BITTERROOT MOUNTAINS

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#9999FF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04076ba3.gif"> <div> <B><U>CONTENTS</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Introduction.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Introduction"><U>INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="What's%20Newid128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats New?"><U>WHAT'S NEW?</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Mount%20Borah.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mount Borah"><U><B>Mount Borah Guide.</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Linksid24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>LINKS</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Favorite Climbs"><U>FAVORITE CLIMBS</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Idaho%20Mountain%20Ranges%20by%20Region.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Idaho Mountain Ranges by Region"><U>MOUNTAIN RANGES BY REGION</U></A></div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="Northern%20Idaho.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NORTHERN IDAHO"><U>Northern Idaho</U></A></div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="Western%20Idaho.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Western Idaho"><U>Western Idaho</U></A></div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="Eastern%20Idaho.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastern Idaho"><U>Eastern Idaho</U></A></div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="Index%20S%20Idaho.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SOUTHERN IDAHO"><U>Southern Idaho</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Climbing%20Articles.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Climbing Articles"><U>CLIMBING ARTICLES</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=105 BGCOLOR="#99CCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04176bc1egdyqn.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>Idaho: A Climbing Guide</B></FONT><B>   |   </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Idaho: A Climbing Guide"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <B>BITTERROOT MOUNTAINS</B>   |   <A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CABINET MOUNTAINS"><U>CABINET MOUNTAINS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS"><U>CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="COEUR dALENE MOUNTAINS"><U>COEUR d'ALENE MOUNTAINS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id47.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PURCELL MOUNTAINS"><U>PURCELL MOUNTAINS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SAINT JOE MOUNTAINS"><U>SAINT JOE MOUNTAINS</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id81.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SELKIRK MOUNTAINS"><U>SELKIRK MOUNTAINS</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=375 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#99CCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04176ba3.gif"> <div> BITTERROOT MOUNTAINS</div> <div> Nevin M. Fenneman, in his book the <I>Physiography of The Western United Stares, </I>described the southern Bitterroot Mountains as follows: "These mountains, while not remarkable for great height, are among the most characteristically alpine of the United States. Everywhere the effects of glaciation are prominent." As a range is tied together only by a geographical designation as the border rather than a consistent geological makeup, the Bitterroots offer a varied and exciting mountain environment for climbers.</div> <bR> <bR> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=RwlPmzFTVd8&offerid=54295.10000851&type=4&subid=0"><IMG width="120" height="60" alt="Instant Rebate Store!" border="0" src="http://ak.buy.com/buy_assets/affiliate/01/120x60_instantrebates_101503.gif"></a><IMG border="0" width="1" height="1" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=RwlPmzFTVd8&bids=54295.10000851&type=4&subid=0"> <bR> <div> <U>UPDATES.</U></div> <bR> <div> KEN JONES OF NEWCASTLE, WA.  writes: Peak 9,439 ["Bare Peak"] (July 26, 2001). The actual summit in this area is 9,440'+ and lies in Montana. As far as we could tell, the 9,439' elevation applies to a state line monument; this pipe sits on a rock which is plainly not the local summit. (You are right that the mapped Bare Peak is also not the highest.)  Your suggested route up Soda Springs Creek looks very feasible, except that the USFS told us that the trail has not been maintained in a decade or more, and that it was very faint past the wilderness boundary even when it was in use. They told us to expect years of blowdown on the trail. We elected to follow the Nelson Lake Trail and then to follow the ridge, and below the ridge (southwest of it), out to 9,439'. This route was long and slow talus sidehilling, and not recommended. It was class 3.  On Bare Peak, Andy Martin and I agreed that the 9,439' elevation must be for the border monument. It is clearly not the highest point, as two 9,440' contours are shown (one partly obscured by the state/county line) on the topo. Before visiting the spot, we had some discussions about how there could be a 9,440' contour at a 9,439' spot elevation. By observation, the spot elevation would make sense for the monument, which is on a rock a few yards from the northwestern 9,440' contour. The all-Montana 9,440' contour is the highest spot on the ridge in that area, though it is probably lower than the 9,459' spot about 3/4-mile SE of the labeled Bare Peak. (If I hear that Baugher did this via the Soda Springs Creek trail recently, I'll pass that information on to the Forest Service. They are not aware of anyone using the trail recently, and were very discouraging about prospects of doing so. If it still goes, I'll regret the route we used!)</div> </td> </tr></table></body>