For a long time, North King Mountain, or "The King's Crown" has been on my list of peaks to climb. It is accessed from a high elevation hang glider launch site which makes it more accessible than most peaks of its stature. Sadly, the direct road from Moore, ID, washed out in 2018. Instead I took the back road from Arco over Beaverland Pass to the upper launch site. This drive was uneventful but does include some 4WD sections.
Once at the upper launch site, I checked out the launch ramp. After about two seconds I became convinced that hang gliding looks terrifying and it will not be added to my bucket list! The hike from the launch site follows a very steep use trail up a ridge directly to King Mountain, an intermediate point before reaching North King Mountain. The trail is easy to follow and eventually leads you onto some class 3 terrain to bypass a tower near the top of the ridge. After about 2500' of elevation gain up a veritable staircase, the climb to King Mountain is over! King Mountain offers great views of the surrounding area and a good place to take a breather before continuing the quest.
The ridge to North King Mountain is much more moderate and makes for enjoyable hiking. A small class 3 section adds some interest to the traverse. On top of North King Mountain, there is an infrequently signed summit register (only three other parties signed this year) and even better views of the numerous surrounding mountain ranges and valleys.
Downclimbing was uneventful but the steepness of the ridge descent was tiring and led to sore knees and sore feet. When I got back to the vehicle, I knew I had to time to visit nearby Peak 8150 which is accessed from Beaverland Pass. A road leads most of the way up the peak. I followed the road until I felt like I abused the XTerra enough. I then hiked the last 500' of gain to the top. Peak 8150' has great views of King Mountain, the Arco Hills, and the Lost River Valley. I wanted to continue further to Peak 8082 but sore feet and a sinking sun caused me to head back to the vehicle so I could drive the 4WD road back to town in daylight.
In short, this was a great day in the mountains and a highly recommended climb. I saw two pronghorn and no other people!
North King Mountain Photos!
North King Mountain GPS Track
Peak 8150 GPS Track
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Family Camping at Herald Provincial Park
In mid-July, we embarked on another camping trip, this one to Herald Provincial Park, near a town called Salmon Arm, BC. We left Boise on Saturday, July 13, and drove up to Osoyoos, BC, a lovely little resort town on Osoyoos Lake which is known for being the warmest freshwater lake in Canada. We stayed in a hotel suite that had a separate (bunk bed) room for the girls, so they were happy, and we enjoyed a beautiful view of the lake from our balcony. The girls splashed in the hotel pool the following morning and then we were on our way for the final leg of the drive to the Provincial Park.
Unfortunately for us, it was the Penticton Gran Fondo weekend...which means that for miles and miles and kilometres and kilometres, we were stuck inching along behind approximately 459,347 cyclists making their way up the hilly highway. After what felt like our entire lives, we parted ways with the interminable clusters of bikers in Pentincton!! We stopped in Kelowna, BC for lunch at White Spot because that's just what you do when you're in BC. Unsurprisingly, it was delicious.
We got to the campground and said hi to the crew - Liz, Cathy, Margaret Wells, Megan, Ben, Matt & Emily, Dave, Greg & Kristy. And Sydney & Kona, of course! We knew that the weather might not be awesome...but we didn't realize that meant thunderstorms and 2 hour long downpours! We were all a little worried that the tents would wash away at one point, or that we be sleeping on soaking wet sleeping bags, but luckily our tents all stood the test throughout the whole week of on again/off again rain.
We definitely made the most of the sunnier times, hanging out at the beach and swimming in the lake whenever there was a break in the weather. Dave & Ben got some fishing done and Zach took Claire to check out a big totem pole near the campground. We ventured into the town of Salmon Arm and spent some time at a cute little farm stand & petting zoo! We stocked up on some necessary rain gear, and tarped down our tent to protect against the rain showers. The kids had a great time hanging out with their cousins, swimming, smore-making & eating, reading and hanging out in Grandma's trailer! We got to hang with the family and really, truly catch up, which is always fantastic, even if it's raining!
On Saturday, July 20, we packed up the sites under threat of rain, but luckily it missed us! Everyone else headed back to the Lower Mainland, and we headed south to Richland, WA. We stayed at the Homewood Suites hotel, which is always great, and were all happy for showers and actual beds! On Sunday we finished the drive to Boise with a lunch stop at Nells-N-Out in La Grande, OR. We didn't get home until almost 6pm MT - it was great to be home!
We all had a wonderful visit with the Shepherd side of the family, and the rain this year just means that next year will be beautifully sunny and blue-skied!
We're about to head off on our next (last) summer adventure - we're going to visit Jan, Ron & Grandma Dow in St. Augustine, FL for a week! We'll check in with an update when we get back, in the meantime, here are some pictures from our trip!
BC Camping 2019 Pictures!
BC Camping 2019 Pictures!
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Oregon Camping 2019
For the 10th time, we met our friends the Pilons for a summer camping trip. This time we chose Prineville Reservoir just outside of Prineville, OR. This turned out to be a great choice as the weather, campground, and lake combined to offer a great camping experience! We arrived on Friday after a lunch in John Day at the Outpost Pizza Pub & Grill and quickly set up camp. Despite not seeing each other for two years, our girls hit it off immediately with Cecelia (10) and Mallory (7) and they were quickly playing in the tents and exploring the woods near our sites. We had a great night making smores around the campfire and enjoying each other's company!
On Saturday we woke up early (thank you to the chattering birds!) and enjoyed a nice breakfast. I went on a short kayak trip and hike to the nearby island while the girls watched a ranger presentation about hiking safety for kids. The camp host and Park Rangers had an amazing amount of activities for the kids to do all weekend, which was fantastic! Afterwards, we met up on the beach, where the girls went swimming for several hours. They had a great time other than Claire getting a fish hook in her foot. Luckily it was easily removed and she recovered after 30 minutes or so. After swimming, we had a relaxing evening until Nora crashed her scooter in the evening. Despite injuries to her head, lip, both elbows, and a knee, she recovered quickly and was cracking jokes about "Knee-asporin". But it was an early bedtime for the kids after a busy day filled with injuries!
Sunday was our day to depart and we had an uneventful drive home. We stopped in Burns for a late lunch and let the kids play at an old-school playground in nearby Hines. They had a great time and it was a great end to a great weekend!
Oregon Camping 2019 Photos!
On Saturday we woke up early (thank you to the chattering birds!) and enjoyed a nice breakfast. I went on a short kayak trip and hike to the nearby island while the girls watched a ranger presentation about hiking safety for kids. The camp host and Park Rangers had an amazing amount of activities for the kids to do all weekend, which was fantastic! Afterwards, we met up on the beach, where the girls went swimming for several hours. They had a great time other than Claire getting a fish hook in her foot. Luckily it was easily removed and she recovered after 30 minutes or so. After swimming, we had a relaxing evening until Nora crashed her scooter in the evening. Despite injuries to her head, lip, both elbows, and a knee, she recovered quickly and was cracking jokes about "Knee-asporin". But it was an early bedtime for the kids after a busy day filled with injuries!
Sunday was our day to depart and we had an uneventful drive home. We stopped in Burns for a late lunch and let the kids play at an old-school playground in nearby Hines. They had a great time and it was a great end to a great weekend!
Oregon Camping 2019 Photos!
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Playing Catch-up, Part Deux
Yep, that's right, folks - 2 blog posts in a week!! We can't believe it either...please don't get used to it!
So, when last we blogged, we were heading into Summer & looking forward to lots of nice weather. This summer has been a great one, both weather-wise & otherwise, so let's discuss, shall we? Great.
We kicked off the summer at the beginning of July by driving up to Vancouver to spend the July long weekend with my family. We headed out of Boise on the Thursday night (July 3rd) and drove through the night, arriving in Vancouver around breakfast time. The girls did really well on the overnight trip - Nora slept through a lot of it, and Claire slept off & on, but at least when she was awake, she would just talk quietly to herself & look out the window. No complaints from us!
The visit in Vancouver was great - the weather was gorgeous (and hot!), so we spent lots of time with Auntie Megan, Emily & Matthew at pools and playgrounds, which Claire loved of course! We also headed out to Cultus Lake to visit Uncle Dave & celebrate my birthday. Dave has a truly beautiful place to call home - the lake is practically at his doorstep, and is absolutely stunning! The water was amazing & even Claire splashed around in it after some serious coaching & coaxing from various family members. We were able to coordinate this visit with a cross-country visit from my Auntie Cathy who lives in Manitoba, so it was wonderful to see her & introduce her (and the whole family) to Nora!
Zach drove back to Boise & Claire, Nora & I spent another 10 days hanging out with everyone. It was so nice to just hang out at the wading pools & parks while the cousins played together. The girls & I were sad to leave, but had to head back to Boise so Zach wouldn't forget what we looked like! We flew to Portland & then to Boise, and both girls did very well. I was quite worried, flying with both of them by myself, but luckily the flights weren't long (1hr 15mins each leg), and Nora slept for a lot of the 2nd flight so I was able to keep Claire busy.
Our next adventure came in mid-August - camping with an almost-3 year old & a 6 month old! Such fun! No really, we had a great time. We headed out to Lewis and Clark Trail State Park, in Washington State, to meet up with our friends Joey & Sam and their daughters (Cecelia, 5 & Mallory, 2), and Tracy & Dan. We spent 2 nights at the campground, which was just lovely - the sites weren't big, but they were nice & right close to a small river. The girls played really well together & kept each other entertained for long stretches, which allowed the adults time to visit. Both Claire & Nora did very well sleeping in the tent with us - Claire was so worn out by bedtime on both nights that she'd just pass out cold & not even bat an eyelash if Nora woke up & cried! Yay for tired kids!
So, those were the two big trips of our summer, and now that we're heading into Fall, we're very excited to be flying down to Florida this Tuesday to spend a week with Jan & Ron! More about that trip in our next blog post...until then, here are the pictures from the rest of our summer...Enjoy!
Love,
Katie, Zach, Claire & Nora
Late Summer Update Pictures!
Nora Tries the Jumperoo Video
Nora Getting Used to the Jumperoo Video
Nora in the Jumperoo Video
Splashing Claire Video
Nora Splashes Video
Grass Fed Baby Video
Nora Eats Rice Cereal Video
Pool Slide Video
Nora Jumping Video
Nora Tips Over Video
Nora Reaching Video
Carousel Ride at the Fair Video
Jeep Ride at the Fair Video
Boat Ride at the Fair Video
Train Ride at the Fair Video
Camel Ride at the Fair Video
Nora in the Yard Video
Claire Pushes Nora Video
Labor Day Dinner Video
So, when last we blogged, we were heading into Summer & looking forward to lots of nice weather. This summer has been a great one, both weather-wise & otherwise, so let's discuss, shall we? Great.
We kicked off the summer at the beginning of July by driving up to Vancouver to spend the July long weekend with my family. We headed out of Boise on the Thursday night (July 3rd) and drove through the night, arriving in Vancouver around breakfast time. The girls did really well on the overnight trip - Nora slept through a lot of it, and Claire slept off & on, but at least when she was awake, she would just talk quietly to herself & look out the window. No complaints from us!
The visit in Vancouver was great - the weather was gorgeous (and hot!), so we spent lots of time with Auntie Megan, Emily & Matthew at pools and playgrounds, which Claire loved of course! We also headed out to Cultus Lake to visit Uncle Dave & celebrate my birthday. Dave has a truly beautiful place to call home - the lake is practically at his doorstep, and is absolutely stunning! The water was amazing & even Claire splashed around in it after some serious coaching & coaxing from various family members. We were able to coordinate this visit with a cross-country visit from my Auntie Cathy who lives in Manitoba, so it was wonderful to see her & introduce her (and the whole family) to Nora!
Zach drove back to Boise & Claire, Nora & I spent another 10 days hanging out with everyone. It was so nice to just hang out at the wading pools & parks while the cousins played together. The girls & I were sad to leave, but had to head back to Boise so Zach wouldn't forget what we looked like! We flew to Portland & then to Boise, and both girls did very well. I was quite worried, flying with both of them by myself, but luckily the flights weren't long (1hr 15mins each leg), and Nora slept for a lot of the 2nd flight so I was able to keep Claire busy.
Our next adventure came in mid-August - camping with an almost-3 year old & a 6 month old! Such fun! No really, we had a great time. We headed out to Lewis and Clark Trail State Park, in Washington State, to meet up with our friends Joey & Sam and their daughters (Cecelia, 5 & Mallory, 2), and Tracy & Dan. We spent 2 nights at the campground, which was just lovely - the sites weren't big, but they were nice & right close to a small river. The girls played really well together & kept each other entertained for long stretches, which allowed the adults time to visit. Both Claire & Nora did very well sleeping in the tent with us - Claire was so worn out by bedtime on both nights that she'd just pass out cold & not even bat an eyelash if Nora woke up & cried! Yay for tired kids!
So, those were the two big trips of our summer, and now that we're heading into Fall, we're very excited to be flying down to Florida this Tuesday to spend a week with Jan & Ron! More about that trip in our next blog post...until then, here are the pictures from the rest of our summer...Enjoy!
Love,
Katie, Zach, Claire & Nora
Late Summer Update Pictures!
Nora Tries the Jumperoo Video
Nora Getting Used to the Jumperoo Video
Nora in the Jumperoo Video
Splashing Claire Video
Nora Splashes Video
Grass Fed Baby Video
Nora Eats Rice Cereal Video
Pool Slide Video
Nora Jumping Video
Nora Tips Over Video
Nora Reaching Video
Carousel Ride at the Fair Video
Jeep Ride at the Fair Video
Boat Ride at the Fair Video
Train Ride at the Fair Video
Camel Ride at the Fair Video
Nora in the Yard Video
Claire Pushes Nora Video
Labor Day Dinner Video
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Griswold Peak / Cougar Peak Climb
Life has been so busy lately and my hiking adventures have taken a back seat. Dan noticed this and invited me to get out for the first time this summer. We decided upon Griswold Peak, an "11er" near the headwaters of the Lost River. While up there, we would visit nearby Peak 10727.
We left Boise a little bit after 6am and began the long drive to Ketchum, over Trail Creek, and up the headwaters of the North Fork of the Big Lost River. Though the drive was long, the time flew by as Dan and I caught up on everything. Soon we were at the Hunter Creek trailhead and moving around 10am. We didn't follow the trail very long before we headed straight uphill toward the ridge leading to Griswold Peak. Gaining the ridge also proceeded pretty quickly and soon we were on the ridge with great views of Griswold Peak and the surrounding area. The ridge was an easy and enjoyable class 2 climb to the top, where we found a small cairn, a register, and a horde of flying ants. Fortunately, we were able to stay about 20' from the summit and avoid the ants for the most part.
Since the bugs were kind of annoying and the clouds were starting to build, we didn't spend too long atop Griswold before heading over to Peak 10727. The descent from Griswold was pretty steep, probably class 3+ but it was fun downclimbing due to the generally stable rock. Once off the rock, it was easy slopes up to the summit of the peak. A cairn and summit register were atop the peak, placed by Rick Baugher in 2011. He chose the name "Coog" for the peak but we decided "Cougar Peak" sounded better. After spending some time enjoying the summit we decided to get back to the car. The descent was a little bit challenging because I forgot my map and we had to dead-reckon our way through the forest and back to the car. Descending the open slopes was fun, the wooded slopes were a little less fun, and it was a little bit of a slog following the bottom of the drainage back to the trailhead. Dan did a great job navigating as always!
The biggest event of the return trip was the Escape's "check engine" light coming on (it went off mysteriously a couple of days later). We did stop at the Burger Grill in Ketchum for some tasty burgers before finishing the drive back to Boise!
Griswold Peak / Cougar Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
We left Boise a little bit after 6am and began the long drive to Ketchum, over Trail Creek, and up the headwaters of the North Fork of the Big Lost River. Though the drive was long, the time flew by as Dan and I caught up on everything. Soon we were at the Hunter Creek trailhead and moving around 10am. We didn't follow the trail very long before we headed straight uphill toward the ridge leading to Griswold Peak. Gaining the ridge also proceeded pretty quickly and soon we were on the ridge with great views of Griswold Peak and the surrounding area. The ridge was an easy and enjoyable class 2 climb to the top, where we found a small cairn, a register, and a horde of flying ants. Fortunately, we were able to stay about 20' from the summit and avoid the ants for the most part.
Since the bugs were kind of annoying and the clouds were starting to build, we didn't spend too long atop Griswold before heading over to Peak 10727. The descent from Griswold was pretty steep, probably class 3+ but it was fun downclimbing due to the generally stable rock. Once off the rock, it was easy slopes up to the summit of the peak. A cairn and summit register were atop the peak, placed by Rick Baugher in 2011. He chose the name "Coog" for the peak but we decided "Cougar Peak" sounded better. After spending some time enjoying the summit we decided to get back to the car. The descent was a little bit challenging because I forgot my map and we had to dead-reckon our way through the forest and back to the car. Descending the open slopes was fun, the wooded slopes were a little less fun, and it was a little bit of a slog following the bottom of the drainage back to the trailhead. Dan did a great job navigating as always!
The biggest event of the return trip was the Escape's "check engine" light coming on (it went off mysteriously a couple of days later). We did stop at the Burger Grill in Ketchum for some tasty burgers before finishing the drive back to Boise!
Griswold Peak / Cougar Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Vickery Summer Camping Trip 2013
Hi everyone! Now that you've recovered from the exciting news in our last blog post, let's talk about our recent camping trip! We go on an annual long weekend camping trip with our friends Joey & Sam (and their kids, Cecelia & Mallory), who live just outside of Olympia, WA, and our friends Tracy & Dan, who live in Portland, OR.
We usually try to pick a spot that's sort of halfway, but that's not exactly easy - there's not much around the halfway point between Boise & Portland/Olympia! This year, we tried a campground at the base of Mt. Rainier - La Wis Wis Campground. Since it was a 7 hour drive for us, we decided to split the trip into two days. We left Boise on Thursday night, stopped in Hermiston, OR (the apparent watermelon capital of the universe..or maybe just the Northwest). We made the rest of the drive to the campground on Friday morning/early afternoon, arriving around 2pm.
The campground was absolutely gorgeous - lots of tall pine trees & plenty of underbrush, moss-covered logs & fun areas around our sites for the kids to explore. We had a small site & a much bigger site, so we left the bigger site to the rest of the crew & set up in the small site (which was a good thing when night time rolled around..that's some foreshadowing, people!). Our site had a beautiful little creek running behind it!
We spent most of the weekend hanging out, going for walks, checking out the area & reconnecting with our friends, since we hadn't seen them for a year. Claire had a great time playing with Cecelia (who's 4) and Mallory (who's 17 months). Cecelia brought her bike (with training wheels), and Claire was OBSESSED with it. She loved honking the horn, and figured out pretty quickly how to climb onto the bike (over the back wheel & onto the seat!)..and then wanted us to push her around everywhere! We're already looking for the perfect tricycle for her birthday, of course!
Claire (and Mom & Dad!) had a tough night the first night - she went to bed just fine, but woke up a few hours later very upset, and didn't fall back asleep until 4 am. It was rough, to say the least. Luckily she was in a great mood all day after that, took a nap & then had a fantastic night's sleep the next night (exhaustion will do that to you!). Because of that first night's mayhem & screaming/crying, I was very glad we chose the small site, across the street from our friends & not near any other sites!
On Sunday morning, we all packed up & headed out to check out the park at the immediate base of Mt Rainier. Claire slept on the 30 minute drive there, and we enjoyed the gorgeous scenery...Mt Rainier is absolutely stunning! The Visitor Center area was packed with people - lots of hikers starting their climbs, and lots of tourists checking out the sights. We spent some time checking out the area, but unfortunately had to head out, since we had a 7 hour drive to make, and knew that we'd be losing an hour with the time difference.
We drove to Richland, WA and stopped at a park so that Claire could run around and burn off some energy before we made the rest of the drive. There was a pretty cool riverboat docked at the park, complete with a big paddlewheel! We had dinner at the Atomic Ale Brew Pub. Claire had a shrimp & cheese quesadilla (and insisted on dipping it in the salsa they provided, since any kind of dip is her favorite food). We split a thin crust pizza - half Bangkok Chicken (peanut sauce, bean sprouts, chicken, green onions, mozzarella, cilantro, shredded carrots & peanuts!) and half Ham & Pineapple. Zach also got to try a couple of their beers, which he enjoyed!
We made the rest of the uneventful trip home, and Claire slept most of the way. We were happy to get home at 1am!
It was a wonderful camping trip, in an awesomely beautiful location! We both agreed that we'd love to go back there in the future.
Here are some pictures & video of the trip...enjoy!
Camping 2013 Pictures!
Claire on Cecilia's Bike Video
We usually try to pick a spot that's sort of halfway, but that's not exactly easy - there's not much around the halfway point between Boise & Portland/Olympia! This year, we tried a campground at the base of Mt. Rainier - La Wis Wis Campground. Since it was a 7 hour drive for us, we decided to split the trip into two days. We left Boise on Thursday night, stopped in Hermiston, OR (the apparent watermelon capital of the universe..or maybe just the Northwest). We made the rest of the drive to the campground on Friday morning/early afternoon, arriving around 2pm.
The campground was absolutely gorgeous - lots of tall pine trees & plenty of underbrush, moss-covered logs & fun areas around our sites for the kids to explore. We had a small site & a much bigger site, so we left the bigger site to the rest of the crew & set up in the small site (which was a good thing when night time rolled around..that's some foreshadowing, people!). Our site had a beautiful little creek running behind it!
We spent most of the weekend hanging out, going for walks, checking out the area & reconnecting with our friends, since we hadn't seen them for a year. Claire had a great time playing with Cecelia (who's 4) and Mallory (who's 17 months). Cecelia brought her bike (with training wheels), and Claire was OBSESSED with it. She loved honking the horn, and figured out pretty quickly how to climb onto the bike (over the back wheel & onto the seat!)..and then wanted us to push her around everywhere! We're already looking for the perfect tricycle for her birthday, of course!
Claire (and Mom & Dad!) had a tough night the first night - she went to bed just fine, but woke up a few hours later very upset, and didn't fall back asleep until 4 am. It was rough, to say the least. Luckily she was in a great mood all day after that, took a nap & then had a fantastic night's sleep the next night (exhaustion will do that to you!). Because of that first night's mayhem & screaming/crying, I was very glad we chose the small site, across the street from our friends & not near any other sites!
On Sunday morning, we all packed up & headed out to check out the park at the immediate base of Mt Rainier. Claire slept on the 30 minute drive there, and we enjoyed the gorgeous scenery...Mt Rainier is absolutely stunning! The Visitor Center area was packed with people - lots of hikers starting their climbs, and lots of tourists checking out the sights. We spent some time checking out the area, but unfortunately had to head out, since we had a 7 hour drive to make, and knew that we'd be losing an hour with the time difference.
We drove to Richland, WA and stopped at a park so that Claire could run around and burn off some energy before we made the rest of the drive. There was a pretty cool riverboat docked at the park, complete with a big paddlewheel! We had dinner at the Atomic Ale Brew Pub. Claire had a shrimp & cheese quesadilla (and insisted on dipping it in the salsa they provided, since any kind of dip is her favorite food). We split a thin crust pizza - half Bangkok Chicken (peanut sauce, bean sprouts, chicken, green onions, mozzarella, cilantro, shredded carrots & peanuts!) and half Ham & Pineapple. Zach also got to try a couple of their beers, which he enjoyed!
We made the rest of the uneventful trip home, and Claire slept most of the way. We were happy to get home at 1am!
It was a wonderful camping trip, in an awesomely beautiful location! We both agreed that we'd love to go back there in the future.
Here are some pictures & video of the trip...enjoy!
Camping 2013 Pictures!
Claire on Cecilia's Bike Video
Sunday, September 16, 2012
September Camping Trip
On the weekend of September7-9, we met our friends Joey and Sam (with children Cecilia and Mallory) of Olympia and Tracy and Dan of Portland for a two night camping trip. We planned on staying at Maryhill State Park but upon arrival there were no sites available. Luckily our backup site, Brooks Memorial State Park, was only 20 miles away and had plenty of open sites. We finally arrived just after 2PM and managed to find a single site that would fit three tents and three cars!
We had a great time camping - introducing Claire to everyone, meeting Mallory for the first time, watching the kids interact, catching up on everything, and just being outside! As always, we had many great meals and enjoyed the various park amenities. The park was mostly quiet (and surprisingly empty) although there was a bit of highway road noise audible from our site. Thanks to the dry summer, camp fires were banned which was disappointing.
We left around noon on Sunday and made a pit stop in La Grande where Claire played in a park for a bit. We arrived home at about 8PM very proud of Claire for completing her second camping trip!
September Camping Trip Pictures!
Claire in a Rocking Chair Video
Claire and Cecilia Play With Dirt Video
Scenes From Camping Video
Cecilia Loves Claire Video
Claire Likes Ladder Golf Video
Katie With Mallory and Claire Video
Claire on a Slide Video
Claire on a Swing Video
We had a great time camping - introducing Claire to everyone, meeting Mallory for the first time, watching the kids interact, catching up on everything, and just being outside! As always, we had many great meals and enjoyed the various park amenities. The park was mostly quiet (and surprisingly empty) although there was a bit of highway road noise audible from our site. Thanks to the dry summer, camp fires were banned which was disappointing.
We left around noon on Sunday and made a pit stop in La Grande where Claire played in a park for a bit. We arrived home at about 8PM very proud of Claire for completing her second camping trip!
September Camping Trip Pictures!
Claire in a Rocking Chair Video
Claire and Cecilia Play With Dirt Video
Scenes From Camping Video
Cecilia Loves Claire Video
Claire Likes Ladder Golf Video
Katie With Mallory and Claire Video
Claire on a Slide Video
Claire on a Swing Video
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Baby's First Camping Trip!
***Disclaimer: I've added some pictures into the text of this blog post, but there are lots more pictures (and videos!) at the bottom of the post!***
On the morning of Sunday, August 12th, we loaded Claire into the (already-overloaded!) car & headed out for a camping trip of epic proportions! Not only was it one of our longest camping trips to date, it was also Claire's first time camping - that's a recipe for success, right?! Well, it ended up being a fun trip, and Claire was a champion camper & road-tripper for the most part. Yay!
Sunday was a loooong day of driving - we left Boise at 7am local time & didn't get to our Bed & Breakfast (Inn at the Lake) in Newport, WA until 7pm Washington time...it made for a 13 hour day, but there was one highlight to the day! Since it was our 8th anniversary on August 12th, we stopped in Spokane, WA for an early dinner, at The Flying Goat & had some absolutely delicious food! We started with their Focaccia, which had fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic & goat cheese...
This was SO good & a great start to our meal. For our main course, we decided to share a pizza, and did a half-and-half, since we couldn't choose just one pizza - everything sounded yummy & it was hard enough to choose two! We ended up with 1/2 "Waikiki":
Yep, you read that right - we had Yellow Coconut Curry on a pizza! And, as unsure we were about it, it was absolutely fantastic! The Waikiki (basically a fancy Ham & Pineapple with jalapenos added) was also delicious, but we both agreed that the D Street was our favorite - the flavours worked really well together, the heat of the sriracha (which is a Thai Chili Garlic hot sauce) was a great kick at the end, and the cheese (which I was worried about, in combination with the other flavours) wasn't out-of-place, it just added a little something & played well with of the other toppings. We'll definitely be going back if we're in Spokane again, and will recommend it to anyone we know who is going there! Oh, and Zach loved their beer selection...and Claire liked looking out their window..and eating bits of pizza crust!
Ok, now that my food reviewer duties are complete, let's move on, shall we? After dinner, we stopped at Audubon Park in Spokane, so that Claire could crawl around & play a little before the hour-long drive to the B&B. She had fun on the swings, and crawling in the grass - they even had a little water park, but she wanted no part of that!
The B&B that Zach found for us to stay in was absolutely gorgeous! Here's the view from the dock, towards the back of the house.
It was right on a lake, and the back of the house (that faced the lake) was pretty much all windows! Claire spent lots of time crawling around & stretching her legs after being in the carseat, and slept pretty well that night. Zach was even able to fit in a little kayak on one of the B&B's hard-shell kayaks...it was a little too short for his long legs, but at least he was able to get out on the lake & paddle around in the morning!
The breakfast, prepared by the owners, was delicious - a Southwestern quiche with tomatoes, bacon & chives; fruit & yogurt parfait; fresh orange juice; a small piece of coffee cake and the star of the show - freshly baked biscuits with homemade huckleberry butter! I'm pretty sure we both would have eaten huckleberry butter with nothing but a spoon, if we could have - it was outstanding.
After breakfast on Monday morning, we were on the road again. We crossed the border & made our way to Nelson, BC, where we stopped for lunch (A&W, which we ate at a sketchy park that was populated mainly by homeless people...lunch was eaten quickly, needless to say!). The views on the trip up were beautiful:
We made it to the campground at McDonald Creek by 4pm & started the camping extravaganza!
It was a wonderful week of camping - we got to spend lots of quality time with my immediate family, as well as my Auntie Margaret & my Mom's sisters, Cathy & Barb, and 2 of Barb's kids, my cousins Graham & Allison. It was so nice for us to get the chance to introduce Claire to the extended family! We wish we could have spent more time with Auntie Cathy, since she wasn't able to get there until Friday & we had to leave on Sunday so Zach could get back to work, but at least she & Claire got to have some quality time.
During the week, we celebrated Mom's 65th birthday, as well as Margaret's birthday - unfortunately we had to leave before Allison's birthday on Monday, but we were thinking of her! The rest of the week was spent splashing in the lake (Claire wasn't a fan of the cold water!), hanging out in the sun (or shade!) and eating lots of good food. Here's a shot of the lake early one morning:
Claire also got to experience sand for the first time, and seemed to be pretty intrigued with it - she kept grabbing handfuls & letting it fall through her fingers. She did (of course) try eating some, but figured out pretty quickly that it was gross.
Zach also got to use his inflatable kayak & paddle the lake - my cousin Graham gave it a try, too.
Since the weather was so gorgeous, some of the crew decided to go for a hike one day - Zach, Megan, Greg, Graham & Allison hiked up to the peak of Saddle Mountain - the pictures are absolutely breathtaking, and it looked like quite a stunning hike, both on the way up, and at the peak. Maybe next time Zach can take Claire in our backpack carrier!
For the Arts & Crafts portion of Camp, my Mom came up with the great idea of making Claire a rattle out of an empty can & some rocks - the top was sealed with duct tape...we (of course) used an empty beer can (because we're klassy like that), and Claire LOVED it! It kept her entertained for minutes, which in Baby-World is basically MONTHS!
Then Allison, Emily & Matthew made Claire an amazing beer can mobile, with sticks, embroidery floss & (you guessed it!) beer cans (we had a few empties hanging around). It was beautifully trashy, and again, Claire was fascinated with it - I was disappointed that we didn't have space to bring it home with us! Thanks again for all your hard work, guys!
We were sad to have to leave everyone on Sunday, Aug 19th, but we had to drive to Pullman, WA, so that Zach could work at his corporate office on Monday. Zach worked all day while Claire & I entertained ourselves - we spent some time hanging out at Sunnyside Park so that Claire could get some exercise & fresh air in preparation for our final leg of the journey home. We picked Zach up at work, grabbed some dinner & hit the road.
Our trip home was long, and made a little longer by some road construction delays, but Claire was (once again!) a road-trip champ & slept pretty much the whole way home. We got home at 2am & passed out!
Now we're getting ready for our next (and final) camping trip of 2012 - we'll be spending a couple of nights in Oregon, with our friends from Olympia, WA. We don't get to see them very often, and they have a 3 year old & a 4 month old, so it will be fun to see the kids interact!
Sorry for the LOOOOONG & rambling post - clearly I have a problem being concise!
Enjoy the pictures & videos!
Summer Camping Trip Pictures!
Claire Crawls Around Audubon Park Video
Claire In A Swing Video
Claire Climbs a Step Video
Claire Beer Can Rattle Video
On the morning of Sunday, August 12th, we loaded Claire into the (already-overloaded!) car & headed out for a camping trip of epic proportions! Not only was it one of our longest camping trips to date, it was also Claire's first time camping - that's a recipe for success, right?! Well, it ended up being a fun trip, and Claire was a champion camper & road-tripper for the most part. Yay!
Sunday was a loooong day of driving - we left Boise at 7am local time & didn't get to our Bed & Breakfast (Inn at the Lake) in Newport, WA until 7pm Washington time...it made for a 13 hour day, but there was one highlight to the day! Since it was our 8th anniversary on August 12th, we stopped in Spokane, WA for an early dinner, at The Flying Goat & had some absolutely delicious food! We started with their Focaccia, which had fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic & goat cheese...
This was SO good & a great start to our meal. For our main course, we decided to share a pizza, and did a half-and-half, since we couldn't choose just one pizza - everything sounded yummy & it was hard enough to choose two! We ended up with 1/2 "Waikiki":
Waikiki - Zoe's sweet coppa and artisan ham, caramelized pineapple, roasted jalapeno, house cheese blend and plum tomato sauce...and 1/2 "D Street"
D Street - Yellow Coconut Curry, chicken, potato, jalapeno, carrot, house cheese blend, cilantro, sriracha and lime juice
The B&B that Zach found for us to stay in was absolutely gorgeous! Here's the view from the dock, towards the back of the house.
It was a wonderful week of camping - we got to spend lots of quality time with my immediate family, as well as my Auntie Margaret & my Mom's sisters, Cathy & Barb, and 2 of Barb's kids, my cousins Graham & Allison. It was so nice for us to get the chance to introduce Claire to the extended family! We wish we could have spent more time with Auntie Cathy, since she wasn't able to get there until Friday & we had to leave on Sunday so Zach could get back to work, but at least she & Claire got to have some quality time.
During the week, we celebrated Mom's 65th birthday, as well as Margaret's birthday - unfortunately we had to leave before Allison's birthday on Monday, but we were thinking of her! The rest of the week was spent splashing in the lake (Claire wasn't a fan of the cold water!), hanging out in the sun (or shade!) and eating lots of good food. Here's a shot of the lake early one morning:
Claire also got to experience sand for the first time, and seemed to be pretty intrigued with it - she kept grabbing handfuls & letting it fall through her fingers. She did (of course) try eating some, but figured out pretty quickly that it was gross.
Zach also got to use his inflatable kayak & paddle the lake - my cousin Graham gave it a try, too.
Since the weather was so gorgeous, some of the crew decided to go for a hike one day - Zach, Megan, Greg, Graham & Allison hiked up to the peak of Saddle Mountain - the pictures are absolutely breathtaking, and it looked like quite a stunning hike, both on the way up, and at the peak. Maybe next time Zach can take Claire in our backpack carrier!
Our trip home was long, and made a little longer by some road construction delays, but Claire was (once again!) a road-trip champ & slept pretty much the whole way home. We got home at 2am & passed out!
Now we're getting ready for our next (and final) camping trip of 2012 - we'll be spending a couple of nights in Oregon, with our friends from Olympia, WA. We don't get to see them very often, and they have a 3 year old & a 4 month old, so it will be fun to see the kids interact!
Sorry for the LOOOOONG & rambling post - clearly I have a problem being concise!
Enjoy the pictures & videos!
Summer Camping Trip Pictures!
Claire Crawls Around Audubon Park Video
Claire In A Swing Video
Claire Climbs a Step Video
Claire Beer Can Rattle Video
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Mushroom Peak, Gladiator Peak, Peak 10185' Climb
Dan was in Hailey for work so we decided to join forces on a Saturday hike. After discussing various destinations, we chose three peaks in the Boulders: Mushroom Peak, Gladiator Peak, and Peak 10185'. Not only did this hike offer three peaks, it also gave the opportunity for Dan to find crampons that were lost on a snowshoe trip in the area this past Spring (sadly they were not found).
We approached by following roads heading toward the mouth of Westernhome Gulch, parking when we couldn't drive further. In hindsight, following the road up Gladiator Gulch to an actual trailhead would have been a better move. From our parking spot, we followed the old road (now a trail) to the mouth of Westernhome Gulch. From here it was very easy cross-country travel up the gulch and eventually to the summit ridge. We visited Mushroom Peak first and this was a steep but obstacle-free ascent up the ridge. Mushroom Peak has great views of the surrounding peaks and even glimpses of the Sawtooth Valley. It also contains a summit register left by Rick Baugher in 2002.
After leaving the summit, we headed over to Gladiator Peak, the highest of the three peaks. The ridge from Mushroom Peak was pretty gentle but did contain some low class 3 terrain just below the summit. This peak, which saw other summit visitors earlier in the day, also contains a summit register left by Rick Baugher.
Dan was not feeling very well so on the summit of Gladiator Peak, we decided that I would attempt Peak 10185' and Dan would wait in the basin below. I tried to be fast but the ridge over to Peak 10185' contains some class 3 terrain and route-finding issues that slowed me down. The summit block itself is somewhat steep and rotten, however I was able to find a rib to climb to the right of a scree ramp heading down the southeast face. This rib leads directly to the summit, which has no register but instead possesses an iron rod and a small cairn.
After a brief time on the summit, I headed back down the rib and scree slopes to meet Dan in the upper reaches of Gladiator Creek's basin. From here we followed the trail down the creek and back to the car. It was a great day but sadly we finished too late to stop in to the Hill City Saloon as we initially hoped to do. Maybe next time?
Mushroom Peak, Gladiator Peak, Peak 10185' Climb Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
We approached by following roads heading toward the mouth of Westernhome Gulch, parking when we couldn't drive further. In hindsight, following the road up Gladiator Gulch to an actual trailhead would have been a better move. From our parking spot, we followed the old road (now a trail) to the mouth of Westernhome Gulch. From here it was very easy cross-country travel up the gulch and eventually to the summit ridge. We visited Mushroom Peak first and this was a steep but obstacle-free ascent up the ridge. Mushroom Peak has great views of the surrounding peaks and even glimpses of the Sawtooth Valley. It also contains a summit register left by Rick Baugher in 2002.
After leaving the summit, we headed over to Gladiator Peak, the highest of the three peaks. The ridge from Mushroom Peak was pretty gentle but did contain some low class 3 terrain just below the summit. This peak, which saw other summit visitors earlier in the day, also contains a summit register left by Rick Baugher.
Dan was not feeling very well so on the summit of Gladiator Peak, we decided that I would attempt Peak 10185' and Dan would wait in the basin below. I tried to be fast but the ridge over to Peak 10185' contains some class 3 terrain and route-finding issues that slowed me down. The summit block itself is somewhat steep and rotten, however I was able to find a rib to climb to the right of a scree ramp heading down the southeast face. This rib leads directly to the summit, which has no register but instead possesses an iron rod and a small cairn.
After a brief time on the summit, I headed back down the rib and scree slopes to meet Dan in the upper reaches of Gladiator Creek's basin. From here we followed the trail down the creek and back to the car. It was a great day but sadly we finished too late to stop in to the Hill City Saloon as we initially hoped to do. Maybe next time?
Mushroom Peak, Gladiator Peak, Peak 10185' Climb Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
North Idaho Hiking July 2012
I had a business trip in Pullman so I decided to bolt on some hiking given that the weather forecast was perfect. I left Boise early Wednesday morning and upon reaching Banks, I parked at the junction with the Banks-Lowman Road and climbed Peak 3668'. This peak sits about 850' above the highway and made for a brisk morning climb. The footing is generally good and the route is very direct, only requiring about 0.4 miles to reach the summit. The summit is pretty flat but it does have decent views of the surrounding area.
Once back on the road, I left the highway in Cottonwood and drove to the summit of Cottonwood Butte, one of Idaho's 50 most prominent peaks. Upon reaching the top I was surprised to see a giant concrete abandoned building on the top and lots of other ruins. Later I would learn this summit was the site of the Cottonwood Air Force Station radar site in the 1950s and 1960s. The ruins were interesting and suggested a hatred of windows by the designers. The actual summit is a short distance from the ruins and features the foundation of a fire lookout, benchmark, and lots of radio towers. The summit has partial views of the surrounding area; climbing through the dark stairwell to the top of the abandoned radar building would likely yield much better results. I think this peak has more debris on the summit than any other I've visited anywhere.
I got to work just after 1PM and worked a half day. Once done with work, I headed to Bald Mountain, a drive-up peak which is also the highpoint of Latah County. The drive was longer than expected and when I reached the summit there were a group of people there who had rented the fire lookout! They said it is an incredible way to spend a night and even talked highly of spending a night up there during a lightning storm! They were also kind enough to let me walk around the top of the lookout and take a few pictures of the expansive, rolling terrain. After chatting a bit more, I began the drive back to Moscow where I was staying, arriving about 9PM after a long day!
Thursday was a regular day at work and after departing work I changed clothes then headed for Moscow Mountain. I wasn't sure how close to the summit I could get in the Civic but the road is drivable up to about 4300' which was closer than I thought. An intrepid 2WD driver could probably get further but the road gets pretty steep and sandy after where I parked. I made good time uphill and quickly found my way to East Moscow Mountain, which is clearly used for camping and has good views toward the south and Moscow. After taking a few pictures, I headed over to the main summit of Moscow Mountain. Due to mis-reading my map and a total lack of signage, I missed the turn to the summit and wasted some time heading too far west. After I corrected my mistake, I cruised up the road toward the summit. Eventually I crossed a gate which marked as private property but was also posted indicating foot traffic was permitted. I continued past an interesting collection of buildings after which the road deteriorated to something closer to overgrown singletrack. This continues all the way to the summit, an unremarkable collection of rocks sticking out amongst the surrounding brush. After taking a few pictures and noticing how low the sun was getting, I scampered back to the vehicle. This time I rolled into Moscow about 9:15 - another long day!
Friday involved no hiking - after leaving work at 6PM I simply embarked on the long drive home. I did get stopped by a WSP trooper just south of Pullman - he must've felt sorry for me driving back to Boise because he didn't give me a ticket! I got home at 2AM Saturday morning totally exhausted!
North Idaho July 2012 Pictures!
Once back on the road, I left the highway in Cottonwood and drove to the summit of Cottonwood Butte, one of Idaho's 50 most prominent peaks. Upon reaching the top I was surprised to see a giant concrete abandoned building on the top and lots of other ruins. Later I would learn this summit was the site of the Cottonwood Air Force Station radar site in the 1950s and 1960s. The ruins were interesting and suggested a hatred of windows by the designers. The actual summit is a short distance from the ruins and features the foundation of a fire lookout, benchmark, and lots of radio towers. The summit has partial views of the surrounding area; climbing through the dark stairwell to the top of the abandoned radar building would likely yield much better results. I think this peak has more debris on the summit than any other I've visited anywhere.
I got to work just after 1PM and worked a half day. Once done with work, I headed to Bald Mountain, a drive-up peak which is also the highpoint of Latah County. The drive was longer than expected and when I reached the summit there were a group of people there who had rented the fire lookout! They said it is an incredible way to spend a night and even talked highly of spending a night up there during a lightning storm! They were also kind enough to let me walk around the top of the lookout and take a few pictures of the expansive, rolling terrain. After chatting a bit more, I began the drive back to Moscow where I was staying, arriving about 9PM after a long day!
Thursday was a regular day at work and after departing work I changed clothes then headed for Moscow Mountain. I wasn't sure how close to the summit I could get in the Civic but the road is drivable up to about 4300' which was closer than I thought. An intrepid 2WD driver could probably get further but the road gets pretty steep and sandy after where I parked. I made good time uphill and quickly found my way to East Moscow Mountain, which is clearly used for camping and has good views toward the south and Moscow. After taking a few pictures, I headed over to the main summit of Moscow Mountain. Due to mis-reading my map and a total lack of signage, I missed the turn to the summit and wasted some time heading too far west. After I corrected my mistake, I cruised up the road toward the summit. Eventually I crossed a gate which marked as private property but was also posted indicating foot traffic was permitted. I continued past an interesting collection of buildings after which the road deteriorated to something closer to overgrown singletrack. This continues all the way to the summit, an unremarkable collection of rocks sticking out amongst the surrounding brush. After taking a few pictures and noticing how low the sun was getting, I scampered back to the vehicle. This time I rolled into Moscow about 9:15 - another long day!
Friday involved no hiking - after leaving work at 6PM I simply embarked on the long drive home. I did get stopped by a WSP trooper just south of Pullman - he must've felt sorry for me driving back to Boise because he didn't give me a ticket! I got home at 2AM Saturday morning totally exhausted!
North Idaho July 2012 Pictures!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Antares Peak and Pincer Peak Hike
Dan suggested a Monday hike of some peaks above Garfield Canyon. Both peakbagging and taking a day off work sounded amazing to me, so I was in. The trip also offered the possibility of one to three peaks based upon how strong we felt.
We left Dan's house at 6:15am and began the long drive to Garfield Canyon. About 3 hours later, we arrived and even attempted to drive past the normal parking spot at 6900'. However the road past this point was overgrown and we were forced to park shortly thereafter around 7000'. From here we hiked up the old mining road which was surprisingly washed out and overgrown. While not good for vehicles, the hiking along the road was good and we made great progress up the canyon. Soon we passed the mining ruins, which consisted of a crumbling mill, some decaying cabins, and lots of collapsed adits. We continued to follow the road above the mine but eventually we just headed cross-country toward the summit ridge of Antares Peak. This was a little steep in places but very straightforward.
After grinding up the last 600', we were on the summit of Antares Peak which has fantastic views of the entire Pioneer range and partial views of the Lost River Range. Other than some gusty wind, summit conditions were perfect. Surprisingly, we were only the second party since 1994 to sign the register! We were both feeling a little tired at this point so we decided we would climb the next peak (Peak 10650' aka Pincer Peak) and not climb Scorpion Mountain which was much further away.
The ridge from Antares Peak to Pincer Peak was fun and included a class 3 section near the saddle. After fighting fatigue on the traverse, we soon reached Pincer Peak, which naturally features similar views to its neighbor. After recharging for a little bit, we dropped off the summit and down to the south arm of Garfield Canyon, which was surprisingly devoid of mining detritus. After hiking through the brush, we eventually found the road and retraced our steps back to the vehicle.
This was a very enjoyable hike in a beautiful and seldom visited area. The ample mining debris provokes thoughts about the anonymous miners that used to live in this area over 100 years ago. I'm sure we'll be back one day to visit Scorpion Mountain!
Antares Peak / Pincer Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
We left Dan's house at 6:15am and began the long drive to Garfield Canyon. About 3 hours later, we arrived and even attempted to drive past the normal parking spot at 6900'. However the road past this point was overgrown and we were forced to park shortly thereafter around 7000'. From here we hiked up the old mining road which was surprisingly washed out and overgrown. While not good for vehicles, the hiking along the road was good and we made great progress up the canyon. Soon we passed the mining ruins, which consisted of a crumbling mill, some decaying cabins, and lots of collapsed adits. We continued to follow the road above the mine but eventually we just headed cross-country toward the summit ridge of Antares Peak. This was a little steep in places but very straightforward.
After grinding up the last 600', we were on the summit of Antares Peak which has fantastic views of the entire Pioneer range and partial views of the Lost River Range. Other than some gusty wind, summit conditions were perfect. Surprisingly, we were only the second party since 1994 to sign the register! We were both feeling a little tired at this point so we decided we would climb the next peak (Peak 10650' aka Pincer Peak) and not climb Scorpion Mountain which was much further away.
The ridge from Antares Peak to Pincer Peak was fun and included a class 3 section near the saddle. After fighting fatigue on the traverse, we soon reached Pincer Peak, which naturally features similar views to its neighbor. After recharging for a little bit, we dropped off the summit and down to the south arm of Garfield Canyon, which was surprisingly devoid of mining detritus. After hiking through the brush, we eventually found the road and retraced our steps back to the vehicle.
This was a very enjoyable hike in a beautiful and seldom visited area. The ample mining debris provokes thoughts about the anonymous miners that used to live in this area over 100 years ago. I'm sure we'll be back one day to visit Scorpion Mountain!
Antares Peak / Pincer Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Due Date!!.. and a Short Hike
Today is our due date, however as of this typing there is no sign of "Baby Vickery" arriving imminently. Katie has her doctor appointment tomorrow so maybe we'll know more then. For now, it is day-by-day!
With Katie's approval I used the nice weather and "lack of babyness" to go on a short hike in the Boise foothills. After leaving the house, I tuned in the Jaguars game on the satellite radio and listened to them achieve an opening day victory. As that was playing out, I drove up the 8th Street Extension which was quite rough - I got my old LeSabre up this road in 2001 and now there are a few spots where I wasn't sure about the Escape making it. But all was well and I was soon hiking uphill toward Peak 6218', an extremely obscure peak along the Boise Ridge. The hike promised to be short, only a half mile each way. I started in an open area but soon found myself trying to avoid increasing amounts of brush. It soon became evident that the peak is surrounded by an unbroken thicket of chaparral and other vegetation which I would have to confront directly. What I assumed would be a short and easy hike turned into a arduous slog through thick, chest-high (and higher) vegetation. Eventually I made the summit, which fortunately features a small rocky area devoid of the brush that was everywhere else. The views of the surrounding area were good, including the Bogus Basin area, Boise Peak, and Gardiner Peak. I decided to descend a different way (a more western aspect) but found the brush to be just as bad that way. On the way home, I drove down Bogus Basin Road which is a much better access route than 8th Street for this area.
In short, I don't really recommend anyone climb this peak unless that person likes miserable plodding through thickets. Maybe it would be better in late Fall?
Trip statistics: 1.25 miles, 650' elevation gain, 1.5 hours
Peak 6218' Hike Pictures
With Katie's approval I used the nice weather and "lack of babyness" to go on a short hike in the Boise foothills. After leaving the house, I tuned in the Jaguars game on the satellite radio and listened to them achieve an opening day victory. As that was playing out, I drove up the 8th Street Extension which was quite rough - I got my old LeSabre up this road in 2001 and now there are a few spots where I wasn't sure about the Escape making it. But all was well and I was soon hiking uphill toward Peak 6218', an extremely obscure peak along the Boise Ridge. The hike promised to be short, only a half mile each way. I started in an open area but soon found myself trying to avoid increasing amounts of brush. It soon became evident that the peak is surrounded by an unbroken thicket of chaparral and other vegetation which I would have to confront directly. What I assumed would be a short and easy hike turned into a arduous slog through thick, chest-high (and higher) vegetation. Eventually I made the summit, which fortunately features a small rocky area devoid of the brush that was everywhere else. The views of the surrounding area were good, including the Bogus Basin area, Boise Peak, and Gardiner Peak. I decided to descend a different way (a more western aspect) but found the brush to be just as bad that way. On the way home, I drove down Bogus Basin Road which is a much better access route than 8th Street for this area.
In short, I don't really recommend anyone climb this peak unless that person likes miserable plodding through thickets. Maybe it would be better in late Fall?
Trip statistics: 1.25 miles, 650' elevation gain, 1.5 hours
Peak 6218' Hike Pictures
Monday, August 22, 2011
North Twin and Red Cone Peak Climb
At 6am, I met Dan and Tom (author of Idaho: A Climbing Guide) for the long drive to climb North Twin in the Lost River Range. We arrived in Arco at 9am and met Margo (who drove in from Pocatello) for the drive to the trailhead. The road up Elbow Canyon was pretty good and we were moving around 10am.
The route starts along an road/ATV trail, crosses a very nice meadow and enters a thick forest. The forest was a surprise and is very uncommon for a Lost River ascent, particularly on the west side. Down in the trees we made a slight navigational error but after a correction we made our way above treeline and into a gorgeous basin beneath the northwest face of North Twin. A short class 3 stretch got us into the upper reaches of the basin after which we soon were able to take a nice break at the flowery saddle between North Twin and nearby Red Cone Peak.
After our break, we made the final push to the top of North Twin. On our way up we saw some sheep who were just as interested in us as we were them. They probably aren't used to visitors on this seldom-climbed peak! After they scattered, we finished the climb on very solid terrain. Once on top, we enjoyed beautiful weather and the incredible panorama of the Lost River Range. Some clouds were looking questionable for awhile but once on the summit it was clear that they would not threaten our day.
We descended to the saddle and then all agreed to make the short climb up Red Cone Peak. We actually didn't know the name of this peak until we discovered Rick Baugher's register from 1993 - it appeared that we were the first visitors since then! After a brief time on the summit of Red Cone Peak, we descended the canyon to the northwest of Red Cone Peak. This was a very direct descent on mostly solid terrain, although it was a bit of a slog since it came at the end of a long day.
Once at the truck we all enjoyed a beer - thanks Margo! It hit the spot and after a few minutes we headed back to Arco. As we were leaving Elbow Canyon we saw a black bear which made some serious climbing moves up a cliff to get away. Impressive!! Before we parted ways, we had a nice dinner at Pickle's Place in Arco. This was memorable especially for the large group of French (Cajun?) speakers in there. Our drive home was long but uneventful and I didn't get home until 11:45pm. A long but great day in the mountains with a great group!
North Twin/Red Cone Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Margo's Trip Report
The route starts along an road/ATV trail, crosses a very nice meadow and enters a thick forest. The forest was a surprise and is very uncommon for a Lost River ascent, particularly on the west side. Down in the trees we made a slight navigational error but after a correction we made our way above treeline and into a gorgeous basin beneath the northwest face of North Twin. A short class 3 stretch got us into the upper reaches of the basin after which we soon were able to take a nice break at the flowery saddle between North Twin and nearby Red Cone Peak.
After our break, we made the final push to the top of North Twin. On our way up we saw some sheep who were just as interested in us as we were them. They probably aren't used to visitors on this seldom-climbed peak! After they scattered, we finished the climb on very solid terrain. Once on top, we enjoyed beautiful weather and the incredible panorama of the Lost River Range. Some clouds were looking questionable for awhile but once on the summit it was clear that they would not threaten our day.
We descended to the saddle and then all agreed to make the short climb up Red Cone Peak. We actually didn't know the name of this peak until we discovered Rick Baugher's register from 1993 - it appeared that we were the first visitors since then! After a brief time on the summit of Red Cone Peak, we descended the canyon to the northwest of Red Cone Peak. This was a very direct descent on mostly solid terrain, although it was a bit of a slog since it came at the end of a long day.
Once at the truck we all enjoyed a beer - thanks Margo! It hit the spot and after a few minutes we headed back to Arco. As we were leaving Elbow Canyon we saw a black bear which made some serious climbing moves up a cliff to get away. Impressive!! Before we parted ways, we had a nice dinner at Pickle's Place in Arco. This was memorable especially for the large group of French (Cajun?) speakers in there. Our drive home was long but uneventful and I didn't get home until 11:45pm. A long but great day in the mountains with a great group!
North Twin/Red Cone Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Margo's Trip Report
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Peak 11087' Climb
Last Sunday Dan and I climbed Peak 11087' in the Boulder Mountains. We left Boise just after 6am and were hiking around 9am. Dan had an evening commitment so we were hoping to get back to Boise by 7pm.
The hike starts on a nice trail up the West Fork of the North Fork of the Big Wood River. After heading up the trail for roughly two and half miles, we left the trail and headed straight up toward the basin containing Lake 10062'. Once up in the basin below the lake, we started heading directly up the south slopes of the peak. Initially this was pretty easy but the terrain degenerated into steep, loose Boulder Mountain scree as we got above 10000'. Between that and my struggling with the elevation, it was a bit of a slog for awhile. Eventually we reached the reached the ridge top and the footing got much better. From there it was a direct class 2 ascent to the summit, which has an incredible view of the Boulders and surrounding mountains!
After enjoyed a well-earned break on the summit and taking in the great views, we headed down with the realization we weren't going to make our 7pm return time. After quickly descending the scree, Dan found us a more direct and enjoyable route back to the trail. Before hitting the trail we filtered some water from the West Fork and enjoyed some high quality H2O to help us finish the hike.
We ended up missing our return time by 45 minutes but it was still an outstanding day!
Peak 11087' Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
The hike starts on a nice trail up the West Fork of the North Fork of the Big Wood River. After heading up the trail for roughly two and half miles, we left the trail and headed straight up toward the basin containing Lake 10062'. Once up in the basin below the lake, we started heading directly up the south slopes of the peak. Initially this was pretty easy but the terrain degenerated into steep, loose Boulder Mountain scree as we got above 10000'. Between that and my struggling with the elevation, it was a bit of a slog for awhile. Eventually we reached the reached the ridge top and the footing got much better. From there it was a direct class 2 ascent to the summit, which has an incredible view of the Boulders and surrounding mountains!
After enjoyed a well-earned break on the summit and taking in the great views, we headed down with the realization we weren't going to make our 7pm return time. After quickly descending the scree, Dan found us a more direct and enjoyable route back to the trail. Before hitting the trail we filtered some water from the West Fork and enjoyed some high quality H2O to help us finish the hike.
We ended up missing our return time by 45 minutes but it was still an outstanding day!
Peak 11087' Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Observation Peak Hike
Last Sunday, I met Todd and Dan for a hike up Observation Peak in the Sawtooths. Also joining the party were Todd's two excellent hiking dogs Leo and Roxy. After meeting at 9am, we headed out around 9:15am. The drive was smooth and we were hiking just after 11:30am.
Observation Peak is the only Sawtooth peak with a trail to the top. Thus, the hike was unusually easy for the Sawtooths. However the typical long approach was still present. We spent most of our time hiking up the Trail Creek drainage which was scenic and enjoyable. The trail was well-graded but more overgrown than we expected. We also only saw two other people on the trail all day - pretty sparse for peak season. The creek crossings were a little bit high but the only risk was getting water in my boots. We had been in a mild burn area for much of the hike but once we got near Stanley Lake Creek it turned into total destruction with no vegetation anywhere. In this burn area we hit snow which was firm and supported us well. Soon we were on the summit, just over four hours in.
The summit was incredible with perfect temperatures, no wind, and outstanding views of the northern and western parts of the Sawtooth Range. We all enjoyed a nice leisurely break on top before heading back down. We made good time on the descent, highlighted by a nice glissade on the upper slopes of the peak. Upon arriving at the trailhead, we were deflated upon discovering Dan's vehicle has suffered a flat time. Fortunately the spare was in order and we were able to roll home on the doughnut - though we didn't get home until after 10pm!
Observation Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Observation Peak is the only Sawtooth peak with a trail to the top. Thus, the hike was unusually easy for the Sawtooths. However the typical long approach was still present. We spent most of our time hiking up the Trail Creek drainage which was scenic and enjoyable. The trail was well-graded but more overgrown than we expected. We also only saw two other people on the trail all day - pretty sparse for peak season. The creek crossings were a little bit high but the only risk was getting water in my boots. We had been in a mild burn area for much of the hike but once we got near Stanley Lake Creek it turned into total destruction with no vegetation anywhere. In this burn area we hit snow which was firm and supported us well. Soon we were on the summit, just over four hours in.
The summit was incredible with perfect temperatures, no wind, and outstanding views of the northern and western parts of the Sawtooth Range. We all enjoyed a nice leisurely break on top before heading back down. We made good time on the descent, highlighted by a nice glissade on the upper slopes of the peak. Upon arriving at the trailhead, we were deflated upon discovering Dan's vehicle has suffered a flat time. Fortunately the spare was in order and we were able to roll home on the doughnut - though we didn't get home until after 10pm!
Observation Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Galena Peak Climb
Matt and I settled on a climb of Galena Peak in the Boulder Mountains on the Saturday before Labor Day. It would be Matt's first visit to the Boulder Mountains and possibly our last time above 11000' for the year.
We left Boise just after 6am and were climbing just after 9am. We were pleasantly surprised at finding a nice trail up the peak and a very straightforward path to the summit. The route, though direct, was a pleasant mix of forest and alpine terrain and passed some interesting mining debris. We also saw two mountain goats on the ascent!
Summit views were outstanding, however it was a little windy and brisk on the summit. We had considered a traverse to nearby Peak 10835' however the terrain, changing weather, and our late start caused us to skip the side trip. After chatting with another hiker on the summit, we started our trip back down to the vehicle. We had a pleasant descent and the trip made for an excellent conclusion to the summer hiking season!
Trip statistics: 4.58 miles, 3474' elevation gain, 5:43h
Galena Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
We left Boise just after 6am and were climbing just after 9am. We were pleasantly surprised at finding a nice trail up the peak and a very straightforward path to the summit. The route, though direct, was a pleasant mix of forest and alpine terrain and passed some interesting mining debris. We also saw two mountain goats on the ascent!
Summit views were outstanding, however it was a little windy and brisk on the summit. We had considered a traverse to nearby Peak 10835' however the terrain, changing weather, and our late start caused us to skip the side trip. After chatting with another hiker on the summit, we started our trip back down to the vehicle. We had a pleasant descent and the trip made for an excellent conclusion to the summer hiking season!
Trip statistics: 4.58 miles, 3474' elevation gain, 5:43h
Galena Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Robbery Peak Climb
After some debate, Dan and I agreed to climb Peak 10255' in the Smoky Mountains on Sunday the 22nd. This peak is located near the headwaters of the Salmon River and believed to be unclimbed, so we were both looking forward to the trip. The headwaters area was very beautiful and quite green for August, providing great scenery as we approached the trailhead. As the road (marked "jeep trail" on the map) got narrower we parked, however in hindsight we could have driven a little bit further.
The hiking was great, starting on a road which eventually becomes a motorcycle trail and then a single-track trail. Part of the route actually follows the Idaho Centennial Trail. After passing through a gorgeous meadow, we headed uphill on steep terrain to the summit. Once atop the peak, we saw no sign of prior summit visitation so we believe it is indeed the first ascent of the peak - the first first ascent for me. The weather was quite pleasant, although somewhat cool for mid-August. Could it be Fall in the air? After building a cairn and Dan naming the peak "Robbery Peak" (Robbins + Vickery, get it??), we started to head down. Before descending too far we decided to add some distance to the day and climb the adjacent Camas County Highpoint, a peak which both of us had already climbed from a different route and on which Dan registered a first ascent back in 2001. Unsurprisingly, the peak looked the same but it did have a few more names in the summit register. Clearly, these peaks aren't climbed very often!
From there, we descended directly down to the road and back to the vehicle. On our way home we stopped and ate at the Burger Grill in Ketchum - a favorite stop from years before.
Trip statistics: 7.4 miles, 6:31 hours, 3255' elevation gain
Robbery Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
The hiking was great, starting on a road which eventually becomes a motorcycle trail and then a single-track trail. Part of the route actually follows the Idaho Centennial Trail. After passing through a gorgeous meadow, we headed uphill on steep terrain to the summit. Once atop the peak, we saw no sign of prior summit visitation so we believe it is indeed the first ascent of the peak - the first first ascent for me. The weather was quite pleasant, although somewhat cool for mid-August. Could it be Fall in the air? After building a cairn and Dan naming the peak "Robbery Peak" (Robbins + Vickery, get it??), we started to head down. Before descending too far we decided to add some distance to the day and climb the adjacent Camas County Highpoint, a peak which both of us had already climbed from a different route and on which Dan registered a first ascent back in 2001. Unsurprisingly, the peak looked the same but it did have a few more names in the summit register. Clearly, these peaks aren't climbed very often!
From there, we descended directly down to the road and back to the vehicle. On our way home we stopped and ate at the Burger Grill in Ketchum - a favorite stop from years before.
Trip statistics: 7.4 miles, 6:31 hours, 3255' elevation gain
Robbery Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Dan's Trip Report
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Summer Vacation 2010!
Katie and I departed Boise around 11pm on Friday night, July 30th, for an all-night drive to Vancouver. We took turns driving and sleeping (though Katie got more sleep than I) and made it to Bellingham by the early morning. In Bellingham we visited the site of our wedding before stopping at Trader Joes to buy a few items. We soon crossed the border and were at the Shepherd house around 10am.
We were starving upon arrival so we ordered some Panago pizza. After this nice meal, we crashed for a few hours before meeting Kelly (who was at our wedding) at the Elephant Walk Pub. We had a good time catching up over Kokanee and then proceeded to head home to hang out with Dave and sleep.
On Sunday Katie met a couple of her friends. I chose to use the day to instead hike Dam Mountain in North Vancouver. This also gave me the opportunity to do the Grouse Grind, a famous and incredibly steep Vancouver trail that leads to Grouse Mountain Resort area. The Grind was much more prolonged and tougher than I expected... basically it is a staircase that is the approximate height of the Burj Khalifa. The trail was packed with people, which made the trail feel like some kind of outdoor gym and also meant getting stuck behind people and occasionally being tailed by someone faster. I even encountered one guy having a seizure (he was being attended to) and was just above another guy who kicked a small log down the trail which nearly wiped out one or more people. Basically the trail was nuts and struck me as a little bit unsafe given many of the people on it. After a lot of work I made it to the top in just under 65 minutes - pretty good in my opinion!
Once at the top I checked out some of the exhibits, including the zip lines and the grizzly bears. After some questions about the location of the trail (it was not signed) and the "bear in the area" sign, I was eventually headed toward the peak. Once I got going it became evident that the peak would be shrouded in fog - so much for having a summit view! I continued upward on a much narrower and more rugged trail than I expected - pretty much the total opposite from the Grind and much different from the somewhat busy Mt Seymour which I climbed last year. The trail was kind of surreal because it felt like wilderness but was actually paralleled by a noisy irrigation pipe, was overflown by zip lines, and was in earshot of the crowds cheering as they watched the lumberjack show. After scarfing some M&Ms and checking out the foggy summit, I headed back down to the resort where I managed to catch part of the raptor show. Every time I see that sort of thing it reminds me that falconry is cool. From there it was back to the aerial tramway and parking lot.
Sunday night I was left alone (Katie and Dave were both out and about) so I watched some TV and hit the Flying Wedge for dinner. On Monday we mostly ran errands in preparation for the camping trip, however the three of us did meet Greg and Carmina for dinner at White Spot.
Tuesday started bright and early with a 4am departure for the Syringa Provincial Park campground. After performing the final packing of our two vehicles, the five of us hit the 7-11 then headed east. We had some two-way radios to communicate which also made for good entertainment. We made good time and had breakfast at a Subway in Osoyoos which was memorable mainly for the bad service and the depleted pop fountain. Around 1pm we made it to the campground, being the first of our group to show up. Liz and the Aprims followed shortly thereafter and we all proceeded to setup camp.
Camping was great and was highlighted by the usual activities - eating, swimming, reading, relaxing, walking the dogs, sitting around the campfire, etc. In my case, hiking around the park and kayaking across the lake were also included. We also managed to power through a lot of beers - maybe as many as 100?
On Saturday we packed up our stuff and headed home, leaving the campground around 11:45am. The Aprims headed back to Vancouver, Liz and Dave continued camping at McDonald Creek, and we headed back to Boise. Katie and I did eat at the Subway in Castlegar before heading south. We had a minor navigational faux pas in Trail but otherwise headed right on down. We decided to have a nicer dinner in Lewiston and stopped at Matt's Grill where I had the bratwurst and Katie had the lemon chicken. Both were good and I had my first exposure to sauerkraut - a food I truly don't understand. We arrived in Boise just after 2am and 550 miles of driving. After unpacking a few things and a quick shower, we crashed and used Sunday to recover.
Summer Vacation Pictures!
Dam Mountain Pictures!
Dam Mountain GPS Track
We were starving upon arrival so we ordered some Panago pizza. After this nice meal, we crashed for a few hours before meeting Kelly (who was at our wedding) at the Elephant Walk Pub. We had a good time catching up over Kokanee and then proceeded to head home to hang out with Dave and sleep.
On Sunday Katie met a couple of her friends. I chose to use the day to instead hike Dam Mountain in North Vancouver. This also gave me the opportunity to do the Grouse Grind, a famous and incredibly steep Vancouver trail that leads to Grouse Mountain Resort area. The Grind was much more prolonged and tougher than I expected... basically it is a staircase that is the approximate height of the Burj Khalifa. The trail was packed with people, which made the trail feel like some kind of outdoor gym and also meant getting stuck behind people and occasionally being tailed by someone faster. I even encountered one guy having a seizure (he was being attended to) and was just above another guy who kicked a small log down the trail which nearly wiped out one or more people. Basically the trail was nuts and struck me as a little bit unsafe given many of the people on it. After a lot of work I made it to the top in just under 65 minutes - pretty good in my opinion!
Once at the top I checked out some of the exhibits, including the zip lines and the grizzly bears. After some questions about the location of the trail (it was not signed) and the "bear in the area" sign, I was eventually headed toward the peak. Once I got going it became evident that the peak would be shrouded in fog - so much for having a summit view! I continued upward on a much narrower and more rugged trail than I expected - pretty much the total opposite from the Grind and much different from the somewhat busy Mt Seymour which I climbed last year. The trail was kind of surreal because it felt like wilderness but was actually paralleled by a noisy irrigation pipe, was overflown by zip lines, and was in earshot of the crowds cheering as they watched the lumberjack show. After scarfing some M&Ms and checking out the foggy summit, I headed back down to the resort where I managed to catch part of the raptor show. Every time I see that sort of thing it reminds me that falconry is cool. From there it was back to the aerial tramway and parking lot.
Sunday night I was left alone (Katie and Dave were both out and about) so I watched some TV and hit the Flying Wedge for dinner. On Monday we mostly ran errands in preparation for the camping trip, however the three of us did meet Greg and Carmina for dinner at White Spot.
Tuesday started bright and early with a 4am departure for the Syringa Provincial Park campground. After performing the final packing of our two vehicles, the five of us hit the 7-11 then headed east. We had some two-way radios to communicate which also made for good entertainment. We made good time and had breakfast at a Subway in Osoyoos which was memorable mainly for the bad service and the depleted pop fountain. Around 1pm we made it to the campground, being the first of our group to show up. Liz and the Aprims followed shortly thereafter and we all proceeded to setup camp.
Camping was great and was highlighted by the usual activities - eating, swimming, reading, relaxing, walking the dogs, sitting around the campfire, etc. In my case, hiking around the park and kayaking across the lake were also included. We also managed to power through a lot of beers - maybe as many as 100?
On Saturday we packed up our stuff and headed home, leaving the campground around 11:45am. The Aprims headed back to Vancouver, Liz and Dave continued camping at McDonald Creek, and we headed back to Boise. Katie and I did eat at the Subway in Castlegar before heading south. We had a minor navigational faux pas in Trail but otherwise headed right on down. We decided to have a nicer dinner in Lewiston and stopped at Matt's Grill where I had the bratwurst and Katie had the lemon chicken. Both were good and I had my first exposure to sauerkraut - a food I truly don't understand. We arrived in Boise just after 2am and 550 miles of driving. After unpacking a few things and a quick shower, we crashed and used Sunday to recover.
Summer Vacation Pictures!
Dam Mountain Pictures!
Dam Mountain GPS Track
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Braxon Peak Climb
Dan and I decided to climb a peak in the Sawtooths. We decided on Braxon Peak, which noted author Tom Lopez states has the "best 360 degree view in Idaho". Plus it is accessed from Redfish Lake Creek, an area neither of us had visited before.
We were scheduled to meet at 6am, however Dan missed his alarm and we didn't get going until 6:45am. We drove up in Dan's new Chevy Equinox, a nice ride which included the XM Radio for our entertainment. On the way to Redfish Lake, Dan informed me that he recently suffered a broken rib playing basketball and was on painkillers. I was surprised to hear this and my concern about this news would later be validated!
We caught the Redfish Lake shuttle just after 9:30am. The boat ride across the lake was enjoyable with incredible scenery, however we were both surprised by the casual nature of the operation - no life jackets nor any other bureaucracy required! We paid our money and were immediately taken on the boat. After taking a few pictures on the shuttle, we were on the trail just before 10am. After a brisk hike up the trail, we followed John's instructions and started hiking uphill just before a small footbridge. From here the going got much steeper and eventually required navigating around various cliffs and other obstacles. As we got higher, Dan was feeling worse, getting dizzy from the exertion. We decided we would evaluate whether to continue at the lake just above 8900' elevation.
After some work we reached the lake at 8900'. We ended up deciding that Dan would stay at the lake while I finished the climb up Braxon Peak. My goal was to climb and descend the final 1400' in 2 hours. I headed uphill at a pretty brisk pace but ultimately was slowed by the terrain beneath the summit ridge. After two failed attempts over class 4 terrain, I finally found a class 3 route up to the summit ridge. From there it was a steep but straightforward climb to the summit. The views from the summit matched Tom Lopez's description - a complete panorama of Sawtooth peaks that was actually somewhat overwhelming to take in! Because of my compressed time line, I didn't spend too long on the summit - I caught my breath, rehydrated, took a few pictures, signed the register, and was soon heading down. The terrain, while a little loose on the ascent, provided the perfect terrain for descent and I was able to make pretty good time back to the lake basin where Dan was waiting. In the end I was 30 minutes late which made up for Dan missing his alarm in the morning!
Dan had a leisurely time at the lake, relaxing and even taking a brief swim. Once we met up again, we descended the boulder-strewn and cliffy terrain back to the trail. There was actually a good deal of route-finding required to get back down! Once on the trail, we moved briskly to attempt to catch the earliest possible shuttle back to our car. Arriving at the dock at 6:10pm, we ended up having to wait until 7pm for a shuttle to arrive. The return shuttle was totally full (12 people on the boat and 3 others left at the dock) and the driver had concerns that we were going to run out of gas. However we did make it back to the vehicle, where we enjoyed Alaskan Ambers (courtesy of Dan) before beginning the drive back to Boise.
The drive to Boise was highlighted by XM Radio surfing, including various comedy shows, grunge, hair metal, and freestyle rap. Before we knew it we were back in town and sadly forced to get ready to go to work on Monday...
Trip statistics: 8.55 miles, 4129' elevation gain, 8:16h
Braxon Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
We were scheduled to meet at 6am, however Dan missed his alarm and we didn't get going until 6:45am. We drove up in Dan's new Chevy Equinox, a nice ride which included the XM Radio for our entertainment. On the way to Redfish Lake, Dan informed me that he recently suffered a broken rib playing basketball and was on painkillers. I was surprised to hear this and my concern about this news would later be validated!
We caught the Redfish Lake shuttle just after 9:30am. The boat ride across the lake was enjoyable with incredible scenery, however we were both surprised by the casual nature of the operation - no life jackets nor any other bureaucracy required! We paid our money and were immediately taken on the boat. After taking a few pictures on the shuttle, we were on the trail just before 10am. After a brisk hike up the trail, we followed John's instructions and started hiking uphill just before a small footbridge. From here the going got much steeper and eventually required navigating around various cliffs and other obstacles. As we got higher, Dan was feeling worse, getting dizzy from the exertion. We decided we would evaluate whether to continue at the lake just above 8900' elevation.
After some work we reached the lake at 8900'. We ended up deciding that Dan would stay at the lake while I finished the climb up Braxon Peak. My goal was to climb and descend the final 1400' in 2 hours. I headed uphill at a pretty brisk pace but ultimately was slowed by the terrain beneath the summit ridge. After two failed attempts over class 4 terrain, I finally found a class 3 route up to the summit ridge. From there it was a steep but straightforward climb to the summit. The views from the summit matched Tom Lopez's description - a complete panorama of Sawtooth peaks that was actually somewhat overwhelming to take in! Because of my compressed time line, I didn't spend too long on the summit - I caught my breath, rehydrated, took a few pictures, signed the register, and was soon heading down. The terrain, while a little loose on the ascent, provided the perfect terrain for descent and I was able to make pretty good time back to the lake basin where Dan was waiting. In the end I was 30 minutes late which made up for Dan missing his alarm in the morning!
Dan had a leisurely time at the lake, relaxing and even taking a brief swim. Once we met up again, we descended the boulder-strewn and cliffy terrain back to the trail. There was actually a good deal of route-finding required to get back down! Once on the trail, we moved briskly to attempt to catch the earliest possible shuttle back to our car. Arriving at the dock at 6:10pm, we ended up having to wait until 7pm for a shuttle to arrive. The return shuttle was totally full (12 people on the boat and 3 others left at the dock) and the driver had concerns that we were going to run out of gas. However we did make it back to the vehicle, where we enjoyed Alaskan Ambers (courtesy of Dan) before beginning the drive back to Boise.
The drive to Boise was highlighted by XM Radio surfing, including various comedy shows, grunge, hair metal, and freestyle rap. Before we knew it we were back in town and sadly forced to get ready to go to work on Monday...
Trip statistics: 8.55 miles, 4129' elevation gain, 8:16h
Braxon Peak Pictures!
GPS Track
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Mount Idaho Climb
On September 2, 2001, I climbed Hyndman Peak. Of Idaho's nine 12000'+ peaks, this was the first whose summit I reached. Last week, I climbed Lost River Mountain, which was number 8. I had a plan to climb my final "twelver" - Mount Idaho - with some people from Rupert this past Friday but it turned out that they couldn't make it. Ultimately I decided that instead of rescheduling I'd rather take Friday off and finish the quest by making a solo ascent of the peak.
After leaving Boise around 3:30am, I arrived at the trailhead around 7am. Surprisingly, three other vehicles were there too - a rarity for a somewhat obscure peak. From the trailhead I had a brisk hike up the forested creek bottom of Elkhorn Creek. After reaching treeline I was greeted with my first views of the peak and a steep climb of mostly good rock to the summit ridge. The summit ridge also yielded the day's first incredible views of the surrounding county - including Borah Peak, the highest peak in Idaho.
The summit ridge is blocked by three towers which add some climbing and route-finding to the ascent. For the most part, a trail identifies the easiest way around these obstacles but finding the trail sometimes took effort. Once to the base of the face, the route climbs a mixture of solid rock and usually good talus to the summit. It was quite a bit of effort to finish the climb, but ultimately I reached the summit in just over 5 hours! The view was incredible and the conditions were perfect! I spent about 45 minutes atop the peak relaxing, taking in the views, and sending a few text messages.
During the entire climb I was expecting to run into others due to having seen the vehicles at the trailhead. However upon leaving the summit I still had seen no one. I descended a loose talus line from the summit, a route that got pretty steep and forced me to cross a few patches of steep, rotten snow. Upon getting back to the base of the face, I ran into the group of seven that were just beginning the ascent of the face. Apparently I passed them somewhere... maybe in the forest? We chatted a bit and then headed our separate ways. Later I saw them atop the peak and eventually I found out five of them made the summit. From the base of the face the descent involved a mixture of solid rock, loose rock, and kind-of-loose rock on increasingly tired legs and aching feet. Once my dogs are barking my hiking pace slows dramatically and it took me quite a while to descend from the basin to the vehicle. Needless to say, ten hours later I was very happy to be back to the car!
Trip statistics: 7.52 miles, 10:05h, 5369' elevation gain
Mount Idaho Pictures!
GPS Track
After leaving Boise around 3:30am, I arrived at the trailhead around 7am. Surprisingly, three other vehicles were there too - a rarity for a somewhat obscure peak. From the trailhead I had a brisk hike up the forested creek bottom of Elkhorn Creek. After reaching treeline I was greeted with my first views of the peak and a steep climb of mostly good rock to the summit ridge. The summit ridge also yielded the day's first incredible views of the surrounding county - including Borah Peak, the highest peak in Idaho.
The summit ridge is blocked by three towers which add some climbing and route-finding to the ascent. For the most part, a trail identifies the easiest way around these obstacles but finding the trail sometimes took effort. Once to the base of the face, the route climbs a mixture of solid rock and usually good talus to the summit. It was quite a bit of effort to finish the climb, but ultimately I reached the summit in just over 5 hours! The view was incredible and the conditions were perfect! I spent about 45 minutes atop the peak relaxing, taking in the views, and sending a few text messages.
During the entire climb I was expecting to run into others due to having seen the vehicles at the trailhead. However upon leaving the summit I still had seen no one. I descended a loose talus line from the summit, a route that got pretty steep and forced me to cross a few patches of steep, rotten snow. Upon getting back to the base of the face, I ran into the group of seven that were just beginning the ascent of the face. Apparently I passed them somewhere... maybe in the forest? We chatted a bit and then headed our separate ways. Later I saw them atop the peak and eventually I found out five of them made the summit. From the base of the face the descent involved a mixture of solid rock, loose rock, and kind-of-loose rock on increasingly tired legs and aching feet. Once my dogs are barking my hiking pace slows dramatically and it took me quite a while to descend from the basin to the vehicle. Needless to say, ten hours later I was very happy to be back to the car!
Trip statistics: 7.52 miles, 10:05h, 5369' elevation gain
Mount Idaho Pictures!
GPS Track
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