Good Views From Summit

Good parking along the road in a pullout (during winter).  Note for winter ascents, stay left of the track at the bottom so you keep high.  Do not go right into the quarry as you will need to climb out.  We had to snowshoe up mud!  We stayed high on the descent.  On your climb up, work your way to the left hand summit ridge.  No trail and steep, but doable.  Metal posts at the top to strap antenna to.  Great views

In the summer you may be able to drive into the gravel quarry and take other ridgelines.

This is becoming a popular summit and may be one of the most accessable summits in the Boise area.  This is about an hour drive from Boise however.  The parking is always good as they plow the side road next to Little Camas Reservoir.  Snowmobile activity is present in the winter and also park along the road.  The snowmobile tracks can help with a winter track up the lower slopes.

In the summer, this track (below) can be used, but a shorter/direct route can be found if you park in a pull-out SW of the summit on Hwy20.

4.0 miles (+2340, -1090) from Bighorn Lake; 15.2 mile approach from Dearborn TH

We made this part of a 4-day backpacking trip that included W7M/CL-082 (Peak 7676) and W7M/CL-008 (Caribou Peak).  See also the trip reports for these summits.  The trip report for W7M/CL-082 describes trailhead parking at the Dearborn Trailhead & the initial portion of the trail to our campsite on the Continental Divide between Blacktail Creek and the Lander’s Fork.

0.7 miles (+940 feet, -190 feet) from saddle; 12.2 mile approach from Dearborn TH

We made this part of a 4-day backpacking trip that included W7M/CL-057 (Peak 7676) and W7M/CL-008 (Caribout Peak).  See also the trip reports for these summits.  The trip report for W7M/CL-082 describes trailhead parking at the Dearborn Trailhead & the initial portion of the trail to our campsite on the Continental Divide between Blacktail Creek and the Lander’s Fork.

0.5 miles, +740 feet; 9.1 mile approach

4.6 miles, 2,200 feet

This is a very nice hike on a well marked trail.

A bit over 11 miles from Tillamook on Highway 6 you will find this easy drive-up summit – Peak 2300. The road was graveled smooth in early 2018 and would be drivable in a passenger vehicle, even if a little steep in a few places.

“Bah,” said Scrooge, “Humbug.” At least that was what we thought to ourselves as we looked at the weather forecast for the weekend. The Weather Channel splashed the headlines of a series of epic storms that were lashing the west coast. Regardless, the lead sherpa was determined to get the family out of the house. There would be no sour moods for us! “There is hiking to be done, geocaches to be found, and a summit to be activated!” she proclaimed.

Scrambling much of the Rocky Mountain Front’s limestone summits keeps you looking for good footing as well as viewing the many ancient fossils of life when these high mountains were an ocean floor some 300 million years ago.   The fossils are common and so are trails of big horn sheep and mountain goats.  The views are outstanding of surrounding rugged SOTA summits and to the east, the vast plains of Montana. 

 0.25 miles, 374 ft

Crater Mountain is a quick, but rewarding off-trail hike.  The summit has nice 360-degree views, including the Scapegoat Wilderness to the North.  Trailhead access is suitable for most vehicles so long as it isn’t too snowy.  This would also make a nice winter summit – with an additional 2.6 miles of skiing from Stemple Pass – much of which is along the “North Meadow Loop” ski trail.

Directions (From Stemple Pass – North of Helena):