Just under two years ago we climbed to the top of Mount Aeneas, a well-known local hike. Today’s weather looked great: a little cool (50’s at the trailhead) and a cloudless sky. We donned our trail runners and headed up the path.
The trail basically goes up non-stop for three miles. It’s not terribly steep until the top, and with the effort it’s nice to see progress as you’re ticking off the steps. There are great views of the Flathead Valley:
That’s Echo Lake on the right, Mud Lake (unfortunate name) on the left, and of course the massive Flathead Lake in the distance.
As Pepper and Kyra were complaining about how tired their legs were, we crested the ridge that provides a view of the peak in the distance. It’s always more motivating when you can see your goal on a hike, so we continued upward with renewed vigor.
The view from the top is spectacular. Here’s a shot looking southwest at the lake (that’s not my pack– it just seemed to go well with the picture).
And here are the ladies looking east toward (barely visible) Hungry Horse Reservoir.
From the peak you can see much of the Jewel Basin area, Glacier National Park in the distance, the Swan Valley, and tons of lakes all around. It was cool but comfortable at the top, so we had a nice lunch and just enjoyed the view and the sun for a while.
This was our second summit here, and I feel like it’s going to become an annual tradition. It’s a great hike and a great experience.