Trailhead has ample, free, accessible parking
East Crater is a peak in the Indian Heaven wilderness. Three years ago, the south side and ridgeline of East Crater were completely burned by a fire that ended up burning about 500 acres in the area, and this fire caused the evacuation of the entire Indian Heaven wilderness area in September of 2017. Not much has grown back on the south side, while the north side, essentially untouched by the fire, is thick with trees.
Turn east off of Fields-Denio Road at 42.1606, -118.6033 onto Whitehorse Ranch Lane.
Turn off of that onto an unmarked road at 42.3111, -118.2625
Go past the right turn to Willow Creek Hot Springs to turn left at 42.2769, -118.2624
Park at 42.2463, -118.2392
From here it is cross country 3.6 miles round trip with 1400 feet of elevation gain.
1.5 miles, +690 ft
The trailhead can be reached from either the Bernice exit on I-15, or the Galen exit on I-90 south of Deer Lodge. Both roads are suitable for all vehicles. These instructions are from I-90.
This summit is attained in a 4.5 mile, 3500 ft elevation gain hike with well maintained trial for the first half and reasonable trail with loose rock the rest of the way to the top. The trail head is easy to find once you know what you are looking for. There are a few key GPS waypoints that ease your way tremendously. I would not have been able to make this activation without tips from KC7DM, so a huge thank you to him.
Mount Tiny is within the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness Area near Georgetown Lake. Mount Tiny is a great SOTA double with its neighbor Little Rainbow Mountain, W7M/BR-071.
The summit provides excellent views of high mountain lakes and open alpine SOTA peaks. A glass jar register filled with paper is tucked into the summit rocks.
Elevation gain: 2700’ from Storm Lake.
Trail Miles: 5.5 roundtrip.
Off-trail miles: 1 mile roundtrip.
Little Rainbow Mountain is within the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness Area. The summit provides excellent views of high mountain lakes and open alpine SOTA peaks. Little Rainbow is a great SOTA double with its neighbor Mount Tiny, W7M/BR-079
Elevation gain: 2800’ from Storm Lake.
Trail Miles: 4.5 roundtrip.
Off-trail miles: 1.4 miles roundtrip.
Water: Depending the time of year a stream exists above Storm Lake along the trail. Then none exists along the trail.
Three Lakes Peak is just within the Flathead Indian Reservation along the Reservation Divide. The summit has great views of the Confederate Salish-Kootenai Tribes land, the Flathead River, three alpine lakes, the Mission Mountains and the Ninemile Valley. A Flathead Reservation Use Permit is required.
Two routes are described. The Alternate route is shorter, but much steeper and nearly double the elevation gain. The Reservation DivideTrail is good, but in some meadow crossings it is easy to lose the trail due to forb and grass overgrowth.
Vermilion Peak is accessed via a moderately climbing trail in the southern Cabinet Mountains. It also makes an easy SOTA double when teamed up with Mount Headley, W7M/LO-018. The summit has fine views of nearby summits and distant peaks, like the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area.
Be sure to stop and view Graves Creek Falls while traveling the Graves Creek Road to the summit. A large pullout on the Northside of the road is at about mile 3.0. It is not signed.
Mount Headley is easily accessed via a moderately climbing trail in the southern Cabinet Mountains. It also makes an easy SOTA double when teamed up with Vermilion Peak, W7M/LO-056. The summit is the tallest in the area and has fine views of nearby summits, lakes and distant peaks. Be sure to stop and view Graves Creek Falls while traveling the Graves Creek Road to the summit. A large pullout on the Northside of the road is at about mile 3.0. It is not signed.
