Roman Nose Traverse

Sunshine and fall color enticed us to tackle Roman Nose before the snow came. I’ve been wanting to hike up Roman Nose for awhile, especially since we can see it from the house, so when Ryan suggested we tackle it, I eagerly agreed. 

Ryan overlooking upper Roman Nose Lake

Starting on the road, we ascended the east ridge leading up to Roman Nose. Within ten minutes we crossed a set of black bear tracks, most likely from the day before since they had a bit of melted snow in them. 

Black bear tracks

If we would have attempted this a month sooner, we would have been in huckleberry heaven. Unfortunately, all the huckleberries are now fermented. There were several decent patches of huckleberries left for the animals to enjoy. 

Funny-shaped fungus--almost like a starfish

Fall color was in full swing at higher elevations with the subalpine larch shedding their golden needles and the huckleberry brush shedding their crimson leaves. 

Nelson enjoying the hike through the old burn

Snag from Sundance fire 

Evidence of the Sundance Fire of 1967 is still readily visible. The majority of the snags are still standing and some are quite intriguing in their shapes. Ryan found two snags with blazes on them from before the fire. He guessed they were blazed ten to twenty years before the fire, maybe for a trail up to the lookout (no longer standing). 

Old blazes on trees burnt in the Sundance fire of '67

Ryan found two other odd finds--a marble and a travel clock. What are the odds of finding a marble on a mountainside?

Within reach of the peak

The wind made the summit chilly, but the view was amazing. The Selkirk Crest loomed to the north and the Kootenai Valley to the east. 

On the top

After a quick lunch in the lee of an alpine fir next to the lookout remains, we decided to descend the ridge to the northwest and cut down to the north end of the upper lake. Then we would take the trail and the road back to the truck. Frosty talus made the first part slow going for us, but Nelson has a knack for navigating the talus. 

Nelson trying to find what Ryan is looking at 

Amazingly, there was still a significant amount of snow in the basin below Roman Nose.  The north-facing basin doesn’t receive much sunlight and with the cooler summer, the snow probably didn’t melt quick enough before the cooler fall temperatures moved in. How many cool summers will it take for the Roman Nose glacier to form? The basin is of glacial-origin from the last ice-age, so it isn’t out of the question. 

Beginning of the Roman Nose glacier 

Before we dropped down to the upper lake, we hiked over to the ridge to look at Snow Lake--already half covered with ice. There were still a few patches of last winter’s snow in the dark corners of that basin too. 

Steep descent

On the way down to the lake, we crossed a large open swath of granite. Normal for the Selkirks, but this area had veins of darker rock running through it. Ryan even found the end of one veins, where the hot fluid could no longer penetrate the granite. 

End of vein in granite

The trip was just over five miles with 1500 feet of elevation gain (and loss). A wonderful way to spend a fall day in the Selkirks. 

Coyote tracks on a log