Kong and Us by Bob Boyles

[This article was first published in Idaho Magazine, July 2022.] The Peak That Got Away Lady and I gotten along just fine for about half of the five-day horseback trip up the South Fork of the Payette River, until she bolted off the trail into Lodgepole pines. She was at full gallop and I had to lie flat on the … Continue reading

Guffey Tower (as told by Tom McLeod) by Bob Boyles

Most anyone who has driven ID Highway 78 from Walter’s Ferry to Murphy will notice the large rhyolite tower that stands out on the west side of the Snake River below the nearby Guffey Butte. There are several free standing towers, or spires on the volcanic ridge but this one stands out as the tallest. For rock climbers, this spire … Continue reading

Sawtooth Mountaineering by Frank Florence

Frank Florence on the East Face of Borah.

Editor’s Note: Sawtooth Mountaineering was Boise’s first climbing shop. It was founded by Lou and Frank Florence. The shop was an important link between many of Idaho’s premier climbers and the development of Idaho’s technical climbing scene. Bob Boyles (quoted on Page 23 of the book) noted the shop’s importance as a hub for local climbers, stating “The thirty or … Continue reading

The End of the Last Idaho Ice Age By Bob Boyles

I first saw the North Face of Mount Borah in the Summer of 1972 while working under contract with the U.S. Forest Service. We were flying helicopters near Horseheaven Pass in the Upper Pahsimeroi Valley, where our daily flights offered unrivaled views of the north and east sides of the Lost River Range. But one face in particular stood out … Continue reading

Mount Borah: East Face, Dye-Boyer Route by Bob Boyles

Note from the Editor: This wonderful article, provided for the Climbing History Section of the website, includes information that can be used to plan an ascent of Mount Borah’s East Face Dye-Boyer Route. As such, we have also included it as part of the Online Borah Climbing Guide. Idaho – A Climbing Guide identified a route on the East Face … Continue reading