Mountain Misfits

Hiking to Deadman’s Point, Blue Mountain

Sunburst over Deadman's Point

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 Point.

Waterworks Hill up the Randolph Homestead

Waterworks Hill panorama

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 Randolph Homestead to the northwest and circling back via the trail to cuts along the mid-slope. From are the views of Missoula are great, and if you are lucky, you may catch a locomotive engine on the turnstile down in the train yard.

West Fork Fish Creek to the Cathedral of Cedars

West Fork Fish Creek to the Cathedral of Cedars admin August 20, 2017 HIking 2017 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 […]

Awesome Spring Hike – Bear Creek Falls

Vida chilling over Bear Creek

Taking full advantage of the terrific spring weather on Saturday, we hiked to and beyond Bear Creek Falls on the Bitterroots. Only a short and relatively easy 1.5 miles from the trailhead, Bear Creek Falls is one of the most picturesque waterfalls in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana.

First Wildflower of 2017 – Sagebrush Buttercup

Sagebrush Buttercup - Ranunculus glaberrimus

Woke up this morning with a vision of a buttercup in the snow. I rushed out to Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, and intensely survey the areas under ponderosa pine. And what did I find? That’s right a Sagebrush Buttercup, and as one of our earliest bloomers, it is generally my first wildflower of the year.

Bass Creek Falls Hike – Winter Edition

We did this hike last year, but with considerably less snow. It has really dumped this year in the Bitterroot Mountains, and the Bass Creek drainage is under a blanket of the white stuff. Were we deterred? Oh hell no