sacajawea peak - 9,665' - class 1
july 2013

Fairy Lake reflection at sunrise

This was a fun little trip I did on my way back to Red Lodge for the second time in 2013. I had made the drive from Washington to Bozeman successfully and wanted to make a short hike in the nearby Bridger Mountains that Vince had told me about the previous month. That evening when I arrived into town I saw one of the most vibrant sunsets I have ever seen as a huge thunderstorm was dissipating and emerging out of the Absaroka Mountains to the south. The clouds towered high above and the bright colors made the entire city feel tiny. As nightfall progressed, I made a quick internet search for a good hike in the Bridger Mountains and noticed that Sacagawea Peak is a great short hike and is the tallest peak in the range. So I started driving north out of town and noticed the headlights in my car dimming considerably. I didn't think too much of it until it was too late. As I drove up the steep dirt road towards Fairy Lake, the battery in my car ran out of charge and I wasn't able to start it. I was stuck in the middle of the road on one of the steepest parts of the road! So my only option was to sit there until morning until someone came up and I could get a jump. Luckily someone came up before sunrise and I was able to get it started. I made it to the trailhead and quickly ran to Fairy Lake where I shot the awesome sunrise reflection shown to the left. I ended up catching up with the guy who helped me out and we made the hike all the way up to the saddle between Sacagawea and Hardscrabble Peaks together. Turns out he did a bunch of alpine climbing as well and was a longtime local to Bozeman. We parted at the saddle and I quickly made the hike to the beautiful summit. Views of the Absarokas and the surrounding Bridger Peaks were beautiful. 

Impressive slabs on Sacagawea Peak

Hardscrabble Peak

Wildflowers in the meadow below Sacagawea Peak

Brilliant sunset from Bozeman