Pansy Mountain has not been activated since the 2021 fires. I originally intended to do both Pansy Mountain and Bull of the Woods, but I did not get an early enough start for a late autumn hike. Getting there is straight forward. A high clearance vehicle is helpful for a couple of sections, but it is probably not absolutely necessary. Follow the directions from the Forest Service:
28Dec2023: Active logging has begun in this area.
Getting There: DO NOT USE GOOGLE MAPS TO GET HERE!!!! Google maps will lead you straight to a gated road. Have your GPS open or a map next to you while you try to navigate this. From highway 14, turn North on Rock Creek Driver like you're headed to Skamania Lodge. Continue half a mile and then turn left on Foster Creek Road. Next turn left on Red Bluff Road which will become CG-2000. Continue a little less than a mile until you see the intersection with CG 2022 splitting up the hill to the left.
I did this summit in the area my family hunts mule deer, as I didn’t have tags last year and still wanted the family trip to the desert.
I did this summit in the area my family hunts mule deer, as I didn’t have a tag this year and was just out there for the family vacation.
I did this summit in the area my family hunts mule deer, as I didn’t have tags last year and still wanted the family trip to the desert.
This no-name summit just East of Dog Lake was the last of of three activations during the Annular Eclipse weekend of October 2023.
I decided to attempt Barry Point following the Annular Eclipse of 2023. I approached it from the South and drove clockwise to a point north of the peak where a dirt road heads South East up the hill, parking at 42.113809, -120.793403.
This last leg of the drive contained pretty deep ruts (presumably from people driving through the snow), a few mud puddles (even in October). Definitely need high-clearance and probably 4wd once you leave the gravel road and turn SE.
I had meant to activate a different summit on my drive down to Lakeview for the 2023 Eclipse, don't know how I got Slide Mountain in my head (this was planned for the drive home).
1.7 miles, +884 ft, -47 ft; On ATV Trail
Driving Directions from Checkerboard, MT