We left at 8 am so it was another early start. The previous night I got 6 hours 20 minutes of sleep so I felt better than the previous hike where I only had 6 hours sleep.
It was a sunny day, though the overnight low had been 33 degrees. When starting the hike I debated on whether to bring my coat along, but the others said I should else the weather will turn bad.
"Ok, I will. Besides, it's not like the coat weighs as much as a rock."
I am glad I took the coat as I wore it early on when we hiked among the trees, then later at the pass where we were under a perpetual cloud that hung over the peak to our SW.
Here is a map I got from Ranger Rachel (more on her later). The map follows the trail description I had earlier that said there is a road across the railroad tracks. Nope. No road exists. I guess the railroad took it out. The little loop road off Hwy 2 exists, and that is where one parks their vehicle. Then you scramble over the railroad tracks to find the trail on the other side.The rest of the map is accurate.
Even though we knew the trail began right at mile marker 203 Joyce still passed the turnoff before she could stop the car. No wonder a few hundred yards down the road there is a turnaround off the side of the road.
In the "parking lot" were three other vehicles including the white Park Service pickup I had seen Wednesday when I had stopped there.
A couple came out of the fenced area as we entered. He looked to be in his early to mid 20s and she in her mid 20s. He had a large backpack and she a lighter one. I asked about the trail to Firebrand Pass and he gave the general direction where the trail went. They had camped out overnight near a lake.
"At Ole Lake?", I asked.
"No. We did a little bushwacking and found a lake near the pass."
They wished us well on our hike and we went our separate ways. I wished I was 20 years younger as she was very attractive and had a great smile and happy personality. A woman who likes to hike and camp in the boonies, and is in a good mood early in the morning after spending a night in the middle of nowhere with no facilities near the top of a mountain. I'm in love.
Later I learned the woman had mentioned to Sue Ann and Joyce that they has seen a bear earlier. "But don't worry. It won't be there when you get there." And she is fearless too. Did I mention I am in love?
The view was of high alpine open terrain with some trees and fantastic mountain views to our north.This photo was taken another time, but during my hike the flat top of Calf Robe Mountain was covered with snow. Firebrand Pass is behind the eastern (right) end of the flat top.
It looked mostly open but shortly we entered a forest of short pine and Aspen trees. By short, I mean mature trees that due to the elevation and short growing season were twenty to thirty feet tall and not the taller trees we see in the Flathead Valley.
This forest had an appeal as it seemed new, clean and uncluttered. Every so often the trail went through a small meadow that allowed one to see the sun and sky.
We slowly and steadily climbed. Nothing steep as this is also used as a cross country ski trail. High on the trees were orange metal markers marking the trial in the winter snow.
We climbed to near Calf Robe Mountain, then went right (east) around its shoulder. As we climbed we could see more and more of the area back to the highway and also to the Plains to the east.
As we curved around the NE side of the mountain we began to come across snow fields. The snow was still hard from last night's cool temperatures so we couldn't dig our feet in to make tracks. The snow fields weren't too long and not that steep. And there were trees below so it you did slip it wasn't like you'd go over the edge. Still Bill and Sue Ann were hesitant as they didn't want to fall, and being older, break a bone. We had to convince Bill to continue across one snow field.
On the north side of the mountain there was no snow but we did cross a rocky scree field. In the valley below we saw a coyote lope across a snow field.Shortly after seeing the coyote we met Ranger Rachel coming down the trail. She was on her way back from the Ole Lake campsite where she had done some maintenance. She was dressed in her ranger shirt and shorts and had a full backpack with her saw and shovel and other tools.
We asked about the pass and was told it was a half hour ahead. Two snow fields were near the pass with the smaller snowfield being very steep. While she wanted people to stay on the trail, she recommended going around the smaller snow field.
The other larger snow field was along and below the pass with one open gap free of snow. There were game trails that led straight up to the pass and we could follow those trails.
Wendy earlier had noticed a trail across the north valley leading to a high valley. She asked about a trail there and was told there was none, it was an old game trail. We were wondering later if that trail was one the park is abandoning as the park has stopped maintenance on some old trails to let them go back to nature.
Rachel works out the the Walton Ranger station which is probably one of the least used stations and areas even though it is next to hwy 2. Originally from Philadelphia Rachel has lived out here for 8 years and been a ranger in the Walton station for two years. She has an intern and two trail crew members assigned to her station. I think her mentioning 8 years is part of the reason Sue Ann got the idea Rachel was around 27 years old. I commented Rachel didn't have much of a Philly accent and she said she lost most of it but occasionally slips into it when she is tired.
I asked Rachel what the elevation gain was to the pass and she thought it was 1400 feet. I earlier had guessed 1200 ft. Right now, looking at my maps, I see the elevation at the pass is 6951 ft. The elevation at the False Summit at mile marker 203 is 5084 ft. The elevation change to the pass is 1867 ft.
She said snow usually remains near the pass until early July.
Rachel mentioned she had maps of the trail heads in her district at her ranger office.
The group then said it was time to move on. I later got grief from everyone about my yakking with Rachel. "I saw you looking at her legs!"
"Um...."
The scree slope opened into a high valley. This was where a 1900 fire burnt both sides of the pass. The vegetation was small but there were lots and lots of large beautiful white weathered tree trunks, limbs, and roots. Many would make excellent landscape pieces. Did I mention "large"? That is why they are still there.
And the wildflowers are in bloom with pinks and purples and reds. No Indian Paintbrushes like I had seen in abundance on Wednesday's hike along St Mary Lake.
At the end of the high valley was the pass. Rachel was right, two snow fields were there. The trail went higher and across the snowfields.This photo (taken another time) doesn't show the snow. One snow field was under the "V" of rock to the left of the pass, and the other snow field went across the pass to half the distance to the tip of the rock "V".
Gary took the high road and crossed the snow fields. On the first snow field he was on hands and feet to keep his balance and later said he wished he hadn't taken that route.
The rest followed my lead and took the low route down a short distance past the "hump" between where this photo was taken and the pass, then straight up game trails. Even Bill who was initially hesitant and to whom I encouraged to come along. The climb was steep. Gary and I arrived at the pass near the same time and the others followed over time.
The view was fantastic. From the pass we looked down into a deep valley and saw more mountain ranges, mountains not visible from anywhere else in the Park.
Never mind the people in the one photo. I didn't have a camera so I had to use a few photos taken by other people to illustrate the pass and scenery.
From the pass we could not see Ole Lake in the valley below. Rachel said the elevation difference from the pass to Ole Lake was greater than what we just had done east of the pass. We decided not to hike down to the lake.
Once everyone arrived we ate our lunches and marveled at the view. Everyone thanked me for finding this trail and pushing for us to hike it.
The pass is a saddle between Calf Robe Mountain to the south and Red Crow Mountain to the north. Calf Robe Mountain looked higher than Red Crow Mountain. The maps and one book lists Red Crow Mountain at 7891 ft. The maps do not have an elevation for Calf Robe Mountain, but the book lists it at 7895 ft. In person Calf Robe Mountain sure looked to be more than 4 ft higher than Red Crow Mountain.
I told Gary that I was interested in climbing one of the two mountains.
"Nice try. I'm not falling for it.", Gary said.
"I'm serious."
"I know. That's what scares me."
Gary thought it would take over an hour each to climb each mountain.
"Maybe Calf Robe Mountain, but I think we could climb Red Crow in less time."
"How long?"
I decided to be conservative in my estimate so I said, "40 minutes" when I thought 30 minutes.
Gary thought a little more and then said, "If the group doesn't mind, let's do it." None of the group was interested in climbing the mountain but they were fine with us doing it then catching up to them later or at the car.
We hiked/climbed Red Crow Mountain. I could see a (game?) trail that led at a slight angle to the NW and we followed it across the scree until we reached some trees here and there then angled back and forth across the loose rock and around hard rock outcroppings. The hike/climb was tiring and we had to stop every so often to catch our breath. We pushed on, partly to not fall too far behind the group and partly because I wanted to beat my estimate.
It took 13 minutes to reach the top. This is an elevation gain of 940 ft in a very short distance. That was way less time that I predicted.
At the top the view was even better. We could see more mountains and valleys, and could see Ole Lake ringed by trees far below in the valley. Ole Lake is small. We could see how a valley curved SW back to Essex, MT. We could see towards the Bob Marshall wilderness to the south.
We could see the entire town of East Glacier and Hwy 2 as it went east to Browning, MT and out to the Plains. In the far off distance we could see the three Sweetgrass Hills of West Butte, Gold Butte, and Mt. Brown. Looking at a Montana highway map, the distance to the Hills may be almost 100 miles.
An amazing view.
From the top of Red Crow Mountain, Calf Robe Mountain looked much steeper than the view from the Pass. Still Gary and I planned out a route for when we next hike up here.
On the mountain many rocks were colored with lichen. I wandered around and headed north a ways to get a different view. I looked for a lake near the pass where the couple claimed to have camped. I couldn't see any lake in the high valley where I thought a lake may have been. Looking at the maps I see Lena Lake is located in the high valley NE of the pass.
Hmmm... Ole and Lena lakes? Sure sounds like Indian names to me.
I guess the Norwegians got here first.The top of the mountain was rock. I found several depressions that had holes near the bottom. Dens of some sort of animal? Too small for bears I thought, and too high up. I didn't go down to check the holes out further.
The group left 24 minutes before we started our decent. It took us 9 minutes to go down what we had climbed. Going down the scree was like walking/sliding down snow.
Gary decided to take the game trails straight down from the Pass rather than go over the snow fields. A short distance from the top I remembered I had left a small rock at the pass. As I had found and carried it halfway up the pass I decided I should return to bring it with me. *sigh* Me and my rocks.
It took some time to catch up with Gary.Gary and I caught up with the group a half mile from the car. We wanted to catch them before the car so as not to make them wait,. We also remembered Joyce baked and brought a cherry pie and we wanted to make sure we got a piece.
At the car we learned Wendy had found an unused can of bear spray on the trail. A nice thing to have out here.
We sat in the ditch and ate it our slice of cherry pie as cars passed on the highway above. Yum! It was excellent!
I found a tick crawling on my arm. It was moving pretty fast up my arm when I saw it and removed it.
We all enjoyed this hike and plan to do it again.
On the drive back to Kalispell I asked Joyce to stop at the Walton Ranger station to get the trailhead info from Rachel. "Is that the only reason you want to stop?"
The ranger station is a very small building and Rachel and her intern were inside. She was on the phone but got off so as to talk with us. She gave us the trailhead maps and asked about our hike. She was interested in the couple's bear sighting and also where the couple camped as they weren't registered for camping at the Ole Lake backcountry campground. I didn't want to get the couple in trouble (as I was sweet on the woman hiker
) so I was vague until I realized the couple were long gone, so I told Rachel it was some lake near the pass.I talked and talked and Bill finally came to get me to say the group wanted to go. I got no end of teasing about Rachel and was asked if I also got her phone number. I hadn't.
The others were good natured about their teasing but Sue Ann pointed out Rachel was far younger than I at her guess of 27 years. Sue Ann didn't think I could keep up with a younger woman, etc. etc. ("In what way Sue Ann?" She didn't answer.
) Sue Ann gets really bothered by older men dating younger women as she feels men should date women older than them. Sue Ann appeared to be bothered by my showing a mild interest in such a younger woman.Sue Ann said she noticed in the office that Rachel's toe nails were painted pink so she wasn't a real outdoors woman. I hadn't noticed as I was looking into Rachel's eyes as I talked with her. I told Sue Ann an outdoorsy woman can paint her toenails to show her feminine side and still be outdoorsy. It was a nice combination. Sue Ann then went on to say Rachel was 40 lbs overweight when that was absolutely not true. I don't like it when women put other women down over weight, especially when it is not true. So I gave Sue Ann grief.
Earlier Sue Ann told about how a woman she met working on her new condo gave her phone numbers of several men she knew. When the woman mentioned that she frequented the Packer's Roost Bar Sue Ann immediately thought the worst of the recommended men and never called them. So I gave her grief about these potential dates. I can take teasing, but not if you cross a line and get mean about it. Then you better be prepared to take as well as give.
To my surprise Sue Ann called the next day to say Rachel was nice (as her way of apologizing for her mean comments) and to also tell me she called one of the men. He turned out to sound interesting, was about her age, and he knew Rachel not via Packer's Roost but when they fought a forest fire several years earlier. Sue Ann was going to meet this man Sunday. I haven't heard how their "date" went. Maybe if she gets laid she'll lighten up.
We stopped at Issac Walton Inn so Sue Ann could use bathroom. She didn't want to use the pit toilets at the ranger station.
At the Issac Walton Inn a woman my age wouldn't give me the time of day. She appeared to be there with her parents, and other than another mother and young son in the dining room and the Inn's clerk, were the only people there. As Sue Ann told me, someone staying at the Inn probably had money and wasn't interested in someone without money like me. Okay...
This is the first time I had been to the Issac Walton Inn after all these years of driving past it. It was nice. It was an old railroad bunkhouse and is now a tourist hotel with a railroad theme and feel. I think it may be one of the smallest stops on the Amtrak passenger line. A sign requested no computer use in the lounge or dining room to preserve the ambiance.
For more photos of the Firebrand Pass and surrounding area, here is the web site where I got some photos. It has some nice photos and descriptions including the person's encounter with a grizzly bear near the pass.
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