- BROOM PEAK el 11123 is what I call the peak at the head of Broom Canyon in the southern Currant Mountain Wildernss. The road in that canyon is gone. The next canyon to the south, which I call White Pine Canyon, had a road but the mother of all floods obliterated that one too, but the rims of that canyon can be used for a loop. Take highway 6 to mp NY 121.2 and turn on an easy 4wd road and go 2.2 miles to a 4-way. Go left and stay straight for a mile and a quarter then go right for 2 and a half miles to the end reading N38 49854, W115 28010 el 6800. There is another road a mile to the west that I didn't check. I hiked up the slope and drifted left to circle to a class 3 break in the cliffs at 50368, 27693 el 7700. It's the only class 3 on the loop and not very risky. I went on up to a major saddle at 50746, 27156 el 8290. At el 9300 I skirted around the left side of a minor bump then peak 10705 was in view. It was obvious how to move left into a shallow canyon then go up that as it bends left to a minor saddle at 51528, 25482 el 10200. Next, I went up the ridge to el 10350 where I could see a succession of minor peaks. I decided to stay low under the crest to get to a saddle between crags at 51930, 25106 el 10650. Then it was easy to walk right of center then come back left to the next saddle at 52193, 25192 el 10775. I stayed left of center again to the last important saddle at 52406, 25301 el 10850. It's was a stroll from there to the summit at 52653, 25177 with no sign of humanity. I went back half an air mile to the north rim of WP Canyon and went down staying above el 9900. I passed 3 minor bumps on the right then went left around a bump at 52251, 26940 el 10000 to get to the saddle el 9800 next to White Pine Peak. Dropping into the canyon there is a shortcut but has light brush. I went on up to the reg on White Pine Peak at 52058, 27604 el 10166 then on down the rim to 51640, 27924 el 9200. I dropped down there but a longer ridge was just ahead that might work better. I had mostly soft dirt to descend on to the canyon floor. Once in the canyon there were road fragments to walk back to a narrow gorge at the mouth el 6400. A trail goes from there up a drainage onto the rim then it's rolling terrain back to the start. That took me 10 hours, 42 minutes with a mile of gain. Most of the gain isn't steep. I was carrying long pants but never used them. This is the best hike in the range with a lot of good looking forest and I can't think of a better one in the whole state. It's for wilderness fanatics only. ALTERNATE FOR OHVS - Drive to mp 4.5 on highway 379 and turn on a 4wd road and stay on the high ground for 3.7 miles to a fork. Go right for a fifth mile to a washout el 6250 at a hairpin turn as shown on the topo. OHVs can go on a mile on the crooked road to the narrows at the mouth el 6400. Hike up the east rim and it's easy until cliffs at el 7900. I used a class 2 break at 50571, 27638 then the route merges with the other route at the major saddle el 8290. Backpackers could walk into the canyon on this approach and set up at el 7300 then try to go up to the saddle el 8290. There is no water but plenty of solitude. Posted 2018.
- NORTH BROOM PEAK 11162 is what I call the peak that sits on the north rim of Broom Canyon. A loop can be done using both rims. Drive to mp 9.4 on highway 379 on the west side of the range. Turn there and go about 7 miles on easy 4wd to a washout el 6700 in the bottom of Broom Canyon. There is a small turnaround there. Hike up the overgrowing road for 2 and a half miles to a fork. Go left on a faint road reading N38 52947, W115 27045 el 7900 and it's obvious how to start up the north rim right there. A mine trail goes up as far as el 9000 but is too far gone to help any. There are no issues up the rim to the summit at 53256, 25299. No sign of humanity. I stopped there but could see it would be easy to go south to Broom Peak el 11123 then walk the south rim back over White Pine Peak. I've walked the south rim on previous hikes. That took me 7 hours, 40 minutes with 4500 gain. The road has light brush but the rims are clear. Horses go up the road a mile then are stopped by trenches. No water. Posted 2018.
- SOUTH CANYONS - canyons near Crystal Spring have interesting cliff formations. Take highway 6 to mp NY 121.2 and turn on an easy 4wd road and stay on that for over 4 miles until it ends in the east canyon at el 6700. Then it's a 15 minute walk to falls that block the creekbed. The west canyon is about a mile away using a road running along the base. The road ends at the mouth el 6600. Then it's an easy walk for a mile to a giant fall at N38 50284, W115 26224 el 7200. I went up to the cave on the west wall but it's nothing special. These hikes are in easy pj forests. It's best to drive back the same way. The spring was dry but must have been a gusher at one time because a long ditch was built to carry water. Posted 2017.
- ANGLEWORM PEAK el 6859 is what I call a rugged little peak near Currant. Take highway 6 to mp NY 119.9 and turn on a gravel road. Go a third mile then go right for .7 mile then go left a mile to the end el 6100. The reg is at N38 47302, W115 27466. That takes 90 minutes with nearly 800 gain. There are good views of the south end of the range. Mtn bikes would work on these roads. Posted 2017.
- SAWMILL PEAK el 9474 is at the north end of the South Egans Wilderness. Drive to mp WP 12.8 at the north end of Lund. Turn east on dirt and go to a T. Go left and the easy 4wd road soon swings west into Sawmill Canyon. About 3 and a half miles up the canyon is a fork. Go right and the road climbs to the pass at 8500 ft with a shady little camp spot. Delorme maps incorrectly show the peak is half a mile west of the pass and 900 ft up. You have to go over that one to the real one at N38 53376, W114 55418. There is a good view point at N38 53185, W114 54650. It took me 45 mins one way. Take long pants. The dirt road in is about 10 miles and bumpy. This peak rises about 4000 ft over Lund. Updated 2015.
- For CURRANT MOUNTAIN el 11500, go south from Ely on 6 for about 30 miles to the good White River Road at mp WP 8.6. Go west for nearly 11 miles and then left on the road to Currant Creek.This road is about a mile past the main campground. Go 1.7 miles south and over a little divide to a 4wd track on the right. 2wds park here. 4wds can go a mile up the road to a fork at N38 55257, W115 23744 el 8100. The road up the canyon is washed out,so hike up it on the left side of the creekbed. When it fizzles get on the left bench and walk parallel to the creekbed and aim for a game trail at 54863, 24191. This trail shortly puts you in the main canyon. (If you come up the creekbed you could get in the wrong canyon.) Go up canyon to about 9200 ft. Then go right into a steep gully at 54469, 24603. Follow this up and it takes you to the ridgetop at 54357, 25049 el 10600 just left of a crag. Now go up the ridge keeping close to center till you're at a notch at 54295, 25169 el 11000. Cut across a gully to get to the main ridge. Walk the ridge going left around the first bump then right around the next one to get to the last saddle. The final slope is next but it's not as vertical as it looks. Go up into a bowl left of center to 54511, 25436. At this point move to the right side of the bowl and go on up to the reg and BM. On the way down in the lower part of the steep gully, I got on the left side in the trees and cut the corner to get back in the main canyon. 5 hours, 3700 gain. For 2wd, 6 hrs 4200 gain. 2wds will have to negotiate one creek crossing on the Currant Creek road. I filled my bottles at a spring on the 4wd track before the parking area.
- WHITE PINE PEAK el 10166 is a major destination at the south end of the range. The NW ridge is the easiest ridge on earth. Drive to mp 9.4 on highway 379 on the west side of the range. Turn there and go about 7 miles on easy 4wd to a washout el 6700 in the bottom of Broom Canyon. There is a small turnaround there. Hike up the overgrowing road for nearly a mile to a trench at N38 53273, W115 28818 el 7000. I put shorts on there. Go up the steep right slope to gain the ridgetop el 7250 then it's a cakewalk thru a nice pj forest to the reg at 52059, 27608. 5 hours, 3600 gain. Horses have moved into the area, but they're staying off the mountain for now. Posted 2017.
- For RED MOUNTAIN el 9300, take the Currant Creek road to an ATV track at N38 53853, W115 22448. Go up the track for about 3/4 mile and you can see the route up.Skirt right around a bump to a saddle at 54136,21738. Now go up the ridge to another minor saddle.Here I went on up but hit steep talus. I should have crossed over to the easier north ridge. I came down the north ridge to check out the blinding white rocks. 3 hours, 1800 gain.
- The CURRANT CRAGS el 9300 are on the east slope near Red Mountain. I started at the north end and went up and down along the spine on narrow ledges and tricky rock. I nearly gave up but always had a route just barely manageable. At the top, I spotted a wuss route down. Boy,was I glad to see that. WUSS ROUTE: drive to N38 53368, W115 22346 on the Currant Creek road. Go west on a 4wd road that shrinks to ATV track. In a mile the track ends. Keep going up the creekbed to a spring at 53570, 23713. I filled up here. Go on to 53516, 23805 then go on up the drainage keeping the crags close to you on the left. When you reach a broad saddle, angle up to 53077, 23804 to get in the saddle between the crags.Start up the north crag and when it gets too vertical,go right and down a little to a chute at 53140, 23734. Go up the solid rock chute till it fizzles then left to the top. 3or 4 hours, 1900 gain.The north crag is class 3. I didn't try the south crag because it looked crumbly and I didn't need any more anxiety for one day.
- CURRANT CREEK has an easy 4wd road along a stream, but also grazing. Turn off US 93 at mp NY 127. A table is along the creek about 4 miles in, but a better one is at a crossing about 5 and a half miles in. The road soon splits and it's the right fork that goes over a divide to the White River road. That good road goes 11 miles back to US 6 at mp WP 8.6. The 22 miles of dirt road here are mtn bikeable but there would be at least a mile of walking up to the divide. Posted 2018.
- TOWERS ROAD - this bumpy high clearance road leaves US 6 at mp NY 130.3. It goes a mile and a half to the towers where I had a good VZ signal. Down the highway at mp NY 129.5 is the turnoff for Summit Spring. It's a half mile on easy 4wd to a pipe that had a slow drip in late August. No cattle. Posted 2018.
- For BLACKROCK PEAK el 10000+, go north from the White River camp area on the main road to 4wd road #641 at N39 01688, W115 22106. This road goes along Ellison Creek past springs and on to a pass at 9100. The peak is 1000 ft up to the west at N38 58842, W115 26632.
- For DUCKWATER PEAK el 11175 via the north trail, turn off US 6 at mp 10.5 on the good Ellison Creek road. Follow the signs to White River. You'll come to 4wd road #641 at N39 01688, W115 22106. This road is a paint scratcher. Go on up along Ellison Creek past the springs to where it tops out. Take the fork that drops a little into the valley then goes up the valley to a pass. Park on the other side of the pass at N38 57592, W115 25457 el 8700. The road soon ends at a camp spot. Hike to the trail at N38 57530, W115 25449 and if you lose it then get on it again at N38 57398, W115 25435. It contours into the main canyon. A short section is overgrown. Follow the trail up the canyon. At about 9200 it veers left to bypass a rough section,then it comes back to the canyon. At N38 56902, W115 25795 el 9600, go left onto an obvious ridge.Then keep going up to the top at N38 56196, W115 25763 el 11100+. I came back right down the canyon. 4 hours, 2500 gain. This is one of the most pleasant forests I've been in.
The canyon west of Crystal Spring
Looking north at the wilderness.White Pine Peak is left. Below it is the long south rim that goes up to the crest and Broom Peak.
