Kent Peak, Sapphire Range

Pudge on a snowfield near Kent Peak's summit. Pintlers in the background.

Jen and Ellie were away for a couple of nights at Fairmont for their girls mountain bike camp. One of the days they were gone, it was a bluebird day in the Missoula area, so I took the opportunity to bag Kent Peak, which is the high point of the Sapphire Range. To get there, you drive through Hamilton, turn left onto the Skalkaho Pass Road, and then after some miles, right on Forest Service Road 75, which follows Skalkaho Creek. You drive this road for nearly an hour, to the second trail head sign. Actually, you can drive a bit further to shorten the hike; see this link for a map and details on the route. From the car it's a couple of miles or so to the pass above Moose and Mosquito Meadows, where you'll head off trail, following the bench east of the summit ridge. My route followed the GPS route of Steve Sheriff found here relatively closely.

Selfie: Pintlers in the background.

Pudge on the summit, looking northwest at the peaks of the northern Bitterroot.

Kent Peak's high point from the false summit. Bitterroots in the background.

The souther peaks of the Bitterroot looking west from Kent Peak's summit.