Distinctly Montana Magazine

TRAPPER PEAK LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate Difficult LENGTH: 8-mile round trip; out-and-back TRAILHEAD: 10 miles south of Darby turn right on 473, follow the signs to Trapper Peak Trail. The best times to tackle the beauti- Backcountry west of Illinois Peak gets more than its fair share of snow, so wait until July to conquer Northwest Peak. North- west Peak is an excellent introductory hike to the backcountry of western Montana. STUART PEAK LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate LENGTH: 11-mile round trip; out- and-back or overnighter TRAILHEAD: Follow the main corridor of the Rattlesnake Recreational Area trail 2.5 miles, follow signs at marked junction. The 61,000-acre Rattlesnake National Recreation Area, part of the Lolo National For- est, is positioned at the northern city limits of Missoula. The beautiful topography features ridges, valleys, peaks, basin lakes, and a diverse array of orchids. The Stuart Peak Trail heads up Spring Gulch parallel to Spring Creek. The Spring Creek Loop follows along well-trodden cow paths and a farm lane, spiraling around both sides of the creek. Spring Creek drains into Rattlesnake Creek, a municipal watershed for Missoula. The Stuart Peak Trail takes hikers into alpine lake country and ends with vistas of surrounding moun- tain ranges from the top of Stuart Peak. Stuart Peak is 18 miles round trip and is quite strenuous at places. Its uphill gradient is around 4,000 vertical feet. Awesome camping areas exist along the base of Stuart Peak. Drainage south of Lolo Peak ful Trapper Peak are from July to September, though perennial packets of snowfall at the summit are not un- usual. An early start is suggested, as is an accurate weather forecast and a GPS system. Take plenty of water too, as there are no reliable water sources. The trail starts at the Trapper Peak Trailhead and at 1.6 miles enters the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, the wil- derness encompass- ing more than 2,000 square miles of lightly traversed, re- mote Montana and Idaho backcountry. Elevations within the Selway-Bitter- root wilderness range vary from less than 2,000 feet along the Selway River to the mam- moth 10,157-foot zenith of Trapper Peak (the highest point in the Bitter- roots). Certain por- tions of the Trapper Peak Trail are poorly defined, ill maintained, and hard to follow, especially on the return trip. The early segments trudge relentlessly upwards through lodgepole pine, white bark pine, and Douglas fir. During the summer months, thick snowfields still cover much of the upper trail and mountain crest. At the halfway point, the trail wraps northwest and breaks free from the dark forest, leaving the realm of alpine larch and coming to light near the 9,000-foot contour. The last half-mile or so of this hike scoots boulders and rock fields. East of the apex, a massive detachment of Trapper Peak appears, where stacks of rock cairns indicate the true summit. To reach the lofty head of Trapper Peak requires a brief scramble atop huge rocks and stone. At 4.0 miles the trail reaches the summit of Trapper Peak, where a metal register and plaque greet the hearty, exhausted climber. 16 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • SPRING 2011

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