Lemhi Range, Lost River Range

A pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Nope, but there is a Diamond. Diamond Peak is under the left side, Nicholson Peak is center. It was a good week for Mother Nature's light shows.

Bell Mountain as viewed from Foss Mtn

Hundreds of people gathered along the North Creek Road to view the eclipse on Aug 21, 2017. The center of the moon's shadow passed over here. It didn't get dark until the last minute, then it snowballed. It was like dusk.

Ruins on Iron Creek Point

Shadow Lakes as seen from the tundra of Massacre Mtn

The road to the upper Pahsimeroi River

Two story cabin high on the rim of Patterson Creek

• 
  A main road, under various names, runs north from Howe thru the valley between the Lemhi Range and the Lost River Range. It goes for 90 miles to US 93 a half mile SW of the Ellis post office. By that time it's called Custer Rd. The last 50 miles to US 93 has mileposts. It's paved until just north of Clyde where there is 40 miles of graded road. And much of that has been treated to be more like pavement. There is the option to use a paved road forking north at mp 32.1 that runs on the east edge of the valley. There is no store or gas on this route between Arco and Challis. Howe has a VZ signal and I started picking up a signal 20 miles south of Ellis. Idaho Trails  is a website that details all the trails and dirt roads on a topo map for the whole state.Posted 2018.
• SOUTH CREEK has an OHV trail up to about el 8000. Turn off the main road at N43 5269, W113 0495 and go a couple miles on a good road to private land. A high clearance road goes around the north side to the mouth el 5800 then it's OHVs and mtn bikes beyond there. It's about 4 miles to a fork el 7400 where I stopped. It's smooth but for a couple of mud holes and a tenth mile where the creek covers the trail. Only the right fork is legal. The sat image shows it goes up to about 8000, making it the highest you can ride for Saddle Mtn. But I couldn't tell if crags block the hike. Another hike is to walk up the right fork to the crest then go north to peak 10358 then come back on the west ridge and drop to the left fork of the OHV trail. Posted 2017.
• BLACK PYRAMID el 10439 is the informal name for the first major peak on the north rim of Cedarville Canyon. The unsteepest route is to walk up the rim. Turn off the main road at a sign for Cedarville reading N43 54770, W113 06757.  Go 1.7 miles then stay left at a fork and follow a high clearance road with bumpy little rocks into the mouth where there are 2 hiking choices. Either walk an obvious closed road el 6100 going up the north rim or drive on 2/3 mile to a point el 6200 and climb up the rim there. Shady camps are near the point. I went up the point but it is steeper. The road is sunny and a half mile longer. Too bad it's closed, because it goes to el 7300. Either way, aim for a major elk trail on the rim at 52555, 15724 el 8100. It goes right of center in a nice forest to a decaying tent and cloudy puddle of water at 52971, 16382 el 9100. There might be good water in July or June. If so, it would make a good basecamp for all the peaks at the head of the canyon. The trail goes on another tenth mile to a ridge then it's just a stroll for a mile and a half on the ridge to the summit at 53703, 17838. A reg placed by Rick Baugher in 2000 had only one entry since. But it's a tiny film container with no pen. 6 and a half hours with a little over 4000 gain, but rarely steep. The road in the main canyon ends at a shady camp el 6350 then a logging trail can be walked for nearly 2 miles thru a nice forest to el 7200 where brush sets in. The Cabin Fork has an easy 4wd road for 4 miles to a main fork where a stream comes down the left fork but soon sinks underground. That fork would be a good mtn bike ride. Bikes could also go up North Fork. It ends in a forest el 7700 after nearly 5 miles, but dry. Posted September, 2017.
• NORTH CREEK - this provides access to Tyler Peak and Shril BM. Turn off the main road at the sign for the creek reading  N43 56434, W113 08131. A graded road goes to a farm at the mouth of North Creek. Then an OHV trail goes up canyon and to the pass el 9600 on the north side of Shril BM. The trail is rubbly for half a mile near the mouth then it smooths out. A gushing spring is along the trail at N44 00061, W113 00613. ATVs go down the east side into Eightmile Canyon, which is the steepest, then come back over into Uncle Ike Creek and along the base back to the farm. Posted 2017.
• TYLER PEAK el 10740 - this is the best hike between Saddle Mtn and peak 11272. Use the OHV trail going up North Creek. Mtn bikes can make the first half mile then there is a half mile of rubble then is smooths out for the last mile and a quarter to the ascent ridge at N43 59233, W112 59926 el 7700. Shady basecamps and a stream are nearby. Go up the ridge to el 8500 then an elk trail bends left into a minor saddle el 8600 on the west ridge. The ridge is very efficient until peak 10401 gets in the way. Goats go around north of it. Stay on the ridge until 59108, 58773 el 10150 then cut along the north slope to a chunk of bedrock at 59269, 58591 el 10000 where shelves are in view that skirt under the crags. After that, there is one more hidden crag. Go around the south side of it to 59245, 58029 where the rest is in view. The summit is at 59305, 57913. 5 hours, 3400 gain. Posted 2017.
• UNCLE IKE CREEK - a decent high clearance road departs the main road at N43 57151, W113 08339 and goes up to the mouth. Then its an ATV trail up to the pass. An ATV trail  goes north from the pass to el 9600 but that trail is not on the MVUM. Then it's not too far to peak 11272, informally known as Little Diamond Peak. Posted 2017.
• NORTH TWIN el 11081 is what hikers call the the highest peak in the southern Lost River Range. An outlaw OHV trail goes to a repeater on the top of peak 10358 to the north. Turn off the main road at N44 00956, W113 11577 el 5494 and follow a good road to a gate at N43 59428, W113 18454 el 8350. 2wds might get there. The gate is open until Sept 7 but OHVs are the only motorized vehicles allowed. Horses, mtn bikes and hikers can use the trail anytime. Keep going nearly 2 miles to N43 58240, W113 18066 el 8800 where the closed trail goes right. Mtn bikes easily get that far. "Closed" means you walk, everybody else rides. The trail goes above timberline to the repeater on the summit of peak 10358. A goat trail runs the crest to North Twin. The crest dips 150 feet to a saddle then loses 400 feet to the next saddle where crags are in the way. Goats go around the left side then it's a straight shot to the summit at N43 55745, W113 20117. The main OHV trail #4217 goes on down Sands Canyon. Trail #4210 goes down Van Dorn Canyon. Campsites are along the creek a half mile in from the main road on the valley floor and shady ones are near the gate. Hiking or biking the OHV trail is best done after Sept 7 to avoid noise. The road up the mountain loosely follows the 4wd road on the topo. If the FS wants to keep vehicles off the high trail to the repeater, they could designate it a hiking trail. Then open the road to el 8800 so hikers can drive to the start of it.  Posted 2017.
• NICHOLSON PEAK el 11040+ is what hikers call the peak on the west rim of Bunting Canyon. The NW ridge has a good OHV trail nearly to a mine el 8150. Mtn bikes make it to el 7400 and 4wds make it to 7050. Turn off the main road at N44 04557, W113 14086 el 5750 and follow a good high clearance road along the south side of a gravel pit and up into the canyon of Badger Creek. A shaky bridge at 06439, 08398 el 7050 stops trucks. An OHV trail goes on over another shaky bridge to a main fork el 7150. The right fork is Bunting Canyon. Go up that on trail #4204 to el 7400 where it switches up the right slope then ends at a mine el 8150. It's not worth riding anything beyond a flat spot at el 8050. Hike up the ridge thru a lovely forest to el 9800 where minor crags are in the way. Go along the right side of the crags and stay near the center of the ridge on pathways that weave thru the rocky zone. Keep going and stay near center all the way to the only obstacle on the ridge which is peak 10402. Goats drop down low to the east under it. It's unstable, but they have 4wd. It's best to go up over it at 05296, 06601 and it's only a 70 foot loss down the other side. It's easy from there to a viewpoint at 04961, 06305 el 10450 where it's obvious how to walk over to the SW ridge then up to the summit at 04816, 05924. That took me 5 hours with about 3200 gain. Bunting Canyon has a trail for the return if there's a way down the ridge to the main saddle, as long as you didn't park high up at the mine el 8150. It looked good when I was studying it later from Little Diamond Peak. The OHV  trail up Badger Creek is good until 08305, 07382 el 8050. It gets rough there and ends in a fifth mile at fallen trees. It might be easy to hike on up to peak 11005, the state's lowest 11000 footer. The creek rises at springs at 07032, 07962 el 7300. I saw no water beyond there. Mtn bikers could ride as far as the springs but need wading shoes for 2 or 3 crossings. Posted 2017.
• LITTLE DIAMOND PEAK el 11272 is what hikers call the peak nearly 5 mouths south of Diamond Peak. Bunting Canyon has a trail to 8000+. Turn off the main road at N44 04557, W113 14086 el 5750 and follow a good high clearance road along the south side of a gravel pit and up into the canyon of Badger Creek. A shaky bridge at 06439, 08398 el 7050 stops trucks. An OHV trail goes on over another shaky bridge to a main fork el 7150. The right fork is Bunting Canyon. Go up that to the end of the OHV trail at el 7600. A foot trail starts there and goes along the left bank. It's too dangerous for cycles but mtn bikes would work for the next mile where the creek starts at the main springs.The trail crosses to the right bank there and I was able to jump the creek at 06416, 05823 el 8050 and stay dry. Beyond there the trail gets spotty and fades but is not needed. At el 9600 below the main saddle it gets steep and there is a  goat trail on the right side of the main gully at 04688, 04869 el 9700. It goes up to el 9850 and crosses to the left side of the gully then up to the main saddle el 10225. Then a spotty  goat trail goes up the ridge toward the peak. The only issue on the ridge is a short knife edge with a 3 foot drop at just over el 11000 which is annoying if the wind is howling. A chicken route goes on the right side at 04594, 04332 then up along the base of a 4 foot high cliff to get back on the ridge. The summit cairn is at  04587, 04186. From the end of the OHV trail el 7600, that took me 6 hours with 3500 gain, the last 1700 is steep. Backpackers would find the last reliable water at the main springs el 8050, but on that day water was gushing from the foot of talus at 04794, 04937 el 9400 and again 150 feet to the left of that. Plus some lingering snow. I had several shin deep wades on the OHV trail, but none after the end of it. Posted July 2, 2018.
• HAWLEY MOUNTAIN el 9752 sticks out of the valley floor just daring you to climb it. The NE ridge has a gorgeous forest that's easy to walk. Take the main road to Clyde and turn at the sign for Wet Creek Rd. Go about 4 miles on the graded road and turn on a 4wd road at N44, 09116, W113 19653 el 6250. Follow that 2 miles to a closed road sign el 7300 that has been mowed down by OHVs. Mtn bikes could make the first mile. Walk the closed road to the end in a tenth mile and go thru the forest on elk trails along a drainage to a trail crossing the drainage at 07161, 19978 el 7800. Go left on that to get on the NE ridge. When the ridge gets cluttered, stay left of center to an elk trail at 06642, 19966 el 8850 that gets you under rocks. The BM is just above timberline at 06280, 20427. 3 and a half hours, 2500 gain. That's a top notch hike, not steep. NW RIDGE - a road goes higher on that ridge but the hike would be steep and rocky. Stay west on Wet Creek Rd another 1.6 miles and turn on a 4wd road. It goes to a pond then on to the last level parking spot at el 7550. Then the road goes steep and fades in the trees at el 8000. Posted 2017.
• FOSS MOUNTAIN el 9190, PEAK 10681 - a good OHV goes to the top of Foss then it's mandatory to walk the ridge to peak 10681 on the crest. Turn off the main road a fifth mile north of Clyde reading N44 08592, W113 14901. Drive across the river bridge then follow the main road north a mile and a quarter then it pulls away from the river and goes to a fork el 6950 at the base of the range and shrinks to an OHV trail.  Take the right fork up a no name canyon and in half a mile there is a gushing spring next to the trail at 11568, 11958 el 7300. That's the last water. The trail goes up to Foss where  the route to peak 10681 is obvious. There is one long, rocky bump at el 10250 on the ridge. Go over it then comes the hard part, nearly 500 feet up a scree slope with some minor backsliding. A reg on the summit at 12260, 08860 was placed 364 days earlier by Larry Prescott. He came up from Mud Spring and ran the crest. The hike to peak 10681 and back took 3 hours with nearly 2000 gain. There are some sunny camps around the river bridge. By going south from the bridge there are some good cycle rides. At a fork reading 08119, 13969 el 6000, go left up the rim of Williams Creek. That road ends in the canyon at a boring mine el 7300. Then come back on the road along the creek. These roads are mostly smooth, packed dirt with no cattle. Posted 2017.
• BELL MOUNTAIN el 11612 is the most dramatic peak in the range. An easy class 3 route goes up the summit block. I went up the west ridge and down the NW ridge. The latter is the better route. Turn off the main road at N44 12185, W113 19365 and drive on a gravel road over the river then stay left on the main road and it will turn into a crude road and go up into the canyon. It's easy 4wd on up to the TH nearly 6 miles in from the main road reading 14571, 14084 el 7600.  The last good turnaround is 50 feet before the TH. Walk the trail on the south bank of the dry creekbed for a quarter mile then look for a trail cutting over to the north bank. The trail goes to a cabin el 8300 at the main fork in the canyon an air mile from the TH. A good stream there in the right fork is the last water. The NW ridge goes up between the forks, but it's easier to walk a trail in the dry left fork to a clearing at el 8500 where there is no main trail. Use trails on the left side for a fifth mile then cut back to the right side to a main trail at 15195, 12691 and soon comes a meadow. Look for an elk trail near there at 15231, 12434 el 8750 then go on up canyon and climb up the right side at 14942, 12025 el 9100 to get on the NW ridge el 9300. Go up the ridge to el 10300 then around the right side of minor cliffs to a table where you can see how to walk over to the west ridge. Then go up the west ridge and it's obvious how hikers go up a wide gully to the right of center. At 14166, 11725 you can see how you need to move right a few feet into the next gully then up that to the summit at 14174, 11637. The gullies are mostly class 2 with a few easy class 3 spots, easier than Diamond Peak. The loop I did took me 6 hours, 15 minutes with slightly over 4000 gain. I would rather just go up and down the NW ridge as it's less rocky than the west ridge. Cars can only go in a mile and a half then it's a clearance issue. I have seen mad dogs get cars in on roads worse than this. But in the canyon it's 4wd but strong mtn bikers could do it. Backpackers can set up basecamp at the cabin. If cattle are there, I would tank up on water and go up the left fork to el 8900 which is the nicest part of the canyon anyway. The first water is a spring to the south of the canyon mouth. Then there is a spring in the canyon at 14343, 14655 el 7300 and the last water is at the main fork el 8300, all used by cattle. There is bound to be some place to transplant the cattle not used by hikers. Posted late Aug, 2017.
• MASSACRE MOUNTAIN, SHADOW LAKES is one of the best hikes in the Lost River Range but the road is damaged. A month later I saw a note at Mackay that said the road is fixed. Turn off the main road at a sign for Lower Dry Creek Rd reading N44 13825, W113 21996 and drive 4.3 miles on a graded road to a high clearance road. Turn right on that and it soon merges with the main road going up Dry Creek. At an aqueduct inlet el 7350 make a U turn to the left to get on a 4wd road that goes up onto the high left bank. Proceed to the road damage at 08507, 32788 el 7550. It's OHVs and mtn bikes beyond there for 6 miles to the TH el 8300 on Long Lost Creek. There are several shallow stream crossings on the road. Walk nearly half a mile up the trail to a left fork that goes into Hell Canyon. The only wade on the trail is right there but it had a log that day. The trail is narrow and unmaintained but easy for hikers. A quarter mile before the lakes is a trail climbing scree on the east wall starting at 02690, 32739 el 9559. Trouble is, it soon turns into a goat trail. It cuts under a cliff at 02701, 32583 el 10000 then turns up a gully and goes parabolic to tundra on top at el 10250. Steep yes, but backsliding was not a problem here. It's a stroll across the flowery tundra to the summit at 03613, 32811 el 10924. That took me 5 hours, 42 minutes with 2700 gain. 500 feet is steep. I used a spring along the road at 05834, 32957 el 8050 and another one near the lakes at 02788, 32836 el 9450. Don't drive all the way out there without even a mtn bike. Pedaling to the TH and then hiking 90 minutes to the lakes is worthwhile. The road will get fixed, but for how long? A dam broke there decades ago. The place is haunted. TAYLOR MOUNTAIN el 8644 is an easy one to do along the main Dry Creek road. Start hiking on a cow trail at N44 11086, W113 30251 el 7150. It goes toward the west ridge but stay low in the drainage that goes around the tip and on to the south side. Easy routes go up to the summit at 11243, 28706. 2 hours,1500 gain. Posted July 5, 2018.
• SAWMILL CANYON is an OHV hotspot in the Lemhis, best avoided on weekends. The turnoff is near the county line. The road hasn't been graded in eons. I saw dinosaur tracks on it, that's how long it's been. But people haul huge travel trailers over a dozen miles up there. The first creekside camps are 6 miles in. Several hikes are available. I didn't take the trail to Mill Creek Lake but I read that it's 5 miles round trip with 1200 gain. The rest of the trails are open to cycles. A good map is posted along the road near the forest boundary. Posted 2018.
• IRON CREEK POINT el 10736 is the only 10000+ peak in the Lemhis I know of with a constructed trail to the summit. And nobody knows about it. It's open to cycles, but they don't go above el 8800 where the trail gets brutal. Turn off the main road near the county line at the sign for Sawmill Canyon. Go a dozen miles and turn left at the sign for the Iron Creek Trail. Go 2.1 miles to the signed TH reading N44 23077, W113 25708 el 7600. Cars could make it. Walk the trail to a T at el 8550. Go right then stay left at the next 2 forks to get on a trail that exits a meadow at 22997, 28072 el 8750. Keep going on that trail to where it tops out at a saddle el 9600. Just before that at 22432, 27937 el 9300 is a spring on the left where I filled bottles. From the saddle, an unmaintained trail runs west along the south side of the ridge, not the north side like the topo shows. I lost it but got it again at 22209, 28332 and then it goes into a saddle el 10150 and from there the topo is correct. It exits the saddle and runs on the south side on talus and on to the west side of the summit then fades but it's a short walk up the ridge to the ruins of a fire lookout reading 22688, 29184. The north ridge is an obvious shortcut down. Walk down the center on class 2 rock for a tenth mile then the ridge splits. Take the ridge on the right going NE on down to a trail at 23185, 28436 el 9150.  Follow that trail half a mile to the T el 8550 then out. That took me 6 hours with 3200 gain. This is a bad trail for motorcyles and will never be popular with dirt bikers. I had the entire route all to myself on July 4th, 2018. 
• SHEEP PEAK el 10865 has an easy 4wd road to the Lemhi crest el 9850. Turn off the main road near the county line at the sign for Sawmill Canyon. Go 8 miles to the guard station and turn at the sign for Squaw Creek Rd. Take that to the crest then go north half a mile on a narrower road and park at a saddle el 9850. There is virtually no erosion on the road as far as the crest. Walk the crest a quarter mile then cut left thru a saddle el 9950 and get on a faint trail at N44 22313, W113 16543 el 9950 on the west side. Walk that to the next saddle el 9900 at a rocky hill. A trail goes up the hill to the right of center or go up the east side. A mine is on top. Go up a little from the mine but stay left of center and soon the rest is in view. The reg is at 23445, 17242. 3 hours with less than 1000 of noticeable gain. The road goes south to Big Windy Peak then it's an OHV trail on to Trail Peak. All roads going down to the east are a rocky mess. If you're here on a weekend, expect the road to be clogged with OHVs. Posted 2018.
• SUMMIT CREEK CAMPGROUND el 6400 is at mp 45 on the main road. It has restrooms but no fee or shade. PEAK 9552 is a good hike from there. It's the number 2 peak in the Donkey Hills. Use a 4wd road at mp 45.5 next to Barney Hot Springs. Go thru a gate then up a steep hill and go left at the next fork. Get on a road forking left at N44 14616, W113 28914 el 6950. Mtn bikes would work that far. Follow the road to the end in a canyon el 7250. Walk up canyon to the main saddle el 7900 then just keep going up. At el 8650 is where trees were cut with an axe to build a 6 foot high corral. For what? It's less steep to go on up to the west rim at 12887, 29742 el 9200 then up to the summit cairn at 12727, 29426. 3 hours, 2300 gain. Nice forest. The hot spring is a murky pond. A floating chair might be best for that. TOWER PEAK el 7650 is another cheap thrill. Ride an OHV to mp 43 and turn on road #149. It circles up to the tower and is badly eroded. Posted 2018.
• BEAR MOUNTAIN el 10744 has a road to el 8500 on the south  ridge, but that might not be the best route. Turn off the main road at mp 39 and go about 4 miles on high clearance road to a sign for the Big Gulch Trail el 7800. It's open to cycles but they don't use it. A tortuous decision has to be made here. Either walk the trail to the west ridge or drive on up the road to el 8500 and hike the steeper south ridge. My choice was easy. I rode a 125 up the trail to a spring at N44 21646, W113 28671 el 8450. After filling up with cold water, I walked the trail to an elk trail at 21683, 28502 el 8650 and followed that onto the west ridge then up to the summit at 21460, 27153. That took 3 hours, 15 minutes with 2200 gain. The west ridge route offers the option to go on to Iron Creek Point then descend back down the south ridge of that. No cycle had been on that trail since Harley met Davidson. Posted 2018.
• BIG CREEK has a cozy little campground in the trees with no fee. Turn off the main road at mp 32.1 and follow a wavy paved road for 3.6 miles to the sign. Then it's 3 and a half miles to the end of the road at the campground. The first mile and a half was plowed up by idiots driving it wet. 4wd might be needed.  A trail going up the north fork is open to cycles but they don't use it. I walked it a mile to a roaring ford, but that might be crossable in late summer. The trail up the south fork is not open to cycles. This is a good place to relax and read a book. Posted July, 2018.
• DONKEY BENCHMARK el 9555 is the high point of the Donkey Hills. A 4wd roads goes up the west ridge to el 9400.  At about mp 27.4 on the main road, turn SW on the Double Spring  Rd. Go about 4 miles and turn at a sign for Donkey Hills Rd. Go SE on that and the 4wd road up the west ridge will come into view. I didn't get to try it because crossing Burnt Creek was tricky. To get around that, stay on the main road to BLM 130 at N44 12712, W113 35940 at Elkhorn Creek. Go 1.6 miles on that to a main fork. Ruts along here are  the only erosion issue on this approach. Stay left at the fork and go on to the road on the west ridge at 16122, 35749 el 8250. It goes steep from there and fades in rocks about a third mile before the summit where there is twice as much survey junk because a party came in 1932 and another in 65. The 1932 BM is stamped with el 9550 and if that had held then peak 9552 to the south would be higher. Do this late in the season when Burnt Creek may be crossable. This little range gets no respect because it sits between 2 larger ranges. But anywhere else it would be a big deal and everybody and his dog would be going up it. The 4wd road up the north slope is blocked by private land at el 8100. Posted July, 2018.
• PASS LAKE el 10100 is in the most scenic and most remote area of the Lost River Range. At about mp 27.4 on the main road, turn SW on the Double Spring  Rd. Go about 11 miles and turn at a big sign for Horseheaven Pass. Go over a mile to a main fork just past a cattleguard. Left goes to Carson Lake, but take the right fork and go SE on the main road to a fork at N44 11860, W113 43308 el 7700. Go left up the steep hill on BLM 188. The right fork can be used to bypass the hill but it ain't no picnic either. It's another 7 miles to the TH el 8150 at the end of the road in the west fork of the Pahsimeroi River. Shady camps with tables are there. The trail starts on the west bank at log bridges. In a tenth mile the trail splits. Right goes to Merriam Lake el 9600 in about 2 miles. I took the left fork to Pass Lake. It gets faint at el 9200. As it veers into the fork containing the lake, look for it crossing the creek at 05665, 44535 el 9400. Then it goes on to 05556, 44985 el 9700 and it's a third mile more to the lake. 4 hours, 2000 gain. Take some sandals in case bridges are down. A few mosquitoes and biting flies are in this area. Another way to drive in here is from the Donkey Hills Rd at  17978, 41453. A road goes from there for 6 miles to join the other route. Either way, it's 15 miles of unmaintained road with one shallow stream crossing. The first half is easy, then rocky patches start. But no severe erosion yet. It took me 75 minutes to ride a cycle in. It would be 2 hours in a 4wd. CARLSON LAKE el 8150 is a good side trip for a jeep or OHV. Stay left at main forks on that road for the least eroded route. The road stops at the rim el 8550 then an OHV trail goes down to the lake. SPRING HILL BENCHMARK el 9449 makes for a good one hour hike from the rim. It had a reg on it.  DOUBLESPRING is along the main graded road at 19202, 47334. A creek rises there. It's the best water I saw on the valley floor between Howe and Ellis. Posted July 9, 2018.
• CHRISTIAN GULCH NORTH FORK is on the south side of Grouse Creek Mtn. It has a stream and easy walking and might offer a route to that peak.   At about mp 27.4 on the main road, turn SW on the Double Spring  Rd. Go about 7 miles to N44  18722, W113 47847 el 6950 and turn into the canyon. It's a high clearance road that firms up in a mile and a half and would be good for mtn bikes from there on and has a lot of shady camps. Go in about 3 and a half miles to the first fork el 7650. The right fork is the direct way into the north fork but mtn bikes would want to stay left for half a mile to the next fork el 7900 then go right on FR 426 then it merges with the other road and ends at a meadow with a stream el 8000. A formerly maintained trail starts there but soon it's just game trails. The stream rises out of the ground about half a mile up the canyon. I went past that then climbed up onto the left bank at 19506, 53466 el 8400 for easy walking. I came back to the creekbed at a meadow reading 19641, 53629 el 8500 and then a third mile up from there is a spring el 8600 that runs for a tenth mile. I turned back near there but it was still easy going. l was about a mile in. This a good place to go into a gorgeous wilderness area without any strain and ice cold spring water to drink. Maybe that trail goes up to a lake el 9500 in the west fork? The main fork of Christian Gulch goes into a logging area above el 8300. Posted July, 2018.
• GROUSE CREEK MOUNTAIN el 11085 has a 4wd road up the NE ridge to el 8350. Turn off the main road at mp 22.2 and drive SE on graded West Double Spring Rd for 2 and a half miles to N44 24386, W113 47593. Turn there on easy 4wd and stay on the main road to a grassy road on the left at 23701, 51269 el 7400. The grassy road appears to be open according to the online MVUM. The road goes up to a fork at 23156, 51547 el 8150. Stay right for a quarter mile to the end el 8350. Then just go up the ridge thru the trees to 22207, 53356 el 10250 where the rest is in view. The summit is at 21966, 54497. 4 and a half hours, 2700 gain. There's no brush but mosquitoes converged on me at el 10400 and nowhere else. Some biting flies are lower. I saw no water except for snow even in canyons below. Posted July, 2018.
• MILL CREEK, on the north side of Grouse Creek Mtn, has a 4wd road. It's a good ride for cycles and mtn bikes. Turn off the main road at mp 19.8, across from Livestock Rd. Follow the road for 5 and a half miles to aspen with camps and a stream el 6450. OHVs go beyond there. No recent grazing. Posted 2018.
• PATTERSON CREEK has ruins of a major tungsten mine that closed in the 1950s. At mp 32.1 on the main road, a paved road forks north to the Patterson Creek Rd at N44 31382, W113 42705 el 6000. A decent high clearance road goes 3 miles along the creek to the first ford el 6500 at a major fork in the  canyon. Mtn bikes would work that far. An OHV trail continues on to a maintained public cabin at el 7400 then comes the worst part where the trail goes along a rough talus slope for a tenth mile. It gets easier on up to the crest el 9300 where the trail forks. One fork goes down the east side and the other goes up the crest and over peak 10288 and eventually down the east side. The foot trail in the main fork of Patterson is long gone. Shady camps are along the creek where the paved road crosses and also a mile and a half up the creek. FALLS CANYON is the next big canyon. 4 miles NW from Patterson on the paved road is where a high clearance road goes along a fence and into the mouth. I went nearly 3 miles to a big ford and stopped, but the map shows nothing much beyond. There is heavy grazing there. Posted 2018.
• INYO BENCHMARK el 10611 is on the east rim of Patterson Creek.  A loop can be done up the west ridge then over peak 10882, known as Basin Peak, to an OHV trail in the east fork of Patterson. Turn off the paved road that runs along the base of the range onto the Patterson Creek Rd reading N44 31382, W113 42705 el 6000. Go 1.7 miles on a high clearance road to the first fork el 6250 where Inyo Creek comes in on the right. Shady camps are a fifth mile before that. An unused road goes across the creek at a knee deep ford then goes along the north bank of Inyo Creek then crosses to the south bank and up to the rim of Patterson Creek at 31877, 41017 el 7000. The road is just a game trail and long pants are needed but only on that road. Leave the road and go up the rim on faint elk trails to el 8400 where it levels off. It's a perfect forest on the ridge then the last mile to the BM is easy tundra. You could ride a Harley up that ridge. The BM is at 30823, 36996. It's easy walking over to Basin Peak 10882 at 32454, 37037 and it strangely had no cairn. Descending the west ridge by way of peak 9690 might work, but I used the OHV trail. For that, go down the main NW ridge to a saddle el 9600. Drop down to the left and keep going NW another third mile to a maze of roads. Get on the correct one, still used by OHVs, at 33431, 38312 el 8900. A meager spring is a fifth mile down the road and the next water is where the road meets the main creek and there is a maintained cabin reading 33535, 38929 el 7400. The OHV trail runs along the creek back to the start with two more fords, one knee deep. That took me 9 hours, 20 minutes with a mile of gain. Only 1400 is steep, and even that wasn't all that tough. A mtn bike would save over a mile of walking. Drive in the day before and go 3 miles up the canyon on a decent road where the main forks meet el 6500 and stash a bike there. Another option is to hike up the rim from the mouth of Patterson. That would have 2500 steep gain, but it might come to that if the road along Inyo Creek becomes unwalkable. That route would definitely need a shuttle. Posted July 17, 2018.
• PATTERFALLS PEAK el 10535 is the unofficial name for the highest peak on the west rim of Patterson Creek. An easy 4wd road goes up the rim to el 8100 with almost no erosion. Turnarounds are scarce so a small rig that's easy to drive backwards is the best in case a tree or slide blocks the road. Drive NW from Patterson Creek on the paved road for a mile and a quarter to the 4wd road at N44 32058, W113 43690 el 5887. It goes up 1.7 miles to Mahogany Creek then switches back nearly 2 miles to a 2 story log cabin el 7900 with a good pipe spring. It goes on another half mile to the rim el 8100 then an ATV trail goes up higher and ends on the east side at el 8600. It's best to get off the ATV trail when it starts cutting along the east side and just go up the rim. Between el 10000 and 10100 go left of center to a saddle at 33735, 42170 el 10000 then a goat trail goes up the ridge to the peak at 34910, 41842. Rick Baugher left a film can there in 1999. I dried it out and covered it. Maybe it will last another 20 years. Starting at el 8100, that took me 5 hours, 40 minutes with nearly 3000 gain, 300 of it on the return. There is a compressor and more cabins on the road in. A half mile before the 2 story cabin, a fork goes downhill to that stuff. The topo shows these cabins as dots. Posted 2018.
• MOGG MOUNTAIN el 10573 has a cycle trail up the west side to el 8200. Use the paved road connecting Patterson for 25 miles to the Ellis post office. About midway, turn at the sign for Morse Creek reading N44 36768, W113 54325. Drive 7 miles on a good high clearance road to a tiny campground on the creek, no fee. Go left at a fork there for a tenth mile to the TH el 6300. The trail runs on a closed road. Mtn bikes are feasible for nearly 2 miles to the second wade at 38917, 45684 el 6800. I rode a 125 on to the third and last wade at el 7100. The trail gets rocky but easy for hikers. Go on up the trail to where the creek rises at 40050, 43758 el 8150. I filled up there as it's the last water. A few feet beyond there the trail exits that drainage, but stay in the drainage as it makes a horseshoe to the saddle on the west ridge at 39880, 42941 el 9400. It gets steep approaching that saddle but it's on dirt under trees. The ridge is rocky and crags at el 10000 pose the only issue. They can be passed on either side but the south side is better. Walk to 39950, 42626 and the south side route is in view. Some talus litters the rest of the route to the Mogg Benchmark at 40042, 42332. On the return I stayed on the west ridge and hit the trail at el 8150. That took me 5 hours, 45 minutes with 3500 gain. No brush or bugs. Skip this if you don't at least have a mtn bike. Only saps go in there without one. Posted July, 2108.
• GROUSE PEAK el 8464, at the north end of the Lost River Range, has an easy 4wd road to lookout ruins on top. The road goes on down to Challis. Turn off the main road at mp 8.1 and go 2/3 mile and cross Lawson Creek . The correct road, #111, runs on the north bank and there is just one main road to follow 9 miles to the crest. Grouse Peak is half a mile north. A mile and a half south on the crest is where #111 drops down to Challis. This dirt road is nearly 20 miles long and good for dual sport cycles. No gates except the side road to the peak. Posted 2018.

• 

  Glasses like these are recommended for the smokey Idaho summers. The best part, of course, is that you can see thru girls' clothes too.

  

  The repeater near North Twin

Lemhi Range, Beaverhead Mountains

Eighteenmile Peak viewed from the rim of Willow Creek

Meadow Lake

The kilns

Many trails in the Lemhi Range have been motorized. Idaho Trails  is a website that details all the trails and dirt roads on a topo map for the whole state. ID 28 runs along the east side of the Lemhi Range for over 100 miles. The only gas between Salmon and Mud Lake is at Leadore. A store has gas and down the street a block is an RV park with self pay pumps that have diesel and gas. The town has VZ cell service and a library with wifi. A free campground is 4 miles east of town on ID 29. A free campground is on ID 28 near mp 52 and another one is at mp 44 on Birch Creek. That one stretches for 4 miles along the creek but the restrooms are in the north half. Posted 2017.

• Many trails in the Lemhi Range have been motorized.       is a website that details all the trails and dirt roads on a topo map for the whole state. ID 28 runs along the east side of the Lemhi Range for over 100 miles. The only gas between Salmon and Mud Lake is at Leadore. A store has gas and down the street a block is an RV park with self pay pumps that have diesel and gas. The town has VZ cell service and a library with wifi. A free campground is 4 miles east of town on ID 29. A free campground is on ID 28 near mp 52 and another one is at mp 44 on Birch Creek. That one stretches for 4 miles along the creek but the restrooms are in the north half. Posted 2017.
• SADDLE MOUNTAIN el 10810 is the dominant peak at the south end of the Lemhi Range. An easy route goes up East Canyon. Take ID 33 to mp 18.3 near Howe and go north on pave 1300W for 4 miles to where it turns west. Go another tenth mile then turn north across a canal and drive 3 and a half miles on easy 4wd to a turnaround at N43 53324, W112 56804 el 6100. OHVs can go another third mile to el 6300 then there is a grassy foot trail going up canyon a third mile into a lovely forest. Put shorts on there and stroll up canyon on a logging trail and game trails to 55415, 56356 el 8600 then go up the right slope to a saddle on the crest reading 55605, 56030 el 9400. The only obstacle on the crest is peak 10248. Go left around it thru a minor saddle at 55797, 56702 el 10150 then on to the last saddle el 10050. Go up the center of the final ridge on class 2 rock until nearly el 10400 then use a left side scree trail for the rest to the summit at 56248, 57268. 7 and a half hours, nearly 5000 gain and 1000 of that could be called steep. The only water on the route was a cornice at the top. With its spectacular canyon and forest, I could see at the outset that this hike would be hard to beat. MIDDLE CANYON is similar. Go west along the canal for a mile then go north for 3 miles to the end. I walked up that canyon for an hour until too many fallen trees turned me back. Hardy mtn bikers could ride these roads. Posted 2017.
• SHRIL BENCHMARK el 10690 sits south of the pass el 9600 where an ATV trail crosses the Lemhi Range at Mormon Gulch. Take ID 28 to mp 39.7 for the road up Eightmile Canyon that goes right thru the Birch Creek camp area. Soon there is a tricky ford at Birch Creek. To avoid that, go south on the highway for a mile and get on a good road on the south side of the creek. Follow along the creek for 3 miles to a 4-way next to the ford. Then go west on a good road for 6 miles to the ATV TH el 6950 at a fork in the canyon. The left trail goes up to the pass. I rode a 125 to el 8700 where steep rubble made it preferable to walk on up to the pass then to the BM at N44 00997, W112 59504. I could see the west ridge route for Tyler Peak. Peak 10401 is blocking that route but it can be skirted on the north side. After that, I rode the right fork from the TH and followed signs to Pass Creek. Then went down that eventually getting in the middle fork and hitting the highway. Then it was less than 3 miles back to the camp area. A trail along the highway might work for ATVs. The Pass Creek trails weren't so rubbly. They show on the topo as pack trails. All are for rigs 50 inches or less. As if anybody enforces that. PEAK 10808 - I went back later to the ATV TH and took the right fork and stayed SW to the pass el 8400 at Uncle Ike Creek. An ATV trail can be seen going up the NE ridge of the peak. I parked my 125 at a saddle el 8600 then walked the steep trail to the end at el 9600 on the NE ridge. Then it was a steep ridge to the summit at N44 03618, W113 03786. It looked more likely than not that I could have gone on to peak 11272. Posted 2017.
• COPPER MOUNTAIN el 10303 dominates the the south end of the Beaverhead Mtns. Trails go up the SW ridge. Take ID 28 to mp 42.3 and turn at the sign for Long Canyon. Go a couple miles on a good road into the canyon then go left at a main fork on rubbly trail 184. At el 7650 it shrinks to a smooth OHV trail for rigs 50 inches or less. In a 4wd, I would park before that at a fork reading N44 08770, W112 50944 el 7150 and walk the right fork. I saw no one else riding it on a Sunday. I rode on up to the SW ridge at 09889, 50940 el 8350 where it was obvious how to walk trails up the ridge to the summit at 10419, 49876. The hike took me 2 hours, 20 minutes with 2000 gain. Posted 2017.
• SKULL CANYON is an interesting limestone gorge. Take ID 28 to mp 45.7 and turn at the sign. The road soon enters the  gorge and goes a mile and a half before it opens up. This would be a good mtn bike ride for someone camped along Birch Creek at mp 44. It's a bit rough for cars. Posted 2017.
• DIAMOND PEAK el 12197 is the highest in the Lemhi Range. The standard route goes up the east ridge. Take ID 28 to mp 46.5 and turn at the sign for Pass Creek. Go along the creek for 1.8 miles to el 6391 then turn right and follow an easy 4wd road on the high ground and the east ridge will come into view and it will be obvious how to drive up onto it. The chicken TH is at N44 08883, W113 02261 el 8000. Real men can drive on up a steep hill to the end in a half mile at el 8550. I found the whole hike route to be obvious. A hiker trail goes up the ridge then minor crags get in the way at el 10900. Stay on center to the trickiest class 3 spot at 08717, 04509 el 11200. Some people skirt under it. Then it will be obvious how the route stays right of center for a stretch with a few more short class 3 spots. The summit is at 08487, 04965. I started at the chicken TH and the hike took me nearly 6 hours with 4200 gain. I was able to scoot down all the class 3 spots on my butt. A 30 foot hand line would help some hikers. I did this in 2001 with only the Lopez book as my guide but I couldn't remember anything. This time I came armed with topo map and trip reports with coordinates galore and I never looked at any of it. The book says " go up the east ridge". It's that simple. FR 796 is a more direct route back to Pass Creek. Not difficult, it had one less gate but more rocks and a stinky dead cow. Posted 2017.
• SCOTT PEAK el 11393 is the highest in the Beaverhead Mtns. Take ID 28 to mp 57.6 then go NE a fifth mile to 3 forks. Stay far right and go SE about 3 miles to a sign for Scott Canyon at N44 17527, W112 58492. Turn there and go directly up into the canyon to the end of the road el 7700. It's all easy 4wd and not rocky. A sign there said the trail is open to cycles. Luckily, I just happened to have one with me. In fact, I was sitting on it. I rode on up the trail a mile and a half then bogged down at a muddy spring el 8500 which was the only water I saw but for snow. Mtn bikes would be feasible for a mile and a third to el 8300. I walked the steep trail on up to the crest el 8900 where everything was in view. The SW ridge of Webber Peak looked to be the unsteepest route, so I walked over to it at 20371, 49740 el 9200 and went up to a cliff at el 10500. A bypass goes around the right side and maybe the left too, but I went up the center in a hidden chute to a short class 4 pitch. The ridge was less steep after that all the way to the summit at 21219, 49269. That took me 5 hours, 40 minutes with about 3000 gain. Hikers without a 2 wheeler will spend 7 hours. Cattle were in here. Posted 2017.
• EIGHTEENMILE PEAK el 11125 is a nice crest walk from Willow Creek with one foot in Idaho and the other in Montana.  Take ID 28 to mp 57.6 then go NE a fifth mile to 3 forks. I went far left to go in then came out the graded middle fork thru the Nicholia Ranch because they allow passage. Drive thru the ranch to a second ranch on the creek where the good road ends. I couldn't tell if they allow passage, so if there's no one to ask then go west on easy 4wd to N44 21807, W113 02735 and turn right and drive to the end of 4wd travel at a shady camp reading N44 24047, W112 59701 el 7800. Walk or bike along the creek on an OHV trail for 2/3 mile to el 7950 then you can see a closed road on the far side. Wade the creek to get on it. The creek was not deep, but too wide to jump. Walk the road up to a fork el 8600 and stay right and the road will fade out at el 9700 where the rest is in view. Walk the crest to el 10050 then level off around the east side of a bump to get behind it to a saddle el 9960. Go up to N44 26586, W112 59335 to skirt around a second minor bump then the summit is at N44 26846, W112 59784. I started at the creek crossing and the hike took me 6 and a half hours with about 3300 gain. All roads are on the topo. Posted 2017.
• CHARCOAL KILNS - at mp 61 on ID 28 is where a good road goes west 5 miles to a sunny picnic area with restroom and hand pump for water. If you've seen one kiln, you've seen them all. But here they have a good display with mining history. Posted 2017.
• BIG WINDY PEAK, TRAIL PEAK - a 4wd road goes to the crest el 10000 a half mile north of Big Windy. Take ID 28 to mp 67.5 and follow the road into Spring Mtn Canyon. It starts out smooth then gets rubbly. A shady creekside camp is at N44 21587, W113 15005 el 8200 then soon it gets less rubbly. Stay in the main canyon bottom past some cabins el 8800 and then the road climbs out at the head of the canyon and tops out on the crest. An OHV trail goes on almost to the top of Trail Peak. I saw no issues for jeeps, but they can keep going on the better road that goes down the west side into Sawmill Canyon. One slide can change things. Don't drive a rig that's hard to back down in. OHVs can circle back to the north on rubbly trails. Posted 2017.
• PORTLAND MOUNTAIN el 10820 is an easy one because a graded road goes to Meadow Lake el 9150. A trail goes from the lake up to the crest then you have to go over peak 10723, but a more direct route starts before the lake. Take ID 28 to mp 73.2 and turn at the sign for Meadow Lake. Go about 4 miles to the forest boundary then FR 14 el 8250 forks to the right in less than a tenth mile. That road is bumpy and not worth it unless you have an OHV. It's better to drive the graded road another mile and a quarter to a pullout at el 8800 then walk to a log at N44 26645, W113 18769 el 8750  that crosses the creek. Walk north from there for a tenth mile to FR 14 road and keep going north up the road and stay on the main road as it switches to the end at a mine el 9050, as the topo shows. Walk up thru the forest to a class 3 route at 26967, 19096 el 9500 that goes thru a cliff then the rest is obvious to the BM at 29322, 19780. That took me 3 and a half hours with 1800 gain but I started at el 9050. The best hike here would be to keep going from Portland Mtn over the peaks surrounding the lake then down the east rim back to the start. The dramatic peak towering over the lake had a reg at 25608, 19143 el 10700+. 4wds could still get to a turnaround on FR 14 at 26857, 18768 el 8900 but those days are numbered. The campground at Meadow Lake was $10 but there are dispersed sites before that. PORTLAND MINE ROAD - a 4wd road goes high up the north ridge of Portland Mtn. Turn off ID 28 at mp 78 and drive south to a fork at N44 29488, W113 17002 el 6800. Go right for half a mile to an aqueduct then go right again to a fork at 28956, 17837 el 7150. Stay right again on FR 17 across a dam then long gentle switchbacks lead up to a mine camp el 8400. 4wds were still easily getting that far but it gets dicey after that. The road goes on up to a saddle el 9100 then shrinks to an OHV trail for the final leg to the Portland Mine el 9500. It would be an easy hike on up to the summit. Posted 2017.
• COTTONWOOD MOUNTAIN el 11024 is an easy one on the continental divide. Take ID 28 to mp 73.4 and turn on a gravel road. Go 5 miles to Eighteenmile Creek and turn right along that on a gravel road that turns to dirt then back to gravel. The road ends a dozen miles in from pavement at a wilderness study area fence reading N44 28952, W113 05145 el 7750. As usual, I didn't see anyone studying in there. Walk past the fence to a fork in the old road at 29220, 04528 el 7800 and walk that road to the end el 8700 in Pass Creek. The creek there was the last water but for snow. Use a trail in the dry left fork of the creek at 29333, 02555 el 8700 to get up to the main saddle el 9600 then walk south up the ridge for nearly 2 miles to the summit at 28249, 00363. That hike took me nearly 6 hours with 3400 gain. The crest between Cottonwood and Eighteenmile Peak is rough. I studied it from both peaks and couldn't see anything for sure that would stop hikers. A route goes down from Eighteenmile Peak to the SW saddle el 10100 then it would be a matter of walking the canyon back and hoping for no brush. Posted 2017.
• DEER LAKE el 8900 sits on the west side of Portland Mtn. An easy trail goes to it from an OHV trail. Take ID 28 to mp 78 and turn on a crude road running on the south side of a corral. Get on the correct road at N44  30902, W113 17424 and go up to a fork at el 7500 and stay left on trail #6160. It will cross Deer Creek in less than a mile then shortly come to a meadow with a maintained cabin el 7750. 4wds were making it that far even though it's supposed to be an OHV trail. The OHV trail ends at 28021, 20523 el 8400 then it's a half hour walk to the lake at 27085, 20569. There is an upper level beyond that but rain turned me back. ATVs try to get to the lake but huge trees block the trail. One good idea would be to take the trail from Meadow Lake up to the crest then try to get down to Deer Lake. Then walk out to a second car at mp 78. That measures out at 9 miles. Posted 2017.
• TIMBER CREEK PEAK el 10553, SHEEPHORN PEAK el 10465 - these peaks can be done as a loop using the Nez Perce Lake trail. Take ID 28 to mp 83.7 and turn at the sign for Tex Creek Rd. Go 3 and a half miles on a good road to a ranch then it's 4 miles of easy 4wd from there. Stay right at the one main fork after the ranch and the road ends at el 7400. Walk the trail to the lake el 8850. I went around the left side of it then up along the left side of the creek to the springs. I trusted one at N44 30540, W113 23602 el 9200. Then I went thru the trees to 30606, 23720 el 9250 where I could see the route up to the east ridge of Sheephorn. The summit is at 30633, 24313. It was an easy one mile stroll south from there to Timber Creek Peak. Then I came back down to the north saddle then straight down on soft dirt to a deep lake below that peak. Fish were jumping for joy. They must have heard I was coming. Then I went down canyon staying close to the north wall and hit an elk trail at 30462, 22179 el 8300 which angled up to the ridge between the two canyons at point 8481. Another trail there at 30605, 22115 el 8450 took me NW to connect with the main trail. It had very old cut logs on it. I lost it and found it again at 30665, 22189 then lost it but soon hit the main trail at 30816, 22229 el 8300 where it was less than a mile back to the start. That took me nearly 7 hours with about 3500 gain. There was some light brush and log hopping near the end but I could do this in shorts. Two peaks and two lakes make this hike hard to beat. And it's too rocky for OHVs to get in to. Posted 2017.
• ELK MOUNTAIN el 10194, BALDY MOUNTAIN el 10773 - these are on the continental divide. An OHV trail goes up Hawley Creek and a 4wd road goes up by way of Morrison Lake from the east and both routes meet on the divide between the peaks. Take ID 29 out of Leadore and follow the signs to Hawley Creek. Go up canyon 3 miles to 3  forks. The middle one is FR 177 and it goes to the divide but only for OHVs near the end. Four trucks were parked on the divide there which is how I know there is a road from the east. It looked easy to hike up to Baldy, but I didn't have time. I rode 10 miles north on the divide on a 4wd road to a TH at N44 44360, W113 07018 el 8500. In a 4wd I would stop at a saddle a half mile before the TH and use a connector trail. The trail goes right by Horse Prairie BM on top of Elk Mtn at 45592, 08263. That hike is less than 3 hours with 1700 gain. Another way to drive in is the 4wd road on the north rim of Cruikshank Creek. 4wds still use that. A hilly road also comes from Bannock Pass but I didn't ride it. Hawley Creek has a free campground and several dispersed sites. That's the nicest camp area I saw around Leadore. Mtn bikers could go up Hawley to the divide but the last 2 miles means a lot of pushing. But you get to coast nearly the whole way back. Posted 2017.
• YELLOW PEAK el 10968 is a major one SW of Leadore and surrounded by cycle trails. Follow the signs from the store in town to Timber Creek. FR 172 goes along the left side of  Timber Creek Reservoir then ends half a mile past it at the TH reading  N44 34222, W113 28701 el 7700. FR 172 is not graded but a Subaru made it. The trail is legally for cycles but ATVs use it anyway. I made it 2 and a half miles to el 8700 where the trail crosses to the south bank then goes parabolic, which is why most cycles use the Rocky Creek trail. Strong mtn bikers could make it to el 8700. Then walk the trail to the north saddle el 9500 of the peak then go up the north ridge to the BM at 31336, 31171. That took me 3 and a half hours with 2300 gain. Plenty of shady camps are along FR 172. Posted 2017.
• BIG CREEK PEAK el 11350, FLATIRON MOUNTAIN el 11019 - these are the highest around Leadore and the northernmost 11000 footers in the range. A loop can be done by going up Falls Creek then down the north rim. They're too far in for day trippers so bike, cycle or backpack it. Follow the signs from the store in town to Timber Creek but only as far as N44 35467, W113 26818 el 7300. Turn left there on FR 105 and go to the end on easy 4wd at a camp reading 32712, 25481 el 7600. An ATV trail goes on a little more then a cycle trail branches off to the left and loses 500 rubbly feet down to Big Timber Creek. The trail smoothes out and stays on the north bank. I rode a 125 about 6 miles in to el 8050 where the trail gets rocky then walked a fifth mile to the Falls Creek foot trail at 29689, 30468 el 8150. The trail goes to a meadow el 8600 then crosses to Squirrel Creek. I left the trail at the meadow and walked up the meadow to a camp with a stream and table at 29067, 30877 el 8650. That would make a good basecamp. Then I went up canyon on game trails and got on the high ground at 28810, 30911 el 8800 and easily on to timberline where rock fields were in the way. The topo shows a little ridge in the center of the canyon. That is smooth but steep to get on. I went up a slope at 28185, 31665 el 9650 and circled on rocks to the ridge then up to the crest at 27832, 31929 el 10500. It's a stroll from there to either peak. I skipped Flatiron and went up to BIG BM at 28302, 32585 then down the north rim to 29160, 31288 el 9200 where the table was only a third mile away. I walked to it then out on the trail. That took 6 and a half hours with 3300 gain. With a mtn bike, I would ride in the day before with a sleeping bag and dried food. The only fly in the ointment is the 500 foot rubbly hill on the way out. It took me an hour to ride in on a 125. FR 105 would be easy to bike. If you're looking for a bike ride and easy hike for one day, just ride about as far as Cabin Creek then walk to the Falls trail and go up and back down Squirrel Creek. Posted 2017.
• GUNSIGHT PEAK el 10835 has a jeep road out of Eightmile Creek to el 10,000, but it would take a lot of guts to drive that high. Go west from the Leadore store on the paved Lee Creek Rd for 5.5 miles to a fork with a sign for Eightmile Creek. Go left on a paved road that turns to dirt and goes thru the front yard of a ranch. Then it goes into the forest as a high clearance road. Turn left at the sign for FR 11 and go across the creek to FR 12 at N44 36851, W113 34062 el 7400. It's easy for OHVs to go up FR 12 to 36737, 32615 el 9100 where it gets steeper and rougher. Turnarounds for jeeps are scarce. I parked my 125 there and walked up to a fork at el 10000 where ATV trail #6143 goes left down to Devils Lake. I stayed right on a road that loses 100 feet and goes into a saddle el 9995. The road goes up along the ridge then I stepped up to a foot  trail at 35548, 33104 el 10250 and followed that nearly to the top of peak 10624 then had to lose 500 feet down to saddle 10126. From there it's best to stay on the ridge center to the summit at 35584, 31364. I skirted a bump a third mile before the summit but nasty talus caused that to backfire. A half dozen goats there were no doubt laughing at me. They can run on that stuff. Stay on top. That took me 5 and a half hours with 2700 gain. Few hikers will tolerate that jeep road unless they have an ATV, and those were still making it to el 10200. I couldn't see any sign of jeeps above 9000. Most hikers are using the north fork of Little Timber Creek, but I couldn't find any info on that. A 4wd goes up the east ridge to el 8500, but it likely has private land issues for driving. It's not on the MVUM. A loop might work up Timber then down the east ridge to that road. Posted August, 2018.
• MILL MOUNTAIN el 10793 has an easy north ridge that goes on forever. This peak doesn't exist according to peakbagger.com, so a map from that site isn't available. Use the Lee Creek Rd which goes west from the Leadore store and comes back to ID 28 at mp 103.3. Turn off that  road at N44 43816, W113 34304 and go 1.7 miles on a bumpy high clearance road to a fork. FR 6 goes left for 6 miles to Mill Lake. Any 4wd can make it but it will take all day because it's a rubbly mess. The right fork is FR 10 and luckily it's smooth because that's the way you want to go. Drive nearly 4 miles on that to a Patterson Creek sign and walk up the creek 300 feet to a closed road reading 44146, 37833 el 7650. Go south on that a third mile to a saddle el 7753. Here the road switches back and I stayed on it to el 8200 then walked thru a burn area to top of the north ridge. But I think it would be better, but a little steeper, to only walk a third mile up the road from saddle 7753 and cut into a saddle at 43902, 38043 which is on the west side of point 8020. Go west up along the edge of the burn to the top. Then aim for an elk trail at 43357, 38904 el 9100 that goes across a minor saddle and up to a clearing at 43170, 38856 el 9100. It's smooth sailing on to a dense section where elk go thru at 42543, 38519 el 9350. Next, there's only one bump to get around. Walk to 41854, 39101 el 9750 on the west side of it then stay near that level for a third mile to the last saddle el 9800. A goat trail goes on up to the summit at 41005, 39491. That took me 7 hours with 3500 gain, hardly any steep. No brush or bugs. I saw a herd of over 100 elk in the burn area. The ground was shaking. FR 10 goes around the mountain to Hayden Creek then a road goes down to Lemhi. A 2wd truck could make it that day. That would make a good mtn bike loop. FR 10 is too good. The FS needs to send a crew in there to dump some rocks on it. Another possible route for this peak is to use the trail going NW from Mill Lake to the saddle el 9450. That trail is still there, it's the road that kills you. That trail could also be used for a hike to Buffalo Skull Lake. That didn't look hard from the summit view I had. Posted August, 2018.
• MCFARLAND CAMPGROUND is a fee site on ID 28 at mp 103.6. There's a free one at mp 109.3, but mosquitoes will make you pay with blood. Posted 2018.
• GOAT MOUNTAIN el 9943 has a 4wd road up Cedar Gulch and another one on the west rim, as the topo shows. Use the graded road running along the north side of the Lemhi River to get to the Cedar Gulch road at N44 45814, W113 29726. There is a graded road to the SE that connects to ID 28. On the Cedar Gulch road, stay left at main forks to get to a fork at 47171, 28691 el 6500. The left fork goes up the west rim, but is steep and only for seasoned 4 wheelers. I only made it to el 7600 on my 125, but I could see that a jeep would make it over 8000. The right fork is a better road but could get blocked by trees. It goes into the canyon and up along the creekbed then there is one more fork. Stay left and it goes up steep to el 8300 and fades. Hike to a saddle at 48710, 26837 el 8800 then a spotty game trail goes up the ridge. The summit is at 49402, 26329. 2 and a half hours, 1700 gain. The route is in a pleasant forest most of the way. One other possibility is a road from Montana that joins the CDT north of Goat Mtn at peak 9205. On the sat image it looks to be in use. Posted August, 2018.
• McNUTT PEAK el 10327 is what hikers call the peak towering over Basin Lake el 8890. It's an easy loop hike but the drive to the lake is a headache. Turn off  ID 28 at mp 109.3 and drive 3 and a half miles to a main fork at the end of pavement. Go right and there's only one main road to follow for 7 miles to el 6800 where 4wd starts. It's 4 more miles to the lake. Rocks embedded in the road slow 4wds to a crawl but none are big enough to threaten an oil pan. I saw a big pickup at the lake. Walk across the dam to a grassy clearing on the far shore and go up to a meadow at N44 50294, W113 51393 el 9050. Backpackers will find good camps and a stream here and plenty of mosquitoes early in the season. Keep walking to an elk trail at 49994, 51593 el 9400 and that soon goes to a meadow el 9500 with a good spring where I filled bottles. Go up the slope on the south side of the meadow to 49789, 51533 el 9800 then it's easy to the peak at 49597, 51779. I had a view of the crest to peak 10720, which is called Tendoy Peak, and couldn't see anything for sure blocking that route. The internet has info about that peak. The north peak el 10127 is a mile of easy walking then there are several descent options. I went down to 50328, 51798 el 9800 and kept drifting to the right to stay out of rocks. That took me 3 hours, 15 minutes with 1500 gain, less than 300 is steep. Peak 10127 is the last 10000+ peak going north in the range. Posted July 28, 2018.
• LEM PEAK el 10985 can be done as a loop from Buck Lakes over the top to Bear Valley Lakes. The trail up Bear Valley Creek is open to cycles and bikes, but not the side trail to Buck Lakes. The trail is such a rocky mess that cycles hardly ever use it anyway. Turn off  ID 28 at mp 109.3 and drive 3 and a half miles to a main fork at the end of pavement. Stay left and follow the main road for 5 miles to a main fork el 5900 just inside the forest boundary. There is a shady pullout there and more a mile up the left fork. Stay right at the main fork on FR 9 for 5 miles to the TH at the end el 6800. Cars make it there. A fenced campground is a mile before the TH and a small unfenced one is at the TH, no fees. Walk across the bridge and go 2.35 air miles up the canyon to a sign at the first fork el 7700 in the trail. Go left to the end of the trail at the first of the Buck Lakes el 8474. Walk along the right side of the lake to a minor ridge at N44 47010, W113 50162 el 8550. Go west up that then north to cabin ruins at 47167, 50397 el 8850 where the peak and SE ridge are in view. A small lake is 200 feet past the cabin then just keep going up canyon toward the SE ridge. I filled bottles at a spring along the way at 47092, 50895 el 9050 where mosquitoes converged on me for the first time. Get on the left rim at 47000, 51144 el 9500 and the rest is obvious to the summit at 46839, 51986. I could look down and see the trail cutting across the NW ridge like the topo shows, so I went down the steep ridge on a goat route. When crags get in the way the route goes along the west base of them. I got back on center at a notch about halfway down  reading 46937, 52174 then went on down to the trail. It drops to a tundra on the valley floor and nothing but cairns mark the way along the creek. It makes a right turn to 47664, 51607 el 9250 but is still hard to see. It really isn't needed because the forest is easy to walk thru all the way to the main trail at 48147, 51938 el 9100 near the biggest and most scenic lake el 9135. Now just follow that main trail, which is #6179, back to the start. Some springs are right on the trail. I used one at 48191, 49707 el 7800. That took me 9 hours with 4200 gain. A couple of spots on the NW ridge might be called class 3, but they're easy. There's no brush but mosquitoes were thick around the 9000 level. The trail is smooth for nearly the first mile, so cycles and mtn bikes are practical that far. Only mad dogs ride beyond there and some did because I saw fresh dirt bike tracks at the big lake el 9135. About 2 miles in at 48039, 49175 el 7450 is where backpackers could set up a base camp. Or just use one of the Buck Lakes as a basecamp and go up to the peak then return the same way. That wouldn't be a bad weekend. This is one of the best hikes in the range with a good peak and half a dozen lakes. The route is so obvious that a hiker with a topo map on a smartphone won't need coordinates except for that notch on the NW ridge. Posted July 27, 2018.
• LONG MOUNTAIN el 10728 has a rocky cycle trail to el 9050 on the east ridge. Drive the same as Lem Peak but turn off FR 9 at the sign for Kadletz Creek Rd reading N44 46494, W113 44712 el 6529. Go nearly 3 miles on easy 4wd, or maybe even 2wd to camp spots where the road shrinks to an ATV trail el 7950. The trail soon goes to a meadow with a tricky crossing where I lost it but found it again at 44806, 48028 el 8300. ATVs make it to el 8900. They're not supposed to use the trail, but rules are for suckers. The trail tops out at el 9050 then get off it and walk south 300 feet to get on the east ridge then go up to the summit at 43802, 49209. It was obvious how to make a loop back to the start. I followed goat trails on the high ridge to the saddle before the last bump el 10645 then dropped down on easy scree. Then I strolled on down to goat trails at 44312, 49365 el 9700 to get down a steep section. I stayed on the ridge another half mile then dropped down to the right and went on to a gully at 44844, 48611 el 8700. That gully goes down to cascades along the creek. From there, I followed along the foot of the talus slope a short way then cut over to a stream at 44891, 48323 el 8300. Cow trails run along the left side of the stream for less than a third mile back to the main trail then it's a short walk to the TH. That took me 5 hours, 20 minutes with 2800 gain. No brush, but a few mosquitoes and some boggy meadows. Posted July 30, 2018.
• POISON PEAK el 9364 has a road to el 8700 on the SE ridge, but it's a 4 wheeling adventure to get there. Turn off ID 28 at mp 113.9 and follow the good McDevitt Creek Rd for over 5 miles to a sign for Mormon Canyon. Go up that canyon to a main fork el 7500 and keep right on easy 4wd to get on the crest. Go on to a fork at N44 54268, W113 47524 el 8300. The right fork stays on the crest but gets rocky. The left fork is eroded and goes to North Basin then Copper Basin then on to the SE saddle el 8205. A spur road goes up out of the saddle to el 8700 then it's a cakewalk to the Poison Benchmark at 53499, 52257. 4wds can go on south on the crest for another mile then a dense forest prevents hiking to peak 10127. On the way out I took the rocky crest road north to a fork with signs for Haynes Creek and McDevitt Creek. I went down the latter and it was pretty good but had small logging operations. Jeeps have no trouble with all this after July when the road is dry and hopefully cleared of trees. A big pickup was in Copper Basin that day. A huge, sunny pullout is 2 and a half miles in from ID 28. Posted July, 2018.
• LEWIS AND CLARK ADVENTURE ROAD  is what the BLM has designated a 36 mile loop by way of Lemhi Pass. Follow signs from Tendoy to the pass. A free, small campground is about 5 miles along on Agency Creek. The pass has displays and is day use only. Follow signs north on road #185 back to Tendoy. The BLM has developed Sharkey Hot Spring el 5400 just a few miles before the end of the loop. The loop is graded but it gets steep and some small rocks might cut into car tires. GOLDSTONE MOUNTAIN el 9909 is one hike to do along this loop. About 9 miles south of Lemhi Pass is where FR 184 forks to the right reading N45 03323, W113 27982 el 7900. Take that high clearance road for a bit over 5 miles to a fork at 05348, 31223 el 8494. Road #186 goes left, but stay straight for a mile and a half on a narrow 4wd road to the CDT at 06066, 30692 el 8600. That 4wd road is mtn bikeable. Then it's a matter of just walking the CDT to the NW ridge of the peak at el 9600 then stroll half a mile to the summit at 07135, 34578. That took me 5 and a half hours with nearly 2000 gain, none steep. On the return I had to detour around a fire burning a couple miles west of the peak in upper Park Creek.  Posted 2018.
• SAL MOUNTAIN el 9593 caps off the northern end of the Lemhis. A road goes up the NE ridge to point 7073. From Baker, take paved Baker Rd for half a mile then turn on graded Withington Rd. Follow that for 4 and a half miles to where the grader turns around. Shady creekside pullouts start there el 5250. Stay on the main road, FR 31, and it will climb up the north side of the canyon and go on to a fork at N45 02541, W113 50186 el 6650 where you go left. 2wd trucks might get that far. In a tenth mile are mudholes and then it's easy 4wd for nearly a mile to the NE ridge el 7050. A fire in 2003 burned the ridge but it was easy to weave and hop fallen trees. At el 8750 a trail comes onto the ridge and goes on to the lookout on the summit at 00918, 50575. A reg in the lookout was signed by firefighters in 2003. It needs a book. That took me nearly 4 hours with 2550 gain, no brush. The south fork of Withington has a bad road that ends at mine ruins el 6850 in the burn area. The trail to the summit starts there but I couldn't find it and it would likely be a tree hopping nightmare anyway. Posted July, 2018.
• TWELVEMILE CREEK has a good high clearance road and a nice forest. Turn off US 93 at mp 292.9 and the road goes 9 miles to a gate. A gushing spring is about halfway along.  Two wheelers are allowed beyond the gate. A good stream is 2 and a half miles past the gate at N44 57319, W113 52181 el 7100. A mile beyond there the trail goes parabolic. I wouldn't ride a mtn bike beyond there. Cattle are along the first 6 miles. Posted 2018.

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  Basecamp for Big Creek Peak

  
  

  

  Yellow Peak as seen from Big Creek Peak. Try and spot the goats.

Jarbidge Wilderness Area

The view from Marys River Peak. Jarbidge Peak is in the background. Then Jumbo then Matterhorn then Cougar. Prospect Peak is to the right. Square Top is hidden.

The forest on Copper Mountain. A golf course is harder to walk on.

Fox Lake

Fox Meadow and Fox Creek Peak

Looking north from Jarbidge Peak at the deep canyons. Jarbidge town is in the canyon on the left in the background. Murphy Hot Springs village is in the canyon on the right. The valley in the foreground is upper Jack Creek.

The main road to Jarbidge is out of Rogerson, ID. It's 64 miles. The first 47 miles are bumpy pavement to the rim of a deep canyon at Murphy Hot Springs. Then it's graded down into the canyon for 17 miles to town. There are 3 free campgrounds in the canyon right after Murphy Hot Springs, then not much else until Jarbidge. One campround is just before town then some south of town. The main road climbs steeply out of the canyon about 2 miles south of town, but another road stays in the canyon for a mile long stretch with the best campgrounds, all free with restrooms but only creek water. Then the road becomes narrow 4wd with 2 rocky creek crossings about shin deep and ends in a mile at the new Snowslide TH reading N41 49348, W115 24940 el 6800. Campsites and 3 tables are there. A washout caused the TH to be pushed back a half mile from the original TH. Mtn bikes would work on most of the 4wd road and maybe even the first fifth mile of trail since the map shows it's outside the wilderness. The crossings are close together in a section where the road runs in the river channel for a tenth mile and thus are ever shifting. But the rest of the road was easy. Rogerson has a Sinclair and Jarbidge has gas and diesel and also a saloon and small store. Posted July, 2017.

• GODS POCKET PEAK el 10185 has an elk trail up the NE ridge. Nearly 40 miles in from Rogerson is a sign for Pole Creek. It's a half mile after the Three Creek school. Go 16 miles on that 2wd road to a fork at N41 52280, W115 14420 el 8500. Right goes over a mile to the Slide Creek TH with a shady, free campground. But go left on FR 58284 up along a fence. It's 2 and a half miles of routine 4wd to the end at the Hummingbird Springs TH el 9150. Hike the old road for .7 air mile to a fork. The left one is the shortest. Go on down to 48709, 15198 el 8700 then leave the trail and walk a third mile up a grassy slope to the elk trail at 48709, 15566 el 8900. It goes up the ridge skirting bumps then fades in and out but it's there when you need it. It's an easy walk to the reg at 47409, 17417.  5 and a half hours with about 2000 gain, 500 of it on the way back, never very steep. I wore shorts the whole way. DIVIDE PEAK el 10006 is about a mile and a third south of Gods Pocket Peak and it looked easy. For that I would make a big loop. I would stay on the trail to el 9400 then go up the east ridge to the peak at 46405, 18345. Then I would walk the ridge to Gods Pocket Peak then on back down the NE ridge. I didn't see any brush or crag problems. That might be done in 8 hours. Divide Peak has the best looking  forest because it eluded wildfires. Hummingbird Spring is on the trail at 48633, 15215 el 8650 then next is a pipe spring at 48122, 15972 el 8250 then half a mile beyond that is Cottonwood Creek with a good flow, and it might be the last water. Posted July, 2017.
• ROBINSON HOLE is a deep section of canyon along the Jarbidge River east fork. A 4wd roads goes along the rim to a viewpoint. Mtn bikes would work. At the end of pavement on the rim just before Murphy Hot Springs is a rim road. But a better road starts 2 miles back at a corral reading N42 02013, W115 18945 el 5700 and soon merges with the other road. Follow that about 6 miles from pavement to a fork at N41 57104, W115 18167 el 6800. On a mtn bike I would try a shortcut by going right to the viewpoint on Cougar Point at N41 56649, W115 19274 el 7000. I stayed left on my 125 for 2 more miles to a 4-way at a gate reading N41 55370, W115 17894 el 7350 then came back down the rim 2 miles to the viewpoint. It's 1100 feet nearly straight down to the river. OHVs go thru the gate and across the canyon then on to Jarbidge. Posted 2017.
• JARBIDGE PEAK el 10793 via Sawmill Ridge - 4wds can get to el 9300 for an easy ascent. From Murphy Hot Springs, drive north out of the canyon for 11 miles on the main road to 3 forks at N41 53387, W115 22005 el 7930. Stay far right on road #58283 for 2 miles to some camp spots with gushing springs el 8900 at Dave Creek . It's easy 4wd to there, then it's another half mile of rough road to Sawmill Ridge el 9300. The last half mile is for serious 4 wheelers only. No sissies. Walk up the ridge to 50875, 22532 el 10200 where a class 2 stairway goes up thru a cliff. Then stay on the right side of the ridge to avoid stubby trees. Cross to the left side at 50763, 22533 then up to 50731, 22551 where you can see how to drop a little then walk below the trees for about 700 feet and then come back to center. It opens up there for the rest of the way to the summit at 50417, 23415. That hike took me less than 4 hours. Peak 10092 at 51214, 22446 would be a one hour hike and the easiest of the 10000 footers. The roads are shown on the topo except for the part above el 8900. ALTITUDE MINE el 9800 - that's in the gorgeous valley north of the peak. The pack trail on the topo is now OHV trail #18038, but may be blocked. At the 3 forks el 7930, go NW a fifth mile to the trail. It goes to Jack Creek which drains the valley. I rode as far as the first crossing at el 7700. It looked treacherous and I was told there is a shaky bridge farther on. I would park on the trail at N41 52745, W115 22789 el 7650 and walk. It measures out at 3 miles each way and likely has 2 wades or more. It would be 5 miles each way to walk the whole OHV trail. Posted 2017.
• JARBIDGE PEAK, JUMBO, SQUARE TOP, MATTERHORN - a mine trail goes up to el 10250 on the crest that accesses all the peaks. Use an OHV trail for the Rex Mine  that leaves the campground at N41 50587, W115 25641 el 6500. It's on the topo. Stay on the main OHV trail to el 8200 then walk a tenth mile thru a trench area to a large rock at 50146, 24700 el 8350. The trail is easy to follow from there as it makes long switches on the south side of the west ridge of Jarbidge. Stay right at a fork at el 9600 where there is a puddle known as Teacup Spring. The trail goes on up into the saddle between Jarbidge Peak and Jumbo. Then it goes along the west side of the peaks to the saddle at Matterhorn where it's easy to walk the ridge up. From the summit it's just a matter of picking which west ridge to descend or taking a stab at Cougar. A mtn bike would help for a shuttle. The two hikers who maintain this trail call it the Teacup Trail. Posted 2017.
• MATTERHORN PEAK el 10838 - the popular route goes up a west ridge from the Jarbidge River Trail at el 7300. I prefer to stay on the trail to el 8400 and circle back to the west ridge. Walk from the Snowslide TH to N41  48372, W115 24383 el 7300. That's where most go up. For the easier route, stay on the trail. Shortly there is a wide crossing at el 7275 where I waded. The remaining crossings were jumpable. Go on to 47297, 22840 el 8400 and go up an open slope (a tenth mile on up the trail is a creekside basecamp area backpackers can use). At el 8900 start curving left to skirt under dense trees. Keep going at a gentle angle to the west ridge where the rest is in view. I hit the west ridge at 47972, 22813 el 9550 then went up almost to the crest and leveled off to stay under crags. The summit is at 48648, 22457. It took me 4 hours to get there. There are 3 options for the return. Use one of the two west ridges, or run the crest to the Teacup Trail. I did the latter and also went up Jarbidge but next time I would do it in reverse.  It took me over 8 hours to go from the TH, over the peaks, then back down the Teacup Trail to the campground. The trail along the crest is on pure rocks. The gain to Matterhorn from the Snowslide TH is 4000, about a third of it is steep. Backpackers would have an easy hike from the basecamp near el 8400 then could move on up to Jarbidge Lake and do more peaks. Posted 2017.
• MARYS RIVER PEAK el 10570 is the southernmost of the 10000 footers. The Jarbidge River Trail goes to the crest at nearly 10000 then it's a simple hike from there. Start at the Snowslide TH el 6800 and walk the sunny old road to the first creek crossing el 7275. I waded there but the rest were jumpable. An avalanche knocked down trees on 150 feet of the trail at el 7550. It took 5 minutes to get thru.  At el 7700 is a fork where you stay left. The road ends at el 7800 then it's a shady trail. The trail crosses to the left side of the creek at el 8100.  Somewhere around el 9000 was the best spring pouring out next to the trail. It took 3 hours 20 minutes to get to Jarbidge Lake at 46453, 22395 el 9300 which is more like a pond. It's a good basecamp. Stay on the trail up to the crest then on to the summit at 45554, 21684. On the return I dropped straight off the crest to the saddle next to the lake. That took 9 hours with about 4000 gain, but only 400 near the end was steep. It measures out at about 13 or 14 miles. Posted July, 2017.
• COPPER MOUNTAIN el 9912 is the high point of the Copper Mountains, which is really just one long mountain. Drive south on the main road from Jarbidge for about 10 miles to Coon Creek Summit el 8440. Turn there on a 4wd road that goes to a camp at el 9000. A rough OHV trail goes on to el 9200 then a foot trail goes on up to the ridgetop el 9400. Walk the ridge in a lovely forest to the first saddle at N41 47611, W115 30640 el 9550 then go up to a handy elk trail at 47422, 30876 el 9800 that runs left of center. The rest is in view from there. The Copper BM is at 46256, 31245. I started on the road at el 8600 and the hike took me 4 hours with 2300 gain, over 400 of that on the way back. Not steep. This is a good family hike. Gushing springs were along the 4wd road at el 8900. Posted July, 2017.
• COON CREEK PEAK el 9500+ is too easy to pass up. Drive south from Jarbidge for about 7 miles to Bear Creek Summit el 8500. Turn left on 4wd for a tenth mile to a rocky hill and park. Walk or mtn bike another half mile of road then keep going up the ridge to the reg at N41 48488, W115 28120. 2 hours, 1000 gain. DEER MOUNTAIN el 8977 is 2 and a half miles north on the divide. 4wd roads go up. The easiest is to drive back toward Jarbidge and turn on FR 58277 at 50246, 27208 el 8000. Go up that and stay left at forks to the top. Driving back any other way involves ultra steep grades. Posted 2017.
• FOX LAKE, FOX MEADOW - this is a beautiful forested area on the south side of Fox Creek Peak. Go south from Jarbidge for about 14 miles and turn at the sign for Camp Draw TH. It's about half a mile on easy 4wd to the TH el 7650 at the end of the road with a restroom and 2 camps next to the creek. Walk the trail for 2/3 air mile to where it tops out on a ridge el 8400. Go north up the easy ridge on various game trails and over peak 9352 then down to a saddle at N41 46020, W115 25751 el 9020. The lake is less than a mile north, but there is a big ditch in the way. Circle left around it and stay at about the 9000 level. Aim for an elk trail at 46458, 26055 el 9000. It drops down across a minor gully then goes on to 46537, 25889 el 8950 where it drops down to the right then on to the lake at 46712, 25705 el 8850. The meadow is half a mile away at 46756, 25230 el 9050. The meadow and lake had streams flowing out of them, but I forgot my filter so I used a spring at 46851, 25512 el 9000. Hikers without long pants should return the same way.  I took a chance and went down the canyon on the west side of the saddle el 9020. I stayed on the left side of the creekbed to a viewpoint at 45858, 25896 el 8850. It looked good so I went directly down. At el 8100 I moved over to the left bank in the trees and stayed on that side to the trail at 45442, 26853 el 7750. I hit some light brush in that canyon, mainly below el 8000 but easy with long pants. If I had bothered to look at the topo, I might have skirted the west side of peak 9352 then down a ridge. That loop took me 5 and a half hours. There is 1700 easy gain to peak 9352 then not much after that. That's another top notch forest that's easy to walk in. But wait! It could be better. Just keep going over the top of Fox Creek Peak then down the north ridge to a second vehicle at the Snowslide TH. Refer to the hike for that peak. Posted July, 2017.
• FOX CREEK PEAK el 9555 sits atop the west rim of the Jarbidge River. It's the highest peak in the Fox Creek Range according to peakbagger.com. A horseshoe loop can be done using the 2 north ridges. Take the 4wd road to the Snowslide TH but stop short of it at a bridge el 6700 where Fox Creek comes in. It's the only bridge on the 4wd part. Study the steep ridge to the west because that's the descent route. Walk on up the road a short way then cross the creek at N41 49388, W115 25019 el 6800 then angle to the right up the slope and top out at el 7250. Go up the easy ridge to crags then go along the right side reading 49056,  25136 el 7700 where you can see how elk go back up to the top. Then stay along the left side of crags to a saddle el 7850 where crags end. Three elk were hanging around there. When you see them, you'll know there are no more crags. Now it's easy to go up to the last minor obstacle which is peak 8523. I went up along the right side of it at el 8470 then down to the saddle behind it at 48282, 24922 el 8435. Then it's a pleasant forest up to the reg at 47124, 25142. Placed in 1999 by Macleod and Lilley, it only had 2 entries since.  Next, walk west half a mile to the craggy sister summit. The crags are easily passed on the left where a distant meadow is in view. Go down the ridge to a saddle at 47522, 26093 el 8900 then on to the meadow at 47891, 26204 el 8600. Near there was the only water I saw besides snow. It was a puddle in a creekbed at 47787, 26209 el 8600. From the meadow, walk north at the 8600 level to an elk trail at 48243, 26026 el 8650. Follow that down to a flat ridge el 8550 then go on to an elk trail at 48417, 25823 el 8400. Now just keep going north down the easy ridge to 49642, 25510 el 7440 where you take the final steep ridge down to the bridge. Some fool put up a wilderness sign at el 7100 on that ridge. That took me 7 hours with about 3000 gain, but hardly any of it steep. Some patches of light brush are below the 8000 level and a lovely forest is above that level. Loggers worked near the meadow, more than 50 years ago. I saw a logging road north of the meadow at el 8600. They likely came up the road along Fox Creek, but it's overgrown.  This is a good hike to do before the 10000 footers because you can study the routes. Posted July, 2017.

  

  The Murphy airstrip.

  
  

  

  The perilous OHV trail into upper Jack Creek where the Altitude Mine is located.