In Montana I reached my first 3,000 meters of altitude.
There were four of us on the hike and two were fast paced and it was hard to keep up.
Then, having exceeded 2500 meters in height, they began to slow down, a few meters from the top one of them stopped completely because he felt the lack of oxygen. I felt strange too and I did the last few meters in slow motion. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, it was a different feeling, I would define it: “An interesting experience”.
The view from the top was breathtaking, I could have stayed there all day, it looked like the roof of Montana.
Sacajawea Peak, named after a Native American woman of Shoshoni tribe.
Length: 4 miles (round trip)
Duration: 2-5 hours
Difficulty: moderate to difficult
Elevation gain: 610m (2,000ft)
Activities: hiking, trail running
Sacagawea Peak is the highest point in the Bridger Range.
The mountain can be accessed from the west side of the Bridgers, but the most popular route is the trail from the east, which begins at Fairy Lake Campground.
The trail winds up to a rocky peak and there is a great view.
Locals tip: keep an eye out for the mountain goats, in my experience the goats have been found in the mountain to the left of the trail.
Reached the Peak 3000m. The partial pressure of oxygen in the air is perceived a lot, in fact it goes from about 160 mmHg at sea level to about 110 mmHg at 3000 m, bringing the oxygen saturation in the blood from 98% to 90%.
The only thing to do is go up very slowly, especially in the last stretch.
Then the breathtaking panorama makes you forget all the effort made.
Seasonal conditions
This trail is open year-round, but the going gets rough in mud and snow.
The best time to hike Sac Peak is June through October.
It was an unforgettable experience.
If you have the opportunity to go to Montana, don’t forget Sacajawea Peak.