| I followed neither of Tim's listed routes. Rather I followed the Fred Burr Trail for about 7.25 miles then headed north up to Totem Peak's east ridge-crest. The climb was Class 2 and 3 with a few Class 4 spots close to the crest. By staying just south of the ridge-crest I was able to keep the remainder of the climb at Class 2. During the descent I found a route which never went above Class 3 and was mostly Class 2, that is if you don't count the crappy bushwhacking (Class 4 willows) just before rejoining the trail.
All-in-all, I have to rate this as one of the most strenuous 1-day climbs I've done in the Bitterroots given the long on-trail approach, the crappy bushwhacking, and the large amount of elevation gain over the last mile and a half. Total miles for the day, 18.8. |
