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The Trip

Unfortunately, this trip has been cancelled. If you have questions, please contact us.

Discover the rugged beauty that intimidated Lewis and Clark on their journey through the Bitterroot Mountains in 1805. The 2,000 square miles of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness along the Idaho and Montana border is one of the largest designated wilderness areas in the United States and lies within four national forests. It is a vast, wild land of high ridges, lake-filled basins, and densely forested slopes. Hidden valleys filled with larch, old-growth cedar and fir provide natural habit for plentiful but rarely seen wildlife, including elk, deer, antelope, moose, wolves, black bears, and mountain lions.

Edges of the wilderness are close to trailheads that are accessible by car, making the Bitterroots a day-hiker's paradise. Sample some of the best trails in this world-class wilderness on four challenging and rewarding day hikes to overlooks, summits, and high mountain lakes. We complete our week by hiking deeper into the wilderness on a three-day backpack to remote Bryan Lake at the foot of the towering crest of the Bitterroot Range.

Base camp is a secluded, vehicle-accessible campground. A grocery store and hot showers are nearby to add convenience and comfort to the outing. The grocery store allows us to enjoy fresh foods in our base camp menu. The cost of the trip includes van transportation, eliminating the need to rent cars. Participants will be shuttled to and from the base camp and trailheads. Hotel shuttles serve the Missoula airport.

Terrific hikes, good food, and unforgettable scenery are the winning elements that comprise the Best of the Bitterroots.

Itinerary

At our base camp for the first four days of the trip, we'll have a canopy-covered kitchen, picnic tables, potable water, pit toilets, wood for nightly campfires, and plenty of shade for tents. On a typical day in base camp, the coffee will be ready by 7:15 a.m., with breakfast of juice, fruit, and an entrée (e.g. eggs and scones, breakfast burritos) served by 8:00 a.m. A ride to the trailhead and a few hours of hiking take us to a peak or remote glacial lake, where we'll enjoy the beauty of the wilderness and a tasty lunch. We try to be back at the trailhead by mid-afternoon, leaving time to relax in camp before dinner. At mid-week, we'll take advantage of a local athletic club for a refreshing hot shower. As the stars appear each evening, a campfire (conditions permitting), hot drinks, and good conversation will warm our spirits before we climb into cozy tents to fall asleep to the murmur of a nearby stream.

The rhythm of the three-day backpack is similar, except the middle day is a layover day. In addition to an optional hike to a nearby mountain pass, the layover day is designed for relaxing, exploring, or enjoying quiet personal time.

Day 1: The trip begins at 9 a.m. in Missoula, Montana, with a short orientation, followed by a drive of some 30 miles to our campground. After getting organized, we'll drive to the first trailhead for a three-mile (distances are round-trip, unless noted) hike to an overlook with dramatic views of the Bitterroot Range, especially Bear Creek where we will be backpacking later in the week. Following this introduction to the Bitterroots, we'll head back to camp for dinner and other evening activities.

Day 2: For our first full hiking day, we do a 10-mile leg stretcher following Canyon Creek and climbing about 2,200 feet to Canyon Falls and Canyon Lake for lunch.

Day 3: A scenic drive takes us to the edge of the wilderness at the ridgeline separating Idaho and Montana. This eight-mile hike crosses the state border twice in each direction, and leads to Fish Lake, a "high-altitude jewel," according to guidebooks. On the way, we will pass Lower Bear Lake where moose sometimes are seen browsing.

Day 4: Today's hike is short, strenuous and steep. The goal is Little St. Joseph Peak, a granite outcropping 9,000 feet high with panoramic views that make the uphill effort worthwhile. The trail climbs 3,000 feet in about 2.5 miles (one way), requiring cross-country travel the last half mile and bouldering the last 50 feet to get to the top. It will feel like we're having lunch on top of the world. An optional hike is possible for hikers who desire a less strenuous hike without bouldering. We'll get back in plenty of time to relax and get organized for tomorrow's backpack.

Day 5: The Bear Creek Trail, our 8.5-mile hike to Bryan Lake, is a stream-side path with small waterfalls and cascades. We follow the middle of three forks and eventually emerge at Bryan Lake, our home for the next two nights. Bryan Lake is a picture-perfect cirque protected on the south by a 1,000-foot wall, and on the west and north by equally impressive cliffs rising to high Bitterroot peaks. Our backpack nights are illuminated by the nearly-full moon.

Day 6: This is a layover day at Bryan Lake, featuring an optional three-mile hike to Bear Creek Pass at the top of the Bitterroot Divide to soak in remarkable vistas surrounding the Idaho-Montana border. A scramble up Sky Pilot Mountain is also an option. The afternoon is free to enjoy the lake and to explore this wonderful location.

Day 7: After an 8.5-mile hike out of these magnificent mountains, we'll meet for a trip-ending dinner, celebration, and group goodbye in a Missoula restaurant.

Getting There

The trip begins at 9 a.m. on Sunday, August 26, in Missoula, Montana, with a short orientation at a local coffee shop. Hikers then will be transported to our base camp. The van will be used to shuttle hikers to and from trailheads, eliminating the need to rent vehicles. Depending on travel schedules, an overnight stay in Missoula may be necessary the night before the trip begins, and again on the night the trip ends.

Accommodations and Food

All meals, from lunch on day one to lunch on day seven, are included. Meals are mostly vegetarian; some will include a meat option. During the first four days of the outing, our proximity to a grocery store will allow us to enjoy fresh foods at many meals. The leader will share sample menus with participants in advance of the departure date and any special dietary needs should be noted as early in the registration process as possible. Everyone on the trip will help with cooking, cleanup, and other camp chores.

Trip Difficulty

This trip is rated Moderate+ overall but there are strenuous sections. Participants should be experienced hikers in good physical condition and must be able to carry a 30- to 40-pound backpack 8.5 miles on each leg of the backpack. The weight that hikers are expected to carry on day hikes is minimal.

Although our routes have strenuous and rugged sections, and will reach 9,000 feet, almost all the hiking will be on well-maintained trails. Hiking distances range from three miles the first day to about 8.5 miles on each leg of the backpack. Some hikes may include one or more calf-deep stream crossings. One planned day-hike includes a 3,000-foot ascent in a little more than two miles; a strenuous hike. Although rated Moderate+, hiking at higher elevations is by nature a strenuous activity. To tolerate the high altitude and fully enjoy this experience, you should follow a regular aerobic training program for several months prior to our trip. You will need lower body strength as well as endurance.

Equipment and Clothing

The Sierra Club provides food, cooking gear, water purification, and a first-aid kit to be used for emergencies. You are responsible for everything else. The leader will provide an extensive list of gear to each of the participants well in advance of the outing. The list will include a large backpack (at least 4,500 cubic inches so that everyone has extra room to carry group food and kitchen equipment); tent; sleeping pad; sleeping bag rated to 20 degrees F; sturdy, broken-in, waterproof hiking boots; rain suit; and layers of clothing to keep warm. Many participants also bring a lighter day pack for day hikes. If you aren't sure about the suitability of your equipment, contact the leader.

In late August in the Bitterroots, daytime temperatures are usually in the 70s and 80s, but nighttime temperatures could drop below freezing. Expect to experience cold nighttime and early morning temperatures, so please bring what you need to camp comfortably. Although rain and snow are possible anytime, this is a relatively dry season, and snow would be unusual, even in the mountains.

References

Photocopies of topo maps of the hikes will be provided prior to the trip by the leader.

National Forest Service waterproof maps of the area tend to be heavy and are not required for the trip, but may be interesting as a reference to the area. You can obtain two contoured Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness maps (North and South) for $20. Mail, call or email the Forest Service at:

Forest Supervisor's Office:

1801 N. 1st Street
Hamilton, MT 59840, 406-363-7100, 406-363-7116

Email: Bitterroot@fs.fed.us

You can also use this order form for Selway-Bitterroot North and South:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/bitterroot/maps/maps.htm

Books:

• Steinberg, Scott, Hiking the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness (A Falcon Guide).
• Arkava, Mort, Hiking the Bitterroots.

Conservation

The Greater Salmon-Selway Ecosystem (GSSE), consisting of the Selway-Bitterroot, Frank Church, River of No Return, and Gospel Hump Wilderness areas and surrounding national forest lands, is the largest intact, wild ecosystem left in the lower 48 states. The GSSE is home to many endangered species, century-old trees, and the two longest non-dammed rivers in the country (Salmon and Selway rivers). Although rarely seen, this is perhaps the last best habitat in the Lower 48 for wolf, bear, elk, moose, puma, wolverine, marten, lynx, and fisher.

Although wilderness areas enjoy the highest degree of protection from development and resource extraction, surrounding national forests are challenged by calls for more robust multiuse policies, from logging to mining to farming. We will explore these trends in one of our campfire talks. Another conservation topic will focus on the gray wolf, delisted from the Endangered Species List and hunted in 2009, listed and not hunted in 2010. We'll talk about this volatile issue.

During our week in the wilds we will learn more about and practice Leave No Trace principles: http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under a permit from the Bitterroot National Forest.

Trip Price

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Staff

Stephen Brown enjoys exploring wilderness areas of California and elsewhere. He has led Sierra Club backpack, service, and highlight trips in the Sierra Nevada, Utah desert, Montana, the Canadian Rockies, and the Four Corners Ancestral Puebloan cultural region. He is an enthusiastic promoter of the Leave No Trace ethic and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. A fan of biking, day hikes, photography, and world music, Stephen has traveled in Europe, South America, Mexico, and Japan. He now works with a nonprofit organization providing technology support to nonprofits and libraries.

E-mail: sblocal45@sbcglobal.net

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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Carpooling
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback
• Wilderness Manners