Forested Summit

This is an easy drive up summit with beautuful views of the Bitterroot Valley seen on part of the road accessing the summit.

Direction to WM/GA-114:

From Missoula, MT  take US-93 South Approximately 20 Miles to Florence.

Turn East on Eastside Highway SR-203 for 7 miles to Ambrose Creek road.

Turn East on Ambrose Creek Road for 5.4 miles to FS 428. Take FS428 7.8 miles to Ambrose Saddle.

At Ambrose Saddle take FS1339 SE approximately 6 miles to the intersection of 1339 A and 1339B

Summit #7845 is a good hike through the 2021 Trail Creek wildland fire.  The trail signed Ruby-May Creek #3102 was in great shape and being cleared by a Montana Conservation Corps crew during the activation. There are some good views of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness summits along the trail. 

Caution: this trail and the summit have elevated snag hazard due to recent wildland fires. 

This summit is slightly prominent over the old Ninemile Lookout Site. A sign on the summit points to this old lookout site approximately 0.25 miles east. Elevation difference is 28’. All that remains of the lookout are four large concrete support blocks, burned wood and rusting hardware scattered on the ground. Slow growing subalpine fir tower to over 40’ on the site.

The remainer of the summit is dense old forest with oddly shaped rock outcrops of banded-argillite. Due to dense forest, there are very limited vistas of the valleys below. 

Stevens Peak is a forested summit overlooking Noxon Reservoir on the Clark Fork River. Much of the summit hike is along good loop Stevens Ridge Trail #1083. The summit is south of the small community of Noxon, Montana and the Noxon dam. The summit is a broad forested flat but there are good views of Noxon Reservoir and Cabinet Mountains on the northeast side of the summit where trees give way to steep rocky and grassy areas. 

Trail miles: 1.8 on-trail, 0.3 off-trail, both round trip

Elevation gain: 800’

I tried an alternate route to 5060 (aka Full Quieting Mt.) in the Gifford Pinchot. 

I parked at (46.10557, -121.66125) on NF-2360-071 (aka Eckhart Pass Road).

Proceed South up the ridge, which is mostly open with some deadfall/blowdown for about 0.55 miles. There is a false summit, just continue south.

Getting there: I rode my mountain bike from Sherman Pass, activated Columbia Mountain, and then continued on to Wapaloosie Mountain before backtracking and descending Jungle Hill. Trails are in decent enough condition and there is nothing about the tread that would make them difficult to hike. I did drive the roads to all the trail heads and the road to this one is in good condition. I found it quite passable in my Subaru Forester.

Augspurger Mountain in the Columbia Gorge is a 4-point summit near Dog Mountain and Wind Mountain. Historically, the approach from the south (via Dog Mountain) was considered de-facto and is reputed to be long and strenuous. An alternate was found, however, from the north side that, while steep in places, is shorter. 1.6 miles and 1300ish feet of elevation get you to the AZ with good gorge and mountain views, some nice duffy sections and some moderate exposure in areas, requiring careful footing.

Jumpoff Joe is a short bushwhack in the Malheur National Forest off of US-395 between Burns and John Day. Start of the hike is decommissioned forest road 1601-084 located at 44.07619, -118.81145.

I will not tell you how to get there because there has to be a better way. We were on FR 902 and FR 879 coming from the south. Those roads had bad water damage and were at the verge of navigability. We eventually hit road 3930 which was good gravel. Try to come in on that road.

The summit is open, but there are trees blocking the view.

Gold Hill is a short steep BW off of US-395 between John Day and Burns. To get there turn west on NF-31 a mostly paved road at 43.8136, -118.9831. turn right at 43.9528, -119.0760 on to FR 3765. then right again at 43.9710, -119.0594. onto NF 62. Arrive at 43.97597, -119.03468 and BW up to the summit. Note that it is a bit steep, but there is a cat track most of the way and it is open forest in any case. Forested top with no views, but plenty of shade which was welcome in August.

Moderate bushwhack with almost 500ft of gain over 0.6 miles. It might be light bushwhack if you pick the right path, as I found the way down easier through more open forest when one could see it. There is *almost* a view peaking through the trees at the top. Enough space for an activator on the true summit, but multiple could potentially spread out a bit off to the side still in the AZ.