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| Hiking | 13.06 Miles |
2,608 AEG |
| | Hiking | 13.06 Miles | 6 Hrs 6 Mns | | 2.33 mph |
| 2,608 ft AEG | 30 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | This is hands down one of the best hikes I have done in the Bitterroots and my day spent in the area was perhaps one of my more fulfilling days in the mountains ever. The trail to the peak follows the old indigenous route that was used to connect the upper and lower Salish people and their ancestors before them. The trailhead sits on the Idaho, Montana border and there is a sign there that tells you that you are in one of the most remote locations in the contiguous lower 48 states. Essentially, you are almost in the middle of a 4.5 million acre wilderness complex that includes the Bitterroot Mountains, The Frank Church River of No Return and the Gospel-Hump Wilderness. I think more than any attraction in the outdoors, the search for wilderness in its purest form is one of my greatest pursuits and I feel I found a little of that out there on this day.
I added nearly two miles to this hike by starting off the wrong way from the trailhead. Only slightly embarrassing considering I had a GPS, guidebook and paper map. The trail to Nez Perce Peak was pretty cruiser for the first three miles, then we hit some sections of deadfall from a recent fire and most likely the winter. There were a couple of tedious spots, but nothing overly impeding and the big parks and easy hiking for the rest of the trail made up for the inconvenience. We took a break in what little shade we had on the peak, enjoyed the view, snacked and then headed back the way we came. I had to give Dot a few extra breaks in the shade on the way back, because it actually got a little warm through the burn sections and large parks. Although, we would finish to clouds and cooler temps as a storm approached. On our return I found the grave mentioned in my guide book. The grade is for a Salish Indian who died on the trail in 1900 at 80 years old. His name was Francis Adams and his grave and marker were only about 3 paces off the trail. I missed it on my way in as it’s in some taller grass. There was another unmarked grave along the trail as well.
After our hike, I drove down to the historic Magruder Ranger station within the Magruder corridor, which is where a historic road and 60 feet of human presence (limited to picnic tables, fire pits, pit toilets and minimal signage) are allowed between the two wilderness areas for backcountry access. We touched the northern boundaries of the Frank Church River of No Return, had lunch along a raging creek and then headed back to camp.
This hike and the trip through the Magruder Corridor were definitely the Bitterroots that I had been looking for all along and I will be back for sure. |
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Route Editor
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