Ryan Jordan

Sunrise on the Walling Reef, Bob Marshall Wilderness (Photo, Sigma DP2s)

Walling Reef Sunrise

Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana (Sigma DP2s, ISO 50, f/11, 1.6 sec.)

Waking up to this is not a bad gig, but this is what I had to work with on Friday morning.

The problem with this view is that I could see it out of the window as I taught an indoor class for a couple of hours Friday, and it was distracting.

However, I had the opportunity to pack everyone up so we could actually walk towards, and behind that big mountain.

It’s called the Walling Reef (to the right) and is one of the most fantastic limestone cliff reefs in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The mountain to the left of it is also a big deal, it’s called Old Man of the Hills, and it’s an easy climb to the summit. Traversing the Walling Reef, on the other hand – that’s for goats – but there’s a good bench hidden on the E side of the crest with a Class 3 entry/exit to the south that’s doable, but a little scary and exposed.

In the middle of the two is that big canyon, the North Fork Dupuyer Creek. That was our target, and we spent Friday night back up in there, tucked neatly into the Wilderness Area.