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Description
An excellent destination for climbing in western Montana, Mill Creek features everything from TR to multi-pitch trad. This area get some decent exposure to the sun in the winter allowing it to be climbed almost year round. This area is infamous for it's ticks so be prepared. Some new routes are being put up by a couple of professors from the University of Montana. Please see millcreekreport.blogspot.com. Downloadable guide available there.
A great destination with a lot of potential. Bring a helmet!!! I have had close calls with rock falling from the big walls. Have fun!
Getting There
From Missoula: Drive about 35 miles south on US 93. You will see Mill Creek Trail Road on your right. Drive up the road until you reach the trailhead which has a pit toilet and parking. Take the trail about a half mile up until you reach a log bridge. Cross that take a left and continue for about the same distance until you reach trail headed up the mountain to the seemingly obvious wall. Approach takes roughly 30-60 minutes. An early start is nice.
The trailhead is off of Cow Creek Road out of Pinesdale.
The Drive:
Take Highway 93 south from Missoula toward Hamilton. Mile marker 54, look for Sheafman Creek Road on the right. Turn west and drive 1 mile to the top of a s.hort steep hill. Turn sharp left to stay on Sheafman Creek Follow the road a couple of miles including a sharp right curve. At stop sign turn left onto Main and drive into Pinesdale. Approx. .9 miles from stop sign, brown forest service sign “Sheafman Creek Trail” Turn right onto West Cow Creek dirt road. (GPS Coord: 46.323650, -114.218033) Drive slowly through the neighborhood. Park at gate (1/2 mile), or if gate open (summer), park at right hairpin (1 mile). Approach trail begins at hairpin. (GPS Coord: 46.316267, -114.229533)
The Hike:
Follow the trail through a gate and tress for just a few hundred yards down and into a deep drainage. The trail will leads back out of the drainage and curve around to the crest of the ridgeline in about 200 yards. Look for a large cairn (sometimes missing) and clearly-traveled trail branching off sharply uphill along the ridge until it turns sharp left into Mill Creek Canyon. Follow this trail for about 3/4 of a mile to the climbs.
The Classics
Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Mill Creek North Rim:
Climb a steep, technical face to a ledge. Power up a corner, which is followed by several big moves to a just adequate shakeout below the technical crux at a roof. Be warned, there is a final difficult move guarding the chains that can be a real heartbreaker. ...[more]Browse More Classics in MT
The Drive Highway 93 south from Missoula toward Hamilton. Mile marker 54, look for Sheafman Creek Road on the right. Turn west and drive 1 mile to the top of a s.hort steep hill. Turn sharp left to stay on Sheafman Creek Follow the road a couple of miles including a sharp right curve. At stop sign turn left onto Main and drive into Pinesdale. Approx. .9 miles from stop sign, brown forest service sign “Sheafman Creek Trail” Turn right onto West Cow Creek dirt road. (GPS Coord: 46.323650, -114.218033) Drive slowly through the neighborhood. Park at gate (1/2 mile), or if gate open (summer), park at right hairpin (1 mile). Approach trail begins at hairpin. (GPS Coord: 46.316267, -114.229533)
The Hike Follow the trail through a gate and tress for just a few hundred yards down and into a deep drainage. The trail will leads back out of the drainage and curve around to the crest of the ridgeline in about 200 yards. Look for a large cairn (sometimes missing) and clearly-traveled trail branching off sharply uphill along the ridge until it turns sharp left into Mill Creek Canyon. Follow this trail for about 3/4 of a mile to the climbs.
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