Ice, Mud and Snowmelt in the Bitterroot Wilderness

Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Bitterroot National Forest, Montana

February in Montana and I felt like I was on a spring outing. I headed into the wilderness from the Kootenai Creek trailhead, and as normal it was icy. Enough ice that I broke out the crampons to move safely for the first 2+ miles of the canyon. By far the best way to move over thick ice that I am aware of. For me the most secure way anyhow.

Creek was flowing pretty fast, but after all the rain of the past weekend that was expected. I did not think all the ice bridges would be melted out already. This was my favorite one to cross the creek this year, now there were no safe places to cross for over 6 miles up canyon. There was one log but it was so sketchy that I was not going to try it.

Where the canyon gets wider and the sun gets to the floor, the snow and ice was gone. The trail was visible and the walking was so smooth. This lasted up to about 5 miles up canyon. Along the creek there was still ice but not in the trees. Would have been a perfect area to camp in.

Snow melting from up on the mountains made for lots of little streams to cross. I filled my water bottle at this one…really cold water, but good to drink.

Eventually winter returned to the valley and all along the Idaho/Montana border there is plenty of snow.   The storms have also laid trees over all along the portion of the valley that had burned a few years back. I counted 93 trees that i had to go over, under or around in less than a mile. Figure that will limit the number of people who get to the far reaches of this valley later this year. After I had passed the last of human tracks in the snow I did find one set of wolf tracks and some moose and elk tracks as well. I should have started earlier in the morning so I could have made it back to the mountain.

Returning to the trailhead and my truck the clouds opened up and showed some blue. Photo just doesn't capture the beauty of the views I got to see. My regret today is that I took my snowshoes on a walk, but they stayed on my back the whole day. I could have used them when I was crossing all the downed trees but it was easier to do that part of the trip without putting them on.

Blodgett Falls and Printz Ridge

Bitterroot National Forest, Montana

This trip was really done on 31 Jan 2015, just didn't get it posted till 1 Feb.

A pretty blue sky with very few clouds this morning so off to the mountains I went. My plan was to get to the 3 waterfalls in the first 5 miles of Blodgett Canyon then head up the north side and onto Printz ridge. The first waterfall was frozen over but a log across the creek was the only open water I could see of the falls. No way to cross that log with all the ice. It was the only place that got some sunshine as well.

The view west up the canyon towards the Idaho line called me to just keep going. When the view is that great it is easy to spend the day in the mountains. I had views like this all day long!

I passed by 3 of the better known spires of Printz Ridge following the trail in the bottom of the valley. From left to right they are the Flathead Buttress, Shoshone Spire, and the Nez Perce Buttress. With the blue sky behind them they make a great way for me to trip on the trail because I was looking up instead of where my feet were going. I was planning on getting to the ridge on the far left of this picture.

I made it up to the next two falls and with the recent warm weather and sunshine on the higher parts of the peaks a lot of water was flowing. More than I would expect for the last day of January. I was sure careful along the edge of the water because of all the ice. Last thing I wanted was to fall into the water.

After the last falls I went up the ridge and worked back towards the head of the canyon. Eventually I was able to get a good view of Horsehead Arch by looking across the valley. With a different view of the arch I think I found a good way to climb up to. That will be an adventure for this summer.

Eventually I got up on the ridge by going around this outcropping. It was nice to get off the snow and ice of the canyon floor but I did find the snow on the right of the rock to be easier going. Mostly because it was a lower grade slope. I did see some of the protection left on climbing routes used by the rock climbers. This is about the best canyon for technical climbing close by. Surprised that none was out playing on the rocks with the good weather.

Eventually I worked my way back towards the bottom of the canyon where the views kept me mesmerized. The sky was such a deep blue at times. Really depended on where I was looking in relation to the sun. I bet I took at least 50 pictures with the sky being as much a feature as the crags.

As I was heading back towards the trailhead and my truck I came around an outcropping of rock and got a view of the moon. Not a view I was expecting, but a nice way to end the day.