A Fall Trip to the North End of the Chinese Wall!
in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana
September 22 - 27, 2010
Copyright Notice

I've been trying to build my collection of photos from the Bob Marshall Wilderness. I've been to the famous Chinese Wall a couple of times already but have not been able to get photographs of the north end of the wall with good light. I hoped this trip would correct that.
More Chinese Wall Stories click

HERE
I began my hike to the Wall at the Headquarters Pass trailhead west of Choteau, Montana at the end of the South Fork Teton Road.

Sometimes the signs along the trail had some discrepancies. At the trailhead the sign (top) indicated it was 11 miles to the North Fork of the Sun River where I intended to camp.

After walking a short way I saw the lower sign at the junction to the trail to Our Lake. That sign said the North Fork of the Sun River was now 10 1/2 miles. Ok, I walked a half mile. But that sign also said the South Fork Teton Road, where I started my hike, was now 1 1/2 miles behind me.

About one-third of the way to Headquarters Pass I rested at these beautiful cascades all decorated in fall colors.
Headquarters Pass is a high rugged entrance to the Bob Marshall Wilderness. This view is on the east side of the pass.
Reaching the pass I could look down the 8 mile long valley of Headquarters Creek.
The trail quickly descended from the pass and followed Headquarters Creek. Much of that valley had burned in 1988 and the forest is just beginning to come back.
Everywhere the fall colors were beautiful. These two views were taken near my camp on the North Fork of the Sun River.
The North Fork of the Sun River is a formidable stream. A large suspension pack bridge allowed me to cross easily. From that bridge it would be 15 more long miles and over 2,100 feet of elevation gain to My Lake where I intended to camp that night.
The abundant rainfall over the previous weeks had created some quagmires on the trail up Rock Creek. The mud preserved evidence of all passersby though. My pocket knife is 4 inches long and is sitting on the ground next to a mountain lion track.
Rain and snow were highlights of My Lake. I left there without taking photos because of the wet weather. Another few miles brought me to the Chinese Wall near Larch Hill Pass.

I spent some time looking for photo spots and set up my camp.
The sun peaked out some in the afternoon but by then there would be no sun on the Chinese Wall.
More clouds the next morning precluded good photos again. So I did some hiking and explored the area around my camp.
I was able to easily walk to the top of the Wall above Larch Hill Pass for some views of the country.

Looking northwest I could see Silvertip Mountain and way off in the distance were a few peaks in Glacier that I recognized.

The cliffs in the middle of this photo are the Wall Creek Cliffs. Similar to the Chinese Wall they are in a different formation.
The Chinese Wall extends unbroken for 12 miles south from Larch Hill Pass. It averages over 1,000 feet high.
Looking across the White River Valley toward the very distant Swan Range. All this country is in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
Below the Wall are miles of alpine and subalpine meadows.
On my second morning camped near the Wall the sun finally cooperated. Just after dawn the wall was illuminated nicely.
The good thing was that the sky was clear and the sun nice and bright. What a spectacular view down miles and miles of the Chinese Wall.

The bad thing was that this sunrise came on my fifth day in the wilderness and I only had food for that day and one more.
I spent as much time as I could that morning taking photographs. But I had about 18 miles to hike that day as well. I left my camp around 10:30 to begin the long trek back to the North Fork of the Sun River. I hoped I'd make it there before dark.
Three miles down the trail was My Lake. The larches were turning color and the sky and clouds cooperated for some nice shots. I couldn't spend too much time there though and had to hurry along after taking these photographs.
I made camp near the North Fork of the Sun River just after sunset. On my last day I hiked back up Headquarters Creek to the pass by the same name.
The Chinese Wall is such a spectacle and it has definitely caught my fancy. If the weather cooperates I plan on one more trip to the center section of the Wall near Moose Creek. Check back to see if I make it.