Elevation: 9,443 ft
Prominence: 463
This peak is not in the book. Published November 2021
The high point of Buffalo Ridge is a Class 5 buttress/block and is the easternmost of several towers on this rugged ridge. Buffalo Ridge is most easily reached via FST-4159 and its south ridge. The summit block has probably never been climbed. USGS Bayhorse Lake
The rugged buttresses/spires atop Buffalo Ridge as viewed from the south. The rightmost buttress is the high point. It has probably never been climbed. Livingston Douglas Photo
Access
Bayhorse Lake Road/FSR-051 is located along ID-75 exactly 7.9 miles south of the junction of US-93 and ID-75 just south of Challis. Turn right/west onto Bayhorse Lake Road and reset your odometer. At 3.2 miles, reach the Bayhorse townsite. At 4.4 miles, reach the Challis National Forest boundary. At 6.7 miles, reach a signed road junction. Go left to stay on BayhorseLake Road. At 8.4 miles, reach the Bayhorse Lake Campground. About 100 feet before reaching the campground turnoff, FST-4159 (signed) is on the left/south side of the road. Park at the campground entrance.
The Approach
Hike south then west on FST-4159 (an ATV trail) for about 1.3 miles to reach a 9,020-foot saddle on Buffalo Ridge. This saddle sits at the base of the south ridge of the Buffalo Ridge high point. Leave the trail here and bushwhack north through the mix of pine forest and open sagebrush to reach the rocky upper ridge of Buffalo Ridge. Scramble north then west along the narrow ridge crest to reach the base of the summit block.
Buffalo Ridge is the rocky buttress at upper left. The approach hike comes up the semi-open hump (dead center) from a forested saddle. From the hump, head along the ridge directly at the massive buttress. Livingston Douglas Photo
The impressive summit block. Livingston Douglas Photo
Additional Resources
Regions: Eastern Salmon River Mountains->Salmon River Mountains->Southeast Corner Peaks->WESTERN IDAHO
Mountain Range: Eastern Salmon River Mountains
Longitude: -114.42419 Latitude: 44.41809
