Montana Climber: Mason Lake

Mark recently obtained a copy of the new bouldering guide, Southwest Montana Blocs, so we went out to find some new problems and a different corner of the Tobacco Roots. I was able to conscript Joe into carrying my Mad Rock pad in exchange for me carrying his beer in my Mystery Ranch pack. Mason Lakes was the destination and adventure was on the menu.

Mark's new truck got us all the way to the trail head. This is a road that I probably would have felt more comfortable with a four-wheeler on. I recommend 4-wheel drive, bravado, or both. The rest of the hike in is a breeze!

Two bull moose were in attendance. This one had a modest rack, the other one was HUGE.

It took me a while, but eventually I figured out why they are called the "Mason" Lakes

The masonry is still kickin'.

Then we found the boulders and started climbing, this is me on an easy one.

The holds a nice and smooth for Montana bouldering standards.

Mark topping out while Joe spots.

This one is a V3

Good friends are a great addition to any climbing rack.

If you're not taking a few art shots when you are out bouldering, then what are you doing?

The Tobacco Roots are Beautiful.

Do we climb the rocks or do they climb us?

This is the Mason Lake side of Hollowtop. As you can see there are approximately three main buttresses, we visited the right most of the two which are in the middle of this photo. First we went to the smaller one which is nestled in the middle of the two talus fields, there are three routes which are two or three pitches tall on this buttress. The roof feature that is visible on the large buttress in both of these photos is huge and catches your eye from every angle, look for it in all of the photos!

Here be dragons.

The base of the lower right hand buttress.

Mark and Joe approaching the base of the cleanest crack I have ever seen in Montana.

I have no idea what the grade for this crack would be, I don't know if it needs one. It could possibly be described as a narrow off-width and most definitely be described as beautiful.

Taking in Big Poppa Hollowtop.

This is the large roof I pointed out earlier, there are other roofs on the wall but this one is large and in charge. It looks like there are some pretty clean cracks running in and out of it.

A classic off-width at the base of the main wall

The large splitter crack in the middle of the above photo is the feature that most readily catches ones eye upon first getting a good look at the Hollowtop wall.
It's probably 500 feet and likely starts with a right trending pitch that starts near the small trees visible in both of these photos and ends at the top of the pillar which is on the left side of the horizontal crack in the bottom photo. It appears as though you could then move right using the horizontal crack/ledge and gain the MEGA SPLITTER! The mega splitter goes up and then angles back into the dark grey stone and up to the base of the blonde head wall where a right angling, lightning bolt shaped crack takes you to the top! There may also be a vertical crack to the left of it, also on the blonde head wall.

I'm sure that a direct start can and has been done, but the right trending line that starts at the left near the bushes and ends at the left of the horizontal crack seams the likely choice for most parties. We saw an old carabiner on a sling at the top of that pillar.