|
Great opportunity to see an astounding view of eastern Nevada from its second-highest peak way above tree line on a well-maintained trail. We picked a gorgeous late summer day when the aspens in the high country were changing color. Related: Leatherman Peak: 12,228 - On Top of Idaho  Wheeler Peak (right) on a beautiful September day. Trail follows ridge line on the right of peak. Trip Stats for hike via Alpine Lakes Loop Trail and Wheeler Peak Trail
Location: Snake Range, eastern Nevada, Great Basin National Park: closest towns are Baker and Ely. Trailhead: Bristlecone - Alpine Lakes Trailhead. Distance and Elevation Gain: 8.4 miles out and back for a 3,100' gain. Trailhead = 9,957', Summit = 13,063'. Difficulty: Moderate - Strenuous Class 1 Coordinates: Wheeler Peak Summit: 11S 0732663 E 4318632N Trailhead: 11S 0733174E 4321347N (UTM). Permit/Fees: No entrance fee, no permit required. Maps: Great Basin NP, Google Mymaps interactive map (below), Great Basin National Park - National Geographic Trails Illustrated map 269. Date Hiked: September 15, 2021. Considerations: Trail is exposed for last 2 miles (and 2,000 feet of elevation) to the summit - watch weather. There are 2 trailheads: Alpine Lakes Loop Trail and Wheeler Peak Summit Trail. See park map below. Ridge line is very windy. History: Named after George Wheeler of the Wheeler Expedition in charge of surveying southeastern and southern Nevada in 1869. He and a party consisting of a guide, the Nevada state geologist, and three others succeeded in reaching the summit and found, through careful barometric measurements, the elevation to be 13,063 feet above sea level. Measurements for the precise distance to other mountain peaks were conducted for four summers beginning in 1881. The survey, combined with other federal surveys, resulted in the first accurate network of surveyed points crossing the continent. Video - the final climb to the top Overview Long before our turn-off to Ely from northbound Nevada Highway 93, we saw the point in the sky that we would be standing on the following day - the summit of the giant and majestic Wheeler Peak in eastern Nevada. Definitely worth a grin and a "wow" from two people who love to get to high places! Wheeler is the second-highest Nevada peak. Boundary Peak, close to the California border, is Nevada's highest. Stately Wheeler Peak stands with authority over lesser peaks of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, surrounded by miles of sagebrush in what is known as the Great Basin. We met our friends Val and John for the hike. All four of us had been on our share of immense loose and trail-less talus slopes this past summer while climbing some of Idaho's highest peaks in the Lost River Range (Leatherman Peak), so we were grateful for Wheeler's stable and well-defined trail to the summit. Yes, it is steep and rocky, but not intimidating. The forest thins at about 2 miles into the hike, and views of jagged Doso Doyabi ("white mountain" in Shoshone language), to the left (east) of Wheeler are spectacular. Steep, huge rock slopes cascade down from these high points, and at various times of the day they are hidden in shadows. The Wheeler Peak glacier sits protected in a cirque at 11,500 feet. It's pretty small (2 acres), and the only glacier in Nevada. Some of the fiercest winds I have ever encountered were on the ridge leading to the final steep ascent at about 2.5 miles into the hike, when Fred and I hiked this summit 18 years ago. This time the wind speed wasn't blowing us over, but it still had us holding onto our hats. In contrast, at the top an intermittent breeze wafted in and out of our summit celebration.  Wheeler Peak towers over the sagebrush steppes of eastern Nevada. This photo was taken while driving east from Ely, Nevada.  Val and Fred at trailhead
 First view of Wheeler Peak on Alpine Lakes Loop Trail    On the Wheeler Peak Trail: Doso Doyabi on the left and Wheeler Peak on the right. This trail emerges from tree line at ~ 11,500 feet. On the way up on trail through stable quartzite talus! As the trail emerges from the glacial valley, it climbs through quartzite, a metamorphic sandstone that tends to form resistant ridges and hilltops. A few rock shelters line the trail as it traverses Wheeler's northwest exposed ridge, built by hikers for wind protection. It's pretty darn windy on this section, so we had to shout in order to hear each other. No lightning worries - there wasn't a cloud in the sky. There were some shelters that appeared to be a bit larger, very level and well-constructed. These may have been the tent platforms built by the Wheeler Survey in 1881, according to Bruce Grubbs, from his book Exploring the Great Basin (see History, above). Val, Fred and I were sticking together, John was ahead. Quartzite is resistant to weathering and contains a high amount of silica which doesn't break down much to form soil. The scant amount of vegetation present seems to find small rock recesses to cling to. Arriving onto the north spine of the summit block, the winds calm and the trail steepens. It's just a matter of kicking one foot in front of the other to climb the last spiral path to the summit. A cobalt-blue Nevada state flag, it's edge frayed from the wind marks this significant point in Nevada. The flag's phrase "Battle Born" signifies Nevada's entrance into the union during the civil war. It also illustrates Nevada's state flower with two sagebrush branches.  Looking northwest to Spring Valley and the Schell Creek Range  Looking north toward Bald Mountain and Schell Creek Range  Next to Nevada state flag at 13,063 feet - Fred, Sue, Val, and John Nevada's flag pictures two sagebrush branches encircling a silver star with the words "Nevada" and Battle Born". On Wheeler Peak summit As usual, John summited first out of our group. This explains why I don't have as many photos of him. He is one of the fittest 71-year olds I know! We had a lot of time to enjoy the summit and talk to other hikers, bask in the sun and sign the summit register, a notepad stashed into a dented and decorated mail box. We were standing over the other mountains of the Snake Range. Utah was not far to the east. The next parallel mountain range to the west separated from us by the Spring Valley basin is the Schell Creek Range, with tempting high points. We plan to summit North Schell Peak, the range's highest at 11,883 feet. Hopefully we will get back to Nevada's Basin and Range soon. So many adventures to do, so little time, as I always like to say. Scenes from the summit  Signing the summit register. I don't recall seeing a "summit mailbox" before, but it's more fun than the standard water bottle or ammo box!    Doso Doyabi (White Mountain in Shoshone language), to the east of Wheeler Peak Post-hike dinner We celebrated at Kerouac's, a restaurant and bar at Stargazer Inn with exceptional food in the little town of Baker, just outside the entrance to the Great Basin National Park. The meatballs had a kick to them and were fantastic, their specialty cocktail of the night was a refreshing fresh peach bourbon sour called "Princess Peach". I highly recommend this place whose website states, "Kerouac's is an homage to life on the American road and to feeling at home in unexpected places." Obviously they are referring to Jack Kerouac and his legendary novel "On the Road", an account of his road trips across the country in the 1940's. The roads of the American West lead to all sorts of adventures, and as Kerouac said, "Because in the end you won't remember the time you spent in the office or mowing your lawn." But you will remember your times spent in nature. Keep on exploring!  The well-stocked Kerouac's Restaurant and Bar in Baker, Nevada.  Great Basin National Park map click for larger image  Google Earth image of our GPS tracks to Wheeler Peak summit from parking lot at Bristlecone - Alpine Lakes trailhead. Top of map is south.  Our GPS tracks on Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, Wheeler Peak Summit Trail. Top of map is north. Wheeler Peak at bottom of map.  References
Grubbs, B. Exploring Great Basin National Park. 2010. Bright Angel Press, Flagstaff, AZ. Geologic Map of Great Basin National Park, Nevada. National Park Service. Historic Resource Study, Great Basin National Park, Nevada. Why Wheeler Peak? U.S. National Park Service.
6 Comments
The right combination of on-trail and off-trail hiking, varying terrain including eroded rock formations and aspen-lined meadows, and light use makes this hike in the Pine Valley Recreation Area a great one for beginner and seasoned hikers alike.
Gardner Peak overlooking Pine Valley, Utah
Trip Stats
Location: Dixie National Forest, Pine Valley Ranger District. Trailhead in Pine Valley Recreation Area near town of Pine Valley, north of St. George, Utah. Distance and Elevation Gain: 9.2 miles round-trip; gain of 2,900' in 4.6 miles to summit. Trailhead elevation = 6,627'. Summit = 9,478'. Difficulty: Moderate Class 1 on cairned trail, Class 2 off-trail from base of mountain and Class 3 climbing near summit with minimal exposure. Navigation experience necessary through forest leading to peak as there is no trail. Coordinates: Gardner summit UTM: 12S 282962 E 4141107 N Decimal: 37.391335, -113.451708. Gardner Peak Trail Trailhead: UTM: 0280120 E 4140397N Decimal: 37.38428 -113.48358. WGS84 datum. Permit: Day hikers parking at trailhead inside Pine Valley Recreation Area do not have to pay a fee at entrance station. Navigation aids: Trails Illustrated Topo Map - St. George/Pine Valley Mountains #715, AllTrails app, Garmin GPS, USGS 7.5 minute topo - Grass Valley quad. Date Hiked: September 3, 2021 Considerations: Experience in navigating through forest (no trail) necessary. Geology: Pine Valley Mountains are remnants of the Pine Valley Laccolith, the largest in the U.S. (See For the Geo-curious below). Radiometric dates show the monzonite porphyry rock was formed 22 million years ago. History: Robert Gardner, Jr. was one of the original settlers of Pine Valley who helped establish a lumber mill. Driving Directions: Directions from St. George: Take Highway 18 north for about 24 miles, turn right at the Pine Valley junction (E. Pine Valley Road) and drive 8 miles until you reach a "T" in the road. Turn left and continue for about 1.5 miles. The trailhead is located on the left just after the Pine Valley Recreation Area entrance gate.
For the Geo-curious
A laccolith is a large amount of magma that is injected between layers of rock, causing a dome-shaped mass. In this case, the Pine Valley Laccolith was a final surge of magma that occurred after the initial volcanic vents were shut off, causing the magma to be squeezed and move sideways between the layers of the Claron formation below it and the overlying magma layer. This injection, 22 million years ago, amounted to a 3,000-foot layer of monzonite porphyry, composed mainly of plagioclase and alkali feldspar. This is similar to granite, and when you look at a fresh surface of the rock, you can see the crystals, indicating the rock cooled slowly enough to form large crystals - allowing us to easily see them. The laccolith was uncovered when the volcanic layer above it eroded. The Claron Formation is made of limestone and mudstone; it is the rock that makes the spectacular hoodoos seen in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Overview
The Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness, a "sky island" arising among black basalt flows and red sandstone cliffs of southwestern Utah, is the antithesis to the internationally-known Zion National Park seen from its summits. It is a welcome respite for adventurers that have witnessed crowded Zion trails. It doesn't have Zion's spectacular sandstone towers, but it's beautiful forests offer solitude and a large variety of vegetation, including a large stand of virgin Engelmann spruce and many peaceful meadows. The Gardner Peak hike begins in a valley of sagebrush and rabbit brush, ascends a rocky section, extends across large flat outcrops of smoothly eroded rock, through a meadow lined by a large stand of aspens, and finally ascends steeply through large pines and deadfall to a pointed peak of spruce and Douglas fir. The terrain on this hike is ever-changing. Gardner Peak sits right on the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness boundary and although its trail may not be officially in the wilderness, it feels like it is because the trail is narrow and lightly used. We were only the second group to sign the summit register for 2021. The trail treks through a small area burned from the 2020 Gardner fire. You will reach 2 false peaks before you get to the summit - a narrow rock perch with a great view to the east and the summit's register hidden under rocks.
Interactive map of our GPS tracks to Gardner Peak
Gardner Peak Trail to base of Gardner Peak
Rabbit brush blooming at trailhead - forested Gardner Peak on the horizon.
View ahead of crags - we used these as a landmark to descend peak; rock cairns (right) mark the trail.
Finding the trail through the Gardner 2020 fire section just before you reach the flat meadow before the peak ascent was challenging. When we reached the flat, black-charred trees were scattered about - even the ground was black - and we lost sight of the next cairn. With the help of AllTrails app, we found our way. Go straight ahead when you reach this section; we went too high onto the bare rock to the right. The trail then descends steeply to cross a dry run-off stream section and continues to Jodes Flat, the small meadow at the base of Gardner Peak.
Short section burned from the 2020 Gardner fire.
It's hard to get bored on this hike because the terrain is constantly changing. After winding between small rock outcrops and large trees, and on pine needle accumulations, the view suddenly opens as you tread across long spans of bare rock with some interesting eroded formations. On the way back, after looking more closely, I found two water catchments or small pools in the rocks.
A look at the peak ahead.
One of the many meadows in Pine Valley Mountains
Base of Gardner Peak to the summit
At 3.8 miles from the trailhead, after the short fire area, reach the small meadow - Jodes Flat - to see the thick forest on the west side of Gardner Peak. This is where the trail ends. We walked straight up this flank for a 900' gain, aiming toward the peak coordinates. There is a lot of deadfall to crawl over and Class 3 climbing through huge rock outcrops toward the top, as well as 2 false summits. The exposed crags that we had passed on the trail just before Jodes Flat could be seen on the way up; they provided a good landmark for our summit descent. The summit is small - basically a few huge pointed boulders with a register with a few entries hidden under rocks. Ours and a Montana couple's were the only entries for 2021. The summit is mostly forested, but a view to the east looks over a deep canyon. The ascent was short enough so that we had time to relax in the most perfect weather on the summit, enjoying solitude. A forested summit is not as spectacular as a bare, above-treeline perch overlooking huge expanses of terrain, like Leatherman Peak, which we summited in July. But they are still great and each has its own characteristics that stand out in my memory of them. The reward of finding an unseen summit as you keep on seeing more sky as you climb is extraordinary. Keeping the bare rock outcrop we had passed on the way up in view, and using my GPS trackback, we found our way back to Jodes Flat. The only other hiker we encountered that day was an elderly man making his way up the loose rocky section. We each acknowledged the beautiful day. I hope I will still be hiking at his age - it is a gift to be able to explore the West. So much to see out here, so little time! Keep on exploring! "Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world." John Muir
Yep, there's lots of rocks and trees to navigate when climbing the off-trail portion to the summit!
(900' elevation gain)
Scenes from the top of Gardner Peak
View from Gardner Peak of Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness to the south
The large outcrop near base of peak we used as landmark to descend; rock cairn marks trail after burned section.
Pine Valley celebrating Labor Day
Our GPS track; note extent of 2020 Gardner fire on map. Gardner Peak is on the boundary of Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness Area.
The last section of hike through rock outcrops to the summit.
References:
Miller, R. Our Geological Wonderland: The Pine Valley Mountain Laccolith. The Independent - A Voice for Southern Utah. Feb. 2018. Pine Valley Day: The story of how 'the most beautiful sight' went from lumber supplier to summer retreat. By Reuben Wadsworth reporting in the St, George News. Pine Valley Chapel 1868. Informational flyer about the history of Pine Valley and its chapel, available at the Pine Valley Chapel.
There's a lot to explore in Mackay, Idaho: a hike to Mackay Peak for a view of Idaho's highest peaks in the Lost River Range and a mine tour that illustrates the area's rich mining history.
Related:
Leatherman Peak: 12,228' - On Top of Idaho Idaho Summits (see categories right side bar) 
Aerial Tramway Headhouse - Mackay Mine Hill
The Mackay Mine Hill tramway replaced a mining railroad in 1918. It transported ore buckets to the smelter located in the valley below using a steel cable loop that was six miles long supported on 36 wooden towers.
Trip Stats for Mackay Peak Hike
Location: Mackay Peak is 4 miles west of Mackay in the Salmon-Challis National Forest, in the White Knob Mountains in east-central Idaho. There are two summits for Mackay Peak. We hiked up the north slope to the benchmark (the eastern high point). Distance and elevation: 3.6 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 2,200 feet. Elevation Mackay Peak (east summit) = 10,256', Mackay Peak (west summit) = 10,272'. Difficulty: Strenuous Class 2 off-trail scrambling and route-finding, easy Class 3 last 200 feet to summit. We didn't see the summit most of the way up, so we used a combination of compass, topo map and GPS. Date hiked: July 9, 2021. Map: USGS 7.5 minute Mackay Reservoir, ID topo map Coordinates: Mackay Peak = 43.88940 113.70046 Driving Directions: Drive southwest on Main St. in Mackay which becomes Smelter Ave. Cross the Big Lost River, then at another 0.8 miles, see the large "Mackay Mine Hill Tour" sign near the large smelter building. The road becomes MK-207, goes by a few relict tramway towers, enters the Challis National Forest and becomes FSR-207. Reach a junction FSR-207 and FSR-207A. We stayed straight onto FSR-207 (passenger car passable) and went past 2 green "4" signs that denote Horseshoe Mine. We parked in a pull-out right after the second "4" sign, at the base of Mackay Peak's north slope, near the Horseshoe Mine. We climbed the north slope, and followed a SSW azimuth. History: Mackay is named after John Mackay, financier of the smelter for White Knob Mining Company which began operations in the late 1890's. Wayne Darlington, president and general manager planned the town and he named it after Mackay to show his loyalty. Mackay officially became a town in 1901, but John Mackay never saw the town in Idaho named after him.
Mackay Peak Hike
To a lot of Boiseans, summer means it's time to get out of the heat to explore some of the many rugged Idaho mountain ranges. Instead of our usual Ketchum/Stanley trip for hiking, biking and camping, Fred and I decided to go to a less crowded, small town and explore a different mountain range. A place we could actually find a spot to park our Chalet trailer for 5 days. We chose the mountain range with the highest peaks in Idaho - the Lost River Range - and the historic mining town of Mackay with close-up views of this spectacular mountain range. We climbed Leatherman Peak and Mackay Peak, toured Mackay Mine Hill, and did a good deal of talking with the "locals" - very kind and friendly people.
We got as close as we could to the base of the north slope of Mackay Peak on Mackay Mine Hill Tour Road #207 in the Rio Grande Canyon, just southwest of the town of Mackay, and hiked south, straight up through the forest toward the saddle between its two high points (see driving directions). Since we couldn't see the summit for most of the way, we followed an azimuth SSW using our compasses. I have seen a trip report describing climbing the open northeast slope. Mackay Peak has two summits separated by about one quarter of a mile. The forest hike was dense at times with prickly thickets, and we saw one shallow pit dug in the slope and a few mine claim posts. We hiked through some small clearings where trees had been cut many years ago. Turning to look northwest to the Lost River Range, we could see Leatherman Peak, the second highest in Idaho, where we had been on two days before, as well as the blue of Mackay Reservoir.
From the northwest slope of Mackay Peak looking at the Lost River Range
White Cap Peak (the lightest-colored peak on left horizon), Leatherman Peak to its right with Leatherman Pass on saddle between them. 
Getting near Mackay Peak's summit with a view of the Lost River Range, home to seven of the nine Idaho "12-ers" - peaks over 12,000' elevation.
At about 9,600' of elevation, the forest thins to reveal a mantle of sharp-edged boulders scattered and wedged just below the summit. The actual summit is still not in view. The rocks are Mackay granite from the Challis igneous intrusive events that occurred 34 - 56 million years ago, providing the heat that produced copper at the contact between the intruding granite and the existing limestone. Sixty million pounds of copper were produced from the Alder Creek (Mackay) mines; silver, gold, zinc and lead were also produced. On the way up, we could hear the steady humming of one of Phoenix Global Mining drill rigs working to fulfill its planned open-pit copper mining project (see more info below in Mackay Mine Hill Tour).
Once at the Mackay Benchmark, we found the brass geodetic marker in a granite boulder and its wooden triangulation tripod on its side. Looking toward the west/northwest, we saw Mackey Peak's other high point. It looked about the same elevation, but actually it is about 16' higher. We were content with the high point we summited, so we took our time and lazed in the sun, enjoying the view. Quite a different experience from two days before, when we had to hurriedly get off Leatherman Peak because of threatening thunderstorms. We hiked straight down through a lot of steep deadfall terrain. This hike's celebration drink/dinner was at Mineshaft Cookhouse and Watering Hole in Mackay where we got a great burger, gin and tonic, and manhattan. Life is good. Being able to explore Idaho and the American West is truly a gift. 
Mackay Peak Benchmark, the eastern high point.
Mackay granite on two Mackay Peak summits: the second summit (just above the wooden triangulation tripod) is actually about 16 feet higher according to a topographical map.
Mackay Peak geodetic survey marker
The "NO 2" refers to the number of the reference mark. The arrow points to the primary benchmark, usually 50 feet away.
Sue on top of Mackay Peak and making our way down through the forest
Dark Green Fritillary on a gray rabbitbrush
Monument plant
Frasera speciosa
Interactive map with our GPS tracks to Mackay Peak summit.
Our GPS tracks and gravel roads in Mackay Mine Hill Tour area.
Mackay patriot
Trip Stats for Mackay Mine Hill Tour
BLM Mackay Mine Hill Tour Map - (can be picked up at the U.S. Forest Service building on Custer St., the Lost River Museum, Wagon Wheel RV Park, City Hall, Liars Den Bait and Tackle Shop). To get to the beginning of the mine hill tour (smelter site and hardrock mining exhibit), take Main St. south through the town of Mackay. Main Street becomes Smelter Avenue. Pass over the Big Lost River, then reach the large "Mackey Mine Hill" sign. The tour map features 3 routes depending on transportation mode. The red route is open only to ATV, bicycles, dirt bikes, horses or hikers. The green route is accessible to all transportation modes. Landowners include private owners, BLM and U.S. Forest Service.
Mackay Mine Hill Tour
The Mackay Mine Hill has a rich and productive history dating back to 1884 that yielded mostly copper as well as zinc, silver, gold and lead. According to Mackay's Mine Hill Tour guide, almost a million tons of ore have been removed from this mine hill, located in the Alder Creek Mining District. However, a more recent drilling project shows there is much more ore available at "surface" depths. Phoenix Global Mining has five drill rigs operating in the Empire Mine on Mackay Mine Hill. This underground mine produced 700,000 tons of copper from 1901 - 1947. Empire was mined to depths of 1,100 feet. Currently, Phoenix Global has plans to establish low-cost and open-pit production of copper cathode from the current oxide. Apparently, only 5% of the potential ore resources have been explored, so there is a lot of exploration potential. Gold recovery was successful using "environmentally friendly" ammonium thiosulphate. Phoenix Global even re-opened two historic mining adits (horizontal underground mine passage) to conduct underground mapping and sampling. It seems that Mackay citizens are open to the new mining activity; at least I didn't see signs of protest in the town. While we sat having breakfast at the Liar's Den Bait and Tackle Shop (they have a great breakfast!), we talked to a long-time Mackay resident, having his morning coffee and talking to the owner of the shop. He filled us in on the new exploration on the mine hill. He indicated that Mackay residents were rightfully concerned about mining activity on the hill because that is their water supply. The CEO of Phoenix Global Mining, Dennis Thomas, says in an article that "You could not find a more supportive regime anywhere in the world than what we have there locally, with the local people and council." So it appears that Mackay is entering into the world of modern mineral exploration.
Scenes from the Hardrock Mining Exhibit, point of interest #1 at beginning of Mackay's Mine Hill Tour, and a surviving wooden tower from the Aerial Tramway (lower left).
Door of truck from by Lindburg Truck Line of Mackay that hauled mining equipment.
Scenes from Mackay's Mine Hill Tour
clockwise from top left: Cossack mine tunnel (the tour brochure states, "Caution: The tunnel is dangerous and prone to rock falls. Stay Clear"; supporting pole in the aerial tramway headhouse; tramway and tramhouse; upper terminal tramhouse; ore bucket; part of 6-mile cable that transported ore buckets.
If you have limited time for the Mackay Mine Hill Tour, I suggest visiting the Hardrock Mining Exhibit at the beginning of the tour, not far from the town center. The exhibits show many examples of mining equipment that seems like it was just pulled out of the field. Informative interpretive signs describe every aspect of mining in Mackay, and illustrations and photos document how mining was done. I am amazed at how strong the miners had to be to handle heavy hand drills before the invention of the mechanical drill. You will get a great idea of the hardships of hardrock mining and how many steps were involved in finding and processing ore to produce valuable minerals.
The Lost River Museum in Mackay is a definite must-see. For a small town, this award-winning museum is exceptional. The volunteers at the front desk are down-home friendly and told us a few Living in Mackay tales including enduring winters and their early ranching experiences. It is well-organized and informative; you can tell that this museum was created out of the pride, care and love of Mackay citizens. From vintage ball gowns and flapper dresses owned by past Mackay ladies to a Basque sheepherder exhibit including sound effects, and a moonshine exhibit, the museum is comfortable, organized, but most important of all, interesting! 
Award-winning Lost River Museum in Mackay, Idaho
References
Carey, R.L. About Survey Monuments and Benchmarks. Skipp, B, Kuntz, M. A. 2009. Geologic Map of the Arco 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle, South-Central Idaho. (article text). Skipp, B, Kuntz, M. A. Geologic Map of the Arco 30 x 60 Minute Quadrangle, South-Central Idaho. (geologic map). Official Website of the Mayor and Council of the City of Mackay Mining Technology in the Nineteenth Century. Online Nevada Encyclopedia. Phoenix Set to Rise on Mackay's Mine Hill. Mining Journal, 6/28/18. Phoenix Copper Limited - The Empire Mine, Mackay, Idaho.
A challenging climb up the loose-rock north side of Idaho's second tallest peak for spectacular views from the "roof" of Idaho.
Related Idaho Summits (see Categories in sidebar) Cowboys and Hotsprings Alpine Peak 9,861' - Sawtooth Wilderness: Never Stop Climbing Mountains Reward Peak: 10,074' via Upper Redfish Lakes, Sawtooth Wilderness 
Lunch spot on Leatherman Peak's north slope
Mt. Borah, Idaho's tallest peak at 12,667' on horizon Road approaching trailhead at upper right; trail goes through pleasant forest in valley
Trip Stats
Location: Leatherman Peak, Idaho's second highest, is located in the Lost River Range in the Salmon-Challis National Forest just northeast of Mackay in east-central Idaho. This rugged range includes seven of the nine "12ers" - the highest peaks in Idaho. Two main approaches: south approach from Leatherman Pass (Lost River Valley) that climbs the west ridge, and north approach from Pahsimeroi Valley and West Fork Pahsimeroi Road climbs the east ridge (our approach). Distance: 8.7 miles round-trip. Elevation Gain: Trailhead = 8,171'; Leatherman summit = 12,228: Gain = 4,000'. Date Hiked: July 7, 2021 Difficulty: Moderate Class 1 for first 1,000 feet gain, then Very Strenuous Class 2 on loose rock with some route-finding. Considerations: This is a very strenuous hike that is exposed most of the way - start hike early! Obvious trails extend through the talus and on the ridge. Experience with steep loose-rock climbing and route finding is essential. Coordinates: Trailhead at end of West Fork Pahsimeroi Road: 44.1292 N 113.7271 W. Leatherman Peak: 44.0820 N 113.7330 W. Maps: USGS Leatherman 7.5 min quad topo. Interactive Map and Google Earth image of our GPS tracks below. Geology: Sedimentary rocks - marine limestone of Mississippian carbonate banks and turbiditic sandstone and mudstone and conglomerate of Antler flysch trough ~350 Ma (Million years ago). Crinoid and coral fossils. Leatherman Peak is a sharp horn carved from Mississippian Scott Peak Formation. Some of these rocks were intruded with dikes that baked the rock ~ 45-50 Ma, producing flourite veins. This section of the Lost River range rose due to the Mackay section of the Lost River Fault. History: Leatherman Peak is named after Henry Leatherman, one of the Lost River Valley's pioneers from the 1860's. For more interesting history of this region, see last photo below.
Our Hike
The raw and starkly beautiful Lost River Range that rises steeply from the Lost River Valley in east-central Idaho contains seven of Idaho's nine highest peaks over 12,000 feet. It reflects the complex geological processes of folding and faulting that have occurred over eons, creating formidable steep talus slopes, cliffs and crumbling limestone; however each year sees more climbers logging in their nine "12'ers". These giants make up the roof of Idaho. Leatherman Peak can be summited from either the Pahsimeroi Valley to its north, or Lost River Valley to its south. Idaho's highest, Borah Peak at 12,667', has become so popular that the campground at its trailhead is being enlarged. After Fred and I summited Borah Peak years ago, I had heard that the second highest peak, Leatherman involved more "technical" skills. So I put that climb into the back of my mind, subconsciously knowing someday I was bound to do it, but the word "technical" prevented me. We each turned 60 this year, felt it was time to climb another Lost River range peak, so Leatherman it was. We climbed the "easier" eastern route that included a slow and steady slog for a 3,000-foot gain on steep loose scree and talus, at times grabbing for fossil-covered limestone outcrops for stability. There was no "easy" part except for the walk back down through the forest; this was a challenging climb for us. As we got within 500 feet of the summit, distant purple-blue skies to the north rumbled with occasional thunder, so our scramble to the top had to be quick but also careful. 
Morning glimpse of our goal: the far dark gray peak on horizon, left side of saddle.
From Mackay, we drove 2 hours and 10 minutes to our trailhead at the end of the West Fork Pahsimeroi Road, via Doublesprings Pass and Horseheaven Pass in the Pahsimeroi Valley. Here, steep limestone cliffs, some folded and tilted loom above a pleasant sagebrush steppe. A high-clearance 4WD vehicle is recommended as there are a lot of rocks on the last half of the drive with some slow-going. I entered the coordinates for the trailhead into Avenza and also followed the directions from the guide book, "Trails of Eastern Idaho" by Margaret Fuller and Jerry Painter. Included in this guide is a section Scrambling up Idaho's 12,000 foot Peaks . A few scenes from the drive into the northeast side of the Lost River Range:
The first mile of the hike climbs a manageable 1,000 feet in 2.5 miles along the clear and rushing West Fork of the Pahsimeroi River through a beautiful forest that opens up onto a spacious wildflower-filled valley. Ahead, the black, towering spectacle of Leatherman Peak rises straight up from the meadow, connected to White Cap Peak by Leatherman Pass.
Just after trailhead, cross stream coming from Merriam Lake that flows into West Fork Pahsimeroi River.
Our route takes a left (east) to hike Leatherman's north slope, leaving the Pass Trail before it reaches Leatherman Pass. Sawmill Gulch is the southern approach from Lost River Valley.
Thank-you for the bridges!
The first glimpse of Leatherman (left); and White Cap Peak (A.K.A. Mount Obsession) on the right.
Continue on trail until you reach a large valley opening and the steep gray gully of Leatherman to the left.
We went too far up-valley toward the pass, so we had to back track to find our gully route, east of the prominent north ridge. Not the best thing to do, since time is precious in the mountains above tree line. Once you get to the large meadow, 2.5 miles from the trailhead, leave the trail and start hiking left toward the steep loose-rock gulley below the ridge made mostly of talus that takes you to the ridge. A human-made trail winds up through this immense gray slope. After getting up the first steep part of this gulley, doing the rest-step to conserve energy, we took a brief rest to scope out a route to the top. A trail heads straight up to the lowest part of the ridge line through what seems acres of loose talus. Fred would have no part of that, so instead we climbed more to the right, using a combination of talus and stable limestone outcrops to scramble up to the ridge. As we got to almost 12,000 feet, sheets of rain extended in slight curves from blue clouds and distant thunder rumbled. We climbed to some protective outcrops in case we had to hunker down because of weather. The storm seemed to be moving across Pahsimeroi and Lemhi Valleys further to the east. We kept our focus up the steep slope, for looking down with sketchy footing was a bit unnerving. Glad the limestone, besides having some cool fossils, was rough and grippy.
Leave trail to make initial steep climb into Leatherman's northern gulley; this leads you to the cirque under the ridge.
Leatherman is behind the black outcrop. 
A "sea" of rocks - initial talus climb to gulley
Wait - why do we do this again?
Navigating through a gray rock sea - 3,000' gain
Yes! It was worth it 
Working our way up larger boulders and outcrops of Leatherman Peak below the ridge; looking north onto gulley we ascended from forest below.
We descended via the path through the talus on the right. 
Final ridge climb - Leatherman Peak summit
Sue and Fred at 12,228' - another Idaho 12'er for the books!
Bad Rock Peak on ridge between Leatherman Peak and Mount Church
Tom Lopez, in his book Idaho: A Climbing Guide says of this peak, "Every approach crosses loose scree/talus that will make some climbers sob." 
Leatherman Peak's summit - 12,228'
A few bypasses on the rocky road out helped to avoid a few slippery and steep sections. The gravel road passes through Mahogany Creek, which had not gained water volume since our morning crossing.
Getting down slope from ridge; route in gully below
Now we have summited three of the nine Idaho "12'ers". Getting to the top of the rest of the six: Mount Church, Mount Idaho, Lost River Peak, Donaldson, Diamond Peak, and Mount Breitenbach would surely qualify as a "kedge", especially for a couple of 60-year old "geezers"!
That night in Mackay, we celebrated with pizza and beer at the Bear Bottom Restaurant's bar and talked to some of the "locals" who had finished their day's work. We got some tips on great things to see in the area, like the Mackay mine tour which deserves its own post on this website. So much to explore, so little time. We are lucky to have opportunities and freedom to explore our beautiful state and also this beautiful country. Never stop exploring and climbing mountains! 
Red Columbine after rain shower
A welcome sight after all of that gray limestone! 
Parting shot of Leatherman Peak with clouds rolling in
Our route up Leatherman's north gully/eastern ridge approach
We went too far toward Leatherman Pass, so had to backtrack.
References
Custer County, Idaho, GenWeb Project - Mackay's Mount McCaleb Geologic Map of the Borah Peak, Burnt Creek, Elkhorn Creek, and Leatherman Peak 7.5-min quadrangles, Custer and Lemhi Counties, Idaho. Idaho Geological Survey. Link, P.K., and Janecke, S.U. 1995. Geology of East-Central Idaho: Geologic Roadlogs for the Big and Little Lost River, Lemhi, and Salmon River Valleys. Henry Leatherman - Find a Grave website. Explore this "hidden gem" in the Red Mountain Wilderness; a primitive trail that quickly elevates the traveler from city to a spectacular and peaceful plateau in the southern Utah red rock wilderness. Related: Utah's Red Rock Country Mount Kinesava - Zion National Park Desert Plants Burger Peak: 10,320' - Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness, Utah  On top of Red Mountain overlooking Three Ponds Trail (wash), part of the Padre' Canyon Loop in Snow Canyon State Park. Trip Stats Overview: Within a few steps of Red Mountain's steep cliffs overlooking the bustling desert cities of Ivins and St. George, Utah, enter a quiet and sublime wilderness of pinyons, junipers and mule deer that is unmarked except for an occasional cairn. The Red Mountain Primitive Trail extends for 11 miles in the Red Mountain Wilderness through saddles crossed by washes and slickrock basins between rocky sandstone spires and crags, with spectacular views of Snow Canyon State Park We hiked this trail's southern 3.5 miles. Location: Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (BLM) in the Red Mountain Wilderness north of Ivins, Utah. Southern trailhead starts at intersection with Toe Trail, at the north end of North 200 E Street in Ivins. North trailhead is just off Highway 18, 15 miles north of Bluff Road in St. George, north of Snow Canyon State Park. Distance: We hiked 3.6 miles of the 11-mile trail, out and back for a total of 7.2 miles. Elevation: Southern trailhead = 3,189': our top point = 4,930'. Difficulty: Mostly strenuous Class 1 on first 0.8 miles; a short section is Class 3 using hand- and foot-holds to maneuver up rocks with mild-moderate exposure. Once on top, navigation and route-finding on unmarked terrain Class 2. Lat/Long: Ivins Trailhead (south): 37.1754 -113.6772. Top point of our hike overlooking Snow Canyon: 37.2129 -113.6707. Trail at Ivins descent (top out onto plateau): 37.1842 -113.6783. Considerations: The first mile from the Ivins trailhead is Class 1 with two short Class 3 maneuvers. Once the trail tops out, there is no marked trail. Experience with navigation and route-finding using a compass/GPS is a strongly recommended after top of Red Mountain is reached. Experience with this terrain and topo maps needed to avoid getting stuck. Dogs must be kept on a leash. A sign at this trailhead reads, "Hazardous, unmaintained route with steep exposed slopes: your safety is your responsibility." Search and rescue operations for lost hikers have occurred. Water: Plan on packing in your water. Permit: None Date Hiked: May 9, 2021. Maps: Google Maps Interactive map below Trail Map and Guide for: St. George, Hurricane and Zion NP, Utah - Adventure Maps.net Santa Clara 7.5 minute topo map (PDF). BLM Red Mountain Wilderness Map. See maps of our tracks below. Geology: Red Mountain's lower slopes are from the Kayenta Formation, the oldest rock in Snow Canyon State Park (190 million years). The horizontal sediment layers are made from rivers depositing mudstone, siltstone and sandstone. The upper slopes, cliffs and top of Red Mountain are a great block of Navajo Sandstone that is younger (180 million years), also seen as a major rock unit of Zion National Park. This Navajo Sandstone exhibits large, sweeping cross-bed features - horizontal and dipping layers of ancient sand dunes deposited in a vast eolian (wind carried) dune field. Red Mountain is bounded by the Gunlock Fault on its west side. It merges with an extensive field of 2.4 million - 2,000 year old basalt flows to the northeast. The Gunlock Fault is a normal fault with the down-drop on its west side (See references below).
Desert Tortoise Habitat Conservation and Large Solar Plants
Mojave Desert Tortoise near Toe Trail at base of Red Mountain Don't get to see these very often - as tortoises can spend as much as 95% of their lives underground in burrows. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed this species as "threatened". Recent News: The Sierra Club is one of several environmental groups opposing the massive solar plant project, "Gemini", which would cover 14 square miles (the equivalent of 7,000 football fields) with solar panels, northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, prime desert tortoise habitat. The Interior Department approved the project, stipulating Arevia Power would have to relocate tortoises to a new habitat. "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates 15,390 tortoises stand to lose nearly 70,000 acres of habitat in solar projects planned for the Southwestern Deserts." - From The Wall Street Journal, 6/5/2021.  Sunset at Ivins Reservoir - Red Mountain  Snow Canyon State Park 
 The southern end of Red Mountain A good example of two different rock units: the older Kayenta Formation deposited in large streams at the bottom, and the Navajo Sandstone vertical cliffs and ancient sand dunes deposited mid-slope and on top by wind-carried sand. Our Hike (from Ivins trailhead) It looks impossible to climb, but If you can get up the steep side of Red Mountain and maneuver through its short sandstone cliffs to the dune-like pink-orange sand at the top, you will enter into a beautiful and seldom-visited shrub and woodland ecoregion. Most are satisfied to end their hike in this soft sand to see the cities of Ivins and St. George sprawling 1,400 feet below. Very few venture beyond this onto Red Mountain's long plateau made of washes, spires, wildflowers, pinyon pines, junipers, scrub oak and slick rock basins. This is designated as a "primitive" trail; it is not officially marked. If you want to get some mileage in, you must hike pretty much due north, avoiding deep canyons to the west and east. We found saddles and washes to get us to a large sandstone ridge with a faint trail on top and killer views of Snow Canyon State park to the east, where we stopped for lunch. Occasional boot print paths in the sand go a short distance and then disappear; rock cairn trail markers are few and far between. What makes this hike exquisite is that it combines vegetation from both the Central Basin and Range to its north and Mojave Basin and Range to its south, creating a great diversity of flora and fauna. This, along with dramatic views witnessed in solitude makes this hike special. Initial Climb - 1,400 feet in 0.8 miles The initial climb to the top of Red Mountain from the city of Ivins is nearly 1,400 feet in 0.8 miles. Someone during the past year has expertly placed rebar and other metal posts to hold the fast-eroding slopes in place. Rock cairns mark the initial trail. Fun Class 3 climbing (I say "fun" because there are enough hand-and foot-holds so it's not too scary) is required in two spots mid-mountain to get through its cliff band. The path has a few switchbacks, but mainly climbs straight up. At the top, progress is slowed as you trudge through deep pink sand; then there is suddenly no trail. Junipers, prickly pears, yuccas and manzanita are scattered about in the sand and on sandstone bluffs and ledges.
Rebar holding rocks in place on the steep initial ascent
The trail tops out on ridge overlooking Ivins and Santa Clara, Utah (left), and Class 3 climbing (right).
Class 3 climbing through cliff band  Climb through cliff band: Trail on ridge below Lots of foot and hand holds  Final climb to top of Red Mountain entry onto its plateau Journey on top of Red Mountain At the entry point onto the plateau, it's a good idea to take note of landmarks around you such as mountains - stay oriented. I also take a waypoint on my GPS. Leaving civilization and steep slopes behind, we entered a colorful and sublime woodland - shrub "ecoregion" filled with manzanita and junipers and started heading north. A high point of sandstone is reached 1/4 mile after entering the plateau, and then a beautiful sandy basin opens up 100 feet below, surrounded with rock piles and small domes. Descend down into the basin through short sandstone steps and shelves, turning from an easterly direction to a northerly direction. This little basin lulls you into it and makes you want to stay and enjoy the complementary colors of sky and sand, of juniper and bright red firecracker penstemon. Once in the basin, we aimed due north for a low, shrub-filled saddle on the horizon; we startled a mule deer that trotted away. We began heading north to this green saddle stretched between red and orange ridges and rock piles. Trudging up soft sand washes, we tried to stay close to the ridge on the right which had amazing views of Snow Canyon State Park's basalt flows and orange sandstone formations. We could see that by venturing too far to the left, we would run into Red Mountain's west cliffs. A slight movement in a shrub alerted us, and then a snake's head poked out. We stood and let it cross the wash in front of us as it gave a cursory rattle; it didn't appear too threatened. Navigating through unmarked wilderness takes more time than following an established trail, as we check topo map and compass a few times. It was not too difficult in this case because the "trail" heads north. The trick is to avoid getting sucked into cliff walls and canyons on the west and find the best way around high points on the east. It's satisfying to be able to figure out a way through unmarked territory, to become more wary of the terrain and to know chances are that where your boot falls, no other has fallen before.  Within 0.25 miles of arriving at top of Red Mountain, reach a rim of weathered sandstone encircling a small sandy basin - head left through basin up saddle to the north. Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness on horizon to the northeast (Burger Peak, 10,320').  After topping off on plateau, reach this sandy basin surrounded by sandstone  
 On the east side of the sandy basin reached shortly after topping off onto Red Mountain. Aim toward the light-green shrub covered saddle on the horizon.
Cryptobiotic (biological) soil crusts, made of cyanobacteria, lichens and mosses. These form on easily eroded soils and increase stability and help provide more water infiltration and are the dominant source of nitrogen in pinyon-juniper ecosystems. These crusts hold the soil in place. Recovery of crusts that have been destroyed takes at least 45 years.  One of the first views of Snow Canyon State Park from ridge of Red Mountain primitive trail. Once we ascended the "green" saddle, we stayed to the right, avoiding slickrock basins to the left. We saw a faint trail that ascended through a beautiful steep-sided arroyo and followed it out onto a rocky hillside. This wash had funneled hikers and created a more defined trail at its head, where we negotiated a few rolling rock hills and topped off on the ridge overlooking Snow Canyon State Park where a few faint trails were present. Pinyon pines became more prevalent at we approached 5,000 feet elevation. A thorough look at Red Mountain Trail's 11-mile north/south traverse on Google Earth shows that there is no defined trail to follow on its southern end. However, a defined 2-track trail coming from Red Mountain's north trailhead can be seen. We ended our 3.6-mile hike on the ridge overlooking Snow Canyon, with a view of Three Ponds Trail, a sandy wash that is part of the Padre' Canyon loop hike. Looking at Google Earth, I can see that the 2-track coming from the north can be reached through slickrock basins further to the left/west of our route, avoiding some of the high points along the ridge. Future goal: hike the entire 11-mile Red Mountain Trail.   Once over the initial saddle, more washes and shrubs to traverse. Head north through a network of washes and shrubs to rock saddle between two high points on the horizon.  One of the few rock cairns along the way  Finding a route through soft sand  A beautiful example of a Pinyon pine  Pinyon pine - pine nuts were a staple food of Native Americans  Lunch break view of Snow Canyon State Park and Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness on horizon Basalt flows fill sandstone valleys  Jurassic sand dunes on top of Red Mountain Turnaround - return to Red Mountain Trail trailhead in Ivins Our lunch rock was elevated 1,550+ feet above the dramatic terrain of Snow Canyon State Park. The red and white Navajo Sandstone is cross-bedded and vertically jointed - remnants of ancient sand dunes. Water has cut valleys that were filled in much later with black basalt flows from the northeast. Looking to the northeast horizon, we could see Burger Peak in the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness, elevation over 10,000 feet - a peak we climbed last year. Elevated above the surrounding desert, we had an airy 360-degree view. The sandstone we were sitting on was warm from the day's unobstructed sun. We used GPS to track back and use a waypoint to reach the sand dunes at the opening of the steep trail onto the plateau, overlapping our ingoing tracks a few times. The sun had warmed the orange-pink fine sand. I watched a fly, or was it a bee, or maybe a "bee-fly" with a long black proboscis collecting nectar from a yellow flower. It kept a connection with the flower as they both swayed back and forth together in the breeze. In full sun on the west side of Red Mountain, we made it through the Class 3 section, climbing down through the rocks backward and finding enough foot- and hand-holds on grippy sandstone layers. The square houses and street grid of the flat valley below are such a contrast to the irregular and varied shapes on Red Mountain. Back to busy civilization from the serene and beautiful world atop Red Mountain. An added bonus to this hike: buy a thirst-quenching drink from a turquoise-painted refrigerator with the red words, "Cold Drinks" at the side of the house next to the trailhead. That is among the many things to look forward to on this adventure.  Back to civilization: Descending cliff band of steep side of Red Mountain overlooking Ivins  Cold Drinks at southern trailhead - just deposit 25 cents for water and $1.00 for energy drinks!!  Snow Canyon State Park, Utah  Our hike (red line) on southern portion of the Red Mountain Trail from Ivins, Utah.  Elevation and distance profile of our hike from top point back to trailhead. We gained almost 2,000 feet total in 3.65 miles.  Google Earth image of our GPS tracks from southern Red Mountain trailhead in Ivins, Utah . Resources:
Bugden, M. Geology of Snow Canyon State Park Cryptobiotic Soils: Jayne Belnap. Holding the Place in Place - USGS: Impacts of Climate Change on Life and Ecosystems. Red Mountain Wilderness Maps - Wilderness Connect Ecoregions of Utah - usgs.gov Geologic Map of the St. George and East Part of the Clover Mountains 30' x 60' quadrangles, Washington and Iron Counties, Utah. Biek, R.F., and others. USGS publications. Miller, R. Our Geological Wonderland: Snow Canyon State Park Mojave Desert Tortoise - Nevada Fish and Wildlife Service Get a taste of true Idaho wilderness on this short climb to a lush and undisturbed summit with a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) history. Just be prepared for some challenging bushwhacking! Related: Bald Mountain via Station Creek, Garden Valley, Idaho Jackson Peak Lookout: 8,124' - Boise National Forest Wolf Mountain and Point 8,610 via Jennie Lake  Buckwheat on ridge between Big Gallagher and Little Gallagher Creek drainages  Undisturbed by fire - Gallagher Peak - 6,100' Trip Stats for southeast ridge access/Little Gallagher Creek
History of Gallagher Civilian Conservation Corps Camp
In 1933, the Forest Service established a CCC camp at Gallagher Flat, near trailhead parking. The CCC was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the 1930's Great Depression to assist young men in learning skills and finding jobs in the Emergency Conservation Work Program. Their labor was utilized in constructive improvements in public forest, park and range lands. In return, they learned valuable skills such as carpentry, heavy machinery operation as well as journalism, first aid, and photography. Donald Tanasoca, a Payette National Forest CCC worker from New Jersey wrote in his journal:
Gallagher CCC troops built a new guard station and improved the Banks-Lowman road (called the South Fork Payette River Road at the time). They also developed "public service sites" at campgrounds and built the Deadwood and Scott Mountain fire lookouts. Gallagher Camp was closed in 1939. More history and photos on the Historical Marker Database
Overview What it lacks in summit grandeur, Gallagher Peak rewards with solitude and a grand view of the rugged Salmon River Mountains, the second largest of the Idaho Batholith mountain groups. The combination of lush wildflower-filled forest and open grassy slopes undisturbed by fire is the most remarkable feature of this short and steep hike. You won't arrive to a towering granite outcrop; instead, the partially-hidden summit benchmark sits under shrubs. The forest understory was so abundant that we got stuck in thickets a few times trying to navigate. When we hiked in August, large patches of yellow, orange and crimson buckwheat wildflowers topped granite outcrops on the ridge. The Boise National Forest Large Fire History map - 1980 - 2018, shows that Gallagher Peak has managed to escape past large fires. The Salmon River Mountain Range covers a massive territory in central Idaho - 8,900 square miles. The main Salmon River and its tributaries defines the boundaries of its six subranges. Numerous waterways form a natural maze through Idaho Batholith rocks that ultimately drain into the Snake River. The Middle Fork of the Salmon River is famous world-wide for its week-long raft trips through mostly untouched wilderness. The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness covers nearly 2 million acres of the Salmon River Mountains. Long gravel and dirt roads lead into its interior; some peaks are close to roads, like Gallagher, and some peaks take days to find. A worthy goal would be to scale all of the Salmon River Mountain Range's summits (I lost track when counting on Tom Lopez's list - it was near 300!). Or maybe conquer its highest: White Mountain at 10,442' - a relatively easy access out of Challis, Idaho. Many of its tallest peaks are in the eastern section of this range. A list of its peaks, access and climbing information is posted on Idaho: A Climbing Guide.  Parking just off Banks-Lowman Highway near Garden Valley, Idaho. The deep valley is Big Gallagher Creek drainage. Hike up the Little Gallagher Creek drainage to the right, behind trees. Our Hike - battling shrub thickets while searching for a trail Even though the distance to the summit is only three miles from the Banks-Lowman highway, it is a challenging peak to get to because it's steep, there's no formal trail, and you will fight your way through vegetation to get there. A previous trip report of this climb advised to hike along Little Gallagher Creek to its end and the ridge, but instead, we left the valley early and zipped straight up the steep grassy slope to the ridge top between Little Gallagher and Big Gallagher Creeks (see our GPS tracks below). Usually ridges seem to have a little less vegetation - but not this one! We soon found ourselves fighting large patches of shrubs interspersed with bare areas. At Point 5578, we briefly found a trail but then got sucked into thickets again. At this point, the ridge turns in a more northwesterly direction to the summit.  Short road goes to the open valley of Little Gallagher Creek  Heading up ridge to left (west) of Little Gallagher Creek (row of trees on left side of image). South Fork of the Payette River and Banks-Lowman Highway at bottom of valley.  Lots of large Antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) on this steep slope. This shrub provides important spring and winter food for elk, deer and antelope.  Finally on the ridge between Little Gallagher and Big Gallagher Creeks. Gallager Peak is between trees on left in image.  On ridge looking northwest with Big Gallagher Creek drainage to the left  Buckwheat on granitic outcrops - looking to the north  Trying to find a way through thickets and lots of trees
 Gallagher Peak on horizon - getting up to its southeast ridge.  Fighting our way through thickets just below summit  Gallagher Peak summit - 6,074' We arrived at the most unassuming summit - no grand granite spires here! We uncovered the geological survey marker. The blue and green undulating mountains of Boise National Forest surrounded us. Numerous creeks with great names such as Deadwood Jim, Whiskey, Slaughterhouse, Josie, Applejack, Cup and Black Bear have cut deep valleys into these granitic mountains. Bald Mountain, a summit we climb via Station Creek lies to the west. We found a faint trail descending the ridge with less vegetation. We were too far to the left (west) of the ridge on the way up; stay on the top of the ridge. Care must be taken to go down the correct ridge when you get to Point 5578; head down the due south ridge and not onto the due east ridge, otherwise you might end up in Pine Creek Campground. Out of the healthy forest, down to Little Gallagher Creek through tall and thick grasses. Another Boise National Forest peak under our belts with a few scrapes to prove it. Getting to know and appreciate Idaho one hike at a time. I wonder what workers in the Civilian Conservation Corps thought of this wilderness, and if they climbed this peak. Donald Tanasoca, CCC worker from New Jersey (see CCC history, above) said, "A city boy learns that the world is larger than just the city." As for me, each Idaho summit I get to is a gift, whether on a straight-forward clear-cut Class 1 trail or a frustrating and hard-won bushwhack. The views from the top are always awe-inspiring. Like Dr. Seuss says: "....this life is pretty amazing."  Benchmark on summit that is a triangulation station as indicated by triangle. It is the main station probably surrounded by three reference disks that have an arrow inscribed into them pointing toward the main station. Date on marker - 1933 - coincides with opening of Gallagher CCC camp.  Faint trail on ridge above Point 5578  The way back down ridge - Little Gallagher Creek in valley; Idaho Highway 17 wrapping around toe of ridge in center of photo. Next time - hike up Little Gallagher Creek all the way before getting on ridge.  Marker for previous vegetation survey: "Starting Point Gallagher Bitterbrush Transect."   Our GPS tracks and elevation profile click on topo map for larger image  References
Boise National Forest Large Fire History - 1980 - 2018. Idaho Fire info - BLM.gov. Boise National Forest Fire History - 1900 - 2016-September-19. fs.usda.gov Historical marker Database: CCC Shapes the Payette Drainage lib.uidaho.edu. Civilian Conservation Corps in Idaho Collection Lopez, T. 2000. Idaho: A Climbing Guide, pp. 108-112. Gallagher Ranger Station. USDA Forest Service, Boise National Forest. Smith, E.M. History of the Boise National Forest - 1905 - 1976 In search of new routes and solitude on Lucky Peak, an historic mining district, amidst burgeoning Boise trail use. Related: Lucky Peak, the Ridge Less Traveled Lucky Peak HIke - Winter Ascent The 10 Essentials to carry with you on day hikes  Adelmann Mine in Boise River Wildlife Management Area Trip Stats
History of the Adelmann Mine Owned by the Adelmann brothers, one of which was Richard Adelmann, a German miner and Civil War Veteran who also built the Adelmann Building in downtown Boise at Capitol and Idaho Street in 1902. Gold was the primary commodity, followed by extraction of silver and zinc. The Adelmann Group was part of the Black Hornet District. The Black Hornet Mine is located directly south of the Adelmann Mine in Boise River WMA. The deposit was an underground vein in a host rock of Atlanta Lobe of the Idaho Batholith - two mica granite of Cretaceous age. A very thorough report by the Idaho Geological Survey includes Black Hornet Mine and Queen Mine from the Lucky Peak area: Site Inspection Report for Abandoned and Inactive Mines on Land Administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in the Boise Resource Area, Idaho: Boise Foothills, Ada County, and Osborne Mine, Gem County Gear Snow boots, snowshoes, gaiters, GPS, Yaktrax Pro diamondgrip, walking pole. Helpful technique - The Rest Step When breaking trail up a steep snow slope, the rest step helps you to conserve energy and prevents your legs from getting too quickly fatigued. It is a rhythmical gait, resting momentarily with each step by putting your weight onto a straight back leg and letting your other leg swing forward. The idea is to decrease the use of muscles with every step and let your weight be supported by leg bones instead. Take small steps. REI snow travel techniques. Our Hike The ability to leave city life - temporarily - and get a taste of early 1900's mining life is one of the great advantages of hiking Lucky Peak. Even if you don't go to the Adelmann or Black Hornet mines, you can stumble onto some old rusted equipment, or an old mining claim like the one in the photograph below of the Blue Grouse Lode discovery. Lucky Peak, a.k.a. Shaw Mountain in Boise has been a "staple" hike for us the past 20 years because we gain a good amount of elevation - 3,000 feet - in 4.5 miles and it's close to home. With the influx of people moving into the Boise area and subsequent increased trail traffic, we have added four additional routes to its summit in search of more solitude. We call each route by a different name. There's the "backside" route from the Wilderness Management Area headquarters (Lucky Peak: The Ridge Less Traveled). There's two ridge hikes we use to hike and snowshoe. Then, there's the Pruett route, named after our friend and his two boys whom we took up one cold early spring day. Most photos on this post represent different hikes/snowshoe hikes up the same southeast ridge. This route is a steep ascent that overlooks the road to Adelmann Mine, often "crowded" with hikers. The primary purpose of the Boise River Wildlife Management Area is to "Provide winter habitat for mule deer and elk, and year-round habitat for other wildlife species." This WMA supports the largest wintering mule deer herd in Idaho. Elk sign is present, especially during the winter months. Once we saw a majestic bull elk silhouetted on the next ridge over, his large herd of cows watching us, then they disappeared over the ridge. The view of the mountainous Boise National Forest is spectacular most of the way, especially in winter.  Boise National Forest peaks to the northeast   At Trailhead: An early November 2020 hike (above), and a hike on 1/1/21 (bottom). Follow ridge to tree line - the highest point on the horizon is Point 5645, 2.7 miles from trailhead.
 Native as well as invasive grasses carpet the valley the first 0.8 mile of the ridge approach. Signs of the 2016 Mile Marker 14 fire.
 Many sagebrush have been burned by the Mile Marker 14 Fire in 2016 which closed the Boise River Wildlife Management Area at that time.
 Core stone looking over Adelmann Mine buildings at 5,000 feet elevation. Primary commodity - gold  Going up middle southeast ridge to Point 5645 on horizon with row of trees, which is 2.7 miles into hike
  Good place to use the Rest Step technique! (see above)  Reach tree line at 5,600 feet elevation At the forested ridge, Lucky's summit is only another 300' gain. Metal posts mark Boise National Forest boundary and can be followed to a road that arises from Adelmann Mine. At the high point of this road, at a shaded saddle with a view toward Shafer Butte near Bogus Basin Ski Area to the north, a trail ascends to the west, passing by a few tent campsites. One more short climb to the summit and you are rewarded with a 360-degree view, mostly of the flat Snake River Plain and civilization at your feet. The mountainous Boise National Forest lies to the north. We relinquish our solitude for a few moments on the summit as 4 groups of hikers come and go. Then we are back on our own as we descend the ridge less traveled, intersecting elk trails in the snow. The descent is steep in parts as we pass by mining relicts. Try to imagine the gold miners on these ridges. Return to "civilization." Lucky to have the best of both worlds.  View of Treasure Valley in the Snake River Plain from Lucky Peak's summit. Owyhee Mountain range on the horizon.  Antelope bitterbrush overlooking the Snake River Plain  From Lucky Peak summit looking north to Shafer Butte (left) near Bogus Basin Ski Area  We didn't make it all the way to the summit on this southeast ridge hike. North is to right of image - click for larger image     Our GPS tracks to/from summit Lucky Peak Reservoir in distance  Going back down: slow going through brush on lower slope. Lower road leads to Adelmann Mine  Overlooking Lucky Peak Reservoir  Heading down ridge - Boise River WMA in valley on right. Our trailhead in valley on left.  Beautiful valley at end of hike This image is as taken - no editing  Great way to end the hike!   Our GPS track from Idaho Hwy 21 to Lucky Peak Summit click on map for larger image References
The Diggings - Adelmann Group Western Mining History - Adelmann Group - westernmininghistory.com Maley, T. 1994. Field Geology Illustrated, 2nd ed. Mineral Land Publications, Boise, Idaho. Reflections on Southern Utah's warm colors and a remedy for the Boise winter blues. Related: (See Southern Utah Hikes/Bikes category listed on the right) Zion National Park: Double Arch Alcove Hike Angels Landing in Zion: Not for the Faint of Heart Hiking Mt. Kinesava - Zion National Park Utah Mountain Biking: The Cowbell and The Cryptobionic Highway Canaan Mountain via Squirrel Canyon Double Arch Alcove Hike: Zion NP Boulder Mail Trail to Death Hollow in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument  Buckskin Gulch, the longest slot canyon in the southwest Paria Canyon - Vermilion Cliffs National Monument  In color meaning and symbolism, red is a physical stimulant. It triggers our adrenal gland, causing us to have energy and take action. It makes us more sensitive to our environment and invigorates us. Orange is the color of warmth, vitality, creativity, and it too increases our activity levels and gives us a sharper awareness of our surroundings. It's no wonder Fred and I escape the low-energy and dispassionate grays and browns of wintertime Boise to reinvigorate in Utah's red rock country. Somewhere between Paragonah and Parowan, on our drive southward to St. George and the Zion area, the landscape transforms from hints of pink to to the blazing oranges and reds of Red Mountain Wilderness. Or we travel to Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Staircase-Escalante areas for adventures in chocolate-brown, pink and maroon sandstone canyons. Like bees to flowers, we have found our way to Southern Utah many times over the past 20 years and there's so much yet to see. If you had to identify one element responsible for the warm colors of Southern Utah, an element that jolts us out of our winter blues and spurs us onto adventure, it would be .....iron. The Navajo Sandstone exposed in Zion National Park shows off the many colors that iron creates. When iron is exposed to oxygen, it produces varying colors; and these colors depend on what form of iron oxide is present. The accumulated sand grains get coated with iron oxide. Hematite is the iron oxide responsible for the saturated reds. Limonite is responsible for the yellows. It's believed that white sandstone formerly had color but then was "bleached" by ground waters that dissolved iron oxides from the upper heights of the Navajo Sandstone. There's a reason Zion gets over 4 million visitors a year: it has the thickest exposure of the colorful and cross-bedded ancient sand dunes that make up the Navajo Sandstone (2,200 feet).  Zion Canyon from cliffs of Mt. Kinesava Bridge Mountain mid-horizon, East Temple to the left of it. Hiking West Rim Trail after a March snowstorm - looking into Zion Canyon at Virgin River  Zion's West Rim Trail after a March snowstorm  Cross bedding of ancient sand dune - Zion National Park  Overlooking Zion Canyon and Virgin River from Cable Mountain Angels Landing lower left  West Rim Trail - Zion National Park  Emerald Pools - Zion National Park  Zion's East Rim Trail Portions of this trail now closed due to large rockfall The color red is pervasive on the Colorado Plateau, a 130,000 square mile province roughly centered on the Four Corners region of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. It's fitting that, when one says "Colorado", one is also saying "the color red" in Spanish. It seems that the Colorado River has had a few names over time, but its name literally describes the red sandstone found in its waters. The Colorado Plateaus Province has 9 national parks, and I am lucky to have hiked or walked in all of them. It also contains 18 national monuments, of which Grand Staircase is my favorite. For our 40th birthdays, Fred and I hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim and back again the next day; for our 50th birthdays we hiked north rim to south rim. It is an experience never to be forgotten. Rim-to-rim hikers see just about every color of the spectrum in the sediment layers of the 5,000-foot drop and gain in the Grand Canyon, as well as the brown Vishnu Schist - the basement rocks of the Grand Canyon.  The Colorado Plateau Province: South-Southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, southwestern Colorado and Northwestern New Mexico. Nearly centered over the "Four Corners" region. map from nps.gov Sometime around 2,000 B.C. until 500 A.D., scientists say, nomadic hunter-gatherers from the Desert Archaic culture used red ochre paint to make pictographs of human-like figures onto the sandstone walls of what is now Horseshoe Canyon. It's a long drive for a short hike, but distances don't matter when standing in front of this incredible wall. As we stared at these red, almost eerie-looking figures, a park ranger quietly came up the path to sit on a nearby fallen cottonwood trunk, as he had almost every day to prevent vandalism. More recently, geologists date the rock art panel between 0 A.D. to 1,100 A.D. It has been interpreted as a sacred place for Archaic hunters. The significant discovery of an old leather bag eroding from sand by visitors in 2005 helped archaeologists piece together a scenario of the Archaic hunter who placed it near the Great Gallery wall. The bag contained three small leather pouches, a water-rounded stone, and marsh-elder seeds. Two of the pouches were stained red by hematite, one of which held chert to make arrowheads; the other probably held pieces of this ore. The seeds were an emergency food cache. The flintknapper/hunter had collected more chert flakes than he needed and was heading southwest to his home. This was an excellent place for him to stash extra hunting tools and food in case of emergency, and an easy landmark to remember and describe to kin. He was walking through a natural travel corridor.  The "Holy Ghost" and the Great Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah  Newspaper Rock - San Juan County, Utah One of the largest collections of petroglyphs in the country. Fremont, Ute, and Anasazi Native Americans contributed to this panel. Designs were created by pecking through the desert varnish to the lighter rock beneath.  Mesa Arch at Sunrise - Canyonlands National Park The best spot to photograph this arch was already taken by a photographer and his tripod at 5:30 a.m. Still more than enough places for photographs!  Death Hollow in Grand Staircase/Escalante' National Monument (these are the actual colors - not saturated with Photoshop) One of the most colorful canyons I have been in  In her book "Red: Passion and Patience in the Desert," Terry Tempest Williams effectively conveys how it feels to be in the red rock country. To read her words is to feel the warm sun, the rough sandstone, and the enormous space in the red rock canyons and mesas. She reflects on its physical and spiritual aspects. She grew up in Utah and is also an educator and environmental activist. The more I visit this beautiful place, the more I can relate to her writings. She reminds us to slow down and really "see" and contemplate the land. If we do that, then we can "hear the voice of our conscience. If we listen to that voice, it asks us to be conscious. And if we become conscious, we choose to live lives of consequence." Another quote from this book: "Time and space. In the desert there is space. Space is the twin sister of time. If we have open space then we have open time to breathe, to dream, to dare, to play, to pray to move freely, so freely, in a world our minds have forgotten but our bodies remember. Time and space. This partnership is holy. In these redrock canyons, time creates space--an arch, an eye, this blue eye of sky. We remember why we love the desert; it is our tactile response to light, to silence, and to stillness."
 Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area, Northern Arizona - "The Wave" in Coyote Buttes  "The Wave" Coyote Buttes in Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Only 20 people per day are allowed; we were able to get permits twice during Christmas Holidays before it became so popular!  Petroglyph at confluence of Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness - Arizona  Buckskin Gulch Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs National Monument  Palmer's Penstemon in Snow Canyon State Park, Utah  Snow Canyon State Park - St. George, Utah  Fred on Upper Muley Twist Trail - Capitol Reef National Park Off of Burr Road, south of Boulder, Utah Great views of the Waterpocket Fold, hike through canyons and on top of mesa Walking through snowmelt from higher up on plateau, but the water wasn't too cold!  Along Taylor Creek on the Double Arch Alcove Hike Zion National Park Kolob Canyons section Leaves were all rotating counter-clockwise in this small pond. References
National Park Service. Analysis and Dating of the Great Gallery tool and Food Bag. Natural History Museum of Utah. Bold Figures, Blurred History: The Great Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon. Weaver, Lance. 2020. What Gives Utah's "Red Rock Country" its Color? Utah Geological Survey. Colors of the Navajo Sandstone. nps.gov. sensationalcolor.com. Color Symbolism and the Meaning of Red. Navajo Sandstone. Utah Geology.com. Seldom summited, this remote, jagged mountain out of Jennie Lake with views of Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains is a rewarding Class 2-3 hike, and is not as intimidating as it looks. Bag Points 8610 and 8568 on the way. Related: Jackson Peak: 8,124' - Boise National Forest The 10 Essentials to Carry with you on Every Hike  North face of Wolf Mountain, Boise National Forest, 8,876' Trip Stats
Location: Northeast of Idaho City near central Idaho, Boise National Forest. Distance/Elevation Gain: 12.5 miles round-trip, 3,800' net elevation gain including recovering lost elevation if you do both Wolf Mountain and Peak 8610. Trailhead = 6,080', Summit of Wolf Mountain = 8,876'. Difficulty: Moderate Class 1 for 4.4 miles to Jennie Lake; Strenuous Class 2 scramble past Jennie Lake; Class 3 minimal exposure using hands to propel up rocks last 30' to summit. Coordinates: Trailhead = 43.9932 -115.4521, Wolf Peak Summit = 44.0099 -115.3882 Date Hiked: 10/02/20 Maps: Boise National Forest Map - USDA, Jackson Peak Quadrangle, 7.5 min topo map, our GPS tracks below. Driving directions: Jennie Lake Trailhead. Drive 21 north from Boise past Idaho City. Pass over Mores Creek Summit and descend. Just past Whoop-um-up park and ski area, turn east (right) onto forest road 384. The road is well-maintained, follow 384 for 6.3 miles to the junction with FS 348, just before the Willow Creek campground. Follow 348 for 7.4 miles, to a sign reading "road closed 0.2 miles". Take this and park at the trailhead to Jennie Lake. Geology: Challis intrusive rocks (Eocene, 50 million years ago). See "geocurious" box below. Considerations: Jennie Lake is a popular backpacking/hiking destination to view spring/summer wildflowers. History of the name "Wolf Mountain": Arval Anderson, who made the first maps of the Sawtooth Wilderness Area for the Forestry Service in 1927, saw wolves on this mountain. The brass benchmark on top of Wolf Mountain is engraved with the date "1926" (see below). From Idaho: A Climbing Guide - Arval Anderson, Early Sawtooth Explorer and Surveyor."
On the way back from the summit
 Fred, Anna, and Sylvie the dog On ridge between Wolf Mountain and Jennie Lake basin Points 8568 and 8610 can be summited on this ridge in addition to summiting Wolf Mountain!  Jennie Lake We ascended ridge to the left of lake entrance, hiking due east At the lake entrance, we scouted the lowest saddle to the left on the lake's surrounding wall and made a beeline towards it, walking around the lake briefly to the left/south, then due east up the ridge. It's a heart-pounding steep 600' climb to the ridge overlooking Jennie Lake through autumn bunch grasses, red shrubs and rocks that all too easily dislodge under your boot. Once on the ridge, there is no mistaking Wolf Mountain's location to the southeast. We ended up just north of Point 8568 and continued southwest 0.6 miles on the ridge to cairned Point 8610, Jennie Lake surrounded by trees below us to the right, and Wolf Mountain looming across the deep Rockey Creek streambed to our left. We would have to lose some elevation (260') and then regain it to get to Wolf's summit. The view was hazy due to smoke from Oregon and California wildfires.  Ridge to southeast of Jennie Lake; we headed up toward high point on the left. Hazy smoke due to CA and OR fires. Many trees burned around Jennie Lake due to previous fire.  Climbing to the ridge overlooking Jennie Lake  First look at Wolf Mountain's north face from ridge above Jennie Lake Point 8568 is to the far right in the image  Anna and Sylvie summiting Point 8610 on ridge that divides Jennie Lake basin (left) and Wolf Mountain's northern ridge (right).
 Route-finding from Point 8610 on ridge to Wolf Mountain's north ridge (upper left ).  On Wolf Mountain's north ridge To summit Wolf after summiting Point 8610, walk back down the ridge to just before Point 8568 where Wolf's north ridge is seen and drop down into deep stream gulley, cross this dry streambed and then head straight up aiming toward Wolf Mountain's northern ridge. After this climb out, an opening in the trees provides views of the sudden drop into the crater-like bowl of raw talus slopes and the granite block of the summit. Hike on the margin of the talus field, just above the steep cliffs to the left.  Anna and Sylvie arriving at base of Wolf Mountain's summit block. We had walked over from Point 8610 along ridge behind her. Anna and Sylvie had to wait just below the vertical rocks of the summit since this last challenge requires Class 3 scrambling using hands (photo below). Fred and I scrambled to the narrow summit with a prominence of almost 900 feet. We were elevated far above this part of central Idaho, looking north to Jackson Peak. Steep cliffs drop to the north and south. We wished Anna and Sylvie could be with us because it is these small summits that make you feel slightly precarious that are the best.  Final summit climb For the Geocurious The rocks of Wolf Mountain were created by the Farallon Plate sliding under (subduction) the North American Plate on North America's west coast causing the earth's crust to spread, triggering the intrusion of magma to form shallow granitic plutons ~52 million years ago. It would be great to check out this rock more closely to determine what this pluton is made of: granodiorite (> 20% quartz), quartz monzodiorite, or granite? Another distinctive feature of this Eocene granite is the planar, high-angle jointing; and Wolf Mountain is a great example. Many spectacular peaks in central Idaho are in steeply jointed Eocene granite, which weathers to sharp peaks and steep topography.  View of Point 8610 (mid-image) from the summit of Wolf Mountain. We were just there!  Survey benchmark possibly installed by Arval Anderson, who made the first maps for the Sawtooth Wilderness Area. Award-winning author and adventurer Lucy Jane Bledsoe articulates her thoughts on achieving a mountain summit: "Perhaps it isn't will at all that fuels a person to the top of a mountain. Perhaps it's the ache for beauty. A desire to be dangled over the canyon of nothingness. To, in fact, lose one's will for a moment." Robert MacFarlane, author of Mountains of the Mind: Adventures in Reaching the Summit says, “Mountains seem to answer an increasing imaginative need in the West. More and more people are discovering a desire for them, and a powerful solace in them. One forgets that there are environments which do not respond to the flick of a switch or the twist of a dial, and which have their own rhythms and orders of existence." The feeling of standing on a summit far above all else is difficult to articulate, but one word that occurs to me repeatedly is "freedom". It's room, it's space, a feeling of no constraints, and the freedom of overcoming self-imposed constraints such as "that peak looks too hard to do." It is also the knowledge that this mountain has been here a lot longer than I, and will be here a lot longer after I go. It is the freedom to be able to see what that mountain sees. It's a feeling so unlike our everyday occurrences that I savor those moments and the ability to experience something that is so different. There is the matter of conquering, achieving and getting to the top, as George Mallory, the English mountaineer who was part of the first Mount Everest British expeditions in the 1920's says. He answers the question, "what is the use of climbing mountains?" in his quote: “For the stone from the top for geologists, the knowledge of the limits of endurance for the doctors, but above all for the spirit of adventure to keep alive the soul of man.” ― George Mallory  Always a welcome sight - the cairn at the top!  Summit of Wolf Mountain looking northwest On the return, we had to climb out of the deep stream bed at Wolf's northern base and back up towards Point 8568 overlooking Jennie Lake. We made our way down that steep ridge into Jennie's basin. We made a quick hike back down the trail to the truck, it seemed a long way, as we had all run out of water. Bear Creek was still flowing next to us, even this late in the season! We were all dusty, especially Sylvie who normally has a white coat, but emerged out of that forest with a tan tinge to her hair. Sure made the day even better to be able to hike with her and Anna.  Heading back down   On the homestretch! - Jennie Lake Trail  Wolf Mountain and Peak 8610 via Jennie Lake Trailhead Topo Map After gaining the ridge southeast of Jennie Lake, we walked along it to summit Point 8610; we then descended into Rockey Creek and then back up to summit Wolf Mountain via its north ridge. click for larger image References
Boise National Forest Large Fire History: 1980 - 2018. DeGrey, L., Link, P. Digital Geology of Idaho: Challis Magmatic Episode. retrieved from internet. Interactive Map. Idaho Geological Society. Retrieved from the internet. Johnson, K. M., Lewis, R.S., Bennett, E.H., Kiilsgaard, T.H. Cretaceous and Tertiary Intrusive Rocks of South-Central Idaho. Moye, F.J., Hackett, W.R., Blakley, J.D., Snider, L.G. Regional Geologic Setting and Volcanic Stratigraphy of the Challis Volcanic Field, Central Idaho. Navigate off Pioneer Cabin Trail's beaten path to walk on Johnstone's rocky east ridge for a massive view of Idaho's rugged Pioneer Mountains. We returned to this hike we dedicated to the memory of our great friend Henry Brown. Related: Goat Mountain, 11,913': Pioneer Mountain Range This Hike for Henry Brown - Johnstone Peak (2016) Norton Peak, 10,336' via Miner Lake - Smoky Mountains, Idaho  Johnstone Peak, 9,949' from Pioneer Cabin Trail near Ketchum, Idaho Walk across talus field on hike to Johnstone Peak with view of Pioneer Mountains
Trip Stats
 On Johnstone's east ridge looking east to main crest of Pioneer Mountain Range. Goat Mountain far left horizon.  Our GPS tracks Our Hike There are several ways to get up to Johnstone Peak, an almost 10,000-footer near Ketchum, Idaho. Its summit is in view for most of the way when approaching it from the north on Pioneer Cabin Trail where the final 1,000-foot gain involves route-finding on a faint, unmarked and rocky trail. At the top, we met two people who had ascended from Bear Gulch, to its south. It's an inspiring peak to us, not only for the breathtaking views of the main Pioneer Mountain crest, but also for remembering our friend Henry Brown. In 2016, we dedicated this hike to Henry because of his love for Idaho's wilderness (This Hike for Henry Brown).
 Corral Creek near Pioneer Cabin Trailhead  First two miles of hike through shady forest  Reach ridge for first glimpse of Johnstone Peak and its northern-facing steep rock chutes Trail blaze (marker) on tree at right  On the one-mile stretch of Johnstone Creek Trail with Johnstone Peak in view  Beginning of Johnstone's east ridge climb after one mile on Johnstone Creek Trail View of Johnstone's summit is blocked by highest point on the horizon, however trail goes over this A faint trail extends towards Johnstone's east ridge after the saddle at Johnstone Creek Trail is reached, just before its descent. The westward 1.6-mile climb to the summit first traverses the shady north side of the ridge, and then because of the northern steep chutes, it switches to the south side, going over a few talus fields. The summit is one large stable talus pile. Having done this hike a few times before, we know now to stay close to the ridge; when it begins to pull you to the south, keep west at about 260 degrees. The trail passes over a large talus field of a "pseudo peak"; and upon mounting it, you see Johnstone's summit across yet another talus field.  Faint trail (in foreground) heading west up Johnstone's east ridge; it goes through the trees on the right and then on the top/left side of highest prominence on the left.  View of Pioneer Mountains to the northeast  O! Lovely talus field - at least it is stable! Some gorgeous textures and colors
 Just when you are done climbing high points, the real summit is still on the horizon (Johnstone on right) Except for a few stunted trees, the summit is bare and exposed, but it rises far above everything else, marking the area between the Wood River Valley and famous Mt. Baldy's ski mountain to the south and central Idaho's peaks to the north. Four years ago, after the first dusting of snow, Fred and I stood on Johnstone's summit with a sign proclaiming "This Hike for Henry Brown". Henry, in his mid-50's had passed in August from lung cancer. He was a West Point grad, avid outdoorsman and excellent bow and rifle hunter, and had spent his last years in Hailey, south of Ketchum in the Wood River Valley. It was especially hard for Fred to lose his great friend, one that had shared his passion for wilderness and taught him valuable hunting skills. When Henry had moved back to Idaho, there was hope for many hikes in Idaho's beautiful wilderness. But these never happened and we were reminded that life can be cut short. More than ever we know that we are lucky to be able to walk the forests and rocky summits of Idaho and look forward to the next American West adventure. In 2016, as we were on Johnstone's summit remembering Henry, an eagle flew high above, a symbol of Henry's spirit. And this time again as we were descending, a bald eagle, soaring effortlessly above the northern side of the peak made us stop as it passed by and out of sight. I had said the next time we summited Johnstone, we would be looking for an eagle. Once again we saw one, and felt Henry's presence.  Summit of Johnstone looking at Pioneer Mountain Range to the east  In 2016 on Johnstone Peak, in Henry Brown's "neck of the woods" We will always remember Henry's friendship and his love of Idaho's wilderness Johnstone Peak: This Hike for Henry Brown (2016)
 Descending Johnstone with main crest of Pioneer Mountains to the northeast  Pioneer Cabin Trail Pioneer Cabin built in 1938 by Sun Valley Company for the Alpine Touring branch of the ski school   Our GPS tracks and Elevation Profile (profile from summit to trailhead) - 5.3 miles, 3,000' gain click on map and profile for larger PDF images References
Geologic Map Of Idaho. Geologic Map of Blaine County. Idaho State University. https://digitalatlas.cose.isu.edu/counties/blaine/geomap.htm Trailing of the Sheep Festival - History of the Festival https://trailingofthesheep.org/about/history/ Wust, S. L., Link, P.K. 1988. Field Guide to the Pioneer Mountains Core Complex, South-Central Idaho. |
Categories
All
About this blogExploration documentaries – "explorumentaries" list trip stats and highlights of each hike or bike ride, often with some interesting history or geology. Years ago, I wrote these for friends and family to let them know what my husband, Fred and I were up to on weekends, and also to showcase the incredible land of the west. I hope to hear about your adventures!
Happy Autumn!
To Subscribe to Explorumentary adventure blog and receive new posts by email:
About the Author
|
