Experience a unique landscape among one of Montana’s island ranges located east of Dillon.  The Snowcrest Mountains can be characterized by their high altitudes accompanied with wide ranging vista’s and the ever more rare experience of isolation. The terrain is open and mighty with high grassy meadows cut by forests of white bark pine and douglas fir.  Perhaps one of the most unique features of the range is the Snowcrest Trail which follows the 20 mile spine of the range and will be a reoccurring touchstone for our trek.

This 6-day trip will circumnavigate the southern end of the range.  Hikers will start from the Antone Trailhead to follow the crest north while exploring basins, high meadows and the opportunity to climb a few peaks along the way.  This is a strenuous trip, with sudden elevation gains and losses occurring rapidly as we hike out of camp in the morning and back down into drainage bottoms for the evenings’ camp.  Trail tread is often poor or lacking through the high meadows. However, with layover days interspersed and the stunning vistas of the mountains, the reward level is high.

Since this route is so far from our home base, logistics will be different from our usual setup. Guests will rendezvous with us at the trailhead the night before where we will camp together as a group before heading into the backcountry.

The Snowcrests are another breathtaking portion of our Big Sky State. They still hold no permanent protection, though their beauty, wildness, and ecological value are beyond debate. If you’re interested in exploring a different kind of Wild, this is the trip for you.