Find Nearby Peaks

This peak is not in the book. Published November 2023

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Leadore Hill is an impressive, rock-and-forest hill and sits due south of Leadore. It is quite visible from ID-28 to its east. Due to extensive private land in this area, the best climbing route is via the east ridge from Cold Springs Road. USGS Sheephorn Peak

Access

From ID-28 at virtual MM83.8 (6.2 miles south of Leadore), turn left/west onto [signed] Tex Creek Road. Reset your odometer here. At 0.8 miles, go left/south at a signed junction with Cold Springs Road. At 1.7 miles, reach a hard-to-see, unsigned junction with an overgrown 2-track road on the east ridge of Leadore Hill. At 1.8 miles, reach a decent pullout area on the left/east side of Cold Springs Road. Park here at 6,365 feet (44⁰34’44”N, 113⁰20’06”W). This area is a mix of private and public land, so be careful. This climb is entirely on BLM land.

East Ridge, Class 3

The Climb

From the roadside pullout, walk about 0.1 miles north on Cold Springs Road to reach the indistinct junction with the overgrown 2-track that heads up the east ridge. Hike up the weaving 2-track (which becomes rocky, steep, and almost nonexistent higher up) for just under 1-1/4 miles to its end. A large ridge cairn marks the end of the road. From the road’s end, bushwhack west along the easy, grassy ridge a short distance to the edge of a forest of mountain mahogany. Head right/northwest here and climb up through scattered mountain mahogany and grass/scrub to reach the crest of the upper east ridge.

Once on the upper east ridge, scramble left/west up through mostly-open terrain in a mix of scattered pines/mountain mahogany and grass/scrub to reach an open slope of field grass. Cross this field grass to reach the pine forest above. After a short, easy bushwhack up through the pine forest, the forest levels out and the rocky summit ridge/block is directly to the left/southwest. Surprisingly, there is a good, semi-open line of steep-ish scrub/scree and deadfall that leads up onto the intimidating, forested summit ridge rather quickly.

Once on the narrow ridge crest, follow it right/northwest to the small summit. Drop about 20 vertical feet from a rocky ridge point early on and scramble up over (or around) boulders and a tedious mix of ridge rock, brush, and firs with a few minor ups and downs to eventually reach the rocky summit. The summit of Leadore Hill has a USGS benchmark plus triangulation posts and a small summit cairn. There are only partial views from the summit due to nearby pine trees.