Forum Index > Trail Talk > Good backpacking trip in the Bitterroots...forgot the name??
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asdf
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PostWed May 07, 2008 10:13 pm 
I went on this backpacking trip about 5 years ago...I'd like to go again this summer, but I can't remember the details! Here's what I can recall. Basically, I drove east from Seattle on I-90 towards Missoula. Somewhere in Montana but before Missoula, I left the interstate and basically turned down a dirt road west into Idaho for between 10-20 miles to the trailhead. The trailhead would have been in Idaho, probably pretty close to the Montana border. The backpacking trip was about 27 miles. The first day was relatively flat, and led to a big lake. The second day took me up along a relatively high ridge for the whole day, with a descent back down to a much smaller lake. The 3rd day was relatively flat along drainage back to a road, then a 2 mile hike along the road back to my parking spot. Any ideas!? I'm sure given a name or topo I'd recognize it.

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Davidą
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PostWed May 07, 2008 10:56 pm 
Try posting your question here Montana based hiking group

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Dayhike Mike
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PostThu May 08, 2008 12:09 am 
Ha! I've been looking at a computer screen too long. I misread Bitterroot as Bittorrent.

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Conrad
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PostThu May 08, 2008 8:04 am 
I don't know specifically, but the best long trails I know in that area, with lakes, are in the Mallard-Larkins Pioneer Area.

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PostThu May 08, 2008 9:52 am 
I know the area of the Bitterroots within the Selway Bitterroot wilderness fairly well, but from your descriptions this sounds north of here, which I do not know at all (unless you crossed Highway 12, which is basically the Northern Border of wilderness). Roughly how far into Montana and north or south from the interstate; did you pass Superior or Alberton? Missoula is about 100 miles into Montana from the Idaho border following the interstate (but much closer to the Idaho border via highway 12). Do you per chance remember a very large Ponderosa pine or a Big Pine campground? This would be on a dirt road south of the Interstate around Alberton. I'll just through out some names although I don't really think this is where you were, but this is somewhat similar to your description (although I sure a lot of hikes are): Elk summit, Big Sand Lake, Frog Lake

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asdf
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PostThu May 08, 2008 10:10 am 
I think on recollection, you are right, and this would have been in the Clearwater National Forest. I'm pretty sure I passed through or was near Superior, in fact, that might have been where I got off I-90. Gah, frustrating! I think I got this trip from a "backpacking trips in Idaho" book, so I might try to find that book again...

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asdf
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PostThu May 08, 2008 11:36 am 
Hoodoo Pass definitely sounds familiar... I'll have a look at a topo once I can find another free topo site (TopoZone seems to have been eaten up by trails.com, sigh).

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drilldaddyo
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PostThu May 08, 2008 4:24 pm 
Could be the following: Hike into Fish Lake. Take the stateline trail NW to Goose Lake and then take the Goose Creek trail back to the trailhead. Did this last Labor Day Weekend. Great hike. To do this you would have taken I90 to Superior exited South and entered via FS 250 up and over Hodoo Pass and into Idaho. Does this sound familiar? Rich Landers describes this hike and area in his book "100 Hikes".

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PostThu May 08, 2008 5:02 pm 
drilldaddyo wrote:
Could be the following: Hike into Fish Lake. Take the stateline trail NW to Goose Lake and then take the Goose Creek trail back to the trailhead. Did this last Labor Day Weekend. Great hike. To do this you would have taken I90 to Superior exited South and entered via FS 250 up and over Hodoo Pass and into Idaho. Does this sound familiar? Rich Landers describes this hike and area in his book "100 Hikes".
Wow! I think that's it! 99% sure. Thanks everyone for your help. I'll probably stop by REI or something tomorrow to look at the topo to confirm. Thanks again! I love this site!

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drilldaddyo
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PostFri May 09, 2008 12:02 pm 
Glad to be of help. Note that you can hike from Goose lake to Hodoo Pass along the stateline trail. It's one of my favorite areas. I passed a lot of wolf scat in the area last September and listened to them howling at night. Do you need the name of the topos for the area? Or the USFS map? Just let me know......... Randy

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drilldaddyo
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PostMon May 12, 2008 8:23 am 
I PM'd the info you requested.........I forgot the Ranger info. If you were thinking about doing this soon, snowpack might be a problem. When will you be doing this trip? Randy

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Conrad
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PostTue May 13, 2008 10:15 am 
Thanks to this thread for leading me to investigate the Stateline Trail and Hoodoo Pass area. I've added it to my future hikes list.

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drilldaddyo
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PostTue May 13, 2008 11:06 am 
It's probably my favorite place. Easy to get to, great views, and easy to get to.......lol. Let me know if you need any local knowledge of the area. Randy

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Conrad
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PostTue May 13, 2008 12:10 pm 
drilldaddyo wrote:
It's probably my favorite place. Easy to get to, great views, and easy to get to.......lol. Let me know if you need any local knowledge of the area. Randy
Well, from my Lolo NF map, and from the 100 Hikes in the Inland Northwest Google Books excerpt (I have an older copy but it looks like there's more about this area in the newer edition), I'm thinking to park at Hoodoo Pass and just follow the Bitterroot crest (Stateline Trail) SE for a couple of days, then turn around and come back. Looks like the road up to Hoodoo Pass is OK for a street car, and there are lakes every few miles below the crest for water and camping. Any problems with that plan? I'm also guessing it's uncrowded, at least until hunting season.

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drilldaddyo
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PostTue May 13, 2008 12:46 pm 
It's a good plan. There is limited water along the trail unless you want to down hike to the lakes. From Hodoo pass the first lake that you would normally encounter is Goose Lake. From Goose Lake there isn't any good way to get water without a major detour until you reach Fish Lake. Depending on when you go, you might find snow to melt for water. Residual snow along the Stateline Trail might be encountered adjacent to Heart Lake. I hiked to Dalton Lake one June and there was no problem. I'm not sure if they plow Hodoo Pass. You might want to check the Clearwater Ranger Station to see when it's open. I had someone tell me it's open in April, which sounded fishy to me given it's altitude. Trails in good shape and you should have no problem following it. It is sketchy between Goose and Fish lakes, but no major route finding skills were needed to stay on the trail. Randy

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