Elevation: 3,497 ft
Prominence: 235
Published (appropriately) in December 2019
Christmas Mountain is a desert hump located just west of Range Road on the Snake River Plain. It has a decent dirt road leading up to its antenna-clad summit. The actual high point is fenced in and is off-limits to the public. USGS Christmas Mountain
East Face, Class 1
Access
Use Google Maps to reach Range Road. From the signed junction of Range Road and Orchard Road, drive west on Range Road for 4.7 miles to an unsigned junction. This is a major fork in the road. Range Road goes left/south here to follow the west side of the National Guard’s artillery range. Go left/south here and drive 0.4 mile to a signed junction with North Tower Road (a right/west turn). North Tower Road leads directly to the summit area of Christmas Mountain. Pull off Range Road here and park near a dumpster at the base of North Tower Road. The elevation here is 3,300 feet.
The Climb
From the junction at Range Road, hike west up North Tower Road for about a mile to the summit area. You can’t actually stand on the highest point because it is enclosed in a fenced in area with very clear NO TRESPASSING signs from our beloved Government. There is a large communication installation on the summit. Why this one is called Christmas Mountain, I haven’t a clue. I found no reindeer or Santa Claus on top. Sorry.
Additional Resources