Beartooth Mountains: Tempest Mountain

A friend of mine, Ben, was jonesing to get up Granite Peak so I told him I would try and get him up there. Due to some stomach issues and personal peak bagging desires, I went up Tempest while he found his way up Granite. We left Mystic Lake at 6am and didnt get back until 7:30pm. Thats a lot of trail time, granted I got a couple hours nap while Ben was on Granite. It would have been my 4th trip up Granite and my stoke factor just wasnt high enough to turn the day into a death march and I had never been on Tempest. I would like to climb Montana's 100 tallest mountains so tagging Tempest (#6 or 7 depending on the list) was a must do. There is never really a bad day in the mountains but the West Rosebud experience has really gone downhill in my opinion. I mean, its the Beartooths, a giant wilderness area right? Not so much when there are atleast 10 tents up on the plateau, people everywhere you look, 6ft tall cairns every hundred yards and trails where there never used to be. People were surface shitting right off the trail without even putting rocks on top, allowing toilet paper to blow all over and get caught on rocks and branches. I picked up micro trash constantly. I even put a fire out at Mystic lake that was left full of wood and still burning! I guess its my fault for being up there during peak season but 8 or 9 years ago when I made my maiden voyage there was still a sense of adventure. BUT I still had a great time and it was an overall very successful trip. It might have been the nicest weather the Beartooths have ever seen!

Topping out the switchbacks from hell. This giant cairn has always been there. 

The plateau froze that night and the 3ft of snow a week prior made water available everywhere.

Granite from Tempest. 

A little snow still on the North Face.