East and West Saint Marys Peaks: Mission Mountains

My shadow as I look toward West Saint Marys from the north ridge of East Saint Marys

 Anyone who has spent much time in the Mission Mountains knows that they're special. First off, they are spectacularly beautiful. Second, and equally important, they are less-visited than other equally beautiful places. This is due, in part, to the fact that access into the range is difficult: there are few well-maintained trails. Access from the west side is particularly challenging, with primitive trails that are rarely maintained and huge elevation gains to get up to the high peaks. One of the best maintained trails from the west side is the trail to East Saint Marys Peak (ESM), making ESM perhaps the Missions most accessible major peak.  On the other hand, the hike to ESM starts low and gains over 5000 feet without a switchback; my quads were soar from the descent for days afterwards. 

Last year, around this time, I climbed ESM and on the way down saw Nathan Noble who was heading up to climb WSM on his way to climbing all of the named peaks in the range. Nathan is a student at UM who plays music, studies, and has a deep passion for the Mission Mountains. Since our meeting last year, the thought of coming back to climb WSM has been in the back of my mind. After many class 3 climbs this summer, I figured I could pull it off. And I was right: the ridge between ESM and WSM goes at what seems to me to be class 3, though in spots there's plenty of exposure. The crux is at the low point on the ridge, where I down climbed a 50 feet, or so, off the ridge to the west to keep things class 3.

It was great day of weather for another enchanted outing in the Mission Mountains.

ESM and WSM on the way up.

A few giants of the range from ESM: WSM, Kakashe, Flattop, Sonielem, Sheep's Head (just behind), and McDonald.

Another panorama looking a bit more east than the last photo: Sonielem, McDonald, Iceflow, Peak Y, Mountaineer, and Lowary.

Gray Wolf in the smokey haze from ESM.

Sonielem Ridge from the notch between ESM and WSM.

The ridge to WSM from near the notch.

The fantastic view of ESM from WSM. My route followed the ridge, or just to the right (west) of the ridge.

Flattop, Sheep's Head, McDonald, and Sonielem (foreground).

The strange smoke effect looking west.

Selfie with ESM

Fellow ridge walker. What kind of tracks are these?

Selfie with WSM.

Two beauties: ESM & Gray Wolf.