Josh Conquers the Continental Divide

Josh's favorite mountains are the Bitterroot Range east of Salmon. He admires them year-round from the views at both the golf course and our home. He has a personal goal to hike to each of the peaks on the range, but up until this year, he'd only been able to hike to one: Copperhead. This summer, he amazingly hiked to 5 of them!!! The only peak he has left to conquer is Freeman Peak (which he's attempted twice, but has been unsuccessful due to the impassable terrain. However, he has an idea of how to hike to it from a different direction next summer).

SACAJAWEA PEAKS (also known as the Three Sisters) -- hiked July 14

I was out of town with my friends in Jackson Hole, and Josh planned to take the twins hiking to all 3 peaks with him. He'd loaded all the motorbikes, and got all the supplies ready, but the twins were so tired from being on the Lemhi Range the previous day working at the Beaverhead Endurance Run, so he ended up going alone. He was gone only 6 hours roundtrip; he drove to Geertson Creek and unloaded the motorcycle, and then rode the dirt bike to the top of Geertson Creek where he got off and hiked to each of the three peaks. 

There was an old mine near the top of the 1st peak, and the surround rocks had

this beautiful turquoise/silver coloring in them. 

This is the mine he saw--the snow is covering the entrance. 

Miner Lake

Continental Divide Marker on the 1st peak

Josh's signature picture: a bottle of Mtn. Dew along the Mountains that he hikes

Miner Lake and Hamby Lake on the Montana side

Another view of Miner Lake

Overlooking Kirtley Creek on the Idaho side

The 2nd peak with Hamby Lake in the background

The 2nd peak with Miner Lake in the background

Hiking up to the 3rd peak

Overlooking Geertson Lake on the Idaho side

The 3rd peak

A view of all 3 of the peaks on his hike back to the motorbike

This is as far as the motorcycle would go!

A view of the Sacjawea Peaks from our deck after he returned home

 (the three peaks close together in the middle)

AJAX PEAK -- hiked August 10, 2019

Jonah and Micah went with Josh on this hike. We'd gone camping as a family to Twin Lakes in Montana, and they just went on a day trip from there. Josh took them up the approaching road in the truck until they reached a sign that said "No Full Size Vehicles Past This Point". From there, they hiked a few miles. They couldn't see any trail on the way up, so they made their way up through rocks and snow drifts which was a little tricky. Thankfully, they found the trail on their way back down, which made it faster. They liked looking down into the Carmen Valley on the Idaho side after hiking up from the Montana side. It was a fun adventure that only took them half a day.

Jonah hiking through the snow.

Micah climbing through the snow

Micah traversing the rocky cliff

Jonah hiking carefully over the rocks

Copperhead Peak in the distance

Overlooking Carmen Creek Valley on the Idaho Side

Ajax Lake

The twins hanging out at the top of Ajax Peak

Josh's trademark photo!

MONUMENT PEAK - hiked September 2

Josh took me and the boys on this adventure on Labor Day. We rode up Geertson Creek in the jeep and stopped just a little ways past the site of the antique mail truck wreck. From there, we hiked up the mountainside until the first little ridge, where Kanyon and I stayed and watched the other 3 continue on their hike. It was an 8-mile roundtrip from the jeep to the Monument Peak and back. Part of the trail was very sketchy for them, but thankfully they safely made it there and back. Kanyon and I could barely see them in the distance as they scaled the mountain top, and as soon as they did, we started climbing back down towards the jeep. I got lost on the way, and by the time Kanyon found me, Josh and the boys had caught up to me as well!

This was the point that Josh, Micah, and Jonah continued

on without Kanyon & I. Can you see them?

Monument Peak is the far left peak. The boys had to go up the right side, and 

all along the ridge to get there.

Kanyon atop our small peak with Kirtley Creek in the background.

You can barely make out the 3 silhouettes scaling the rocky terrain in the distance.

I hate hiking. 

Kanyon happily entertained himself while we waited!

Kanyon's constructed rock tower with Salmon in the distance.

Kanyon with his creation--

he can even balance a rock on his shoulder!

A view on their hike of Hamby Lake on the Montana side

Jonah climbing over rocks on the ascent to Monument Peak

Miner Lake

Josh's hat on the peak marker

Another iconic image including the Mountain Dew!

Josh found where he had carved mine & his names into the hood of the

mail truck, and scratched in the boys' names on this trip, too. 

It was a tight squeeze into the jeep, but a lot easier than packing motorbikes!