pine as the stream creates a din of white noise that is occasionally broken by the […]
Scooting up Skookum Butte
It has been 2 years since I have made the short hike to the historic lookout atop Skookum Butte. This time, Vida joined me, well, she rather tolerated me as my hiking speed was limited to a crawl due to a cause of bronchitis and asthma (together in some kind of oxygen-deprived stew of disease). […]
Camas Lake in the Bitterroots
Hiking into Camas Lake is one of the most enjoyable hikes in the Bitterroot Mountains. The nearly 3 miles to the first lake features some great stream crossings under a dense canopy. The trail switchbacks up a slope that has massive slabs of granite. Reaching the lake, we immediately noticed numerous trout jumping at a […]