Montana's Highest Mountains: 12ers and 11ers----------------------------------------------------
This list provides an inventory of Montana peaks of elevation 11000 feet or greater.
To make this list, a peak must conform to the so called "Colorado Rule". This rule
states that for a mountain top to be considered a distinct peak, as opposed to a
sub-peak of a higher mountain, it must rise at least 300 feet from the saddle of its
closest neigboring peak of greater elevation. This rule has been successfully applied
to Colorado's mountains in the creation of peaks lists found in "Colorados High
Thirteeners" by Bob Martin and Mike Garratt, and "Colorados Fourteeners: From Hikes to
Climbs" by Gerry Roach. Here it is applied to mountains of Montana.
"Rise" refers to the height above the connecting saddle to the nearest higher peak.
The nearest higher peak is listed under "Parent". "Mile" refers to the straight line
distance between the peak and its parent. Saddle elevations used to compute the "Rise"
figure are interpolated by assuming the elelvation is halfway between the contour lines
shown. This will not always provide a truly accurate rise, but provides a consistent
basis for peak comparison. Unnamed peaks are referred to by "UN" followed by the
elevation.
"Parent" is in almost all cases the nearest higher peak, however in certain instances a
second saddle connecting to a more distant higher peak has a higher elevation than the
saddle connecting to the actual nearest higher peak. In this case, the parent is considered
the more distant higher peak with a higher saddle, which yeilds a lower "rise" figure. In
general, if a mountain is connected to two seperate, higher peaks by two seperate saddles,
the "Rise" will be computed from the saddle with the higher elevation.
With the above definition, "Rise" is identical to prominence, so this list also contains
the prominence figures for all Montana Mountains >=11000 ft which have a minimum prominence
of 300 ft. For details on prominence, visit:
http://www.k-online.com/~esquared/outdoor/prominence/index.htm
The 300ft figure used for rise is purely arbitrary. If you want a tougher standard for your
own list, use the peaks with a rise > 400 or 500 feet.
Elevations shown on USGS maps and forest service maps(and other sources) often differ.
USGS elevations are used whenever possible, and discrepancies are noted.
Due to the adoption of the North American Vertical Datum of 1988, many mountaintop
elevations are being revised by the USGS. As this work is not yet complete, the elevations
used here are from topographic maps based on the 1929 datum. On "Peaks Listed by USGS Quad",
the year of the USGS quad used in this study is listed next to the quad name.
These lists have been developed from careful topographic map study rather than analysis of
digital data. Mistakes are certainly possible. Corrections, questions, and comments are
welcome.
This list is public domain, compiled by Tim Worth, tworth @ colostate.edu
Last updated 11/3/02
--Peaks Listed by USGS Quad----------------------------------------------------------------------
Rnk Name Elev USGS Quad Rise Mile Parent
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Castle Mtn* 12612 Castle Mtn(1986) 2673 9.6 Granite Pk
6 Castle Rock Spire 12540 Castle Mtn 440 0.4 Castle Mtn
10 Castle Rock Mtn 12401 Castle Mtn 501 0.6 Castle Rock Spire
18 UN 12250 12250 Castle Mtn 390 0.6 Castle Rock Mtn
23 Snowbank Mtn 12084 Castle Mtn 864 1.2 UN 12250
29 UN 11848 11848 Castle Mtn 468 0.6 Snowbank Mtn
36 Summit Mtn 11704 Castle Mtn 764 1.8 Snowbank Mtn
3 Whitetail Pk 12551 Silver Run Pk(1996) 1291 2.3 Castle Mtn
7 Silver Run Pk 12500 Silver Run Pk 1463 3.0 Whitetail Pk
11 Beartooth Mtn 12351 Silver Run Pk 1551 2.2 Whitetail Pk
16 Spirit Mtn 12283 Silver Run Pk 783 1.6 Beartooth Mtn
17 Sundance Mtn 12262 Silver Run Pk 602 1.2 Bowback Mtn
20 Mt Reargard 12204 Silver Run Pk 1064 1.3 Spirit Mtn
22 UN 12115 12115 Silver Run Pk 415 1.0 Spirit Mtn
25 Sky Pilot Mtn 12047 Silver Run Pk 547 0.5 Castle Mtn
26 UN 11977 11977 Silver Run Pk 837 1.0 Spirit Mtn
45 Thunder Mtn 11411 Silver Run Pk 484 1.3 Beartooth Mtn
46 Lonesome Mtn 11399 Silver Run Pk 1059 2.5 UN 12115
1 Granite Pk 12799 Granite Pk(1996) 4779& 92.0 Francs Pk(WY)
2 UN (NW Granite Pk) 12745 Granite Pk 305 0.4 Granite Pk
8 Tempest Mtn 12469 Granite Pk 969 0.8 Granite Pk
9 Mt Peal 12409 Granite Pk 509 1.0 Tempest Mtn
11 Glacier Pk 12351~Granite Pk 851 2.0 UN 12745 (NW Granite Pk)
13 Mt Villard 12345 Granite Pk 537 0.9 Glacier Pk
19 Cairn Mtn 12220 Granite Pk 820 1.2 Granite Pk
24 Mystic Mtn 12063 Granite Pk 523 1.3 Mt Villard
30 Mt Wilse 11831 Granite Pk 811 1.5 Glacier Pk
48 UN 11379 11379 Granite Pk 559 1.3 Mt Villard
76 Pika Pk 11000 Granite Pk 300 1.5 Cairn Mtn
2 Mt Wood*** 12649 Mt Wood(1996) 2829 7.6 Granite Pk
15 Mt Hague 12323 Mt Wood 1223 1.5 Mt Wood
21 Pyramid Mtn 12119 Mt Wood 339 2.2 Mt Wood
31 UN 11821 11821 Mt Wood 340 2.5 Mt Wood
32 UN 11817 11817 Mt Wood 717 1.5 Mt Wood
50 UN 11331 11331 Mt Wood 380 1.7 Mt Hague
66 UN 11148 11148 Mt Wood 308 0.7 Mt Hauge
28 Mt Inabit 11928 Alpine(1996) 508 0.7 Bowback Mtn
35 Mt Hole in the Wall 11778 Alpine 498 2.8 Mt Peal
37 UN 11576 11576 Alpine 596 1.6 Mt Peal
14 Bowback Mtn 12343 Sylvan Pk(1996) 1723 1.0 Castle Mtn
27 Sylvan Pk 11935 Sylvan Pk 486 1.8 Bowback Mtn
64 UN 11184 11184 Sylvan Pk 304 1.6 Silver Run Pk
73 Grass Mtn 11052 Sylvan Pk 712 2.6 Sylvan Pk
44 Mt Dewey 11436 Fossil Lake(1986) 336 1.4 Summit Mtn
33 Wolf Mtn 11800+Little Park Mtn(1996) 980 2.5 Mt Wilse
38 Iceberg Pk 11552 Little Park Mtn 772 1.1 Mt Wilse
39 UN 11540+ 11540+Little Park Mtn 500+ 0.6 Wolf Mtn
40 Little Park Mtn 11506 Little Park Mtn 766 3.9 UN 11540+
41 UN 11505 11505 Little Park Mtn 325 0.3 Little Park Mtn
42 Sawtooth Mtn 11488 Little Park Mtn 388 0.6 UN 11540+
43 UN 11443 11443 Little Park Mtn 623 0.9 UN 11505
47 UN 11380 11380 Little Park Mtn 640 1.6 UN 11540+
49 Big Mtn 11371 Little Park Mtn 471 0.8 UN 11380
50 UN 11311 11311 Little Park Mtn 371 0.7 Big Mtn
56 UN 11245 11245 Little Park Mtn 425 0.7 UN 11505
72 Hodges Mtn 11087 Little Park Mtn 667 1.7 Big Mtn
56 Mt Fox 11245 Cooke City(1996) 1265 1.7 Sawtooth Mtn
34 Twin Peaks 11793 Cathedral Pt(1996) 1253 2.5 Mt Hague
52 Tumble Mtn 11314!Tumble Mtn(1996) 2863 11.7 Iceberg Pk?
Two Sisters**
62 "East" Sister 11190 Tumble Mtn 1650 4.1 Tumble Mtn
62 "West" Sister 11190 Tumble Mtn 1650 3.9 Tumble Mtn
69 Chalice Pk 11143 Tumble Mtn 526 2.0 Tumble Mtn
71 UN 11103 11103 Tumble Mtn 340 0.8 Tumble Mtn
60 Mt Cowen 11206 Mt Cowen(1987) 2672& 18.0 Mt Douglas
55 Mt Douglas 11182 Mt Douglas(1987) 1676 5.5 Tumble Mtn
58 Crazy Pk 11214 Crazy Pk(1972) 5710& ? Mt Douglas?
51 Hilgard Pk 11316!!Hilgard Pk(1988) 4064& ? Tumble Mtn? Sawtooth Mtn?
58 Echo Pk 11214 Hilgard Pk 874 1.8 Hilgard Pk
61 Imp Pk**** 11202 Hilgard Pk 1362 3.3 Echo Pk
54 Koch Pk 11293 Koch Pk(1988) 1453 8.3 Hilgard Pk
74 UN 11049 11049 Koch Pk 549 1.0 Koch Pk
65 Tweedy Mtn 11154 Torrey Mtn(1997) 3794& 76.0? Scott Pk(ID)(?)
67 Torrey Mtn 11147 Torrey Mtn 1127 1.7 Tweedy Mtn
75 Gallatin Pk 11015 Gallatin Pk(1988) 3175& 7.5 Lone Mtn
70 Lone Mtn 11116 Lone Mtn(1988) 2726& 16.9 Koch Pk
68 Eighteenmile Pk 11147 Eighteenmile Pk(1987) 1641 11.5 Scott Pk(ID)
--Peaks Listed by USGS Elevation-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rnk Name Elev USGS Quad Rise Mile Parent
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Granite Pk 12799 Granite Pk 4779& 92.0 Francs Pk(WY)
2 UN (NW Granite Pk) 12745 Granite Pk 305 0.4 Granite Pk
3 Mt Wood*** 12649 Mt Wood 2829 7.6 Granite Pk
4 Castle Mtn* 12612 Castle Mtn 2673 9.6 Granite Pk
5 Whitetail Pk 12551 Silver Run Pk 1291 2.3 Castle Mtn
6 Castle Rock Spire 12540 Castle Mtn 440 0.4 Castle Mtn
7 Silver Run Pk 12500 Silver Run Pk 1463 3.0 Whitetail Pk
8 Tempest Mtn 12469 Granite Pk 969 0.8 Granite Pk
9 Mt Peal 12409 Granite Pk 509 1.0 Tempest Mtn
10 Castle Rock Mtn 12401 Castle Mtn 501 0.6 Castle Rock Spire
11 Beartooth Mtn 12351 Silver Run Pk 1551 2.2 Whitetail Pk
11 Glacier Pk 12351~ Granite Pk 851 2.0 UN 12745 (NW Granite Pk)
13 Mt Villard 12345 Granite Pk 537 0.9 Glacier Pk
14 Bowback Mtn 12343 Sylvan Pk 1723 1.0 Castle Mtn
15 Mt Hague 12323 Mt Wood 1223 1.5 Mt Wood
16 Spirit Mtn 12283 Silver Run Pk 783 1.6 Beartooth Mtn
17 Sundance Mtn 12262 Silver Run Pk 602 1.2 Bowback Mtn
18 UN 12250 12250 Castle Mtn 390 0.6 Castle Rock Mtn
19 Cairn Mtn 12220 Granite Pk 820 1.2 Granite Pk
20 Mt Reargard 12204 Silver Run Pk 1064 1.3 Spirit Mtn
21 Pyramid Mtn 12119 Mt Wood 339 2.2 Mt Wood
22 UN 12115 12115 Silver Run Pk 415 1.0 Spirit Mtn
23 Snowbank Mtn 12084 Castle Mtn 864 1.2 UN 12250
24 Mystic Mtn 12063 Granite Pk 523 1.3 Mt Villard
25 Sky Pilot Mtn 12047 Silver Run Pk 547 0.5 Castle Mtn
26 UN 11977 11977 Silver Run Pk 837 1.0 Spirit Mtn
27 Sylvan Pk 11935 Sylvan Pk 486 1.8 Bowback Mtn
28 Mt Inabit 11928 Alpine 508 0.7 Bowback Mtn
29 UN 11848 11848 Castle Mtn 468 0.6 Snowbank Mtn
30 Mt Wilse 11831 Granite Pk 811 1.5 Glacier Pk
31 UN 11821 11821 Mt Wood 340 2.5 Mt Wood
32 UN 11817 11817 Mt Wood 717 1.5 Mt Wood
33 Wolf Mtn 11800+ Little Park Mtn 980 2.5 Mt Wilse
34 Twin Peaks 11793 Cathedral Pt 1253 2.5 Mt Hague
35 Mt Hole in the Wall 11778 Alpine 498 2.8 Mt Peal
36 Summit Mtn 11704 Castle Mtn 764 1.8 Snowbank Mtn
37 UN 11576 11576 Alpine 596 1.6 Mt Peal
38 Iceberg Pk 11552 Little Park Mtn 772 1.1 Mt Wilse
39 UN 11540+ 11540+ Little Park Mtn 500+ 0.6 Wolf Mtn
40 Little Park Mtn 11506 Little Park Mtn 766 3.9 UN 11540+
41 UN 11505 11505 Little Park Mtn 325 0.3 Little Park Mtn
42 Sawtooth Mtn 11488 Little Park Mtn 388 0.6 UN 11540+
43 UN 11443 11443 Little Park Mtn 623 0.9 UN 11505
44 Mt Dewey 11436 Fossil Lake 336 1.4 Summit Mtn
45 Thunder Mtn 11411 Silver Run Pk 484 1.3 Beartooth Mtn
46 Lonesome Mtn 11399 Silver Run Pk 1059 2.5 UN 12115
47 UN 11380 11380 Little Park Mtn 640 1.6 UN 11540+
48 UN 11379 11379 Granite Pk 559 1.3 Mt Villard
49 Big Mtn 11371 Little Park Mtn 471 0.8 UN 11380
50 UN 11331 11331 Mt Wood 380 1.7 Mt Hague
51 Hilgard Pk 11316!!Hilgard Pk 4064& ? Tumble Mtn? Sawtooth Mtn?
52 Tumble Mtn 11314! Tumble Mtn 2863 11.7 Iceberg Pk?
53 UN 11311 11311 Little Park Mtn 371 0.7 Big Mtn
54 Koch Pk 11293 Koch Pk 1453 8.3 Hilgard Pk
55 Mt Douglas 11282 Mt Douglas 1676 5.5 Tumble Mtn
56 UN 11245 11245 Little Park Mtn 425 0.7 UN 11505
57 Mt Fox 11245 Cooke City 1265 1.7 Sawtooth Mtn
58 Crazy Pk 11214 Crazy Pk 5710& ? Mt Douglas?
58 Echo Pk 11214 Hilgard Pk 874 1.8 Hilgard Pk
60 Mt Cowen 11206 Mt Cowen 2672& 18.0 Mt Douglas
61 Imp Pk**** 11202 Hilgard Pk 1362 3.3 Echo Pk
Two Sisters**
62 "East" Sister 11190 Tumble Mtn 1650 4.1 Tumble Mtn
62 "West" Sister 11190 Tumble Mtn 1650 3.9 Tumble Mtn
64 UN 11184 11184 Sylvan Pk 304 1.6 Silver Run Pk
65 Tweedy Mtn 11154 Torrey Mtn 3794& 76.0+ Scott Pk(ID)(?)
66 UN 11148 11148 Mt Wood 308 0.7 Mt Hauge
67 Torrey Mtn 11147 Torrey Mtn 1127 1.7 Tweedy Mtn
68 Eighteenmile Pk 11147 Eighteenmile Pk 1641 11.5 Scott Pk(ID)
69 Chalice Pk 11143 Tumble Mtn 526 2.0 Tumble Mtn
70 Lone Mtn 11116 Lone Mtn 2726& 16.9 Koch Pk
71 UN 11103 11103 Tumble Mtn 340 0.8 Tumble Mtn
72 Hodges Mtn 11087 Little Park Mtn 667 1.7 Big Mtn
73 Grass Mtn 11052 Sylvan Pk 712 2.6 Sylvan Pk
74 UN 11049 11049 Koch Pk 549 1.0 Koch Pk
75 Gallatin Pk 11015 Gallatin Pk 3175& 7.5 Lone Mtn
76 Pika Pk 11000 Granite Pk 300 1.5 Cairn Mtn
---Notes---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
& Indicates rise taken from prominence research done by others + 20 ft for interpolation
* For the purposes of this list, the Plateau BM is considered the summit of Castle Mtn.
** there is a >= 300 drop between the Two Sisters, thus each is counted as a distinct peak.
Both are of near equal elevation, thus parent, rise and mileage is based on the next
highest peak, excluding the other sister.
*** Mt Wood has two summits, with a drop between the two of 140ft and distance apart of
0.3 mi. Thus they are not distinct summits. No information on which one is higher.
**** Imp Peak has two summits, with a drop between the two of 60 ft and a distance apart of
0.2 mi. Thus they are not distinct summits. No information on which is higher.
! Tumble Mtn is shown at 11324 on FS maps
!! Hilgard's exact elevation is within the 11280-11320 range. FS maps list the elevation
at 11316. A UGSG Geographic Names database search turns up 11297. Other sources turn up
merely 11280+. It is widely considered higher than Koch Peak(11292).
---Counts----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Peaks >12000: 25
Total Peaks >=11000: 76
Total Peaks 11999-11000: 51
By Range: [Z peaks (x 12Kers, y 11Kers)]
Beartooth Mountains: 58 (25,33)
Absaroka Range*: 7 (0,7)
Pioneer Mountains: 2 (0,2)
Madison Range: 5 (0,5)
Crazy Mountains: 1 (0,1)
Beaverhead Mtns: 1 (0,1)
Gallatin Range: 2 (0,2)
* For this classification, the Stillwater River seperates the Beartooths from
the Absarokas. Not sure if this is geologically correct.
--Named Peaks with a saddle rise < 300 ft-------------------------------------------------------
Mt Zimmer 11550 Cooke City 250 1.1 Iceberg Pk
Mt Rosebud 11163 Fossil Lake 103 0.6 Mt Dewey
Medicine Mtn 11900+ Silver Run Pk 200 0.7 Sky Pilot Mtn
Mt Lockhart 11647 Silver Run Pk 127 0.8 Whitetail Pk
Elk Mtn 12256 Sylvan Pk 260 0.9 Bowback Mtn
Froze to Death Mtn 11792 Granite Pk 152 2.0 Tempest Mtn
--Other unnamed peaks with a rise >= 200 fft----------------------------------------------------
-there are likely more than listed here-
UN 11168 11168 Little Park Mtn 268 0.5 UN 11311
UN 11568 11568 Little Park Mtn 228 0.2 Wolf Mtn
UN 11282 11282 Mt Wood 262 1.1 Mt Wood
UN 11080(N Hilgard)* 11080 Mt Hilgard 110* 0.1 Mt Hilgard
UN 11894 11894 Granite Pk 214 0.8 Cairn Mtn
UN 11908 11908 Granite Pk 288 0.4 Mystic Mtn
UN 11150 11150 Castle Mtn 220 0.9 Summit Mtn
UN 11500 11500 Castle Mtn 200 0.8 UN 11848
UN 11840+ 11840+ Sylvan Pk 220 0.5 Sylvan Pk
"Sawtooth Spires"** 11400+ Little Park Mtn 200+ Sawtooth Mtn
* In the book "Climber's Guide to Montana", elevation of N Hilgard is said to be a few
feet lower than Hilgard, which would give it an elevation of ~11312 and a rise of ~332,
or given the alternate Hilgard elevation, ~11293ft with a rise of ~313
** These pinnacles are located between Sawtooth Mtn and UN 11540+. Their rise cannot be
determined from maps.