A week's worth: Highwood Baldy. Lionhead, Collar Peak, Rogers Pass

Katie in the Lionhead Peak saddle in a field of Arrowleaf

May ended on a warm and sunny note, with June beginning the same way.
I took full advantage with a climb of Highwood Baldy via North Peak, Collar Peak in the Judiths, Lionhead in the Birdtail management area and an alpine flower walk off Rogers Pass.

In the snowfields up North Peak

Approaching Highwood Baldy

Highwood Baldy via North Peak route

This is a lovely ridge walk that begins at the Highwood/Arrow Creek divide on the Geyser side of the Highwood Mountains.  It involves climbing an east-facing ridge from that divide up North Peak and walking a high, grassy ridge to the top of Highwood Baldy, the high point in the Highwood Mountains.

We were fortunate that the ridge was clear of snow, but there were plenty of large snow fields below the ridge.  The biscuit root, Pasque flower, shooting stars were abundant on the ridge.

I've skied to the top of North and Baldy peaks in the winter, and have done this route several times.

It is a longer walk than the traditional Deer Creek route from the north side of the peak.

Lionhead Peak in Birdtail area

One of the elk that let us approach

Lionhead is a long ridge across the road from Birdtail Peak in this newly opened Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks management area between Simms and Cascade.

The eye is naturally attracted to Birdtail peak, with its spikey top.

However, Lionhead has a much more traditional alpine look to it, with a rim and numerous cliffs.

What was so beautiful about this mountain were the fields of Arrowleaf Balsamroot.

Katie and I climbed up through fields of these on our way up the steep ridge.

On top it is a pleasant walk on a ridge.  We thought we were heading for the summit, but it turned out to be a false summit.  A short walk and an easy climb would have gotten us the top.

We were satisfied to have lunch on the ridge and watch a couple of young bull elk graze among the Arrowleafs.

We made a traverse of it by dropping to the valley floor on the side and rounding the bend through a cliffy canyon, and back.

Collar Peak Judith Mountains

Fairy slippers were most commonly seen flower on Collar Peak loop 

An opening on the trail

I accompanied Katie and a couple of her Girls in Glacier hikers for a climb of Collar Peak just outside Lewistown.

I wanted to complete a loop there that was blocked by snow a couple of weeks ago.

We had gone to our left then and reached the peak and turned around.

On Sunday I went to the right and got the peak, meeting the girls on top.  They continued on for the full 5-mile loop, and I turned around a accompanied them.

I liked this right-hand or counterclockwise version better than the clockwise version.  It was steeper in spots and had lovely openings for great views.  It also had more water, although the main stream was polluted by mine waste.

This is a perfect spring loop hike in a central Montana island mountain range.

Back at Rogers Pass for flowers

This was more of a social hike than anything else.  We met Mike Dannels and Camille Consolvo for a trip up the north side of Rogers Pass to view flowers, looking in particular for chocolate lilies.

Katie found a couple that hadn't opened yet.

Otherwise, the Forget-me-nots were out.

It was a lovely hike in the company of good friends, if socially distanced.