Chief mountain

Chief Mt- 22 miles

level- Moderate 

"White Man's Dog raised his eyes to the west and followed the Backbone of the World from north to south until he could pick out Chief Mountain. It stood apart from the other mountains, not as tall as some but strong, its square face a landmark to all who passed. But it was more than a landmark to the Pikunis, Kainahs and Siksikas, the three tribes of the Blackfeet, for it was on top of Chief Mountain that the blackhorn skull pillows of the great warriors still lay. On those skulls Eagle Head and Iron Breast had deamed their visions in the long-ago, and the animal helpers had made them strong in spirit and fortunate in war."- James Welsh

Whenever you go on a long trip to climb one mountain, there is always an uncertainty. Much can go wrong during a climb in Glacier National Park. That day we were fortunate, it had been weeks since we had a perfect climb. Perfect weather, company and luck pushed us forward to the summit of this majestic peak. The morning was one that I crave, we hiked uninterpreted for 6 miles. Time to meditate and get into the trance that hiking provides. The approach to this mountain once we left the trail was pleasant, thankfully the sheep had carved out a game trail many years ago. We traversed around papoose and ninaki, which brought us to a large scree field. We were blessed to find a "climbers trail" all the way to a set of cliffs near the top which looked as if they were stairs leading us to the summit ridge. From there it was an enjoyable climb to the top. As you can see from the pictures the bison scull at the summit reinforces the legend of Eagle Head and Iron Breast. These men also enjoyed this amazing summit hundreds of years before we did. While this peak was a bit of a split decision, I am so thankful that we decided to climb to the top. This mountain did not feel like one we conquered, but instead one we experienced.

written by Mike