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Gunsight Mountain

Glacier Park

Views from the Summits:
Gunsight Mountain

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a view of Gunsight Mountain from the Sperry Glacier Trail.  The glacial tarn is named Akaiyan Lake, which is directly below the Sperry Headwall and Comeau Pass (to the left, not pictured).

Gunsight (9,258 feet) is located near the Sperry Chalet, and the great Sperry Glacier rests on its northeast face.  This famous mountain is named "Gunsight" because it actually has two peaks- a west peak and an east peak.  At the right angle, these two peaks create the appearance of a gunsight, thus the name Gunsight Mountain.

Gunsight Peak is approached by taking the Sperry Chalet Traihead at Lake McDonald Lodge, and then when you're almost to the chalet, you take a left onto the Sperry Glacier Trail.  Just beyond Comeau Pass the climb begins.  This is a 24 mile day with a 6,105 vertical elevation gain!  Now that's a workout!

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Grinnell Mountain is the sharp matterhorn to the left.  We took this photo from Mount Henkel as we faced southwest.  Henkel is just above the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn.  Just to the right of Grinnell Mountain is Swiftcurrent Glacier.   Bullhead lake is the larger lake you can see far below in the Swiftcurrent Valley.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a view of Gunsight Mountain from the Hidden Lake Overlook near Logan Pass.  This angle better illustrates the two peaks creating the "gunsight" appearance.  We climbed the sharp peak to the right for this page.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Here we go!

Views from the Summit

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a view of Glacier Park's remote Livingston Range.  We are facing straight north into the range.  This range runs north and south and extends from Lake McDonald all the way to the northern border.  These are some of the most remote peaks in North America.
The sharp peak located at the lower right corner of the photo is Little Matterhorn.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This a view of the giant Mount Jackson from the summit of Gunsight Mountain.   Glaciers are found all around this great mountain, and it's one of the "Big Six" in the park that are over 10,000 feet.  The lake below is Lake Ellen Wilson, and just to the left of the lake is the popular Gunsight Pass.  (Camera facing south)

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Here's Shannon standing on the west summit, looking acrossed to the east summit of Gunsight Mountain.  The peaks of the Logan Pass area are in the distance.  The Sperry Glacier rests below the east summit, along its northeast face.  The glacier cannot be seen from the west summit. 

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a view of Lake McDonald and Sperry Chalet from the summit of Gunsight Mountain.
We are thousands of vertical feet above the chalet, and over 6,000 vertical feet above the lake!  (Camera facing west)

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

 You can see forever on the summit of Gunsight Mountain!

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

There is an ocean of peaks when looking to the east.  These are all peaks around the Logan Pass Area. 

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a view to the east, showing the many peaks of the Logan Pass area.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

The lakes below are Akaiyan Lake (right) and Feather Woman Lake (left.  These are what is known as "glacial tarns".  Just to the right of Akaiyan Lake is Comeau Pass, and directly behind the lakes is Mount Edwards.  The Sperry Glacier Trail works its way around these lakes and onto Comeau Pass on its way to Sperry Glacier.  Glacier Park's Livingston Range is seen in the distance.  (Camera facing north)

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

 Here's a view to the west.  The lake far below to the left is Lake Ellen Wilson.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Mount Jackson as viewed from the summit of Gunsight Mountain.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

There's always snow fields to navigate when climbing Gunsight Mountain, even in late August.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a view of Bearhat Mountain and Cannon Mountain (closest), and the long, rugged Lewis Range in the distance.  The Highline Trail follows much of this range, from Logan Pass all the way to Goat Haunt.  The long, skinny lakes (tarns) below are where the Sperry Glacier once was hundreds of years ago.  The photo below shows you the names of some of the peaks...

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

The Lewis Range runs all the way from Logan Pass up to Goat Haunt.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

We picked a perfect day to climb this beautiful mountain.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Another view of Mount Edwards (to the left) and Glacier Park's remote Livingston Range in the distance.   The peak just to the right of Mount Edwards is Little Matterhorn, and directly below the Little Matterhorn on the other side rests Avalanche Lake (not in view).

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Shannon enjoying a snack on the summit of Gunsight Pass.  Mount Jackson towers behind her.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Another view to the east, showing several of the Logan Pass Peaks, as well as the mighty Mount Siyeh in the distant center.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

 Here are the names of peaks around the Logan Pass Area and beyond.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Gunsight Pass is located directly to the left of Lake Ellen Wilson.  The Gunsight Pass Trail begins at the Going-to-the-Sun Road, then works its way up to the pass, and then down along Lake Ellen Wilson eventually reaching the Granite Park Chalet.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

It's a great view from the summit of Gunsight Mountain.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a unique view of Mount Saint Nicholas from the summit of Gunsight Mountain.  The camera is facing straight south.  This famous peak (called a spire) is located in the southern section of Glacier Park and is felt my many mountain climbers to be the most technically challenging peak in the park.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

These lakes, called glacial tarns, are remnants of where the Sperry Glacier once carved rock hundreds of years ago.  Note the piles of gravel in the upper section of this photo.  Those are called glacial moraines, and are left at the foot of a glacier.  Sperry Glacier is still one of the largest Glaciers in the park, and is still actively grinding rock (to the right of this photo out of view).  See photo below for a view of the glacier....

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Here is a view of the Sperry Glacier from Bearhat Mountain.  Note the glacial moraine and glacial tarns (lakes) that we showed you on the photo prior to this photo.  This glacial moraine marks the spot where Sperry Glacier's toe once was.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

The Livingston Range is one of the most remote places in Glacier Park.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

We really enjoyed our time on the summit of Gunsight Mountain.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Lake McDonald Lodge is about 22 miles from the summit of Gunsight Mountain, and over 6,000 vertical feet below it.  That's where our truck is parked.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

This is a view to the west.  The mountains far in the distance behind David are Montana's Mission Range, with the incredible Stanton Glacier resting on the east face of Great Northern Mountain.

Gunsight Mountain, Glacier National Park

Shannon works her way down the snowfield on our way back down the north face of Gunsight Mountain.  It was a perfect day that we'll always remember.

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