Spontaneous hiking! I think it must be what I did in Helena, Montana. I was getting ready to leave the city early in the morning, but before doing so, I decided to cruise the streets. What really caught my attention was the mountain visible from every direction. I wondered how to get there, because I would love to hike up for a super view of the city. The mountain is named Mount Helena and is part of Mount Helena City Park, a huge and popular area for runners, mountain bikers and hikers. Being persistent helped me to get closer to this intriguing mountain and a trailhead. I found one at LeGrande Cannon Blvd.
There was no information on how to get to the summit, so my hike started into the unknown. My first shot was the Ambrose Trail, but a local runner told me it wouldn’t take me to the top. I walked back and followed Swaney Trail and then Prairie Trail. At some point I could have taken the 1906 Trail, but instead, I decided to follow what appeared to be a trail. Soon after, I must have gotten off trail. I didn’t meet anyone, and it got really steep. I had to scramble a few sections but managed to reach a highpoint that I believed to be the summit. Now it was just a matter of deciding for a spot to settle and enjoy the view. The hike back down was a challenge because of the steep descent. Later on I realized that I might not have been at the official summit, and there’s probably an easier way to the real summit. Anyway, my view was picture-perfect and I had a great morning hike in Helena.