Years ago I made an attempt to hike to the top of Striped Butte.
Assuming that the hike would be easy, based on various YouTube videos, was a mistake.
I made it about half way to the top before surrendering due to lack of preparation.
On March 17, 2026, my 74th birthday, my wife and I made a second attempt.
Pre trip planning was fairly lacking.
While there a number of posts about hiking to the top, I couldn’t find anything that definitively told of the easiest path to take.
So, after watching a ton of videos, we opted to make the trip using visual landmarks vs. a defined path.
Using Tecopa as our base of operations we left early in the AM and made our way into Butte Valley via Warm Springs Road.
We took the seldom traveled road to the western base of Striped Butte and to our surprise there was another vehicle parked in the clearing.
Looking up we noticed another couple hiking to the top.
We acknowledged each other with a wave and started to plan our route.
Here’s where things got a little complicated.
As stated we parked behind the Butte on the western side.
From this vantage point the route up looked pretty easy, but, as we soon discovered looks can be deceiving.
We opted to start up at the midway point of the Butte, the path that most videos seemed to show as the easiest direct route.
This time I had a backpack which allowed us to travel hands free.
In the pack we had water, two cameras, a tripod and binoculars.
My wife used hiking poles.
As we traveled upwards the loose rocks made it tough to get a solid footing.
Two steps forward, one step back.
After about 45 minutes of climbing with several rest breaks we made it past the initial slope only to recognize that we were only to the halfway point.
Kind of like waiting in line for a ride at Disneyland.
At this point we met the couple we’d seen from the base on their descent.
They advised that the heavy lifting was behind us and that there was a trail that would take us to the top.
Easier said than done.
The trail was in fact there but was broken up and difficult to follow.
While this surface of the Butte was better than the initial slope it still required effort to navigate.
Finally as we approached the summit the trail leveled and became easy to hike.
Soon we were at the top.
While fairly exhausted , the views made it well worth all the effort.
The 1942 ammunition container that held the log book was easy to spot.
We spent about a hour enjoying the view and reading the messages left by other hikers.
Some of the messages were over ten years old.
At that point we started the descent.
Obviously traveling downwards is much easier than traveling up, but not without some challenges.
The trail was easier to follow but loose rock and gravel were still an issue
requiring careful footing.
Luckily we made it down without any mishaps.
At the base we celebrated our success with some Black Box Pinot Noir.
You know, the stuff sold at gas stations in waxed paper bottles.
Really high end.
Moral of the story and some recommendations .
Despite what others say, climbing Striped Butte is physically challenging, at least for those of us over 70.
On trip up I had flashbacks of the back breaking work performed as a teen at my uncles vineyards along Seneca Lake NY.
If you’re going to attempt this make sure you’re in shape.
While we chose the start the climb at the midway point of the western side of the Butte it may have been easier to start at the northern end where the slope appears to be more gradual.
Not positive about this but if we ever repeat the hike we’ll look at that option.
Travel as light as practical.
Even a backpack with minimum weight adds to the required effort.
Using hiking poles seemed to make the trip a little easier.
While definitive info on the climb is lacking do as much research as possible.
Don’t be overly influenced by the posts of six year olds making it to the top or hikers who completed the hike in 30 minutes.
I’m not challenging those claims but you may experience different results based on your age, condition and overall preparation.
Other than that the trip is well worth any effort exerted.
And finally as the late great Doctor HST stated, “Buy the ticket, take the ride”.
