Count Peak: Swan Range

The view S/SW from Count Peak in the southern Swan.

While riding Highway 83 for TOSRV, the Swan Range loomed to the east for most of Saturday and looked to be nearly free of snow. For this reason, I thought it was time to take a trip up over the Swan divide to bag a peak on my list. I chose Count Peak, which is most easily gotten to by hiking over the divide above Crescent Lake, which sits below Crescent Peak, near Morrell Falls. As it turned out, once over the Swan divide, there was still tons of snow, and the walking was almost entirely on snow for the miles over to Count. It was a big, challenging, lonely, humbling day, but was awesome. Count Peak is quite remote and sees very few visitors. The climbing stays in the class 2+ range if you take the correct route. We are very privileged to have such places in our back yard.   

Crescent Peak on the way to Crescent Lake.

The view east into the Bob Marshall, with Count Peak (left), Goat Peak (middle-right) and Puma Peak (right).

A closer view of Count.

Still closer: Count from the SW ridge. It looks hard, but can be kept class 2+ by continuing to traverse right for the route of least resistance.

Looking E/NE from Count, with the back side of the Swan divide (Fisher & Ptarmigan among others) and the Missions in the distance. 

Looking N/NE into the Bob.

Thunderstorms came in on the way out, even bringing rain. That's Crescent Pass on the right, with Crescent (far right), Matt Benchmark, Marshall, and Pyramind  (hidden in the back) Peaks. 

This picture doesn't quite capture the beauty of this view down Marshall Creek into the Bob Marshall. The peaks on the left ridge are Count, Goat and Puma in the distance.