Bridger Range


The Bridger Range, also known as the Bridger Mountains, is a subrange of the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Montana in the United States. The range runs mostly in a north–south direction between Bozeman and Maudlow. It is separated from the Gallatin Range to the south by Bozeman Pass; from the Horseshoe Hills to the west by Dry Creek; from the Crazy Mountains to the east by the Shields River valley; and from the Big Belt Mountains to the north by Sixteen Mile Creek. The highest point in the Bridger Range is Sacagawea Peak, which is visible to the northeast from Bozeman.
Although the range is mostly in Gallatin County, a small portion extends into Park County. Bozeman Pass, at an elevation of, is a narrow pass that lies between Bozeman and Livingston. The entire range is within Gallatin National Forest.

History

The range is named after Jim Bridger a 19th Century mountain man. Bridger pioneered the Bridger Trail, an alternative to the Bozeman Trail, in 1864. Both took settlers from the Oregon/California/Mormon Trail in southern Wyoming to the gold fields in Montana territory, especially Virginia City. While the Bozeman Trail went east of the Bighorn Mountains in more dangerous territory, Jim Bridger veered settlers west of the range and into the Bighorn Basin. The trail then crossed today's Montana-Wyoming border south of Bridger, Montana, also named for Jim. Another key place where the trails diverged is heading west into the Gallatin Valley. While John Bozeman's trail crossed roughly at today's Bozeman Pass, Jim Bridger took settlers a short way up the Shields Valley, then through the Bracket Creek cutoff, and down through Bridger Canyon. This route is longer but not as arduously steep as the pass. From this segment of his trail, the canyon and Bridger Range to its west were named after the mountain man.
On January 10, 1938, Northwest Airlines Flight 2 crashed in the Bridger Mountains, killing all 10 aboard. This was the first fatal crash of a Northwest Airlines aircraft.

Prominent peaks

The most prominent peaks in the Bridgers include:
  • Sacagawea Peak,,
  • Pomp Peak,,
  • Hardscrabble Peak,,
  • Naya Nuki Peak,,
  • Saddle Peak,,
  • Ross Peak,,
  • Mount Baldy,,
  • Bridger Peak,,

    Recreation

Skiing

The Bridger Range is also home to the ski area Bridger Bowl. With the first rope tow installed in 1951, Bridger Bowl quickly became a popular mountain with the locals. The area has a top elevation of 8700 feet and a base elevation of 6100 feet. On average the ski area receives of snow every year. Backcountry skiing is also very popular in the Bridgers, with snow being available on peaks such as Sacagawea from early November until late May/early June. Beginning in the 2008–2009 ski season, Bridger Bowl started to allow backcountry travel from the ski area via access gates on the northern and southern boundaries.

Hiking

Though many hiking trails exist, Sacagawea Peak is a favorite hiking area in the Bridgers. The hike is a short but strenuous one-way trek through pine forest, alpine tundra and scree fields to the top of Sacagawea Peak. The Bridger Ridge Run is a race which takes place in mid-August. The race follows the ridgeline from Fairy Lake to the southern end of the range.