Exposed Trail

Between our October 21, 2020 arrival in Sunriver, Oregon, and our October 30 departure, we were fortunate enough to have a spell of mostly cold and dry weather.  This allowed us to Activate 8 SOTA summits in 6 outings.  We also had the opportunity of doing 2 joint Activations with Ron, W6PZA, of Bend, Oregon - which was a lot of fun!  This report is one of a series, and deals with Mount Bachelor, W7O/CM-005.  The mountain is a Strata-Volcano, standing 9,065 feet in elevation.  It is in close proximity to the Three Sisters Wilderness, with its 3 name

 This summary is for two summits...Joell, KJ7GFN and I started our SOTA trip about 1.5 hrs before daylight, I was hoping to get to the first summit, Smith Rock (also Sky Lakes Wilderness for WWFF), while dx was still happening to EU. We dressed preparing for a freezing morning, forecast was at 20-25f low in the area, figured even cooler at 6000'. I wore the warmest of everything I had since I get cold very easily. But we were fooled! Some sort of an inversion in the mountains was happening and I am guessing it was more around 50-55!

This summit is located South of Pocatello Idaho. Take Bannock Highway through town and turn at Gibson Jack Rd. The Trailhead is approx 3 miles on paved road. Once at the Gibson Jack TH take either trail 7015 which is a steep, exposed motorized trail...I would only take a dirt bike or 4 wheeler due to the condition of the trail or you can take single track non-motorized trail number 7014 which is longer but less exposed. I generally choose to hike the motorized trail due to time constraints.

  Indian Mtn is South of Pocatello Idaho.  Travel to  Mink Creek Recreation Area Rd. Take a left and head South on Mink Creek Road several miles.You will see a sign saying Kinney Creek Trailhead on your left.  There will be a trail heading East following the creek. About 3 miles up the creek watch for a single 4x4 board going across the creek which connects to a single track trail that will lead you to the summit of Indian Mountain.  .  It is all exposed.

We selected the southern route for Elk Point.  This southern route allows for a double activation with Sula Peak W7M/RC-138. This mostly open-ridgeline route has good views of distant Bitterroot Mountains, Anaconda Pintler Mountains and closer views of the Sapphire Mountains and East Fork Bitterroot River valley.  

Access from the north is via the Robbins Gulch or Rye Creek roads and trails. 

Bald hill isn’t really bald.  It is a fine grassland on its south exposure, but is tree covered on the remaining west, north and east exposures.  Access is available any time of year, albeit steep.  It is prime winter range for 50-100 elk each year so avoiding December through February could prevent disturbing the elk. 

You are entering bighorn sheep range in this summit’s area.  Two trail options are available.  Both are great trail hikes all the way to the summit.  The dry environment of this area makes it a good early Spring or late Fall season hike.  Wind can be challenging on the upper grassland ridges and summit, but there are groups of trees to shelter behind. 

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.