Western Montana Getaways: Crazy Canyon hike is crazy fun with a view to match

By JAMIE KELLY of the Missoulian

For those who don't have the legs of large-breed land mammals and lungs with the capacity of side-impact air bags, there's a relatively easy way to get to the top of Missoula's Mount Sentinel.

No, it's not a helicopter. That's expensive and lazy.

I'm talking about the Crazy Canyon trail system. Of the several ways to ascend the summit of the bare-faced, 5,158-foot mountain, the Lolo National Forest's Crazy Canyon trail system offers a moderate-to-challenging beautiful hike through evergreens and wildflowers, along the way affording a killer view of East Missoula, Hellgate Canyon and the Rattlesnake Mountains.

And, of course, there's the view from the top. More on that in a bit.

Many brave - and masochistic - souls take the trail that leads straight up from the "M." But for those of you like me who skew toward avoidance of pain and self-torture, and whose dreams of winning the Boston Marathon have more or less wafted away, Crazy Canyon is a pleasant option.

With a few steep sections that will test your stamina, this 2.9-mile hike, one way, has a vertical rise of 1,258 feet, since the trailhead sits at 3,900 feet (itself 700 feet above the valley floor). That means a rise of 1 foot for every 12 traveled, or roughly an 8 percent grade.

That's tough on a semi, but not too taxing on human legs. The trail system is very well maintained, cuts through light to moderately dense forest, and borders the edge of the 1985 Hellgate Canyon fire.

You have several options from the trailhead (located three miles up Pattee Canyon Road), but my favorite is the path that leads left from the outset. After a half mile or so, the trail meets up with a Forest Service special-permit road, normally used by forest workers and hang gliders for hauling up their toys. It's about a 1 1/2-mile hike along that road before you come to the real treat - the steep, heart-thumping trail that leads to the top.

Before you embark on the last leg, soak in the visual splendor that is the view of Hellgate Canyon and East Missoula. The last 300 yards or so will really test you - it's straight uphill, very demanding, though there is a longer switchback option if you can't handle it or you want to take your time.

Try to keep your jaw hinged when you get to the summit - the view is dizzying and dazzling. You've seen the postcards of this view, and they don't do it justice. If you have a digital camera with photo-stitching capabilities, this is the time to get a 360-degree, panoramic picture of the entire valley.

The thing I enjoy most at the top is the utter silence. Aside from the sound of Fritos crunching in my mouth (I usually pack a lunch), there is absolutely no sound; the city below lies in a sort of surreal dead zone, flickering in the sun.

The hike up will take you about 75 minutes at a decent pace. Short of renting an airplane, it's one of the best views of Missoula you'll ever get.