Heavens Peak Lookout since restoration

[nunatak]

In 1984, I met a group of the Mennonites who built that lookout when they were on CO duty during World War II. They had taken a day-hike to check out their landmark, and made it back in time to take my evening cruise on the DeSmet at Lake McDonald. These guys were all in their 60s+, and they all chose to stand on the bow of the DeSmet during a north-wind boat-rocker while everyone else cowered in the cabin.
So I foolishly assumed it must be easy to get up to the lookout and back. We never found the spur up from McDonald Creek, and although we thought we had it on the way down, we soon lost it again. Most of the time we were clambering several feet above the ground on alter thicket cross-hatching. But we found the most fantastic collection of mushrooms in the underbrush when we fell through.

[DaveC]

Mikie, I'm sure that route would work. In early September that crossing of McDonald will be fine, though doing so ~50 feet further downstream won't even get your knees wet.

That first 2k of vert out of the valley will be a mix of deadfall, Devil's Club, and alder which cannot be described to someone without personal experience. If you're fit and determined it is slow, but very doable. If not you will be broken. Bring long pants and leather gloves in either case.

[Stmarypete]

LIke the plan!

[mikie]

In 1984, I met a group of the Mennonites who built that lookout when they were on CO duty during World War II. They had taken a day-hike to check out their landmark, and made it back in time to take my evening cruise on the DeSmet at Lake McDonald. These guys were all in their 60s+, and they all chose to stand on the bow of the DeSmet during a north-wind boat-rocker while everyone else cowered in the cabin.

All those groups are tough as nails. Where I hike most of the year, we have a group of them. They are fearless and tough. I was doing a class 3 climb with significant exposure, and a group of women in long skirts came "flying" past me. They stood at the top of the climb and talked to me like a 5-year-old. "You can make it" - "you're doing great" - "you're almost there". When I got to the top they congratulated me, and they were off again. As a guy it was a little embarrassing.

In regards to the hike. I was afraid that there would be swampy sections with thickets. Looking north where there is a basin. This is a section I feared would be very difficult. From reports, it is horrible. I choose the creek bed south of there because it was steep enough to keep the difficult thickets and blowdown to a minimum. Hopefully, the stream will be dry enough that I can hike up it without difficulties. Or, to the sides where storm water runs. In the section that looks brushy, I presume that there will be some blowdown, slash, and saplings. It is only 2,000', but it might be a difficult 2,000'. I believe that this might be the most difficult part. Once I make it to the rock ridge, then it should get a whole lot better for hiking. Planning by satellite/topo can be difficult. What looks little and insignificant, can be quite significant when you get there.

The only other concern would be the griz population in there.

[llholmes1948]

Nice article on the Heavens Peak Lookout in the Flathead Beacon:

http://flatheadbeacon.com/2014/09/25/pl ... g-heavens/

[Selkie]

Nice article on the Heavens Peak Lookout in the Flathead Beacon:

http://flatheadbeacon.com/2014/09/25/pl ... g-heavens/

Thanks for this. Very nicely written article, with splendid photos. (I wonder why the hike is not spoken of more frequently here?) And extra points for using "desuetude" in a sentence, and expecting the readership to know what it means.

Now I'm going to imagine scaring away Ursus with a slingshot. Guess it worked, though!

[llholmes1948]

Nice article on the Heavens Peak Lookout in the Flathead Beacon:

http://flatheadbeacon.com/2014/09/25/pl ... g-heavens/

Thanks for this. Very nicely written article, with splendid photos. (I wonder why the hike is not spoken of more frequently here?)

I think it is not really a hike but a bushwack. I wonder if any of the old trail can be followed or not. I have always understood that it is prime grizzly habitat. It is not a place to go insouciantly.

You may recall that there was considerable controversy a few years back when the lookout was being stabilized about the idea of restoring the trail to the lookout (which was not done.)

Lyman