From Montana Highway 200, turn north onto Landers Fork Road (FR 330) about 11.0 kilometres east of the community of Lincoln or 50.0 kilometres west of the junction with US Highway 287.  Immediately keep right at a split and drive 4.0 kilometres before veering left onto Copper Creek Road (still FR 330).  Drive 8.6 kilometres and stay left at another split (right goes to Indian Meadows camping and staging area in about 2.4 kilometres).  Drive 10.0 kilometres and cross Copper Creek on a bridge.  There is a gate just past this bridge which is apparently only open annually between July 1 and August 31.  If the gate is open, drive another 2.2 kilometres to reach a signed junction with FR 771A just past a hairpin turn.  Although space is limited, this junction is the most logical place to park.  While other motorized traffic is highly unlikely to come through here, it would be prudent to park as far as possible to the side in order to not block the road.  The gravel roads up to the seasonal gate are suitable for 2WD vehicles, but high-clearance is recommended for the rougher section between the gate and the last junction.

From the last junction, Zosia and I hiked the remainder of FR 330 along the south bank of a tributary of Copper Creek.  At road's end, we plunged into the bushes to rock-hop the tributary and thrash up the far bank.  There is some evidence of previous logging or exploration here in the form of some old skid roads crisscrossing the slope, but unfortunately, most of the roads have been reclaimed or are badly choked by deadfall.  We did our best to muddle our way westward up a ridge-like feature, but progress was frustratingly slow.  After passing an old mine adit, we turned up a very steep slope and began a long uphill grind gaining about 400 metres over the next kilometre.  This was a brutally steep climb, but at least the bushwhacking was not so bad here.  Eventually, the angle of the slope eased as we reached a small semi-open plateau.  Crossing the plateau, we dropped down a slight dip before climbing through the last trees and gaining the broad south ridge of Red Mountain.  Although we still had a fair bit of distance and elevation left, most of our route-finding issues were behind us as we settled into an uncomplicated plod up the south ridge to the summit.

Zosia and I stopped for our usual requisite summit break before descending the mountain pretty much the same way we came.  The steep knee-jarring descent from the plateau to the mine adit seemed interminable, but we managed to get down safely without any spills.  A second thrash down the ridge-like feature was just as miserable as the first time, but already knowing the route, we got through this section maybe a little more efficiently.  We had a little more trouble finding the least bushy spot to cross the tributary, but once past this last obstacle, we regained FR 330 with much relief and marched back to our car without further issues.

	Zosia hikes the remainder of the access road (FR 330) which is overgrown at this point.  The ascent route is visible directly above her in the distance.
	Zosia finishes rock-hopping across a tributary of Copper Creek hidden under all the bush.
	Zosia tries to find a way through the intervening trees to the rocky ridge in the distance.
	Deadfall complicates travel up this old reclaimed exploration road.
	Zosia checks out an old mine adit.
	The long uphill grind above the mine adit is less bushy but incredibly steep.
	Crossing a semi-open plateau, Zosia heads toward the south ridge of Red Mountain.

There is still a long way to go to reach the summit of Red Mountain which is visible at distant right.

 

	Zosia approaches a false summit along the broad south ridge of Red Mountain.
	Extra bumps along the south ridge are easy to bypass.
	Zosia wanders a bit further beyond the true summit to verify the height of a subsidiary bump to the north.
	Sonny and Zosia stand on the summit of Red Mountain (2868 metres).
	In this view to the north from the summit, Rocky Mountain is about 77 kilometres away.
	Zosia begins her descent by retracing her steps back along the south ridge.
	The access road (FR 330) can be seen in the valley as Zosia plunges down the steep section above the mine adit.
	Total Distance:  11.9 kilometres Round-Trip Time:  9 hours 14 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain:  1002 metres GPX Data