Quartz Creek/Johnson Creek, Tobacco Root Mountains

John Goering

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2014
Messages
484
Another one night adventure, this one up Mill Creek out of Sheridan, MT that combined a little (very little in this case) Jeeping with some backpacking. We left our place about 10:00 am Saturday morning and made it to the end of the Jeep trail up Quartz Creek by lunch. The plan was to backpack to a small un-named "lake" on Johnson Creek, the next drainage to the north. The Jeep trail (FS 1298) is only about 2 miles long. A lot of exposure but not very exciting. Coming out of the Mill Creek bottom gets a bit steep (typical "U" shaped glacial canyon) and there were a couple large boulders that would likely stop most if not all cross-over vehicles, but once above that, pretty much just a dirt road.

FS 1298 (we were on our way out here)

18576355236_e75ca3b7c2_b.jpg



JK parked at the East Fork Quartz Creek trail head.

18575086396_c24d8f45eb_b.jpg



First glimpse of the objective-after a lot of bushwacking through spruce, subalpine fir, and deadfall whitebark pine-we found a lot easier way out.

18415147079_c8da9a0b43_b.jpg



First photo of the new tent-we tested several pieces of new equipment on this short trip but the tent lightened my pack almost 4 lbs.

18413436398_664b8c9dee_b.jpg



Johnson Creek above the lake.

18413385028_d418dc7377_b.jpg



The lake with Leggat Mountain behind. Alas, no fish but you never know.

18603530575_334526b4d5_b.jpg



This was prime elk country with elk sign everywhere. We woke up Sunday morning being scolded by a cow elk-didn't see a calf but suspect there was one there.

17982801393_6b998a869c_b.jpg



View to southeast from camp. Baldy Mountain at the extreme north end of the Gravelly Range. Alder Gulch/Virginia City hid in front.

18414408739_da0c643d6b_b.jpg



Straight south shot from camp. Peaks of the Greenhorn Range.

17979792563_43190a470b_b.jpg



Remains of either a sheep herders or miners cabin on the East Fork Quartz Creek on the way out. Leggat Mountain behind.

18415285700_3e780fb699_b.jpg



After exiting Quartz Creek onto Mill Creek Road (FS 111), we stopped by the remains of the Smuggler Mine. I've been past it dozens of times but this was the first pixel age photo stop. An interesting place in that it was pretty extensive but apparently never patented-all Forest Service ground.

18576294626_6fde88c126_b.jpg



18602563415_6f24db543a_b.jpg



18416231429_8e8d448ddb_b.jpg



18414602588_5ca04495b3_b.jpg



18414558500_920554a04f_b.jpg



18414110100_6a641fec56_b.jpg



17979396954_857972ab30_b.jpg



18414419700_c18eae0df7_b.jpg



17979551904_f12c0b06d4_b.jpg


Mill Creek below the mine was rolling right along.

18603858451_eeb04e3cd0_b.jpg



18414005710_87441c23fe_b.jpg



17978994014_cb8e358672_b.jpg



For a diversion on the way back to Bozeman, instead of taking the highway (US 287) back through Virginia City to Ennis and then 287 to Norris, we hit East Fork Granite Creek Road (FS 161) about 5 miles east of Alder, MT to South Meadow Creek Road (FS1249), thence onto North Meadow Creek Road and Sterling Road and came out at Norris. Not very fast but better scenery. 30 something miles of dirt. Unfortunately, didn't stop to take too many photos.

This one off FS 1249. South Baldy and Ward Peak as we were descending into the South Meadow Creek drainage.

18575206386_4e01dc8213_b.jpg


Featured image for home page:
slide.jpg
 
Now that's a sweet 'trailhead'! :)
Yeah, really over-used. It didn't look like there had been any traffic on that trail for years and in fact, was difficult to tell there was even a trail there. Trail 1298 is non-motorized use only above the trail head and proceeds over a pass to the South Fork of Indian Creek (a place we hope to be in a couple weeks).
 
Drove through you're neck of the woods yesterday evening. Amazing country.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
rinats Canyonlands/Needles: Salt Creek to Chesler Park Trip Planning 6
shredhiker Slough Creek mid June? Trip Planning 11
Spud Salt Creek Canyon question Trip Planning 11
BobFink Mirror Plateau via Pelican Valley and Pelican Creek, July / August 2023 Backpacking 12
Janice Such a GRAND Canyon - Deer Creek / Tapeats / Thunder River Backpacking 21
Jackson Little Rock Creek Backpacking 5
scatman Yellowstone's Thorofare, Headwaters of Thorofare Creek, Majo Pass, Younts Peak, Bob's Canyon, and Cub Creek - August 9, 2023 - Days 7 through 10 Backpacking 34
scatman Yellowstone's Thorofare, Headwaters of Thorofare Creek, Majo Pass, Younts Peak, Bob's Canyon, and Cub Creek - August 9, 2023 - Days 1 through 6 Backpacking 56
J South Crandall Creek and the Hoodoos Wyoming and Yellowstone? Trip Planning 3
CodyL Maple Creek or Duck Creek Drainages-YNP Trip Planning 0
J Pacific Creek or North Buffalo Fork? Teton Wilderness, Thorofare ,etc. Trip Planning 10
I Rescue Creek - Yellowstone National Park - June 3, 2023 Backpacking 15
Dreamer Slough Creek - YNP - 6/5-7/23 Backpacking 3
shredhiker Blacktail Creek June 2023 Backpacking 4
Dreamer Rescue Creek -YNP - 6/3-5/23 Backpacking 3
shredhiker Slough Creek May 2023 Backpacking 11
scatman Rescue Creek - Yellowstone National Park - June 3, 2023 Backpacking 56
Gretchen Millward Trachyte Creek via Woodruff Canyon, April 2023 Backpacking 9
I Slough Creek - Yellowstone June 5 & 6 Meet Up (Members Only) 19
scatman City Creek Loop - April 23, 2023 Hiking & Camping 8
F Thorofare/South Boundary/Wolverine Creek Trip Planning 2
scatman Rescue Creek - Yellowstone National Park Meet Up (Members Only) 19
Janice When might road to Salt Creek TH be ok? Trip Planning 23
BobFink Yellowstone South Entrance to Fox Creek via Basin Creek Cutoff - Labor Day 2022 Trip Reports 4
Janice Professor Creek / Mary Jane Canyon - mid April? Trip Planning 0
scatman North Ridge of City Creek Canyon - February 4, 2023 Hiking & Camping 17
MikeP Exploring/Calf Creek Trip Planning 28
scatman South Ridge of City Creek Canyon - January 28, 2023 Hiking & Camping 4
travel2walk Gros Ventre Wilderness: Granite Creek, West Fork Crystal Creek, Crystal Creek, & Swift Creek - June 2021 Backpacking 8
slieb Lower Muddy Creek in Winter? Trip Planning 7
scatman A Yellowstone Love Story (Bog Creek Euphoria) - September 12, 2022 Backpacking 28
NorthwestWanderer Backpacking Grand Teton National Park : Fossil Pass,Fox Creek Pass,Indian Lake,Alaska Basin,Hurricane Pass,Ice Floe Lake,& Snowdrift Lake Backpacking 19
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Wrangler Lake, Bog Creek, Joseph's Coat Springs, Broad Creek, Wapiti Lake, Hot Springs Basin, and Pelican Valley. The Second Half. Backpacking 15
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Wrangler Lake, Bog Creek, Joseph's Coat Springs, Broad Creek, Wapiti Lake, Hot Springs Basin, and Pelican Valley. Part One of Two. Backpacking 61
scatman Pacific Creek, Moss Lake and Gravel Lake - Teton Wilderness - October 7, 2022 Backpacking 32
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Hayden Valley, Trout Creek, Beach Lake, and Arnica Creek Meadows. September 11, 2022. Hiking & Camping 7
scatman Trout Creek and the Headwaters of Alum Creek - September 11, 2022 Hiking & Camping 17
R Wind River Range: Green River Lakes/Clarks Trail/Porcupine Creek Trail Trip Planning 3
Janice Salt Creek plus... Trip Planning 17
Gretchen Millward Trachyte Creek, April – May 2022 Backpacking 3
XID_AZ Kanab Creek Wilderness - Sowats Canyon - Mountain Sheep Spring Trip Planning 6
balzaccom McGee Creek--Fire (smoke) Rain, Winded and rockslides... Trip Reports 0
John Goering Tobacco Root Mountains South Meadow Creek Off Road 1
SteveR Bull Creek Hills, Alberta Hiking & Camping 5
T Salt Creek this weekend Trip Planning 1
TeamJenkins17 Red Tops/Needle Creek Drainage Info Trip Planning 0
M Kannah Creek Basin loop, Grand Junction CO Backpacking 6
WhozWutz Montezuma Creek Rd Trip Planning 1
The Trout Whisperer Non kilt wearin’ version of th Gneiss Creek Expedition part 3… Backpacking 0
The Trout Whisperer Non kilt wearin’ version of th Gneiss Creek trip, part 2, Backpacking 4

Similar threads

Back
Top