Bass Creek – If a Trail could be an old Friend
If a trail could be an old friend Bass Creek would be that trail. We have hiked it countless times, and every time it is thoroughly enjoyable with the right amount of effort required.
Hiking in the Jewel Basin, Montana – Mount Aeneas and Noisy Notch Loop
From the summit, we hiked down the steep backside to Picnic Lakes, and then following the Alpine 7 trail, we crossed through Noisy Notch and back to Camp Misery (watch Vida’s scholarly explanation of this name). A jewel indeed! The Jewel Basin is nestled atop the Swan Range above the Flathead Valley, and it is […]
First “Real” Hike of 2019! Bass Creek
Finally, finally…we are out and hiking again with the whole crew (Vida, Jeff and myself), and for the first “real” hike of 2019, we put on the YakTrax and hiked to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness boundary. [sgpx gpx=”/wp-content/uploads/gpx/Bass Creek 331.gpx”] We started the day at the Larry Creek trailhead as the deeply rutted ice-packed road to […]
Hiking the Cube Iron/Silcox Roadless Area, Northwest Montana
Joined by Vida and Haines, we hiked a loop route through the Cube Iron/Silcox Roadless Area. This particular route has been on my hike bucket list for 20 years since I first discovered the trails on a map. This loop starts at the Four Lakes basin trailhead and climbs at a good pitch to Cabin […]
O’Brien Creek: A “hidden” hiking treasure
While Blue Mountain sees throngs of hikers, dogs, and urban refugees, O’Brien Creek does not nearly the sheer volume of users even though it is only a couple miles away. In fact, it is weird to meet someone else on these loop trails. [sgpx gpx=”/wp-content/uploads/gpx/O’Brein Creek.gpx”]
Hiking to Deadman’s Point, Blue Mountain
Spring hiking usually means experiencing all the seasons in the span of 15 minutes, and today was a seasonal puree. The trail was clear, muddy, and icy – all at the same time. The route following Hayes Creek and then ascended a short slope to the ridge. From there, I traced the ridgeline to Deadman’s […]
Waterworks Hill up the Randolph Homestead
Waterworks Hill lies to the northeast of Missoula, and it sports a nice network of trails over and around its grassy slopes. The hike to the “summit” (you can’t call it a summit, can you?) is a quick one mile and around 700 feet up, but the real fun is in extending your trek to the […]
Solitude of Snow – Hiking Alone
True solitude comes when the snow is falling silently in the mountains of Montana. Hiking to the top of a point in the ridge above Missoula is a challenge in the knee powder of the most recent storm.
Mount Sentinel via Pengelly Ridge
Normally, I think of Mount Sentinel has the M with its constant flow of folks making their way to the whitewashed concrete letter, but Mount Sentinel is a large area with an extensive network of trails. On a sunny day, Vida and I decided to tackle the slope from Pengelly Ridge to the top, and we […]
Friday Pass – Hike into the Elk Summit Country
Friday Pass is a low pass between the KoosKoosia Meadows area and the Wind Lakes in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area in Idaho. The hike to Friday Pass is a relatively manageable uphill until Swamp Lake (guess why it is called that?) when the trail goes steeply to the pass. Once reaching Friday Pass, you can […]
Schley Mountain Hike – Great Views of the Great Burn Roadless Area
At the peak of Schley Mountain, you have awesome 360-degree views of the Great Burn Roadless Area. This hike is 3 miles point-to-point, with mild 500’ in elevation gain. Good views from the site of the former Schley Mountain lookout. [sgpx gpx=”/wp-content/uploads/gpx/Schley Mountain .gpx”]
Trapper Peak – Highest Summit in the Bitterroot Mountains
Trapper Peak, sitting at 10,157 feet, is the highest of the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana. This summit is probably the most well-known mountain in the Bitterroot Mountains, if for no other reason, simply because it has the highest summit. Dominating Darby, Montana, Trapper Peak is accessed via the West Fork of Bitterroot River, and, in […]
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 […]