The Snowcrest Mountains are located in Southwest Montana and are an island range that sails above the prairie where they offer 40 miles of ridgetop hiking and clear vistas into the Ruby River Valley, including the Gravelly Range to the east and Lima Peaks and Continental Divide to the west.

Our route will be a wide loop, gaining and losing in elevation as we make our way along this exposed ridgetop divide. We’ll drop down to camp near water and return to the ridge for more extended vistas. This trip will offer one layover day, with the option of climbing Atone Peak or settling for something milder. Mileages are moderate, with the longest day being 10 miles as we make our way along trails that are marked by cairns stacked like refrigerators.

Since this route is so far from our home base in Choteau, logistics are different than most of our trips. There is no shuttle service; guests will rendezvous in Dillion the day before and stay in town that evening before making the one-hour drive to our starting point the next morning. Food will be simpler on the trail, with one-pot meals being the mainstay as we keep loads and pack animals to a minimum.

With a limited group size of six guests, this is our newest trip offering and we are excited to offer it to our guests. The Snowcrest Mountains are another breathtaking portion of our state that still hold no permanent protection, though their beauty, wildness and ecological value are beyond debate.