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Backpacker Magazine – February 2008
Hike Montana's Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness
This wilderness area houses a classic section of the CDT but is a little off the beaten path.
Kurt Peak and Queener Mountain, Scott Bischke
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Tags:
- Montana |
- Continental Divide Trail |
- Adventures |
On your final day, climb yet two more passes named Rainbow and Pintler (exhibits A and B in uninspired naming), losing and gaining elevation in 1,000- to 2,000-foot gulps. Bypass Oreamnos Lake, the most heavily used spot on the route, and tromp down the eight-mile descent to the Pintler Creek trailhead. Now you're ready: Raise a glass to your own private wilderness preserve.
The Way
From Anaconda, take MT 1 west 15 miles. Turn left/south on FS 675 and follow it another 15 miles to the Storm Lake trailhead (the last mile or two may require 4WD). To reach the Pintler Creek trailhead, follow MT 43 off of I-15 (south of Butte) to the well-maintained FS 185.
Season
The high country is generally free of snow by mid-July, and the hiking stays good through mid-September.
Map
Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Map; montanamaps.com/wil.pintlar.asp, $8
Contact
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest: Wise River Ranger District, (406) 832-3178; Pintler Ranger District, (406) 859-3211; fs.fed.us/rl/bdnf for both
Permit
None required.
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READERS COMMENTS
It's too cold, no water available, scenery is just ok, poor hiking. Would suggest Yellowstone or Glacier Parks
this is God's backyard and i am blessed to be in residence :)
there is no place better in the world than anaconda, montana. Fact.
Self issued permits may as well be none required. Why even bother to waist the paper if you are not going to issue them out, along with some sort of accountability.
This place sucks. Tell your friends.
What a joker, like most of the neophytes that visit this area, they do not understand the energy, and what this place is about.
This place is best left to those of us who understand.
I agree with Richard Layne's comment. Somebody did a Fantasy Island map trip in the APW for this entry. Please see my blog, EcoRover, for more detailed info about bagging peaks and backpacking in the Pintler.
Where did you get your info? In the first place you don't scramble up to West Goat Peak during the winter from Warren Lake. I do not believe the information here to be accurate from someone's experience. I say this because of my own extensive APW winter experiences that include pretty much all the areas you just described. My website will more than back up what I just said. Like I asked three times now, who got this info?
Where did you get your info? In the first place you don't scramble up to West Goat Peak during the winter from Warren Lake. I do not believe the information here to be accurate from someone's experience. I say this because of my own extensive APW winter experiences that include pretty much all the areas you just described. My website will more than back up what I just said. Like I asked three times now, who got this info?
As the long-time Wilderness Ranger in these parts, I can tell you that there IS a mandatory permit required for this Wilderness. It is free and self-issuing at any trailhead entry point (such as the far side of Storm Lake).
The permit is required to be on your person while in this Wilderness area. This system has been in affect since 2001.
Some other small errors in this article.
Pintler Ranger Station phone number is best bet for up-to-date info on this area.
Call a place paradise, and kiss it goodbye- the last best place is no more.
CALL A PLACE PARADISE AND KISS IT GOODBYE,THE LAST BEST PLACE IS NO MOORE.
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