One of the must-do activities in Missoula is to hike up to the giant M at the peak of Mount Sentinal. So at eight this morning, before it got too hot, I set out. It's hard to see the M in this photo, but this is what the hill looks like from the bottom.
It's a steep climb on switchbacks cut into the mountain by University of Montana forestry students at the turn of the century. The first M was also built by students, in 1909. Here's a view of the campus from about midway up.
As you can see, the campus and the residential areas surrounding it are beautiful, with lots of trees and lots of green grass. About 9,500 students attend school here, and the mascot is the grizzly bear, so there is an abundance of "Griz" merchandise for sale in town. I didn't meet any grizzlies on my hike, although I did cross paths with a deer, which was very cool.
It took me about 40 minutes to get to the M, and the hike, although arduous, was a lot of fun and well worth the effort to see the magnificent view of the entire valley. This is the view looking northwest towards downtown, and yes, the sky really is that big and that blue here.
In case you're a numbers person, the M is 125 feet tall and 100 feet wide and it is located 620 feet above the valley floor. Hiking to the M is definitely a great way to exercise and enjoy the beauty of Missoula at the same time.
