Mountain Misfits

Hiking to Bear Creek Falls during a Montana Winter

Not every spectacular hike requires hours or days of travel or many miles of hoofing it up a mountain. In fact, some of our favorite treks are just outside our front door in the Bitterroot Mountains. On this day, we hiked along Bear Creek to the eponymously named chasm that tumbles and rumbles a shade more than a mile and a half from the trailhead.

Winter Hike to Upper Bass Creek Falls

Before Christmas and before COVID, we made the 8-mile journey to the Upper Falls of Bass Creek in the Bitterroot Mountains with Dr. Vincent (our fav). While there was snow on the trail, it was not icy at all. The hike is relatively moderate with an overall elevation gain of a tad more than 1,800 feet. Upon arriving at the falls, it was a cascade of ice that Vida remarked that reminded her of the travertine terraces of Mammoth Hot Spring in Yellowstone National Park.

We’re in Hot Water: Hiking Goldbug Hot Springs, Idaho

We’re in Hot Water: Hiking Goldbug Hot Springs, Idaho admin July 22, 2020 Hiking,Hot Springing We were at the start of a 3-day tour around (literally, around) central Idaho, and after leaving home in the early AM, we made Goldbug Hot Springs our first adventure of the trip. After missing the turn (south of Salmon, […]

Hiking in the Jewel Basin, Montana – Mount Aeneas and Noisy Notch Loop

Hiking in the Jewel Basin, Montana – Mount Aeneas and Noisy Notch Loop admin September 24, 2019 Hiking,Hiking 2019 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 […]

First “Real” Hike of 2019! Bass Creek

First “Real” Hike of 2019! Bass Creek admin April 9, 2019 Hiking,Hiking 2019 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.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TozNRguTUpU We started the day at the Larry […]

Hiking the Cube Iron/Silcox Roadless Area, Northwest Montana

Hiking the Cube Iron/Silcox Roadless Area, Northwest Montana admin November 1, 2018 Hiking,Hiking 2018 Joined by 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 […]

O’Brien Creek: A “hidden” hiking treasure

O’Brien Creek: A “hidden” hiking treasure admin March 25, 2018 Hiking,Hiking 2018 While Blue Mountain sees throngs of hikers, dogs, and urban refugees, O’Brien Creek does not have 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 […]