Jefferson River Valley Peakbagging: Ruby Benchmark and Table Mountain

The Jefferson Valley. The Ruby Range on the right background and the Tobacco Roots on the left. Taken on the Hells Canyon Road. (More pictures below.)

This past weekend, my PhD student Kevin and I took a trip to the Jefferson River Valley, southeast of Butte, for a couple of days of peakbagging and then on to Butte (where our mothers both live) for Mother's Day.

It was a great trip. On day one, we drove to Alder, Montana, which is about three hours from Missoula and is located just west of Virginia City, Montana. The high point of the Ruby Range, called Ruby Benchmark, is just west of Alder. We followed the loop route described by Cedron Jones in Peakbagging Montana, adding Laurin Peak to the outting. It ended up a long and strenuous day at 7.5 hours and 12 miles according to my GPS route, which you can find here. 

After the hike, we grabbed a shower in Alder, some groceries in Sheridan, and a burger in Twin Bridges, then drove the spectacular Hells Canyon Road up the back side of the Highlands into the Hells Canyon Cabin, which is maintained by the Forest Service. I highly recommend a trip to this cabin. The drive is spectacular and the cabin nice.

After spending the night in the cabin, we hiked Table Mountain in the morning. I had figured that this day would be easier than Ruby Benchmark, but it ended up being about as challenging, due in part to the route I chose, which was not the most direct. Table is a spectacular mountain, as the pictures below show. It can be seen from Butte, but is mostly covered by Red Mountain. From the south, however, it completely dominates the views of the Highlands. 

After summiting Table, we were back to the car by 2.30 pm, and so we had the time to hit Renova Hot Springs, on the Jeffereson River near Whitehall, before heading into Butte. It was the first time that I'd been to Renova, and I now hope to make it a semi-regular stop.

Pictures from both trips are below:

Getting ready: we went up the Laurin Canyon (right) and came down Pourier Canyon (left)

Lower meadows

We dropped our packs and headed over to Laurin Peak

Near the summit of Laurin. Ruby Benchmark is under clouds in the background.

Pudge on Laurin

On the way to Ruby Benchmark.

Kevin walking the summit ridge.

Getting close.

summit shot

summit shot looking into the Beaverhead Valley

Next day, before we hit snow on the way to Table.

On the summit ridge. Pioneer Range in the background.

Leaving treeline.

Kevin on the final push to the summit.

Pudge summit shot. 

The clouds broke on our descent.

Lower still, it got downright sunny. 

Table Mountain

Hells Canyon Cabin.

Table Mountain from Hells Canyon Road.