Mineral County High Point Trip Report
Quartz Mountain
Date: September 3, 2001
Author: Bob Packard
The USGS maps suggest a trail up to Landowner Mountain (Cement Creek Trail) off Trout Creek Road, but
people at Lolo National Forest Ranger Station in Missoula guessed that this trail did not exist. They called
up some other ranger who had experience up there and I followed his suggestion as follows.
Took exit 55 off of I-90, then Quartz Road (paved), then Forest Road 7783, then FR 7789 (good dirt) to a
gate where I parked in big open bulldozed area (several acres). This is at a saddle at 6020, northwest of
Sunrise Mountain. Climbed Sunrise Mountain up the southeast ridge via a fire line built for the big fire of
2000 in that area. Made very a good trail. Followed this fire line southeast down the other side. When the
fire line ended I picked up a route with blazes and ribbons for a while, then it too petered out. From a 6300
foot saddle I did a hard, blind bushwhack along the northeast ridge of Quartz passing over point 6843.
Couldn't see where I was going until I got to the top of point 6843. At the top plenty of wood and wire and
lady bugs, but no Quartz BM. I built a cairn out of the whole mess, rocks, wood, wire, lady bugs, but I had
no register with me to leave.
Returned bushwhacking down into the upper reaches of Windfall Creek drainage and finally (hard to see
where one is going) picked up Forest Road 7789 which I followed back to the gate and my camper.
Trip Statistics: 7.25 hours, 10 miles, 3200 feet elevation gain.