Green and Blue Gully

Published on 2026-01-01 by Michael Stanton

Robert and I hiked up Pine Creek in the Absoroka Mountains to reach some waterfalls, Green Gully (WI4) and Blue Gully (WI3).

We crossed Pine Creek on logs and made a sometimes-tough bushwhack up to the base of Green Gully. It should normally be in "fat" conditions but it was quite thin! Robert led the 60 meter long pitch. It was great fun to follow. The upper quarter of the climb had several rock moves and thin ice over rock in a chimney. Extremely interesting! We abseiled down...

Robert in Green Gully

Robert higher in Green Gully

Then we went over to Blue Gully. I led up this, placing the first screw 20 meters up, then sometimes travelling a good ways before the next screw because of thin ice over rock. Once again, very interesting though definitely easier than Green Gully. Still, it was a full 60, or maybe 55 meter pitch. I belayed Robert up from the anchor on the right at the top. We abseiled down and made the awkward descend on shifting boulders under snow, suffering crampon-ball-up on our micro-spikes.

On the way back we drove up Trail Creek to return to Bozeman just for fun. Gorgeous country.

Looking down on "Green Gully"