Little Rainbow Mountain

For lack of any other information, I had started calling this Storm Lake Peak.  I have since been corrected and now I find all kinds of stuff about Point 9989, or Little Rainbow Mountain. Clearly, my investigative skills need some honing! But, I digress, and so....This was one of those hikes that wasn't necessarily planned. The main plan for the day was to get out of the heavily smokey air of the Missoula valley, and in checking air quality in the state, I found the Butte area had a "good" quality of air, so off I went in that direction.  I had actually planned on hiking the Continental Divide Trail in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, but this one suddenly appeared on my drive, and so the last minute decision to check it out was made.  Now, sometimes winging it like this becomes a giant disappointment.  You will see, however, that this time it was a wonderful decision.  I'm going to have to give my husband, Jeff, the credit, though.  I argued as we headed up the road that we had no idea what we'd find, and if I didn't find a peak to claim, I'd have a bit of a temper tantrum.  Lucky for him, it turned out to be a beautiful hike and he was rewarded with a happy wife!

This sign is clearly visible, if you're coming from Anaconda.  If you're coming from the Drummond/Philipsburg side, you may altogether miss it.  There is no road sign here.  All I can tell you is that it's just past Silver Lake, which is just past Georgetown Lake.  Good luck finding it from that direction!  Just keep looking backwards!

The view of Little Rainbow Mountain as you drive up. Imagine my excitement!

I should mention here that the sign in says 9 miles, but it was closer to 8. There are two forks along the way, take the left, road 675, both times.  And, btw, a weird road, it was! It started out a nice dirt road.  A few miles in, it is suddenly paved.  No seeming reason for this....I looked for a house or something to warrant pavement, but nothing.  Then it goes back to the nice dirt road.  Huh? At the last mile, you'll go over a bridge, then suddenly it is the WORST road ever.  Thankfully it's only for a mile.  You may want to seriously consider driving something with some clearance. The ruts and potholes are awful!

The view to the left of Little Rainbow Mountain

Working our way up to the pass

In case you weren't sure you made it!

The views from the pass....breathtaking!

Looking up shortly after the pass

Starting to pick our way up through the rocks

This (above) is Mt. Tiny.  We almost decided to do both peaks.  Two in one day always makes me feel like an exceptional bad ass!  It would have been a more attractive idea, but for the gale force winds. I actually squatted down on the ground a couple of times, to be sure I wouldn't be swept over the edge of the mountain! That, decidedly, made me sound much less like a bad ass, and much more like a scaredy cat!

Looking Southwest

I believe this is Upper Seymour Lake

Trying to get a timed selfie, without ruining the beautiful scenery behind us!

Storm Lake

Looking East

Checking out how steep and rocky it is on the way down could make one lose their nerve.....Just keep telling yourself, "Don't look down!"

Now, I know it is called Point 9989 by all the maps I looked at, but I'm here to tell ya, it was closer to 10,012.  Anymore, I rely on my phone's navigation app (appropriately called "Backcountry Navigator") and I swear by it. Even holding my phone in my hands, that only gives it maybe 3-4 feet of wiggle room. Therefore, this mountain is officially at least 10,008 feet in elevation.  It was about a 3.25 mile trip up, with an elevation gain of 1871 feet.  A fairly easy hike, until you take a left past the Storm Lake Pass sign and start heading up.  But then, you're so darn close, there's no point in stopping, right? Hope you enjoyed!

Suddenly feel vindicated in my change of elevation theory!

The 2014 Hiking Season

I had planned a new hike today, but with the extreme amount of smoke from forest fires, I very sadly had to make the decision to cancel it because a) the smoke is downright dangerous to breathe and b) the pictures at the summit would have been nothing but haze. So, here I sit at my computer looking back at the beauty I've had the good fortune to gaze upon.  If you are a friend, you've most likely seen these in one of my many posts, so I will just post a few highlights from last year.  Most of these hikes are straightforward, with trails easily looked up on summitpost.org, or the forest service website. Also, most are in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana, which I have come to fall in love with over these past few years.  Hope you enjoy!

The view of Bozeman from their "M" trail

Mt. Jumbo as viewed from the top of Mt. Sentinel

The sunset from my back deck....just had to throw this one in!

My daughter, Sydney, came along on the Bear Creek hike

Mt. Dean Stone with my friends dogs

University Mountain

St. Mary Peak. One of the most beautiful summits from last year!

Glacier Lake in Condon, MT

Looking up at Ch-paa-qn Peak, known more familiarly to locals as the politically incorrect "Squaw Peak"

Looking down on Glacier Lake on the week-later hike to Crescent Lake

Crossing the creek on the way to Crescent Lake

The view of Lolo Peak (the left) on my first failed attempt to summit it

A smokey day as I'm about to summit Trapper Peak, the highest of the Bitterroots. Not sure what the sour look on my face is all about?

Little St. Joe.  Another one of my favorite hikes from 2014.

Doing some fly fishing on Blodgett Creek

Bear Creek Overlook on a dreary, rainy day.

The view from the top of Ward Mountain

Some more fly fishing, on Heart Lake this time.

Gash Point.  I remember it was beautiful at the top, but with no trail and LOTS of deadfall, my legs were a mess after this one!

Boulder Point. There is an old lookout here that I'm told back country skiers use. I wrote a little something in the notebook here :)

Sweeney Peak. I think I'm such a stud!

Looking down at North Canyon Lake on the way up to North Canyon Peak (which I didn't quite make)

On the way up to Lolo Peak on my second failed attempt. But the distant mountains look like islands in the low clouds from my elevation!

And, of course, Mt. Sentinel, after getting above the clouds on a foggy day.  This is my go-to hike during the winter months, so as to stay in shape for my rather short hiking season that only Montana can give me.

My First Post

Working on my first blog ever!  My intention is to be able to share my adventures here. Not just to show my accomplishments, but to give good information for those who would like to find great hikes and be able to wander with confidence into areas that may not otherwise be reviewed.

Sweeney Peak Backdrop

Stay tuned for upcoming posts, including, hopefully, some past hikes that are seared favorably in my mind forever!