Winex - Nov 15, 2010 9:42 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2007
No Snakes
Struggled to find the trailhead. Read some reports of rattle snakes, but didn't see any.
Pedaldance - Oct 13, 2010 11:46 am Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2010
HP #6
Gorgeous weather, well maintained, wildflowers, and pretty views. My 13yo and I enjoyed this little highpoint. The manequin sitting in the cop car in Amidon brought a smile. Signage was deceiving, but directions as posted on Summitpost were perfect.
maddie77777 - Aug 8, 2010 6:44 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2010
Gorgeous HP view
Our little rental car couldn't make it past the road, so we walked the entire dirt road to the trail past the fence. The rattlers at the top were replaced by baby bunnies! The view from the top was one of the greatest views I've had of my 25 highpoints to date.
This was a really nice highpoint (we had a nice rain while ascending and a pretty good rainbow on the descent). the clay (bentonite, i think) is really slippery. we did this after a visit to the little missouri badlands and they are not to be missed.
I was very young when I did this hike. Maybe 8? I recall their being many cactus in the field leading to the hill. The view from the top wasn't bad though.
McCannster - Jan 31, 2010 1:45 pm Date Climbed: Jan 30, 2010
F'ing Cold
Temp was around 10 or so for the hike. Cool area, my first time in ND. Pretty friendly locals, too. HP # 8!
Alika - Jan 31, 2010 1:40 pm Date Climbed: Jan 30, 2010
Winter Drive up from CO, Highpoint #4
Had a great trip up from CO, stopped at the geographic center of the 50 states and went back through Montana (Albion Ghost Town was cool). Butte was an easy hike and the car got stuck in snow on the way to the trailhead but we got it out and had a great hike.
NDhiker - Dec 12, 2009 10:05 am Date Climbed: May 29, 2006
North Dakota Highpoint
This was my 1st state highpoint. We couldn’t find the trail, so we found our own way up. No rattlesnakes this time.
I did this spur of the moment on my way back to SD from T.R. National Park. Ran into a highpointer from FL, Tom Gilday, who provided some good assistance and who has done > 1/2 of the U.S. high points. I'll add some details in the comments setion.
grabbs146 - Aug 12, 2009 6:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2009
midnight run
couldn't see much but the marker and a memorial for someone. I didn't have a head lamp and it got dark fast
Alpinist - Aug 8, 2009 4:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2009
Standard Route
This is my 31st state HP and the last of three during this trip. We climbed Harney Peak and Granite Peak first and White Butte last. We arrived at 8:15pm and summited near dark at 8:45pm. ND also represents the 50th state that I have visited.
Sadly, White Butte is my least favorite highpoint to date for many reasons.
Difficult to find / poor signage. There is a sign on the main road, but nothing on any of the side roads indicating where the trailhead is. We wasted an hour looking for the place.
Poorly maintained trailhead. The road to the old farm house is completely overgrown with grass/weeds and pitted with mud holes. It was not passable with a standard car when I was there.
Poorly maintained trail. Simply put, there are cow pies everywhere. It is difficult not to step on one. There are also numerous places where the trail is steep, slippery mud (when wet). Some trail maintenance is sorely needed.
Lousy summit. The summit marker consists of a pile of rocks and a tiny sign. This could be greatly improved to reflect the significance of being the state highpoint.
I know this is private property but I hope the HPers Club can help to make some improvements to the place so that ND's HP is better represented.
Tbacon251 - Jul 4, 2009 5:27 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2009
Tickfest 2009
Made the summit after being attacked by ticks along the way. very nice view from the top.
In the midst of our two-year blitz of state highpoints, we drove up here and hiked to the marker the day after summiting Harney Peak in SD. It was number 13 of my 49 state high points and Vanessa's 39.
I like it on top - Jun 30, 2009 3:12 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2009
White Butte
Short and quick summit before the long haul back to Billings MT. No snakes, but the ticks and mosquitos were out in force.
highlandvillager - May 21, 2009 2:50 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2009
Peaceful except for that rattling sound
We drove up from our camp near Harney Peak, SD on a day with perfect weather. Two other highpointers were leaving as we arrived and we saw no other people, but lots of wildlife. There were too many pheasant to count, a huge jackrabbit, antelope, and one rattlesnake angered by our close proximity. HP21
jeffh25 - Feb 10, 2009 1:00 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2008
No snakes
Highpoint #5, "summited" around 3pm. Very windy but no snakes. You can see the den maybe 30 ft away from the marker but none came out to play. Maybe it was too windy.
Redwic - May 26, 2008 5:33 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2008
Mud Central!!!
Living half the country away, it's difficult to pinpoint weather conditions in advance; you hope for the best, and work with the conditions as best you can. My wife accompanied me to White Butte a couple hours before sunset, but unfortunately there was a major storm which hit that morning and another major one approaching while we were there (so we had little time to "hang out"). The ground and slopes were slick!!! We were covered in that milky gray-white mud, which is like cement, and we could have glissaded down the slippery slopes if we wanted to. No rattlesnakes, but TONS of pheasants, rabbits, quails, and field mice... and even one badger (which was pretty cool to see).
jimegan - Feb 7, 2008 12:40 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2004
WHITE BUTTE
THOUGHT I MIGHT GET STUCK IN THE RUTS WITH MY STERLING SEDAN. MET THE OWNER AND HIS SON WHO DROVE UP IN A PICKUP AND ASKED ME TO LEAVE A DONATION IN THE MAILBOX. NO SNAKES SEEN. THIS PLACE IS A LONG WAY FROM MOST ANYWHERE, INCLUDING LAS VEGAS
eric-griz - Nov 9, 2007 9:05 pm Date Climbed: May 25, 2002
The $20 Summit
As we drove to the house at the trailhead, a yappy little dog greeted us, followed by an old woman with 2 teeth. The twenty dollar donations she solicited from highpointers obviously did not go towards her dental care fund.
weeds19 - Sep 27, 2007 12:44 am Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2004
Heading East
Unfortunately I was forced to move from Utah to Ohio for a year and a half, but at least I was able to climb a few fun mountains on the way east.
Winex - Nov 15, 2010 9:42 pm Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2007
No SnakesStruggled to find the trailhead. Read some reports of rattle snakes, but didn't see any.
Pedaldance - Oct 13, 2010 11:46 am Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2010
HP #6Gorgeous weather, well maintained, wildflowers, and pretty views. My 13yo and I enjoyed this little highpoint. The manequin sitting in the cop car in Amidon brought a smile. Signage was deceiving, but directions as posted on Summitpost were perfect.
maddie77777 - Aug 8, 2010 6:44 pm Date Climbed: Aug 5, 2010
Gorgeous HP viewOur little rental car couldn't make it past the road, so we walked the entire dirt road to the trail past the fence. The rattlers at the top were replaced by baby bunnies! The view from the top was one of the greatest views I've had of my 25 highpoints to date.
mlandau3 - Jul 31, 2010 5:02 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2010
Sixth Of Eleven This TripThis was a really nice highpoint (we had a nice rain while ascending and a pretty good rainbow on the descent). the clay (bentonite, i think) is really slippery. we did this after a visit to the little missouri badlands and they are not to be missed.
Arkitekt - Jul 23, 2010 3:06 am
One of my first State High PointsI was very young when I did this hike. Maybe 8? I recall their being many cactus in the field leading to the hill. The view from the top wasn't bad though.
McCannster - Jan 31, 2010 1:45 pm Date Climbed: Jan 30, 2010
F'ing ColdTemp was around 10 or so for the hike. Cool area, my first time in ND. Pretty friendly locals, too. HP # 8!
Alika - Jan 31, 2010 1:40 pm Date Climbed: Jan 30, 2010
Winter Drive up from CO, Highpoint #4Had a great trip up from CO, stopped at the geographic center of the 50 states and went back through Montana (Albion Ghost Town was cool). Butte was an easy hike and the car got stuck in snow on the way to the trailhead but we got it out and had a great hike.
NDhiker - Dec 12, 2009 10:05 am Date Climbed: May 29, 2006
North Dakota HighpointThis was my 1st state highpoint. We couldn’t find the trail, so we found our own way up. No rattlesnakes this time.
Stansbury - Sep 14, 2009 11:26 pm Date Climbed: Sep 14, 2009
First State High PointI did this spur of the moment on my way back to SD from T.R. National Park. Ran into a highpointer from FL, Tom Gilday, who provided some good assistance and who has done > 1/2 of the U.S. high points. I'll add some details in the comments setion.
grabbs146 - Aug 12, 2009 6:28 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2009
midnight runcouldn't see much but the marker and a memorial for someone. I didn't have a head lamp and it got dark fast
Alpinist - Aug 8, 2009 4:52 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2009
Standard RouteThis is my 31st state HP and the last of three during this trip. We climbed Harney Peak and Granite Peak first and White Butte last. We arrived at 8:15pm and summited near dark at 8:45pm. ND also represents the 50th state that I have visited.
Sadly, White Butte is my least favorite highpoint to date for many reasons.
Difficult to find / poor signage. There is a sign on the main road, but nothing on any of the side roads indicating where the trailhead is. We wasted an hour looking for the place.
Poorly maintained trailhead. The road to the old farm house is completely overgrown with grass/weeds and pitted with mud holes. It was not passable with a standard car when I was there.
Poorly maintained trail. Simply put, there are cow pies everywhere. It is difficult not to step on one. There are also numerous places where the trail is steep, slippery mud (when wet). Some trail maintenance is sorely needed.
Lousy summit. The summit marker consists of a pile of rocks and a tiny sign. This could be greatly improved to reflect the significance of being the state highpoint.
I know this is private property but I hope the HPers Club can help to make some improvements to the place so that ND's HP is better represented.
Tbacon251 - Jul 4, 2009 5:27 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2009
Tickfest 2009Made the summit after being attacked by ticks along the way. very nice view from the top.
osatrik - Jul 3, 2009 2:54 pm Date Climbed: Jul 28, 1986
SHP #13In the midst of our two-year blitz of state highpoints, we drove up here and hiked to the marker the day after summiting Harney Peak in SD. It was number 13 of my 49 state high points and Vanessa's 39.
I like it on top - Jun 30, 2009 3:12 pm Date Climbed: Jun 29, 2009
White ButteShort and quick summit before the long haul back to Billings MT. No snakes, but the ticks and mosquitos were out in force.
highlandvillager - May 21, 2009 2:50 pm Date Climbed: May 16, 2009
Peaceful except for that rattling soundWe drove up from our camp near Harney Peak, SD on a day with perfect weather. Two other highpointers were leaving as we arrived and we saw no other people, but lots of wildlife. There were too many pheasant to count, a huge jackrabbit, antelope, and one rattlesnake angered by our close proximity. HP21
jeffh25 - Feb 10, 2009 1:00 pm Date Climbed: Aug 1, 2008
No snakesHighpoint #5, "summited" around 3pm. Very windy but no snakes. You can see the den maybe 30 ft away from the marker but none came out to play. Maybe it was too windy.
Redwic - May 26, 2008 5:33 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2008
Mud Central!!!Living half the country away, it's difficult to pinpoint weather conditions in advance; you hope for the best, and work with the conditions as best you can. My wife accompanied me to White Butte a couple hours before sunset, but unfortunately there was a major storm which hit that morning and another major one approaching while we were there (so we had little time to "hang out"). The ground and slopes were slick!!! We were covered in that milky gray-white mud, which is like cement, and we could have glissaded down the slippery slopes if we wanted to. No rattlesnakes, but TONS of pheasants, rabbits, quails, and field mice... and even one badger (which was pretty cool to see).
jimegan - Feb 7, 2008 12:40 pm Date Climbed: Jul 12, 2004
WHITE BUTTETHOUGHT I MIGHT GET STUCK IN THE RUTS WITH MY STERLING SEDAN. MET THE OWNER AND HIS SON WHO DROVE UP IN A PICKUP AND ASKED ME TO LEAVE A DONATION IN THE MAILBOX. NO SNAKES SEEN. THIS PLACE IS A LONG WAY FROM MOST ANYWHERE, INCLUDING LAS VEGAS
eric-griz - Nov 9, 2007 9:05 pm Date Climbed: May 25, 2002
The $20 SummitAs we drove to the house at the trailhead, a yappy little dog greeted us, followed by an old woman with 2 teeth. The twenty dollar donations she solicited from highpointers obviously did not go towards her dental care fund.
weeds19 - Sep 27, 2007 12:44 am Date Climbed: Aug 14, 2004
Heading EastUnfortunately I was forced to move from Utah to Ohio for a year and a half, but at least I was able to climb a few fun mountains on the way east.