EnjoyYourParks.com

Matahpi Peak

Glacier Park

Views from the Summits:
Matahpi Peak

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Matahpi Peak is to the right, and Going-to-the-Sun Mountain is to the left.  (We are facing south.)  We are standing on a saddle that we reached about a mile west of Siyeh Pass, high above it on the ridge line.  The Glacier below the two mountains is Sexton Glacier.  Notice Reynolds Mountain peeking at you to the far right, and Mount Jackson is peeking at you directly between Going-to-the-Sun and Matahpi. 

Matahpi Peak (9,365 feet) towers just to the north of Going-to-the-Sun Mountain, and the views from this incredible peak are remarkable to say the least.  No matter where you look from the summit of Matahpi, it takes your breath away.

The first time we climbed Matahpi, there was a very heavy cloud cover, and we literally saw NOTHING from the summit.  So a few weeks later we climbed it again, and it was an absolutely perfect day!  It's amazing what you can't see when your summit is covered by clouds versus a clear day...We are really glad we went up again.   The effort was well worth it!  HOWEVER, it snowed the night before, making the traverse on it's north face very slick and dangerous.  Thank goodness the snow melted before we left the summit.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Here's a view of Matahpi (left) from just below Reynolds Mountain.  (We are facing east.)  The peak just to the right (south) of Matahpi Peak is Going-to-the-Sun Mountain.  Both of these mountains were cut like a knife by a huge glacier on their east faces.  Therefore, as you look over the other side, you are greeted by a wall ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 vertical feet!  Also, notice the upper cliffs guarding the summit of Matahpi.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

The cloud cover was extremely low the first time we first climbed Matahpi.  It fact, it got much lower than this.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

This was the last time we saw the summit before the clouds covered it for the rest of the day.  Thankfully there was very little moisture in these clouds, so it never rained or snowed.  Because of this, we kept going.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

The summit of Mataphi is surrounded by walls of cliffs.  The trick is finding a route where you don't need pitons (stakes).

Views from the Summit

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

This is what greeted us as we summited Matahpi.  The cloud cover was really thick.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

This is a view from the summit of Matahpi on a clear day! We were really glad we climbed it again a few weeks later.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

The peak to the far left is the iconic Mount Siyeh, which looms to the north of Mataphi with Preston Park between them.  To it's right is Cracker Peak.  The camera is facing northeast.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

This is a great view of Piegan Mountain with Piegan Glacier resting on it's east face.  The peak to the right of Piegen is Pollock Mountain and the beginning of the Garden Wall.  The peak to the left is Reynolds Mountain.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

This is a view to the south.  Going-to-the-Sun Mountain is to the left of Shannon, and to the right of Shannon, far in the distance is Mount Jackson.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Mount Siyeh dominates the view to the north.  Far below us is Preston Park.  Siyeh Pass is just to the right of this photo, out of view, thousands of feet below us.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Mataphi Peak provides excellent views of the Logan Pass Area.  Notice the Going-to-the-Sun Road just to the left of Shannon, far, far below.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

You can see a portion of Sain Mary Lake far below us to the south.  The creek that you see to winding it's way to the lake is Baring Creek.  Right at the Sun Road, Baring Creek can be seen cutting it's way through the Sunrift Gorge.  The large peak to the right is Going-to-the-Sun Mountain.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Going-to-the-Sun Mountain rises directly to the south of Matahpi Peak.  Sexton Glacier rests on its incredible east fact (lower left).

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Just to the left of the tan colored knife-edge ridge is Siyeh Pass, which is out of view.  The pass is thousands of feet below us.  The camera is facing northeast.  Notice the prairie far in the distance.  The peak to the right is Goat Mountain, which rises above Rising Sun Motor Inn.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Here's the names of a few of the peaks in the Logan Pass Area as seen from the summit of Patahpi Peak in Glacier National Park.       

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Can you name the peaks in this photo? (This is a view to the northwest.)

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Here's the answers.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Just to the right of Shannon is Reynolds Mountain, one of the most prominent mattehorns on Logan Pass.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

This is a unique view of Mount Jackson, which is far to the south of Matahpi.  To the left of Jackson is Jackson Glacier.  Mount Jackson is one of the tallest mountains in the park.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park
Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

The peak in the center is Goat Mountain, and just to the right of it is Baring Creek, which winds down the valley towards Saint May Lake.  Baring Creek crosses the Going-to-the-Sun Highway at Sunrift Gorge.  (The camera is facing southeast.)  Just beyond Goat Mountain, to the east, is Rising Sun Motor Inn and Campground.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Siyeh Pass is between Shannon and the tan-colored knife-ridge.  Beyond Shannon to the northeast is the endless prairie. 

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Another view of the Logan Pass Area as viewed from the summit of Matahpi.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Mount Siyeh (left) is one of six peaks in the park that are over 10,000 feet in elevation.  The peak just to the right of Siyeh is Cracker Peak.

Matahpi Peak, Glacier National Park

Matahpi Peak offers gorgeous views, and provided us with a perfect day that we'll never forget!  

Scroll to Top