Year's initial foray to the Tobacco Root Mountains

John Goering

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My wife and I headed over to the Roots last week primarily to see how far one could get on a couple of the trails/roads. Contrary to the winter in most of the west, there was (and still is) a lot of snow in western Montana. Almost all of the SNOTEL sites were close to or above 150% of average. If one desires location data, most if not all, is included in some of my other posts for this area.

Ward Peak from Sterling Road.
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We headed up North Meadow Creek proper first (FS 965) but only got about a mile and a half above this photo (Ward Peak again) and well short of the start of the Jeep trail portion.
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We then hit the north fork of that creek to Sureshot Lakes (FS 160). Upper Sureshot didn't offer to much in the way of fly fishing for my wife.
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And we didn't get very far above the lake on the portion of FS 160 that heads down to South Willow Creek.
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We then proceeded down to Sureshot Lake proper, which was pretty much ice free, and camped for the night.
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Sureshot Lake and Potosi Peak. I waited quite a while hoping the breeze would drop but it didn't.
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Required kid photo.
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Lone Mountain from camp. Big Sky is located on the far side of that peak.
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The north side of Ward Peak from camp.
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The area below Sureshot Lake has numerous pot holes (recessional terminal moraine). A lot of moose scat.
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On the way home, we drove some of the trails on the Revenue Flats (BLM) off of Sterling Road.. Remains of an old mine hoist.
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And what we used to call the Revenue Spires. 40 years ago, they were a great three lead climb. But alas, can't even access them now.
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It was a nice trip but it's still going to be more than a month wait to hit most of the other lakes in the area.
 
Why is that ridge inaccessible now?

Cute pups!
 
I love the perspective of the photo where you are making...food? The Jeep looks like a toy. Hehe

What wonderful views! And those are some great fur babies, I understand why you had to put that photo in.
Thanks for sharing!
 
Very nice, John. X2 on what’s up with those spires? Those gorgeous peaks are begging for a climbing attempt too!
 
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