Staying Close to Home: Woody and Blue Mountains

Pudge looking over Missoula from Blue Mountain Trail.

Mission and Rattlesnake Mountains.

Since the snow started falling and the cold weather has settled in, my drive to bag high peaks has waned. This fall was a particularly long one for good weather and high country travel. But with weekly cyclocross and kickball on top of peak bagging, I was worn down come late October. November has been a much more relaxed month, at least outside of work, with weekends at home, and much less activity. Nonetheless, I've continued to get out to bag some low summits around Missoula. Last weekend was Woody Mountain, on a very enjoyable loop from Marshall Canyon. You can find the GPS track here. This weekend, I bagged Blue Mountain, from the first switchback beyond the 'motorcycle trail head' (or Hayes Point) up Blue Mountain Road. The hike to the summit from there is a local favorite for me, at eight miles RT with fantastic views of Missoula, the Rattlesnake, and the Mission Mountains. This is a perfect time of year to do it -- there's snow, but not so much that you need snow shoes -- but the road closes on December 1, so you'll have to bike up to the start from now until Spring.

Looking south from Woody Mountain

Looking west from Woody.

Pudge and Lolo Peak from Blue Mountain.

Pudge letting off steam on Blue Mountain, the Missions visible in the distance.

Blue Mountain, looking east, with the Bitterroot Valley on the right. 

Looking north, Missions in the distance.