Cat Creek Hills (Highwood)

Cat Creek Hills (Highwood)

November 2012

The pointy hills with crooked trees.  Limber pines fold in the breeze and their 1,000 year skeletons adorn the pathway to this most prominent of hills, the Cat Creek Hills in the Highwood River Valley.

Starting with an expansive ridge walk edged by the Great Divide with the Peaks of Stachan, Muir and Armstrong.  The path continues through a low pass in the trees towards the slippery, steep slope beneath a small, windblown summit.

This is a group of hills will always bring you fond memories as you drive past.  It’s close to the Highwood Junction gate during the winter and made a great end of season hike back in November of 2012.  A little piece of the foothills, in the front ranges.

The pointy summit of the Cat Creek Hills
The hills from a distant. the summit we climbed is the middle right (or the second from left)
Limber Pine Skeleton
Slabs along the first ridge
Highwood washout
Limber Pines along the first ridge
Slabs of outcropping near the top, easy routes can be found through them
Slabs near summit close up
Above the slabs

IMG_1567The approach of the summit after the pass

The descent back down the first ridge towards the trail head.
The peaks of the great divide to the west


The Cat Creek Hills, goodbye Highwood

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