1991, 7-4, Spanish Peaks Backpacking

One of the more interesting ranges in southwest Montana is the Madison Range. The range extends from Yellowstone National Park north nearly to I-94. Much of the range is protected as part of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness which covers three separate parts of the mountains. The northernmost section, and largest, is the Spanish Peaks. The Spanish Peaks are relatively popular due to their location just south of Bozeman, and adjacent both Yellowstone and the Big Sky Ski Area with easy access off US 191.

I’d heard a lot about the Spanish Peaks when I was living in Butte, MT, but didn’t get the chance to visit then, even after a summer staring at them from the Tobacco Roots, just across the valley to the west. But despite my move to Lead, SD the range stayed on my radar. In the early summer of 1991, I’d heard rumors of an early snowmelt in the mountains, and decided to try a four day trip over a long Fourth of July Weekend. I had first targeted the Crazy Mountains, to the north of Bozeman, but the USGS topo maps I’d ordered for the that area didn’t arrive in time. But from my Montana days I had a topo-based 1975 USFS Map of the Spanish Peaks with brief trail descriptions and my trusted copy of Climber’s Guide to Montana to use for planning. I decided to try a loop backpacking trip and target a few summits for climbing.

Lava Lake and the Beehive.

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I left Lead after work at 3:45 and used US 212 to reach Hardin at 8:15 for dinner. I still had a long haul ahead, pulled through Bozeman at midnight, and finally reached the Cascade Creek TH at 1PM before crawling into the back of my truck to sleep. Note that some of the names of the features described here have changed since my visit.

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Despite the late night I was on the trail by 9 in perfect weather. Trail 77 (Cascade Creek) starts at 5500’ with a steady climb along the creek to Lava Lake where it begins a steeper climb above treeline. Next was a glorious long ridgeline section leading toward Table Mountain with pleasant breezes. I was shocked by the number of other ranges that were visible; the Gallatins, Bridgers, Absorakas, Crazies, etc. The nearby peaks were certainly grand, but over every ridge loomed another range just as spectacular. In the middle of the ridgeline there should have been an intersection with Trail 80 (Asbestos Mine). I missed the intersection but saw a number of pits, trenches and claim posts around outcrops of serpentine, despite being within the wilderness. Conveniently, the trail led over the summit of Table Mtn. at 9840’, so I knew I’d be able to bag at least one peak on the trip. I spent much of my attention on Wilson Peak, part of my goal for the next day. While most of the peak would be a scramble the summit pinnacles were described as a climb, and so would be tough for me.

Wilson Peak from Table Mountain.

The descent toward Deer Lake was snowier than the conditions I’d had yet. Both the Deer Lake Trail (#81) and the spur trail to the lake were well marked. I got in just ahead of a quick thundershower that sped through at 4:30. There were two other parties at the lake (one caught 6 graylings), but even so my site looked better than those at nearby Moon Lake. I took a quick swim to clean the grime off me, and walked around the lake after dinner.

Dinner was one of the worse trail meals I’d ever prepared on the trail. I started with minute rice and a cube of chicken bullion, and added freeze dried green peas and peas. This assortment of backpacking leftovers was so salty I couldn’t finish it, how often does that happen backpacking? I was sleeping in my old first generation Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight tent. The tent needed a wand to go over the foot of the tent and a fly which connected directly to tent. I think this was the trip that caused me to buy my long trusted next generation Clip Flashlight. I had one more burst of rain around 12:30 that night.

Deer Lake,  11.5 miles, Table Mountain, 9840’

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The next morning it took an hour of hard slogging to reach the pass below the east ridge of Wilson Peak. I missed the best spot to leave the trail, but climbed up the left side of the untracked divide, later realizing that the right side would have been easier. There was a faint trail on the crest. There proved to be only a bit of easy Class 3 climbing on the summit. I was able to bypass some harder scrambling by detouring off to the south side, and was surprised to find myself on the summit without any real climbing. Caffrey’s “Climbers Guide to Montana” rates the East Ridge of Wilson as a climb, because of the summit rocks. I had my ice ax and was able to glissade some of the descent. There were lots of animal tracks on the ridge; elk, deer, or mountain goats, I couldn’t tell. 

Wilson Peak Ridge Route.

Lone Peak and the Fan from Wilson Peak.

Next, it was time to give up much of that hard earned elevation with the descent down to Hell Roaring Creek. There were lots of snow patches and only a few cairns causing me to lose the trail often above treeline. Even below treeline the trail was obscured by snow patches and blowdowns, and I had to navigate three significant stream crossing. The descent took long enough that I was afraid I’d missed my next junction. I had lunch at a buggy spot by the junction with Trail 189 (now the Gallatin Peak Trail) which would take me back up to the divide before descending into Bear Basin. The next crossing had a bridge in place and then in another mile there was an easy spot to cross. My notes say it was a long 2.5 hour climb to the divide and then another hour down to Bear Basin, where I was again having trouble following the trail through a series of snowy switchbacks.

I’d planned to go farther that day, but was tired and settled for camping in Bear Basin which I reached about 5PM. My site was in a pretty meadow with clumps of trees. The meadow flowers were all in bloom, but luckily they didn’t trigger my pollen allergies. Despite the area’s reputation for being crowded, at least by Montana standards, I had seen no one else all day.

Camping in Bear Basin.

Bear Basin, 12 miles, Wilson Peak 10,760’

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Day 3 started with the intersection with Trail 16 (North Fork) and then series of switchbacks leading to the start of the climbing route up the southwest ridge of Gallatin Peak. At 11,012 Gallatin is the second highest in the range, and one of the only two peaks here to top 11,000 feet. Caffrey doesn’t describe the route from the south up Gallatin Peak, but rates the peak overall as a scramble. I found it a wonderful scramble, with a straightforward route. I spent 65 minutes on the climb and 45 on the descent. Though it was mostly snow free, it was quite a grunt, with a fair amount of loose rock. The view was fabulous, I basically could see all my completed and planned route.

Gallatin Peak from Wilson Peak

Back on the trail, I had a long descent past Summit Lake and then Thompson Lake, following the tracks of another party who had come in from Bear Basin. I had originally hoped to make a long loop on Trail 401 (Indian Ridge) to enjoy more alpine ridge walking around Beacon Rock and Indian Ridge, but decided to be conservative and come back via trails 110 and 81. I did however see my first tracks in a couple days heading up toward Beacon Rock.

By midafternoon I reached the junction with Trail 81 (Hell Roaring) by now well below treeline. It was early to camp, but I needed the rest (mostly from the previous day’s efforts) and there was a great campsite available. I spent the rest of the afternoon reading and resting in the shade. I saw my first people in two days, a pair heading for Grayling Lake. Solo camp life falls into an easy routine, wash, cook, east, wash, read, drink, sleep. It was good to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.

I’d expected a stronger sense of accomplishment from climbing Gallatin. It was fearsome looking from below, but mostly turned out to be a test of leg power. It deserved its status as the highest in the group, and as a quirk of geography, happened to be my first 11,00 footer. I’d been on a streak of peak bagging that had started with my completion of the New England 4,000 footers the previous year, and had continued through the spring to several ill-conceived quests in the Black Hills. However, I’d spent the afternoon pouring through my “Climbers Guide to Montana” with its 1150 mountains. I knew I didn’t have time for all of them, but could I even afford to buy all those topos?

Hell Roaring Creek, 9 miles, Gallatin Peak 11,015

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I slept like the dead in my campsite at Hell Roaring and awoke to a cool, overcast morning. For the first time on the trip I needed to walk quickly to stay warm. I saw only one other good campsite (at the Wilderness boundary) so was especially glad to have camped where I did. Trail 81 was a beautiful walk out, good views, well-constructed and maintained and with a sturdy bridge over Hell Roaring Creek. I made it out to the trailhead in under two hours.

I stashed my pack at the trailhead and walked the highway 2.3 miles back to the Cascade Creek Trailhead to my car to complete the hike. Current maps show a trail connecting the two trailheads, but this was not available in 1991. Next up was the long drive back to Lead.

Despite how much I enjoyed this area, it was just too long a drive to make a return visit. Still the Spanish Peaks remain one of the icons of the Rockies, a beautiful range with spectacular trails and barely accessible peaks where the joys of the wilderness feed your soul and test your limits.

Later in 1991, I’d return to Montana with a group of friends to make an 8-day traverse of the Beartooth Mountains, including a climb of Granite Peak, but after my move back east I did not return to Montana until Jean and I made a 2016 trip to Glacier and Waterton national parks, a lesson to remind one to take advantage of things when you can.

Cascade Creek Trailhead, 7.3 miles 

Spanish Peaks Route Map.