East St. Mary and Lowary Peaks, Mission Mountain Tribal Wilderness

West St. Mary (left), East St. Mary, Lowary Peak (the triangle shaped peak in the back right).

The heart is a fickle beast. It loves what it loves, and the Missions are easy to love. They are beautiful and nearby for Missoulians. After last weekend's climb of Mount Calowahcan, I had to visit again. So I opted for the 'easy' Mission summit, which follows an extremely steep trail 5000 or so feet to the high country you see in these pictures (taken with a crappy cell phone since my camera battery died). It's awesome to get so high so quick...until you have to come back down the same brutally steep trail, but more on that later. 

West St. Mary from the summit of East St. Mary, Mission valley behind.

Getting to East St. Mary is a straightforward walk, and once there, you have great views in all directions. 

McDonald Peak, Lowary Peak (right), Swan Range (back).

To the North-Northeast sits McDonald Peak and the Swan Range. In the foreground of the above shot, you see Peak Y and Loward Peak (the pointed one). Since Lowary Peak is a pretty mellow trip from East St Mary, I bagged it as well.

Rattlesnake and Bitterroot (way back).

But before moving on, let's not forgot that to the south is the great (in my mind) Rattlesnake Wilderness; indeed, McCleod Peak looms large throughout this hike. It's the tallest one in the above picture.

Animal tracks.

Getting to Lowary from East St. Mary requires crossing a big snow field, where I saw these tracks from some kind of feline species. 

Looking southeast from Vacation Pass.

The Swans held up the sky in the east as I walked across Vacation Pass to Lowary.

East and West St. Mary from Lowary

Once there, East and West St. Mary and their connecting ridge were in full view. From East, I had walked down that ridge toward West until the near-vertical bit you see in the picture, where I thought I'd save it for a day when I had a partner with me. 

Sheeps Head (left) and McDonald Peak.

The views from Lowary may even be better than those from East St. Mary. 

Another of McDonald with the Swan and Glacier Park too far for the phone camera to pick up.

Gray Wolf Lake and Peak, definitely near the top of my to-climb list.

Rattlesnake and East St. Mary with the Bitterroots way in the back.

Another of Sheep's Head and McDonald.

On the way down, Lowary and Peak Y (out the near flat ridge left).

There are awesome views of Gray Wolf on the ridge walk heading down (and up). Can't wait to climb this beautiful beast.

A decent shot of Gray Wolf for a crappy phone.

another

A few flowers hanging on, McCleod Peak looming large.

And finally, the knee punishing drop to the car. As with child birth, so I'm told, you quickly forget how painful it was last time. Two west-side-of-the-Missions climbs on consecutive weekends -- What was I thinking? -- the heart is a fickle beast indeed.

And finally, on the way home: St Mary Peaks.