Walling Reef Lake

In front of Walling Reef's towering cliffs

Gordon Whirry enjoying a break above the lake

The gorgeous hike out

I hadn't really thought much about the Walling Reef Lake hike until it was profiled in Douglas Lorain's new book "100 Classic Montana Hikes" (Mountaineering Press).
I bought the book when he visited with the Montana Wilderness Association at its annual Summer Wilderness Walks Kickoff in early May.
He recommends it as a backpack trip in this area south of Swift Reservoir and below massive Walling Reef.
I can see why now.  We did it Saturday in a day hike and covered 16 miles and gained and lost more than 5,300 feet along the way on this 12 hour trek in the Rocky Mountain Front.
That's a heckuva day for the two of us who are 70, and the "youngster" in our group at 64.
But we were richly rewarded with spectacular views of the Walling Reef wall and a jewel of a lake sitting beneath that wall.
What we hadn't counted on was a tremendous walk through the Strawberry Fire burn that scorched most of the area along Phillips Creek Trail last August and September, burning more than 20,000 acres.
The burn was severe enough that we gave up on the trail in places and went cross country.
The scenery on the hike, despite the burn, is most beautiful;  from a hike along the reservoir's shore to Hell Roaring Spring at the Phillips Creek junction and spots in the burn open for views Bennie Hill, Mounts Sentinel, Richmond and Poia in the Badger Two Med.
The east face of Walling Reef is the best, though, with the towering cliffs and views, particularly to the north all the way to Glacier Park.