Silver Bow County Highpoint Trip Report

Date: July 31, 2009
Author: Adam Helman

note: All coordinates employ the WGS84 datum.
This effort was part of a larger journey collecting Idaho, Montana, and Washington county highpoints in late July and August 2009.

Some comments about the approach follow.

FR84 is located 5.4 miles along MT-2 after a "split" just south of Butte where one bears left (southeast).

Tim Worth reports a 1.1 mile and then a 1.5 mile section for the drive. The latter figure should be 1.3 miles. After that, it is 1.9 miles on a southbound road which is passenger car accessible for the first 0.4 mile, deteriorating thereafter into a rocky mess until reaching a cleared, flat area, alongside a radio facility, and at (45.77153° N, 112.49257° W), elevation 8,970 feet.

The total elevation gain from there (with locked gate) is 3,000 feet, as one must pass nearly over Red Mountain, twice, and completely over unnamed 10,136 - again, once each on the ascent and the return. In his report Tim Worth cites an elevation gain of 1,520 feet. That figure cannot refer to the total gain!

Unnamed 10,136 looks very sharp and steep when viewed from the trail alonside Red Mountain. A climber's path through the loose talus renders it easier than it appears.

Its prominence saddle northwest of Table Mountain is broad, and forms a good place to stop in case poor or threatening weather precludes tarrying at the summit of Table Mountain. I ate my "summit" snack there.

Desirous of getting off this ridgewalk before approaching weather I made the round trip in 4 hours 17 minutes - including a descent route through the woods along the cleared path of a power line straight to my vehicle. Your time will almost certainly be longer unless extremely fit. Allow 5 to 6 hours.