Beartooth Highway -- 10,800'

Straight off...no...this isn't a hiking album. Sorry if that disappoints. I'd argue, however, that the scenery and sense of adventure felt along this 68-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 212, known as the Beartooth Highway, rivals many of the hikes already included on this site. Connecting the Montana towns of Cooke City at its western end to Red Lodge at its east, the highway nonetheless spends over half its length in Wyoming. Opened in 1937, the highlight of the Beartooth Highway is the central, 13-mile, stretch which it spends completely above treeline. The highest point on the road is at Beartooth Pass, at an elevation of 10,947'. As you might expect the weather along this alpine road can be fierce and unpredictable. Snow can fall any month of the year and, on average, it is only open from Memorial Day to mid-October. This album represents only a quick drive-through of this spectacular byway. Numerous trails lead through alpine meadows, around glacial lakes, and along exposed ridges. It's an area I could have spent days, rather than hours, and still have left wanting more. Even so, the experience is something neither I nor my boys will ever forget and we can fully attest that this is one of the most spectacular drives we've ever done. With that brief introduction it's my pleasure to invite you on a drive of the famous Beartooth Highway...as always, I hope you ENJOY!!!

7-22-2020

Beartooth Highway

Living Landscape Overlook -- 8,750'
Perhaps 20-miles east of Cooke City, MT we made our first stop just below treeline at the Living Landscape Overlook. The panorama here is nothing short of epic. Below is the valley of the Clark Fork while beyond, snowy and serrated, are the rugged peaks of the Absaroka Range. Above the tall pine left of center is the still-wintry Hurricane Mesa (10,616') while to the right is the striking pointed summit of Pilot Peak (11,708')...
Living Landscape Overlook -- 8,750'
Zooming in on Pilot Peak (11,708') and, just to its right, neighboring Index Peak (11,254') across the valley of Clark Fork. The eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park lies just to their far side...
Beartooth Lake -- 8,900'
The trees had begun to thin considerably by the time we passed Beartooth Lake, one of many small glacial lakes which lie atop the plateau just south of Beartooth Pass...
Long Lake Viewpoint -- 9,800'
Just past Long Lake, seen here, the Beartooth Highway begins a series of steep switchbacks up the final 1,200-feet to the pass. This spot also marks the rough location of treeline on this side of the mountain...
Frozen Lake Viewpoint -- 10,250'
Now firmly into the alpine tundra, a most certainly well-named Frozen Lake lies at the base of an unnamed 11,000'+ peak...
Beartooth Highway -- 10,800'
This is the view southwest as the highway nears Beartooth Pass. Frozen Lake is near the center of the frame with Long Lake above and to its left. The Absaroka Range dominates the horizon beyond...
Beartooth Pass Summit -- 10,947'
Welcome to Beartooth Pass...it was time to get out, stretch the legs, and enjoy the tundra. We decided to stroll over to a promising rocky crag nearby (where we could enjoy some July snow) and see what wildflowers we could spot...
Sticky Polemonium
Polemonium viscosum
Alpine Forget-Me-Not
Myosotis asiatica
American Bistort
Polygonum bistortoides
Cushion Phlox
Phlox pulvinata
Moss Campion
Silene acaulis
Beautiful Indian Paintbrush
Castilleja pulchella
Beartooth Pass Summit -- 10,947'
Looking back down on Beartooth Pass. We were walking up from the parking area on the right...
Beartooth Plateau -- 11,050'
The top of the rocky crag opened up views to the north...below lay the Rock Creek Gorge while beyond the roof of Montana, the Beartooth Mountains rise to elevations exceeding 12,000 feet...
Beartooth Plateau -- 11,050'
The full panorama to the north, from the crag we climbed alongside Beartooth Pass...
Beartooth Plateau -- 11,050'
Yeah, this was a good place to make one of my rare appearances...
Beartooth Plateau -- 11,050'
Looking northwest is the aptly-named Glacier Lake with the flat-topped summit of Spirit Mountain (12,283') above and to the right...
Beartooth Plateau -- 11,000'
It's not every July you get to play in the snow...so you know I couldn't resist! Unbelievably, barely three hours later, I'd be touring the Little Bighorn battlefield in 104-degree heat! I'll take the snow any day...
Beartooth Highway -- 10,750'
Look close to the right of flat-topped Spirit Mountain and you'll see a solitary spire of rock...that's Bears Tooth (11,915'), the rocky pinnacle from which these mountains get their name...
Beartooth Highway -- 10,620'
Twisting down onto the Beartooth Plateau, Mirror Lake lay surrounded by spruce the the right of a ridgeline known as the Quintuple Peaks (9,997')...
Gardner Lake Viewpoint -- 10,540'
Pulling along the south side of the plateau now, views of the glacial bowl containing Gardiner Lake open up. The summit rising at the far end of the lake is that of Tibbs Butte (10,673')...
Beartooth Highway -- 10,700'
The Beartooth Highway as it winds past the Beartooth Basin area...
Beartooth Basin View -- 10,700'
A panoramic shot of Beartooth Basin, a popular skiing destination in the early summer...