Mt. Howe, Pintlers

Pudge, Mt. Howe (nearest) and Mt. Evans (behind) from Little Rainbow Mtn.

I've had a disposable camera sitting in the bottom of my backpacking pack for a couple of years now, waiting to be developed. It contains shots from a solo day trip that I took to climb Mt. Howe in the Pintlers. I'd been waiting to write this blog until I got the film developed, but instead, in honor of the highcountry clearing, I'm taking advantage of some spare moments in the early morning to write this, on a conference trip to California with the family. If I ever get the film developed, I'll supplement the ones I've included, which are from an overnight excursion to Storm Lake with the family last fall.

There are a number of ways to climb Mt. Howe. If you look on SummitPost, for example, they recommended route is from the south and Seymour Creek. Whereas Ecorover, master of all things Pintler, takes the route less traveled, from the east, up Sullivan Creek. Being a busy Missoulian, I started from the over-used Storm Lake trailhead, and headed east toward Mt. Howe. At about the one mile mark, you come to a saddle with this awesome view of Mt. Howe. She's a true and classic beauty!

Mt. Howe with Jen in the foreground.

At this point, I headed off trail, for the saddle between Howe and Little Rainbow Mtns. The route consists of rugged, loose, steep, and mildly dangerous skree travel. The other (less rugged, but longer) option was to first summit Little Rainbow Mtn. (where the first photo above was taken), heading east from the Goat Flat trail, and then continue along the ridge to Howe. But I was keen to try the direct route. No matter which way I travel in these surprisingingly rugged peaks, after slipping on scree and slicing open my knee (needing multiple stitches) while summitting Mt. Evans (Howe's neighbor) a few years back, I always travel with care.