Red Mountain, Highland Range, Butte Montana

During the Butte 50 race, I was running support for Jen. I was meeting her at the Highland Aid Station (the third aid station for the 50) and so had 4+ hours to kill while she made her way there from the start at Homestake. Since Red Mountain is only a few miles from Highland Station, I opted to bag the peak and go a bit beyond. To get to the aid station, you go out old highway 2 from Butte and take the road heading right at the bottom of Pipestone Pass. Follow the main road for quite a few miles (approx. 10) until you come out in a mountain meadow with a camp ground/parking area on your right. This is where the CDT crosses the road and is where the aid station is located during the race. Turn left here and follow the signs (staying left) for Highland Lookout about 3 or 4 miles. After a cattle guard, there's a road to the right. This goes up to Highland Lookout.

Red Mountain is an easy walk up. I continued on to Monument Peak (approx. 1 hour round trip from Red) and would have like to also bag Table (probably approx. 1 hour round trip from Monument), but would have missed Jen if I had continued on. If you're in the area it's a worthwhile outing. Red and Table are the prominent peaks that you see when you look south from Butte.

Pudge, Highland Lookout, then Red Mountain

Highland Lookout looking north. No longer in use. In the 90s when I used to come up here it was still in use.

Highland Lookout from Red Mountain.

Table Mountain in back, and Monument (the pyramidal shaped) Peak from Red Mountain, looking south.

Pudge, looking south to Table from Monument.

Pudge looking north from Monument, Red Mountain in the background