A remote, easy ridge climb in the Castle Rock Group, made difficult mainly by the length of the approach rather than technical terrain.
Castle Rock Mountain sits between Darlene Mountain and Point 12,540 in the heart of the wilderness, well off any maintained trail. The most common approach starts from either the Beartooth Lake or Clay Butte trailheads to the south (off the Beartooth Highway), following the valley toward Native Lake and then continuing cross-country over talus and snowfields to the Castle Rock group. Once in the group, the east ridge offers an easy rock-hop to the summit; the west ridge is reported to be similarly straightforward, and parties climbing multiple peaks in the group (Darlene Mountain, Point 12,540) often link them together.