Peak 8789 is the highpoint of a ridge between two prominent saddles-- the unnamed one directly west of Our Lake, and Headquarters Creek Pass, a popular and worthy destination for day hikers and an important corridor into the Bob Marshall Wilderness-- but its rise above its defining saddles makes it a true mountain even though it is not officially named. This area is in the Sawtooth Range of the Rocky Mountain Front. The Sawtooth Range is a beautiful, rugged collection of peaks west of Choteau and Bynum. Although many area trails are considered to be heavily used ones, I have never encountered anything close to what people used to national parks would call a crowd. Why more people outside the area don't know about the Sawtooth Range with its spectacular scenery and many day hiking opportunities mystifies me, but my best guesses include the facts that there are no national parks here, most people traveling to or from Glacier National Park take the western approach rather than the quieter and more scenic eastern way, and the majority of those taking the eastern way are in such a rush to get to deservedly popular Glacier that they can't be bothered to explore and appreciate the incredible mountains they are passing along the way. So be it, and all the better for those who do know and love this place.

Of the mountains I've climbed in the Sawtooth Range thus far, Peak 8789 has, in my opinion, the best views. What really does it is being between the two titans of the Sawtooth Range-- twin-summitted Old Baldy (north) and Rocky Mountain (south). Your jaw may drop as you see these mountains in their full splendor.

"Revelation Peak" is my pet name for Peak 8789. If you know of another one or have your own for it, you won't have me at your door or at a lawyer's office complaining about how you've ruined my mountain for me. I nicknamed the peak as I did because my experience there was, frankly, a revelation. Getting out to the Sawtooth Range had been high on my list of things to do for a few years already by the time I first got out there in 2003, and although I expected excellent scenery based on roadside views I'd had during previous trips to Montana, nothing prepared me for the absolute natural masterpiece that this area is. My first hike, an afternoon trek up Mount Wright, opened the range's beauty to me, but it was my climb of Point 8789 the next afternoon that made me feel intimate with the mountains here and filled me with a wild longing to stay there forever. What really did it for me was the stunning view of massive Rocky Mountain that greeted me as I reached the summit. I had twenty minutes to myself before my brother joined me at the summit, and those twenty minutes took me out of myself, off the peak, and somewhere deep into the essence of the pure wilderness all around me. Not even in remote areas of Glacier National Park have I felt that I was in and/or beholding such immaculately wild country. Thus, being there was a revelation for me and nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Summit Views

Getting There

Five miles north of Choteau, head west on a paved road signed for fishing and skiing access. In about seventeen miles there will be a T-junction with a road that heads left, crosses the South Fork Teton River, and turns to gravel. Take this gravel road (South Fork Teton River Road), occasionally bumpy but easily passable for most cars, for about ten miles to its end at a large parking area. On the right (west) side of the lot is the signed trailhead for Our Lake and Headquarters Creek Pass. Take this trail and, when you reach a signed intersection just a few minutes from the parking lot, turn right for Our Lake. From the parking lot, the trail climbs 2.5 miles and 1500' to Our Lake, offering great views of Rocky Mountain and passing a lovely waterfall along the way (best in early summer, nearly dry by August in some years).

Stay a little bit at the lake and admire the scenery. Enjoy it all the more since there are few lakes in the Rocky Mountain Front. Scan the slopes around you for mountain goats. Look to the west for the 7800' saddle you have to reach; it is about 500' higher than Our Lake and approximately half a mile west of it. When you are ready, travel around the north side of the lake and climb west on a grassy slope featuring a few stands of trees. There should be a use trail most of the way from here to the saddle, but if there isn't or you can't find it, just head west and try to minimize your impact on the meadows. The only way you could get lost would be if there were thick fog and you had absolutely no sense of direction. Take a rest, check out the views, and start planning your way up the northwest ridge.

Red Tape

Nothing of which I know.

This is grizzly country-- be alert and be aware. Pepper spray is a good idea, but test it first and know how to use it. Know proper food storage techniques, even for short day hikes.

Camping

There is a Forest Service campground at Mill Falls, which is a mile before the trailhead parking area. There are also opportunities for dispersed camping. Camping and fires at Our Lake are prohibited and sites are difficult to find elsewhere along the trail, but there are some decent sites just downstream from the waterfall draining the bench holding Our Lake. My brother and I camped there in 2003 so we could enjoy the area both in the afternoon and the morning.

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