Chuck Ferguson by Rick Baugher

Chuck Ferguson (L) and David Ferguson (R) in Jones Creek, Lost River Range, after climbing No Regret Peak July of 1994. Rick Baugher Photo

The late Chuck Ferguson (1940-1998) is not as well known as one would expect, considering his accomplishments as an Idaho climber with a peak (at least unofficially) named after him. I met Chuck in the early 1980s during my working at the Idaho Falls YMCA. I was organizing community fun runs in Idaho Falls and Chuck ran in all of … Continue reading

One Person’s Junk Is Another’s Treasure by Rick Baugher

They say that one person’s junk is another’s treasure. Archeologists of future millennia should have a field day sifting through the midden of our modern society. Humans seem to leave calling cards wherever they go. Here are some Idaho mountain summit artifacts left by those of two or three generations back. Left to Right (pictured): WHISKEY PEAK (11,154 feet, Boulder Mountains). This pre-Prohibition whiskey … Continue reading

Fossils of Idaho’s High Peaks by Rick Baugher

Some of the best examples of Idaho’s marine Paleozoic fossils are found near the summits of mountain peaks (10,000 feet of elevation and higher). Although they appear in carbonate formations throughout East Central and Southeast Idaho, the core zone is in the Southern Lemhi and Lost River Ranges. Specifically, the best preserved fossils are found in the Scott Peak Formation … Continue reading

Lost River Range Volcanoes by Rick Baugher

Volcanoes and related igneous flows are a staple of the Pacific Northwest landscape, so it is interesting to observe that Idaho’s highest mountain range presents a 60-mile front of sedimentary limestone. How did these Lost River Mountains align the way they did and how did they reach their current height? Much can be explained by the movements of the North … Continue reading

Fire Lookouts By Rick Baugher

For more on fire lookouts see the following articles: Boise National Forest Fire Lookouts  and An Overview of the Lookouts on the Salmon National Forest By the 1930s, the Forest Service had a goal to “put a firewatch on every mountaintop.” Idaho ended up with 989 fire lookout structures, more than any other state in the Pacific Northwest. Of Southern Idaho’s … Continue reading