Jeff Schmerker
Lofty views
You climb to the Boulder Peak Lookout not for the view of Boulder Peak, but rather for the view of Trapper Peak, the highest point in the Bitterroot Mountains and which hulks across the valley. The lookout, actually, is only about halfway up the mountain, but don’t let that lead you to think this is an easy hike. The trail is 2.5 miles from its beginning on Forest Road 373 to the lookout, and climbs about 2000 vertical feet. The lookout is no longer used by the Forest Service, but it’s kept in decent shape in part from the help of volunteers. Expect shelter from storms and a cool perch; don’t plan on spending the night or finding water.
You can sign the lookout register and use an outhouse. The lookout is perched on the edge of a precipitous cliff: from inside you enjoy the view, but from the trail just beyond the lookout you can appreciate how the structure seems precariously perched. If you head up to Boulder Peak, it sits at 9,800 feet – another 2,500 vertical feet from the lookout. It’s the fourth-highest peak in the Bitterroots.
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