This is an easy drive up summit with beautuful views of the Bitterroot Valley seen on part of the road accessing the summit.
Direction to WM/GA-114:
From Missoula, MT take US-93 South Approximately 20 Miles to Florence.
Turn East on Eastside Highway SR-203 for 7 miles to Ambrose Creek road.
Turn East on Ambrose Creek Road for 5.4 miles to FS 428. Take FS428 7.8 miles to Ambrose Saddle.
At Ambrose Saddle take FS1339 SE approximately 6 miles to the intersection of 1339 A and 1339B
Summit #7845 is a good hike through the 2021 Trail Creek wildland fire. The trail signed Ruby-May Creek #3102 was in great shape and being cleared by a Montana Conservation Corps crew during the activation. There are some good views of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness summits along the trail.
Caution: this trail and the summit have elevated snag hazard due to recent wildland fires.
Shook Mountain is the apex on the north end of a small rib of mountains lying between the East and West Forks of the Bitterroot River, and the Idaho/Montana border to the south. Having good views of both those valleys there are also fine views of rugged peaks in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
White Mountain, a US Forest Service Lookout since 1934, had been updated to an L4 Lookout cabin on a 41’ wooden tower in 1954. It is on the National Register of Historic Lookouts. It has good views of the southern Bitterroot Mountains, the Great Burn Wilderness Study Area, the Idaho/Montana border and the Lolo National Forest.
Current access is hiking approximately 2 miles through forest and along a permanently closed road.
Directions to Slide Rock Mountain W7M/GA-093:
From Missoula, MT 24.6 miles on I-90 East to Exit 126 (about 17 Miles)
South on Rock Creek Road for approximately 9 Miles
Turn East on Brewster Creek Road ,
Follow for 7 miles to County Road 354,
Follow for 2.6 miles to Slide Rock Mountain W7M/GA-093
This summit is slightly prominent over the old Ninemile Lookout Site. A sign on the summit points to this old lookout site approximately 0.25 miles east. Elevation difference is 28’. All that remains of the lookout are four large concrete support blocks, burned wood and rusting hardware scattered on the ground. Slow growing subalpine fir tower to over 40’ on the site.
The remainer of the summit is dense old forest with oddly shaped rock outcrops of banded-argillite. Due to dense forest, there are very limited vistas of the valleys below.
Stevens Peak is a forested summit overlooking Noxon Reservoir on the Clark Fork River. Much of the summit hike is along good loop Stevens Ridge Trail #1083. The summit is south of the small community of Noxon, Montana and the Noxon dam. The summit is a broad forested flat but there are good views of Noxon Reservoir and Cabinet Mountains on the northeast side of the summit where trees give way to steep rocky and grassy areas.
Trail miles: 1.8 on-trail, 0.3 off-trail, both round trip
Elevation gain: 800’
This nondescript summit is almost indistinguishable from the surrounding ridges and summits. It does have a rocky forested summit traversed by an old logging skid trail. It also lies at the head of interestingly named creek, Dirty Ike.
Being close to Clinton, MT, just off Interstate 90 and having a logging road traversing south slopes to just below this summit makes an easy activation or possible easy winter activation.
Trees on the summit provide good support for hanging wire antennas.
Trail Miles: 0.5 roundtrip
Dec 2025 Update: Access road to the Woodpecker Trailhead is now open. This road passes right past Forest Road 035 which is the turnoff described in the original trip report (http://www.pnwsota.org/node/681). Road 035 has been cleared of all large deadfall, but does narrow in places so suggest you walk this if you don't want paint scratches on the vehicle.
Dec 2025 Update: This area has been radically transformed by massive forest fires. Access roads to Timber Butte are now open after years of being closed (image below). The burned trees near roads have been logged to keep them clear. The summit and all of Forest Road 812 is completely burned. Summit views posted to SOTA Atlas.