Dome Mountain

BOU AVENUE
Dome Mountain

Kicking off the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend, Zosia Zgolak and I returned to the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness near Libby, Montana to hike up Dome Mountain on 12 October 2024. We got most of our inspiration from Brandon Boulier's entry in Peakbagger.com, but the trip is apparently a favourite among locals. The mountain is easily accessed by a lengthy but well-maintained trail which passes a couple of picturesque lakes--Lower and Upper Cedar Lakes. Some people break the ascent over two days by overnighting at one of the lakes, but like Boulier, we would do the hike in a single reasonably long day.

From US Highway 2, turn south onto Cedar Creek Road (2WD gravel) 7.4 kilometres west of the junction with Highway 37 in Libby or 17.0 kilometres east of the junction with Highway 56. Drive 4.0 kilometres to road's end at Cedar Creek Trailhead (no facilities).

Starting by headlamp, Zosia and I followed a good trail which climbs gently alongside Cedar Creek for the first seven kilometres or so. After passing a signed junction with Grambauer Ridge Tie Trail (383A), we arrived at the north shore of Lower Cedar Lake where we stopped only briefly before carrying on up a short headwall to reach the larger and more scenic Upper Cedar Lake. We took a short break here in the warm sunshine and were amused to see some fish swimming near the shore line. When we resumed hiking, we continued following the trail which winds up a ridge to the north before circling around another bump west of Upper Cedar Lake. About 900 metres past a signed junction with Taylor Peak Trail (320), we turned onto a beaten path marked by a cairn and ascended through thinning larch trees. The beaten path eventually petered out near the last trees, but from there, we only had to climb up easy rubble to reach the broad summit of Dome Mountain. The beautiful weather on this day allowed us to take an extended break on the summit, and we chatted at length with a solo hiker who arrived a few minutes after us.

When we resumed hiking, Zosia and I headed to a subsidiary peak to the northeast where we were treated to an aerial view of Upper Cedar Lake. From there, we descended lightly forested slopes to the west and eventually regained the beaten path without too much grief. Regaining the main trail, we backtracked along the ridges and down to the lakes without any problems. Seeing golden larches in the valley and the forest scenery that we missed earlier in the dark helped alleviate some of the drudgery of the long but otherwise unremarkable remaining hike back to the trailhead.

No bicycles allowed! Zosia reads an information sign board near the trailhead.

Pretty, isn't it?
The fall foliage stands out along the trail.
Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

It's odd how the larches proliferate in certain spots. Zosia passes by a surprising patch of golden larches in the forest.

Tough lake to photograph! Zosia arrives at Lower Cedar Lake.

Exceptionally beautiful.
Zosia stands on the shore of Upper Cedar Lake.

Dome Mountain's north face is impressive! Zosia ascends the trail high above Upper Cedar Lake with Dome Mountain in the background.

And the great views just keep coming on this trail!

The sun is reflected in Upper Cedar Lake in this view from the ridge to the northwest.

	Zosia crosses a bridge over a steep gully.
	Here is another view of Upper Cedar Lake from the northwest ridge of Dome Mountain. A bit of Lower Cedar Lake is also visible.
	Zosia leaves the main trail to follow a beaten path up the final approach to Dome Mountain.
	With the beaten path petering out, Zosia makes her way across a rubble slope en route to the summit which is visible here.
	A survey benchmark marks the summit of Dome Mountain.
	Sonny and Zosia stand near the summit of Dome Mountain (2311 metres).
	The city of Libby can be seen in the valley to the east.
	The view to the south invites further exploration.
	Zosia heads for a subsidiary peak (centre) to the northeast.
	Zosia stands beside a massive cairn on top of a subsidiary peak (2298 metres).
	The subsidiary peak grants views of both Upper and Lower Cedar Lakes as well as Grambauer Mountain (left) and Scenery Mountain (centre).
	Zosia descends the west slope of Dome Mountain. At right is unofficially-named Falls Creek Peak.
	Golden larches sporadically dot the partially-forested west slope of Dome Mountain.
	The source of Falls Creek is this unnamed tarn below the southwest face of Grambauer Mountain.
	Zosia returns along the trail high above Upper Cedar Lake.
	The late day sun lights up the same patch of golden larches that Zosia passed in the forest earlier in the day.
	Total Distance: 27.0 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 11 hours 42 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1388 metres GPX Data

	Zosia reads an information sign board near the trailhead.
	The fall foliage stands out along the trail. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia passes by a surprising patch of golden larches in the forest.
	Zosia arrives at Lower Cedar Lake.
	Zosia stands on the shore of Upper Cedar Lake.
	Zosia ascends the trail high above Upper Cedar Lake with Dome Mountain in the background.