Find Nearby Peaks

This peak is not in the book. Published November 2023

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Peak 9041 is an overlooked Beaverhead Mountain that sits above Italian Canyon. It is overshadowed by Tuscany Peak (10,776 feet) and Italian Peak (10,996 feet) to its east, both peaks of which are on the Continental Divide. Nevertheless, Peak 9041 is a worthy scramble from Italian Canyon and I highly recommend it. USGS Italian Canyon

Access

From ID-28 at virtual MM57.5, turn right/north onto [signed] Nicholia Road and drive 3.1 miles north then north-northeast to an unsigned road junction. Turn right/south onto an unsigned BLM 2-track road. Reset your odometer here. At 1.9 miles, reach an unsigned road junction. Go diagonally left here onto a road that leads into Italian Canyon. At 2.4 miles, reach an unsigned road junction with FSR-174/Italian Canyon Road. Bear left/northeast here. At 3.7 miles, reach a gated road closure and trailhead for FST-081/Willow Creek Trail. Park here at 7,525 feet (44⁰20’29”N, 112⁰56’21”W).

Southwest Ridge, Class 2

The Climb

From the trailhead, hike up the Willow Creek Trail for 2-3/4 miles to reach a signed trail junction at the base of the southwest ridge of Peak 9041. This junction is in a meadow at a major fork in the canyon. Willow Creek Trail begins as an old jeep road and then becomes a foot trail higher up. From the signed trail junction, leave the trail and bushwhack northeast then north up the southwest ridge.

The ridge terrain is a mix of semi-open pine forest, scree slopes, and sagebrush/field grass. It goes pretty well. Stay close to the ridge crest for the easiest going. The summit high point is at the north end of an open summit ridge area with some deadfall to navigate. The summit had a very small cairn so I built it up a bit. The cairn sits next to a large, downed pine tree. There are partial views of the Beaverhead Crest, which is much higher in elevation and lies to the northeast.