Hiking to the Two Sisters
[sgpx gpx=”/wp-content/uploads/gpx/Two Sisters.gpx”] The Two Sisters are a pair of stone pillars that stand above the Bitterroot River near Lolo, Montana. It had planned almost 2 years since I had last hiked to them. You have a cross the Bitterroot River, which is low at this point in the year.
Hike to Lolo Peak (via the Sawback)
Lolo Peak, or at least what appears to be Lolo Peak, towers over Missoula. But the actual summit is hidden behind a lower false summit. So the mystery of Lolo Peak grows. This hike to the summit was made more difficult by my awesome navigation skills, call me Magellan. I led us up the wrong […]
Hike to Trapper Peak Summit
Trapper Peak dominates the skyline of the south portion of the Bitterroot Vally with its three jagged peaks. The tallest of these stands 10,157 feet above sea level, and ranks as the highest peak in the Bitterroot Range. This particular route is largely off-trail as it follows a ridge above Baker Lake to the summit.
Hiking Lee Ridge near Lolo Pass
Hiking the little used Lee Ridge Trail 295 starting at Lolo Pass at Packer’s Meadows is faint and steep, and the views and huckleberries are sweet.
Hiking to Carlton Ridge
The hike to Carlton Ridge usually leads to the summit of Lolo Peak, but alas, I didn’t have enough time for that today. So, I headed out with Olivia in tow and made Carlton Ridge with it’s rich views and subalpine larch. The hike is relatively steady with a moderate incline throughout the uphill. Once […]
Skookum Butte Lookout
Skookum Butte sits on the Montana/Idaho border at 7215 feet. An ancient lookout sits atop of the knob of pillow granite. The Skookum Butte Lookout is one of only three remaining L-5 log/frame ground houses remaining. The wood has aged to barnwood gray, and the entire structure seems to be in danger of collapse at some […]
Summiting Saint Mary Peak
Saint Mary Peak is one of the 9,000 feet plus peaks in the Bitterroot Range. The is a well-worn trail to the summit gains nearly 2500 feet in 3.6 miles. Jeff and I attacked this trail for our Tuesday afternoon hike, and after much effort, we reached the summit where we were treated to views […]
Ch-paa-qn Peak and the Full Moon
Tackled Ch-paa-qn Peak (pronounced “cha-pock-qwin”) near Missoula in the late afternoon, and man, what a hike! Formerly known as Squaw Peak, the summit takes a bit of effort but man is it worth it! The views of Mission and Bitterroot Ranges are outstanding, and you can even look down on the National Bison Range near Moiese. […]
Mill Creek Falls, Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
Ah…Tuesday morning and time for hike with good buddy Jeff. Today’s target trail is the Mill Creek to a 60 foot waterfall with an excellent swimming hole at its base (no swimming today, weenie mode). This trail is an absolute gem with a continuous rock wall on the north side of the drainage, and open […]
Kootenai Creek on a cool morning
Kootenai Creek is probably the most used trail in the northern portion of the Bitterroot Range, but if you wake up 0 dark thirty, you can beat the crowd (okay, crowd is an over-statement, 12 people). This morning I had the place to myself, save for Olivia at my heels. Ground is covered quickly on […]
Blue Mountain Lookout above Missoula
Clouds rolled overhead while they release precious few drops of rain. Strengthening light reveal Ruffed Grouse and Snowshoe Hares foraging on the slopes of Blue Mountain, which stands over Missoula. This is my first time hiking the final portion of the Blue Mountain National Recreation Trail (or Trail 3.01 for the locals). The trail switchbacks […]
Sweathouse Creek
Sweathouse Creek is one of the less visited and most picturesque drainages along the east side of the Bitterroot Range. The trail becomes strewn with boulders and downed timber on the upper reaches of the route. These difficulties pale in comparison to the views of both of the Sweathouse Creek waterfalls. The Lower Sweathouse Falls […]
Lolo Trail at Howard Creek
[map style=”width: auto; height:400px; margin:20px 0px 20px 0px; border: 1px solid black;” maptype=”TERRAIN” z=”15″ gpx=”http://radleyice.com/wp-content/uploads/Lolo Trail at Howard Creek.gpx”] I had past by this trailhead a hundred times, and for no good reason. This morning I was feeling historical, and hiking this trail as it sidehills above Lolo Creek brings to mind the Corps of […]
Glen Lake Hike or the 5.4 Mile Hurdles
[map style=”width: auto; height:400px; margin:20px 0px 20px 0px; border: 1px solid black;” maptype=”TERRAIN” z=”14″ gpx=”http://radleyice.com/wp-content/uploads/Glen Lake.gpx”] The trail that leads to Glen Lake weaves mostly through the remains of the Gash Creek Fire, which fiercely burned through the lodgepole pines. The fire left almost every tree standing as a ghostly spire, and many of those […]
Hiking along Saint Mary Peak
[map style=”width: auto; height:400px; margin:20px 0px 20px 0px; border: 1px solid black;” maptype=”TERRAIN” z=”15″ gpx=”http://radleyice.com/wp-content/uploads/Saint Mary Peak ridge.gpx”] On Saturday morning, I went for a quick hike on the Saint Mary Peak Lookout trail. I left the house relatively earlier in the AM, and had the trail to myself the whole morning. I truly enjoy […]