Mount Calowahcan
Encyclopedia
Mount Calowahcan or Mount Harding is second highest peak in the Mission Mountains
and is located in northwestern Montana
in the United States
. East of the mountain is the Swan Valley
and to the west side is the Mission Valley.
Non-tribal members passing through land belonging to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are required to carry a valid tribal lands-usage permit, which can easily be obtained at local sporting goods stores. The pass is good for one year and allows access to the Mission Mountains, stretches of the Flathead River
, among others.
It is also part of the Flathead National Forest, under which the Mission Mountains Wilderness is designated as a wilderness area. The wilderness area is in the Swan Lake Ranger District. The 73,877 acre wilderness was designated on Jan. 4, 1975 and is managed under the Wilderness Act of 1964.
To the south of Mount Calowahcan includes a large grizzly bear protection area which is usually closed to hikers from July through September. This allows the bears to feed on lady bugs and cut worms, and attempts to keep bear-human contact to a minimum.
Mission Mountains
The Mission Mountains or Mission Range are a range of the Rocky Mountains located in northwestern Montana in the United States. They lie chiefly in Lake County and Missoula County and are south and east of Flathead Lake and west of the Swan Range...
and is located in northwestern Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. East of the mountain is the Swan Valley
Swan Valley
Swan Valley may refer to:In Australia:* Swan Valley , a region* Swan Valley Nyungah CommunityIn Canada:* Swan River Valley, a valley between the Duck and Porcupine Mountains in Manitoba...
and to the west side is the Mission Valley.
Hiking and Recreation
As most of the Mission Mountains fall under special protection, land use is limited largely to recreation. Motorized trail bikes, motorcycles, three-and-four wheelers, snowmobiles, hang-gliders and mountain bikes are not permitted. Getting caught with one will result in a ticket.Non-tribal members passing through land belonging to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are required to carry a valid tribal lands-usage permit, which can easily be obtained at local sporting goods stores. The pass is good for one year and allows access to the Mission Mountains, stretches of the Flathead River
Flathead River
The Flathead River, in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Montana, originates in the Rocky Mountains near Glacier National Park and flows southwest into Flathead Lake, then after a journey of , empties into the Clark Fork. The river is part of the Columbia River drainage basin, as the Clark...
, among others.
Protected Areas
Mount Calowahcan falls under the management of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation.It is also part of the Flathead National Forest, under which the Mission Mountains Wilderness is designated as a wilderness area. The wilderness area is in the Swan Lake Ranger District. The 73,877 acre wilderness was designated on Jan. 4, 1975 and is managed under the Wilderness Act of 1964.
To the south of Mount Calowahcan includes a large grizzly bear protection area which is usually closed to hikers from July through September. This allows the bears to feed on lady bugs and cut worms, and attempts to keep bear-human contact to a minimum.
See also
- List of mountain ranges in Montana
- Mission Mountains WildernessMission Mountains WildernessThe Mission Mountains Wilderness is located in the U.S. state of Montana. Created by an act of Congress in 1975, the wilderness is within the Swan Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest....
- Flathead National ForestFlathead National ForestThe Flathead National Forest is a national forest in the western part of the U.S. state of Montana. The forest covers of which about 1 million acres is designated wilderness. It is named after the Flathead Indians who lived in the area. The forest is located in the Rocky Mountains with elevations...
Further reading
- "Indian Trails and Grizzly Tales" by Buddy Cheff Sr. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0912299541
External links
- GORP.com Article http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-flathead-national-forest-montana-sidwcmdev_069222.html
- Summit Post: McDonald Peak http://www.summitpost.org/mcdonald-peak/154818
- The Mission Mountains: Kris Schock http://snyelmn.wordpress.com/flyfishing/the-mission-mountains/