Elevation: 9,096 ft
Prominence: 396
This peak is not in the book. Published November 2022
Peak 9096 is a ranked bump on the lengthy west ridge of Peak 10292. It is most easily climbed via its south ridge from the mouth of Sawmill Gulch on East Fork Road between Hailey and Ketchum. USGS Hyndman Peak
Peak 9096 (mid-ground) and its magnificent south ridge (left of center, coming at the camera) as viewed from the south. Livingston Douglas Photo
Access
From ID-75 north of Hailey, drive east then northeast up [signed] East Fork Road for 10.5 miles to the Sawmill Campground (right). Continue another 0.1 miles to the mouth of Sawmill Gulch (left) and park alongside East Fork Road at an unsigned junction with a 2-track road (not shown on maps) that heads up Sawmill Gulch (6,710 feet). GPS coordinates: 42⁰40’02”N, 114⁰09’50”W.
Southeast Spur/South Ridge, Class 2
The Climb
From the mouth of Sawmill Gulch, walk a short distance down East Fork Road to reach the toe of the Southeast Spur. Leave the road and scramble up onto the ridge crest. Bushwhack up through sagebrush and areas of shale/scrub mix to reach a rocky ridge section about 400 feet up from the road. Either skirt its left/southwest side (Class 2) or climb over the rocky ridge outcrops (Class 2+/3) to reach flatter sagebrush terrain above.
Continue northwest up the open ridge past another rocky ridge outcrop (climb over it) and scramble northwest then right-ish/north up endless sagebrush (with some field grass higher up). The scrub is sometimes short and easy; at other times, it is moderately thick. After reaching the [false] south summit, drop 45 feet to a sagebrush saddle and make the final push to the summit. The summit of Peak 9096 has a small cairn which I rebuilt.
The ridge terrain includes a lot of underlying scree/gravel, which quickens the descent but does not make the ascent too laborious. There are some ridge sections where it is just easier to scramble up a patch of scree rather than bushwhack in the thick sagebrush. On the descent, remember to bend left/southeast in order to return to the mouth of Sawmill Gulch. Always keep Sawmill Gulch to your immediate left/east as you descend. The open terrain makes this an easy task.
The hidden summit hump of Peak 9096 as viewed from the [lower] south summit. Livingston Douglas Photo
The summit cairn atop Peak 9096 with Big Witch Peak in mid-ground. Livingston Douglas Photo
Additional Resources
Regions: EASTERN IDAHO->Pioneer Mountains
Mountain Range: Pioneer Mountains
Longitude: -114.17601 Latitude: 43.68629