Atop Saint Mary Peak is a fire lookout that has seen the Roaring Lion Fire and hundreds of lightning strikes in the past few weeks. The hike to the top of this peak starts at a lofty 6800 feet, and well-traveled trail gains another 2500 feet to the summit. From the peak, the Bitterroot Mountains stretch in the distance and the Bitterroot Valley sits far below.
On this Sunday, the temperature was unseasonable cool at 53 degrees at the trailhead and hovering around 40 degrees at the summit. The wind was whipping as a massive monsoon-like front was crashing into the Bitterroots from the southwest.
