El Capitan Lodge
The Hamilton Hikers’ Club built this lodge in 1935-36 as a destination and meeting place for their newly formed hiking, skiing, and camping group. Named after one of the highest peaks in the Bitterroot Range, El Capitan Lodge sits on Bitterroot National Forest land here at the edge of Lake Como, close to the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness. This site was chosen for its beauty and remoteness, and Hamilton Hikers’ Club members were careful to keep disturbance of the natural setting to a minimum when erecting the building. They fashioned locally gathered stone and logs into this Rustic style lodge with clean simple lines that blend with the natural environment and reflect the group’s conservation ethic. The Lake Como area has always been a significant wildlife corridor and was an important hunting ground for Native American people. Over the years, the lodge has been used as a community retreat and has served scientific groups, photo clubs, and many other area organizations. Hamilton Hiker’s Club has actively used and maintained El Capitan Lodge since its construction during the Great Depression.
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