March 18, 2020. The pandemic sweeping the world is undoubtedly going to impact all of our explorations of Idaho’s mountains this year and possibly next year. Please recognize the danger posed by the COVID-19 virus to you and others and take appropriate steps to keep yourself healthy. Remember that “Life as Usual” is no more for the foreseeable future. Take … Continue reading →
The opportunities for those who enjoy climbing mountains are unlimited in Idaho. This guidebook is an idea book and a starting point for mountaineers, hikers and explorers. In the 10 years since Exploring Idaho’s Mountains was published, Idaho’s population has skyrocketed, Boise has become a city and Coeur d’Alene is now a major resort destination. Surprisingly, this growth has had … Continue reading →
The Idaho Trails Association is an outstanding organization that not only maintains Idaho’s mountain trails but is also literally saving many of Idaho’s trails from extinction. The ITA is looking for volunteers for its 2020 projects. As you will see from perusing the ITA’s website, volunteers find the experience rewarding. You can learn more at this link: Idaho Trails Association. … Continue reading →
Best Maps Ever (an Idaho company) has just published its newest map in the company’s Idaho Series. This one covers Idaho fire lookouts. These poster maps are a great resource for Idaho peakbaggers and mountain enthusiasts. In addition to the newest product, you can buy the following titles: Idaho 2000+ Prominence Peaks, Idaho Eleveners, Idaho County High Points and Idaho … Continue reading →
On August 6, 2019, Terri became the first woman and only the 8th person to climb all of the Idaho County High Points. Terri also became the first woman to complete the Lower 48 State High Points twice. Terri is now working on Idaho’s mountain range high point list as well. Terri reported her accomplishment in a Facebook post: “Wow! … Continue reading →
Ron Whittaker has published The Search for the Flat Ness Monster, recounting his adventures hiking the Idaho Centennial Trail. He has written an engaging account of his multi-year journey which will certainly encourage some to undertake life-changing journeys of their own. The book is available in hard copy and as a very affordable e-book at $3.99. The following is from … Continue reading →
I recently discovered that the access road to 3 popular peaks in the Owyhee Mountains has been blocked by a private landowner. The 3 peaks are Buck Mountain, Peak 4620 and Peak 4540. The landowner has evidently used a narrow strip of private land between the US-95 right-of-way and BLM land to prevent access to the public land (see map … Continue reading →
Go All Outdoors is a website developed by a group of passionate outdoors enthusiasts who have a genuine love for the outdoors and want to see it protected for future generations. By providing resources and how-to guides, the website is designed to help others learn the skills to get unplugged and get outdoors. Whether you want to start a new … Continue reading →
The Pins and Needles Climbing Guide is now available on this website. This climbing area is located at the South End of the Lick Creek subrange of the Salmon River Mountains northeast of Cascade, Idaho. It is an area of solid granite spires, pinnacles and walls centered around Needles Peak. The guide covers many of the bolted technical routes and is … Continue reading →
Margo Mandella has updated her article on Idaho Trespassing law. Understanding the new law is essential if you are venturing into Idaho’s outdoors. Read her informative article at this link: Trespassing and the Idaho Code, A Primer by Margo Mandella Stay legal and understand your rights and, more importantly, tell your elected representatives to Keep Their Hands off Our Public … Continue reading →
Congratulations are due P.A. Campbell who climbed all 4 Grand Slams Peaks on Sunday, June 10, 2018. This is the first report of someone climbing all 4 peaks in 1 day using a traditional vehicle shuttle. Erik Pohlmann completed all 4 peaks without using a vehicle in May 2016 and an anonymous group of endurance runners made the journey in … Continue reading →
Fire Lookouts are a great way to experience Idaho’s mountains. I just discovered a Boise National Forest brochure (linked below) that covers most of the existing fire lookouts in the forest and provides brief access information for each. All of these mountains have pages on this website. Fire lookout sites were chosen because of their commanding views. You will find … Continue reading →
41 of Idaho’s mountain peaks serve as the highest points in 42 of Idaho’s 44 counties. The highest elevations in Jerome and Gooding Counties are not mountain peaks. Out-of-staters Ken Jones and Bob Packard were the first to reach all the Idaho County High Points. Dan Robbins was the first Idaho resident to reach the summit of all of Idaho’s … Continue reading →
Ever have one of those days when around 11:00AM, you think “I should have gone a hiking” and then decided it was too late in the day? Dan Robbins of Idaho Summits fame has come up with a solution to your procrastination: A Peak List and Guide to 9 Peaks within 90 Minutes of Boise. The peak list includes peaks … Continue reading →
Kelly Lance’s impressive self-propelled 2017 Labor Day weekend traverse of the Idaho 12ers, covering 119 miles in 87 hours, is recounted in the following article “From Diamond Peak to Hyndman Peak: Kelly Lance’s 12er Traverse.” It is a story combining the best of what we all seek in the mountains with unbelievable endurance and grit set in Idaho’s highest mountains. … Continue reading →
An Alpinist Guide to Pocatello – Snow Climbs and Scrambles, by Scot Kelchner is now available on the Idaho: A Climbing Guide website. This is a guide to some of the local spots Scot Kelchner enjoyed during his 13 years of scrambling upeaks in the Pocatello area. He made the guide available as a farewell gift to the community … Continue reading →
Pat McGrane‘s Wildhorse Classics guide to the fantastic peaks surrounding the Wildhorse Creek drainage in the Pioneer Mountains demonstrates that the range deserves equal billing with the Sawtooths when discussing Idaho’s best technical alpine climbing. Pat’s guide is a big file, 46 pages with lots of photos, so give it a bit of time to load. Please thank Pat for this … Continue reading →
Kevin Hansen, Sean Muldoon, Jocelynn Smith, and Adam Brown climbed a variation of Mount Borah’s North Face Direct Route that they named Junk Rock Direct, YDS 5.7+ WI 1. Check it out at this link: North Face – Junk Rock Direct, Photo Essay by Kevin Hansen … Continue reading →
Brandon Prince is the newest contributor to the website. Brandon is a top-level technical climber with many difficult Sawtooth climbs on his resume. His first contribution is an essay on climbing Warbonnet Peak entitled: Warbonnet Peak and the Fine Art of “Not Giving Up.” I think you will enjoy Brandon’s perspective on climbing one of Idaho’s most challenging summits. Warbonnet Peak … Continue reading →
In case you have not noticed private land often preclude or complicates access to Idaho peaks. The Owyhee Mountains and West Mountains and most of the mountain ranges in southeastern Idaho are interspersed with private land. While these ranges are the most likely to have access blocked by private property, you may run into access issues any place you go. … Continue reading →
Joe Leonard has provided us with another riveting chapter from his book Son of the Madam Mustang Ranch. This story, The Breath of God, involves a Winter climb on Mount Shasta. Like all of Joe’s writings, you will find yourself caught up in the struggle with the mountain and life. Read The Breath of God. … Continue reading →
I am always surprised that not many people climb in the Bighorn Crags. There are few places in Idaho with granite as spectacular as the Bighorn Crags. Knuckle Peak (Fishfin Ridge) is the crowning glory of this area. It was first climbed in 1955. I climbed it in 1984 and found evidence of earlier ascents but I never tracked those … Continue reading →
Sadly, my friend and fellow climber Larry Prescott passed away during a climb in the Lemhi Range yesterday. Larry was an exceptional human being and I will miss his company in the mountains, miss his good nature and positive attitude, and miss his trip reports. Condolences to his family and friends. Larry Prescott (1960 to 2016) The Heart of the … Continue reading →
Dave Pahlas is the first person to climb all of the White Cloud 10,000-foot plus peaks. There are 50 White Cloud summits that reach above 10,000 feet. The peaks are spread out over a large swath of rugged terrain and 5 USGS quadrangles. Access to some of these 10ers and 11ers is easy, but the vast majority of the 50 … Continue reading →
Last week, John Platt completed all of the ranked peaks on the Box Lake USGS quadrangle. While many Southern Idaho climbers think the world begins and ends in Eastern Idaho’s Lost River Mountain, John has methodically demonstrated that the Lick Creek subrange of the Salmon River Mountains is a granitic wonderland for climbers. The Box Lake quad is arguably the … Continue reading →
Lyman Dye has provided a memoir for our reading enjoyment: Heeding The Call of the Mountains. Lyman is one of the giants of Idaho climbing and his many first ascents are documented in the book. He operated the first climbing guide service in the Sawtooths and also guided climbers, including the Iowa Mountaineers and the Mazamas, on many first ascents. … Continue reading →
There is no shortcut that bypasses Chicken-Out Ridge on Mount Borah’s Standard Route. Wes Collins of the Butte County Sheriff’s Department reports that he has responded to 3 Search and Rescue events on Mount Borah involving climbers who got lost or stranded after attempting a bypass of Chicken-Out Ridge (COR). All of these climbers reported that they heard about a … Continue reading →
