Reach Your Peak offers a number
of guided/instructed trips from scrambles to technical rock and
ice routes. Reach Your Peak is a bit more flexible that many
guide services in that the climbs and courses can be tailored
to meet the needs of the client(s).
The Leggat Spire region of the Tobacco Root Mountains and the Tweedy Highboy Spire complex of the East Pioneer Range provide short approaches to the alpine zone. Both mountain ranges are found in southwest Montana. The East Pioneer Range in particular is currently being studied for a wilderness area and must be one of the most "empty" as far as not seeing other human activity.
Leggat Spire provides day and multiday alpine rock climbing with several easily approached routes. Multiday trips are done via "car camping" out of the campground located 45 minutes from the base of the Spire. The campground is found in a high alpine basin along with several beautiful lakes. Day snow schools can be arranged from June 15 - July 15 depending on the conditions. The snow school involves learning to use an ice axe, self arresting, step kicking, use of crampons and other necessary skills needed to negotiate steep snow/ice covered terrain in the mountains. 10,089' Leggat Spire is the obvious attraction. The spire has 4th to moderate 5th class ridge routes as well as 5.7 - 5.8 routes on its imposing north face which are great escapes from the summer heat of July and August. Legacy II, 5.7 is one of Leggats' finest routes and involves 6 pitches of face, crack and ridge climbing. If you want to enjoy some alpine climbing with ultra short approaches with the option of car camping then the Leggat Spire area is the ticket.
The Tweedy/Highboy Spire complex
has more of a remote wilderness "feel" to it. Good
alpine rock and snow/ice climbing can be found here June - August.
Gorgeous mountain lakes are found here reflecting many routes
that can be climbed in the area. The approaches into this range
are relatively short and routes varying from scrambles to more
serious technical snow and rock routes making for a variety.
11,154' Tweedy Mountain (the ranges highest) is a prime example
of the variety of routes to be climbed here as it harbors a scenic
scramble up its west flanks, the North East snow coulior and
the North ridge which ranks as one of the best rock and snow
routes in Montana. Highboy Spire is a good piece of rock with
easy-moderate technical routes on all of its aspects. Our camp
site is unique with tent side bouldering and slab climbing. The
camps scenic views overlooks a number of lakes and meadows back
dropped by the fluted spire of Highboy.
Ron Brunckhorst PO Box 78 Wilsall, MT 59086 Phone: 406-578-2155 ryp@montana.com