Saint Mary Peak

In less than a mile the road forks. Take the right (north) fork onto St. Mary Peak Road. Follow it for 10.3 miles to its end. You will pass a couple of unsigned turns before reaching the end. Stay to the left both times. The trailhead is accessible year-round by snow machine, and seasonally by vehicle, typically ~May through ~November of most years.  The approach From the trailhead, 99% of parties follow the well-maintained trail 3.5 miles to the summit. Along the lower third of the trail is a spring that one can use to fill up water bottles. The spring is off the left side of the trail and has been modified with an old trough. This is a good place for a "shake down" break and to get ready for the climb ahead.  The trail slowly gains elevation before it starts traversing along the saddle of the southeast ridge, where the summit comes into view. After this the trail switchbacks relentlessly along the open south face and along the southeast ridge to the summit. One of the unique features of this climb is the open-air toilet situated somewhat between the summit benchmark and the lookout tower, overlooking McCalla lakes and the Bitterroot Valley. It is probably the most amazing view you'll ever have while sitting on the toilet! (The primary purpose, of course, is to be utilized by the lookout volunteer).

When to Climb

You can usually drive to the trailhead from May through November. The trail follows the south side of the ridge, and is snow-free for most of the summer. Winter access is more limited, as the trailhead is at 6850 feet and some portions of the road have a north exposure. In late fall or early spring, snowpack on the road may make the trailhead unreachable in a vehicle. It is possible to park along the road at a lower location, and then ski up the road, or take a more direct skin/snowshoe route up the ridge to the trailhead. Generally, winter conditions along the first 2 miles of trail are good for skiing. Above the wilderness boundary, the trail is quite windblown, and it's usually easier to take a direct route up the ridge. Above 8000 feet, expect varying snowpack and windblown drifts, as well as possible icy slopes, depending on conditions. Winter winds often sweep most of the accumulated snow from the upper 1000 feet of the mountain .  

Activities

Camping Adhere to National Forest and Wilderness regulations - dispersed primitive camping is available. NO CAMPING in lookout tower or at trailhead. Leave no trace. Hiking St. Mary's provides spectacular views and is a popular summer destination for it's relatively easy approach to a 9,000 foot summit. Day hikes are the most common activity. St. Mary is a great destination for aspiring mountaineers.   Skiing St. Mary is a favorite destination for backcountry spring skiing. There are numerous lines and ample places to camp. McCalla Lakes basin is an excellent place for your weekend base camp. For purposes of SP, we'll divide the skiing into four main areas: Northeast Bowl: The northeast bowl is accessed by walking north along the ridge from the summit lookout for a couple hundred feet. Picking a line here is daunting, as the slope is 40-45 degrees in places near the top. Angling skier's right during the descent, one should make it over to the ridge between this and the southeast bowl for the easiest (shortest!) escape route. Southeast Bowl: The southeast bowl is accessed along the southeast ridge leading to the summit. This bowl contains one major pitch and careful route-finding at the bottom will allow one to cross the saddle back to the trail without gaining any elevation. South Bowls (McCalla Lakes Basin): The south bowls can be accessed from the summit in early season, by traversing along the snow-free southwest ridge in late season, or by climbing directly from the Upper McCalla Lake. Excellent camping can be found here and most descents will allow you to ski right up to your tent. Here I have found the most consistent spring corn; the northeast bowl was avalanche-prone with wet slabs during our last visit but the south bowl were absolutely perfect! West Bowls: The west bowls can be accessed by crossing the divide between the south and west bowls and traversing around towards point 8990. This is the most remote skiing as it will necessitate climbing back into the south bowls to escape.

 

 

Current Conditions

Weather and Avalanche Conditions: missoulaavalanche.org forecast (~November through ~March) National Weather Service in Missoula National Weather Service Automated Surface Observation Stations (SNOTEL, RAWS, etc) Local Web Cams: Ridgeway Pharmacy Webcam in Stevensville This webcam is user controllable USFS Airquality Webcam near Stevensville shows area around Little and Big St. Joseph peaks, Gash Point, etc. Gives a good idea of the area weather. Bitterroot SNOTEL sites: Saddle Mountain, 7900', near Lost Trail Pass Nez Perce Camp, 5650' west of Darby Twin Lakes, 6400', near Lost Horse Lolo Pass, 5240'

Maps