A Trip to Butte and Fleecer Mountain

Fleecer about a mile or two in from the car.

For the past several years, I've been thinking that I need to make more of an effort to visit my mom in Butte. It's a stages of life thing: my kids are getting older (this month Alex will be 20 and Ellie 17) and need me less, while my mom is also getting older (she's now 67) and would like me to visit her more. So last weekend, I took a quick trip to Butte, skied Discovery on the way over, hung out with Mom in the evening and the next morning, and then bagged Fleecer Mountain the next day before heading home. 

Fleecer is a high prominence (2000+ feet) summit to the southwest of Butte that you can see from uptown. It sits massive to the west of I-15 about a 20 mile drive from Butte. To get to Fleecer Road, get off of I-15 at the Feeley Exit and head west toward the peak. It's a nice place to go this time of year. I was able to drive, easily, to about 6400 feet on the Fleecer Road. Then the last 3000 feet to the summit took 2.5 hours on foot, then snowshoes. There was another group on the mountain, who had snowmobiled part way up and then switched to backcountry ski gear. I regretted not bring mine, but it was a great day nonethless, and an enjoyable trip to Butte. I look forward to more of the same in the coming years.     

The Highlands to the east of Fleecer.

Looking north toward Deer Lodge and the Flint Range from the summit. Mount Haggin is on the eastern edge of the picture.

The Pintlers from Fleecer.

The Pioneers to the south from Fleecer's summit.

A panoramic video from the summit.

Words to live by hanging from Mom's bathroom wall.