MISSOULA — We're launching a new segment on Montana this Morning on Fridays called "Mark's Montana Adventures."
Every Friday, Mark Martin will explore a different part of the Treasure State to learn more about the amazing things Montana has to offer.
For his first adventure, Mark journeyed up Mount Sentinel for an up-close look at the iconic "M".
"To me the M trail, this is a special place; it's this iconic trail overlooking Missoula, and it's got the zigzags that go up, and it's, I mean it's just a fun place to go,” said M Trail volunteer Steve Gaskill.
When you think of Missoula, the "M" Trail is probably top of mind. It's a picturesque hike up to the massive m emblazoned into Mount Sentinel. Being new to western Montana, it was a must-do for Mark.
Gaskill, the chief volunteer maintaining the trail, and Univerity of Montana Director of Strategic Communications Dave Kuntz joined Mark for the trip.
"It takes a lot of work to keep a trail up that's a thousand people a day on a weekend use, and three or 400 people on average every day,” Gaskill explained.
Gaskill, a University of Montana Professor Emeritus of Exercise Science, says the hike is a good workout but not a walk in the park.
"But you have to realize 660 feet — it's a moderately strenuous climb, but it's doable for everybody. You can stop at every bench along the way, every switchback — 13 switchbacks to the top, and it breaks it up really nicely."
As they make their way up the mountain, it didn't take long before Mark's breathing became a little labored.
"The first one is the longest one, so people get discouraged, and then they get shorter,” Gaskill said. "So, it gets quicker."
Living at sea level before moving to Montana, Mark wondered if not being used to the altitude was the reason.
“A little bit more difficult; what's probably more difficult is if you lived at sea level. You weren't used to just climbing a lot of elevation,” Gaskill said. "Missoula's only at 3,000 feet and I'm an exercise physiologist, and I'll tell you that altitude doesn't become really serious until you're at about 7,000 feet."
But the fact remains it's exercise and getting the heart rate up is a good thing. Plus, the views are spectacular, especially this time of year, with the changing of the leaves.
The "M" has been a Missoula landmark since 1908. At first, students put it together with stones, and it wasn't until 1968 that the concrete structure we see today was put in place. Kuntz says it's the most hiked trail in Montana year-round.
“The M trail means a lot to those of us who call Missoula home, but it's also a big deal for our visitors, but also our students,” Kuntz said. “It's one of the first things we do during orientation is make students available to hike the trail, work with folks like Steve to help maintain it, and it's something that everybody in this valley really takes ownership over."
Missoula is Mark’s home now, and climbing to the top of the M Trail made it official.
"Great to be a part of Mark's Montana Adventures, and looking forward to the next run,” Kuntz said.
