I was looking for a good way to spend the Christmas Holiday. day and burn off some of those unnecessary calories from the holiday season. After scouring weather reports and road conditions, I settled on a snowshoe trip up the Denny Creek trail and an attempt at climbing Low Mountain.  

The beginning of the trail in winter is easy as it winds along the closed NF 5800 that follows I-90 for several miles. The road has access to other trails as well. All are well signed and offer ample opportunity for people of all ages and skill levels. WTA has excellent reports for each of them if you want to take a look.

bridge over denny creek

snowshoe route low mountain

view east low mountain

opted to take the Denny Creek trail so that I could have my attempt at Low Mountain. I had heard the snowshoe route was a straight forward though tough winter goal. Several miles up the Denny Creek trail you will reach an area where you can continue to follow the creek.

That will bring you to snowshoe falls. Or, as I did you can cross the creek and head uphill in the other direction. The creek was low, but it was still a little difficult to cross the icy snow-covered rocks.

waterboy on low mountain

I90 from low mountain

view east low mountain

After getting through the creek crossing, the trail heads up the hill for another mile or so. Here it comes out onto a steep boulder field (snow at the time of this writing). This is as far as I could make it. I saw the rest of the route but some thick clouds rolled in. As the snow started to fall I decided to abandon the trip and head home.

If you are attempting Low mountain it looks to be around a 500 foot gain from the boulder field to the summit. The ridge should be easy to get to and then followed up from what I could tell.