[Alpendave]

Was in Missoula with the family visiting relatives this past week and took the opportunity to get out and take advantage of the weather and explore an area I've wanted to see for a while: Lolo Pass. The highway to the pass was essentially bare and dry with it getting frosty a little before the pass. To underscore just how meager this winter has been, already in January the lower elevations look about as parched as the would in August. Not good. The pass, which I arrived at sometime a little before 11 M.S.T. did have a fair amount of snow, though I'm not sure what normal would be. At any rate, the visitor center was closed and I really wished I'd had the foresight to bring some cash for the parking fee ($5). I just wrote my credit card information on an envelope which then went into another envelope and I slipped it through the mail slot. The rangers called me a couple days later to confirm that it was actually I who had done so, thanked me for my honesty, and then processed my payment. From the parking area, I had a sneaking suspicion that if I wanted views, I'd have to cross the highway at the nearly blind curve, and head up the fire-cleared slopes west (or north if you will) side of the highway. I was a little disappointed at the prospect of having to listen to snowmobiles, but there were only a handful of them that I sporadically heard. Not bad at all. Especially since I did take advantage of some of their trail breaking. As I got higher, the views got better and my suspicions were confirmed that the best views (best by far) were across the highway from the visitor center. I kept hydrated by nibbling rime off of an occasional tree. Higher up, the wind picked up and was actually quite chilling, though I did stay comfortable. Eventually, I was on the broad, partially wooded summit of a 6,500' peak that, while not offering panoramic views, did give commanding views to the SE, W, and NE. The views of the Bitterroot Crest, particularly Lolo Peak, were very nice. So were the views of the Selway Crags to the west. At any rate, here are the photos. If some seem a little redundant, it's because I'm still experimenting with my new digital SLR.

Slopes accross the parking lot

Rime encrusted trees

More rime encrusted trees

And more rime encrusted trees

Selway Crags to the west

Selway Crags 2

Selway Crags 3

First view of Lolo Peak

Rhodes Peak?

Selway Crags through the snags

Selway Crags over the snags

Bitterroot Crest through the trees

Another shot of the Bitterroot Crest

Clouds moving over the Bitterroot Crest

Lolo Peak on the left 1

Looking east toward Lolo Peak (on the left)

Selway Crags B&W

Selway Crags zoomed 1

Selway Crags zoomed 2

Me (Dave Mullbock)

Lolo Pass visitor center and ranger station

[whitebark]

The 5 mile loop trip around Packer Meadow is really quite nice, at least on skis.

[Alpendave]

[ranger rock]

You don't look anything like your Avatar picture.. My grandparents used to take me to lolo hot springs when I was a kid, so this TR caught my eye. Nice pictures.

[Alpendave]