Elevation Gain: 2675
Type: Out and Back
Distance: Approx. 15 miles roundtrip
This hike is into the Pintler - Anaconda Wilderness about 10 miles south of Phillipsburg, MT. The drive to the trailhead involves a long drive on lots of well maintained dirt roads, it was almost 2 hours of driving from Missoula. Hwy 38 west for 9 miles (off Hwy 1) then south for 17 miles on Moose Lake Rd #5106.
This hike is described in the "Best Hikes along the Continental Divide" by Russ Schneider. It is a hard grind to the Rainbow Pass but well worth it! You go over the Continental Divide so you really get some amazing mountain views. There are two burned sections in this hike, the first in the Johnson Lake area and the second during the climb to Rainbow Lake.
I did this hike June 16-17 and the snow became an obstacle just after Johnson Lake (elevation 7720feet) despite the low snow pack winter and early summer. Once over Rainbow Pass the trail disappeared under 2-3 feet of snow. We were forced to snowslide and bushwack down to the lake which is visible from the pass. Once at the lake we were able to find the trail and follow it in reverse to get out the next morning. It was an adventure trying to follow it through the snow drifts though.
It was very cold at the lake despite it being mid June. I was extremely grateful for my newly purchased sleeping pad that kept me off the frozen ground! Snowfall in the morning kept us in the tent until we were ready to hike out. The fishing in Rainbow Lake is supposedly great for Rainbow Trout however, the cold weather and snow/rain didnt make fishing our top priority.
It was a great hike overall, I would recommend it be hiked later in the summer though.
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