Find Nearby Peaks

This peak is not in the book. Published November 2020

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Peak 10316 is a rugged, rocky outcrop on the narrow northwest ridge of Copper Basin Knob (10,784 feet). It falls only 4 feet short of being a ranked summit. The north face of Peak 10316 is very steep. Its easier northwest face is still a challenging Class 3 climb. USGS Copper Basin Knob

Access

The trailhead for the Lake Creek Trail/FST-4064 (an ATV trail) is located at the top of the [signed] Lake Creek Recreation Area/Campground. The [signed] turnoff for the Lake Creek Recreation Area is 4.4 miles southwest of the Copper Basin Guard Station on the Copper Basin Loop Road/FSR-138 or 3.6 miles northeast of the Star Hope Campground on the Copper Basin Loop Road/FSR-138. There is parking available at the trailhead for a few vehicles (8,070 feet).

Southwest Shoulder/Northwest Face, Class 3

The Climb

Hike up Lake Creek Trail for just over 1.5 miles to where the trail crosses two separate feeder streams coming in from the left/north on two wooden bridges at 8,400 feet. Leave the trail after the second bridge crossing. You can see the southwest shoulder and Peak 10316 from here. The problem is how to get up onto the shoulder. The stream drainage (to the left) has excessive, large blowdown and sections of aspens. Stay to the right of it and climb steep, loose scree up the face to reach the blessed crest of the shoulder. Since you will be on all fours at times, this is a Class 3 climb to the ridge crest.

While much better than the scree slope, the southwest shoulder is no picnic. It has scattered trees but it is still fairly steep and has moderately loose underlying scree to scramble up. Higher up the shoulder, the footing is better with a mix of larger, more stable rock and scattered pines. The southwest shoulder ends at the northwest ridge near a minor ridge hump.

Follow the ridge crest southeast across a saddle and continue up to the base of the imposing block that is the summit of Peak 10316. Find a Class 3 chute at the base of the summit block and then climb Class 2 rock to reach the summit. The summit had no cairn so I built one. The summit offers a splendid view of nearby Copper Basin Knob to the southeast and the ridge traverse to Roundup Peak to the northwest.

Northwest Face/Northwest Ridge, Class 3

The Descent

From the true summit, descend northwest off the Class 3 summit block to reach the narrow, but easy, northwest ridge. Cruise northwest along the ridge crest over a ridge hump and down to a 9,900-foot saddle that connects Peak 10316 to Roundup Peak (10,225 feet). This concludes the first leg of today’s two-peak adventure. Roundup Peak is up next.