BACKGROUND

The Snowbird Mine is located in the Lolo National Forest in western Montana just a few miles from the Idaho border
It is one of the few places in the US where the rare earth mineral Parisite can be collected - see MR vol. 8, no. 3 For details
Directions from Boston

• Get on I90 at the I95/Rt128 tolls and drive 3596 miles to I90, exit 66 in Montana
• Drive south on Fish Creek Road for 0.9 miles to the junction with Lower Fish Creek Road
• Bear left to stay on Fish Creek Road and travel 2 miles to point where it reconnects to lower Fish Creek Road
• Continue south on Fish Creek Road (dirt road) for 11.9 miles
• Turn right to stay on Fish Creek Road (forest road 343), crossing over the creek
• Continue 1.2 miles on Fish Creek Road to the junction with Surveyor Creek Road
• Turn right onto Surveyor Creek Road (one lane dirt road) and drive 11.8 miles up Schley Mountain (enjoy the views but watch for oncoming traffic and note the steep dropoffs and loose gravel in spots)
• At the Schley Mountain summit continue straight ahead for 3 miles to the parking area for the Schley Mountain Trail (assuming the gate is open at the summit and the road is clear of snow)
• Park at the gate for the trailhead and continue by hiking down the road past the gate.
• At the Y where the hiking trail ascends from the road to the left, keep going straight on the road to the mine (the road ends at the mine) - total hiking distance is ~ 1 mile (uphill both ways!)
• Allow 2 hours to get from I90 to the mine (hike included)