Western Montana/Northern Idaho Area Hikes

Protect Roadless Areas

July 27

Bob Clark with the Great Burn Study Group takes us into the Great Burn proposed wilderness area near Granite Peak to monitor for illegal off-road vehicle activity. The Great Burn is one of the largest unprotected roadless areas in the northern Rockies. We'll look for signs of off-road vehicle use to help the Great Burn's summer monitoring efforts. Plan to hike 12 miles round trip and bring lunch. Space is limited for this trip; call 721-5420 to reserve your spot.

Sawtooth Mountains Area Hikes

Pioneer Mountains

Friday, August 2nd
Hike Rating: difficult

Pioneer Cabin: Join Dan Durham with the ERC on a hike into the Pioneer Mountains and an amazing view of the highest peaks including Handwerk, Duncan Ridge, Hydman, Old Hyndman, and Cobb. This is a loop hike with the total distance about 11 miles, using the less traditional route to Pioneer Cabin along Johnson Creek. The trail works its way up the canyon to a meadow and spring to a saddle for the first Pioneer Mountain view. Then hike a short but steep sectioin of switchbacks to the high alpine meadow where the cabin is located at about 10,000 feet. Below the cabin is the valley of North Fork of Hyndman, the trail you will follow is steep at the start and then meanders around and back to the trailhead.

Contact: Kaz Thea, 726-5293; kaz@wildrockiesalliance.org

Pioneer Mountains

Thursday, August 8th
Hike Rating: moderate to difficult

Summit Creek Trail: Join Ketchum District Ranger, Kurt Nelson and hike along the Summit Creek Trail from the top of Trial Creek Road. The hike is approximately 8.5 miles roundtrip with mostly a gradual uphill climb that gets steep at the end to an awesome view of the Pioneer Mountains. Folks can have a choice of climbing the ridge to the top of Phi Kappa, or head out to the ridge and overlook the Kane Lake drainage.

Contact: Kaz Thea, 726-5293; kaz@wildrockiesalliance.org

Sawtooth Wilderness

Friday, August 16th
Hike Rating: moderate

Iron Creek trail to Sawtooth Lake: Join Dan Durham with the ERC along the Iron Creek Trail to Alpine Lake and Sawtooth Lake. The trail works its way through rocky, forested habitat along gentle switchbacks to Alpine Lake. After this lake the switchbacks get a bit steeper as the trail climbs up to 8400 feet to Sawtooth Lake the largest in the wilderness area. From here you can climb 1/2 mile to McGowan Pass for incredible views of the lake, Mt. Gowan and into the North Fork of Baron Creek. The roundtrip hike is about 8.5 miles.

Contact: Kaz Thea, 726-5293; kaz@wildrockiesalliance.org

See you on the trail...