Pictures of the backcountry, mostly in Idaho

2020

• Here is a description of hikes up Buffalo Skull, Mill, and Little Mill peaks in the Northern Lemhis with Steve Grantham, Chris Elrod, Tom Lopez, Jeff Huntemen, Michael Pelton, Braxon, and Abby.
• Here is a description of a hike up Mt. McGuire in the Bighorn Crags with Jeff Hunteman.
• Here is a description of a hike up Buttercup Mountain in the Smokies with Steve Grantham and Abby.
• Here is a description of a hike up Buffalo Hump and North Pole with Michael Pelton, Tom Lopez, Steve Grantham, Chris Elrod, Braxon, and Abby in the Gospel Hump wilderness.
• Here is a description of a hike up Sheep Mountain, Bowery Peak, and 10,883 with Steve Grantham in the North Boulder mountains.

2019

• Here are pictures of a raft trip, not a hike, on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Huh's Horn, Scott Peak, and Weber Peak with Steve Grantham. I took a nap at the Huh's - Scott saddle while Steve bagged Huh's, and then joined him for the rest of the hike.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Sunny Bar Peak in the Lemhis with Steve Grantham, Michael Pelton, John Platt, and Ruby.

2018

• Here are pictures of a hike up Wet and Invisible Peaks in the Lost Rivers with Steve Grantham, Braxon, and Abby.
• Here are pictures of an failed attempt to climb Mount Heyburn With Steve Grantham, Bill Grantham, and Clair Wilcox. We made it to "the room" but it was late in the day and we turned around.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Culmination Peak in the Boulders with Steve Grantham, Brian Friedrichs, Doug Bullock, Cindy Thornton, Bill Grantham, Clair Wilcox, Tim Nelson, and Michael Pelton. The approach from the Bowery Guard Station is long and took all day. This was the final peak in my quest to climb every peak above 11,000' in Idaho.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Merriam Lake Peak in the Lost Rivers with Steve Grantham and Brian Friedrichs. The climb required some route finding, but I think our approach from the east side and gaining the northeast ridge was a pretty good choice.

2017

• Here are pictures of a hike up Sunset Peak in the Lost Rivers to watch the eclipse. Pictures of the eclipse are here.
• Here are pictures of a hike up the "Trail Twins" in the Southern Boulders with Steve Grantham, Chris Elrod, Braxon, and Abby. By climbing 10,598 first, we descended a very soft scree slope from 10,566 into the valley below both of them.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Sunrise Peak in the Lost Rivers, with Steve Grantham, Braxon, and Abby. We came in via Van Dorn Canyon. We walked about 2 miles on the road because it is closed to anything larger than an ATV.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Little Red Cone and North Twin in the Lost Rivers, with Steve Grantham, Braxon, and Abby. We drove in Elbow Canyon and for the most part followed the ridge straight to the top of Little Red Cone.
• Here are pictures of a hike up South Twin in the Lost Rivers, with Michael Pelton, John Fadgen, Tim Nelson, Steve Grantham, and Doug Bullock. We hiked up Cabin Creek and followed a rib up to just north of the North Twin - South Twin saddle.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Shoshone John in the Lemhis, with Michael Pelton, John Fadgen, and Doug Bullock. We came in from the west and gained the ridge just north of the summit.
• Here are pictures of an early season hike up the Brow and Lame Jake Peaks in the Lemhis, with Michael Pelton and Doug Bullock. We saw fresh bear tracks near a cave, and decided not to explore the cave. We mostly followed Larry Prescott's route, with a slight detour to get a good glissade.

2016

• Here are pictures of a climb up the Riddler with Steve Grantham. There are also a few pictures from Rocky Canyon, leading up to the Brow, but we had to bail because I stubbed my toe
• Here are pictures of a climb up peak 11,087 in the Southeast Boulders, with Jack Pelton. An easy approach along the west fork of the Big Wood, the peak is probably best climbed in the early summer with snow still covering the scree leading to the north saddle.
• Here are pictures of a climb up Alcyon Peak with Steve Grantham. From Green Lake, this took 2 hours up, and an hour and a half down. The drive to Green Lake requires a high clearance vehicle
• Here are pictures of a climb up Recess Peak with Pat McGrane and Steve Grantham. We went up Broad Canyon and past Goat Lake. While we didn't think this was a particularly good way to climb it, we don't know a better way. Maybe up Fall Creek - a longer approach, but an easier climb.
• Here are pictures of a climb up North Ryan Peak in the Boulder Mountains with Steve Grantham, Mary Lucachick, Tony Engleman, Braxon, and Abby. We approached from the southwest, but an eastern approach is probably easier.
• Here are pictures of a hike up the Ramp and the smaller peak next to it in the southeastern Pioneers. We started at Antelope summit, an easy hike and very dog-friendly.
• Here are pictures of a trip into Montana to climb the divide peaks Eighteenmile and Cottonwood with Steve Grantham, Doug Bullock, Michael Pelton, Pat McGrane, and Maisey. After That, Steve and I went on to climb Gilmore Mountain in the Lemhis.
• Here are pictures of a hike with Doug Bullock up Nicholson, 10,965, and Little Diamond in the Lemhis. A long day, over 13 hours.
• Here are pictures of a hike with Steve Grantham, John Platt, Michael Pelton, Dave Palhas up Big Creek Peak, The Flatiron, and Peak 10,571 in the Lemhis. A 12 mile loop.

2015

• Here are pictures of a hike with Steve Grantham, Greg Myers, and Braxon up Newman peak in the Boise mountains.

• Here are pictures of a hike with Doug Bullock up Lost River and Paragon peaks.

• Here are pictures of a hike with Steve Grantham up Big Boy peak in the Lemhis.

• Here are pictures of a hike with Steve Grantham, Doug Bullock, and Donna Calhoun up Mount Baker in Washington's Cascade Range.

• Here are pictures of a quick hike with Steve Grantham, Chris Elrod, and Braxon up Strawberry Mountain outside of John Day, Oregon.

• Here are pictures of five days of hiking, mostly in the Sierras, with Steve Grantham, Jeff Brown, Rob Ferranti, and Paul Lonac. Pictures are of Boundary Peak in Nevada and Mt. Williamson, we also climbed Tyndal and did some other hkes

• Here are pictures of four days of hiking the Lost River mountains with Pat McGrane, and Doug Bullock joined us for one of them. We climbed Triple Peak, Cleft, Little Regret, Petros, and Pavlos.

• Here are pictures of two hikes in the Uintas and the Wasatch with Mike O'Malley

• Here are pictures of a class and climb on Mount Shuksan in the North Cascades. Doug Bullock, Steve Grantham, and I went on an IMG guided trip led by guides Austin Shannon and Blair Hutchinson. We spent 4 nights at base camp, and in addition to climbing the summit learned a lot of climbing and rescue techniques.

• Here are pictures of a hike in the Salmon River Mountains with Pat McGrane, Dave Pahlas, and Michael Pelton. We climbed Mount Jordan, the General, and 10,006 southwest of the General, and Dave also picked off 9695 on the way back. Beautiful views of so many mountain ranges from this vantage point.

• Here are pictures of a hike up Iron Mountain in the Pioneers with Steve Grantham and Doug Bullock. Pretty straightforward climb, but the snow added a little extra challenge.

2014

• Here are pictures of a trip to Southern Utah with the O'Malleys. All of the pictures are in or near Capitol Reef NP.
• Here are pictures of a hike up peak 11,280 (Rearing Stallion) in the Pioneers with Steve Grantham. The peak is right across Wildhorse Creek from 11,641 but a much easier climb - firm rock and good footing everywhere, although definitely class 3.
• Here are pictures of a hike up peak 11,641 (Gabriel's Horn) in the Pioneers with Doug Bullock. It took us 2 1/2 hours to cross the ridge; we went down the gully.
• Here are pictures of a hike run-jog Tim Nelson and I did from Grandjean trailhead, up Trail Creek to Sawtooth Lake, and then back via Baron Creek.
• Here are pictures of a hike Steve Grantham, Braxon and I did up peak 10,129 in the Southern Sawtooths, near Alturas Lake. There is an old mine on the mountainside with a lot of old artifacts lying around.
• Here are pictures of my first ever hike in the Beaverheads, and my first ever hike with Pat McGrane. We climbed Huh's Horn and Scott Peak, and the next day tried to find the approach to Eighteenmile and Cottonwood peaks. By the time we figured out what to do, most of the day was gone and the weather was threatening, so we didn't get a peak that day.
• Here are pictures of a hike up peaks 9367 and 9495 in the southern Sawtooths with Steve Grantham. We approached from Frenchman creek, although it might be easier to climb 9495 from Smiley creek. The ridge between the two is not particularly easy.
• Here are pictures of a hike up the unnamed peak 10,866 with Steve Grantham and Braxon. The summit cap is class 3, so Braxon had to wait with one of us at a time while we summited, but he seemed to be fine with that. The peak is just east of Griswold peak.
• Here are pictures of a hike in the Lost Rivers with Gregg Myers and Steve Grantham. We climbed Invisible Mountain and Sheephead Peak. There is a benchmark on Invisible, with the name of the mountained misspelled.
• Here are pictures of a hike in the Pahsimeroi with Doug Bullock, where we climbed Gooseberry, Metaxy, and Pahsimeroi Pyramid. The easiest approach to this ridge is to go straight up the southeast ridge of Metaxy.
• Here are pictures of a trip down the San Rafael River in May with the Omalleys and their boarder, Nick.

2013

• Here are pictures of a hike up Mount Heinen with Steve Grantham, Gregg Myers, Mary Lucachick and Braxon. The last four pictures are Mary's.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Imogene Peak with Gregg Myers, Doug Bullock, Mary Lucachick and Sue Lecomte. We went up the east ridge, which was a lot of talus and boulder-hopping, and came down east of Farley Lake, which was terrible. It would have been better if we had headed for Farley Lake and not tried a shortcut.
• Here are pictures of a hike up peak 11,458 in the Boulder mountains with Doug Bullock, Francisco Castellon, and Delinda Castellon. Only Doug and I made the summit, and it was a tough climb - route finding was difficult, as was a lotof climbing on the summit block. THere is a double summit, we left a cairn on the north summit and a register on the south summit.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Cardiac Peak with Gregg Meyers. We left the trail to Frog Lake at the hairpin turn below the pass and a little less than two miles from Frog Lake, and climbed up the nose on the north side, rather than hiking all the way around to Shelf Lake.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Straight Shot and Corner Shot peaks in the Pahsimeroi with Doug Bullock. The underexposed shots at the beginning are of a moose that came to our campsite the night before, little point-and-shoot cameras aren't good for low light situations, and I didn't feel like walking right up to him. Incidentally, Corner Shot might be better combined with a climb of Dickey.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Pavlos Peak in the Pahsimeroi with Doug Bullock. Great day, but we just didn't have enough to make the climb up Petros.
• Here are pictures of a trip down to Southern Utah with Michael and Lauren O'Malley. Hikes were around Torrey and Capitol Reef, and on the Escalante, just north of the bridge up Sand Creek.

2012

• Here are pictures of a climb up Hope and Trinity peaks in the Pashimeroi with Gregg Myers. It was a beautiful day with almost no smoke at all.
• Here are pictures of a trip to the Blue Mountains in Oregon with Steve Grantham, Chris Elrod, and Gregg Myers. We saw several goats and climbed Rock Creek Butte, and Steve and I scrambled up Elkhorn Peak.
• Here are pictures of a smokey hike up Griswold Peak in the Boulders with Michael Pelton and Tim Nelson. The smoke made for poor views, so I didn't take many pictures.
• Here are pictures of a hike up El Capitan in the Sawtooths with Steve Grantham, Gregg Meyers, and Braxon. The peak ismostly class 2 with a little scrambling at the summit - we didn't let Braxon try it, but he might have made it.
• Here are pictures of a hike in the northeast Boulders with Steve Grantham, Chris Elrod, and Braxon. Meridian and North Meridian peaks are mismarked on the quad, and Meridian is only difficult to climb if you approach from the north, like I did.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Limestone Peak with Steve Grantham and Greg Clark. The peak is also known as triple peak or peak 11,332 and was thought to be a class 4 climb. Our route to the central tower summit was a difficult class 2 or class 3.
• Here are pictures of a hike up Glide Mountain with Steve Grantham, Chris Elrod, and Braxon, followed by a hike up Atlas with Steve. Atlas is an easy peak, Glide also easy but longer.
• Here are pictures of a solo hike up Doublespring Peak and then across the ridge to Horseshoe Mountain. The climb up from Cayuse Canyon was very easy, and while the ridge was time-consuming, there was very little class 3 on it.
• Here are pictures of a hike with Steve Grantham, John Platt, and Mariel Platt up Chrysaor Peak. The name was coined by Steve, who felt it appropriate in view of its closeness in size, position, and general look and feel to Pegasus Peak - he also named the nasty looking tower between the two "Medusa's Neck". John Platt's trip report
• Here are pictures of a camp at Moose Lake and a climb of Angel's Perch with Steve Grantham, Chris Elrod, and Braxon. Nothing especially hard about the climb, but it would be a very long day hike from the Fall Creek trailhead.
• Here are pictures of a climb of Sacagawea Peak in the Lost Rivers, with Steve Grantham and Doug Bullock. It was a tough climb, but we may have found an easier way up the summit block (from the northwest) than previous reports we had. I call it a hard class 3, no significant exposure. Approach from Cedar creek or the east would be a slog up the scree, but otherwise easy.
• Here are pictures of a hike along the southeastern ridge of the White Clouds, ending at Horton Peak. Chris Elrod and Steve Grantham brought Braxon, Doug Bullock brought Masie, and I brought Bela. The next day we took a short hike in the Sawtooths near Alturas Lake.
• Here are pictures of a mid-May trip to the eastern Lost Rivers, via Horse Heaven, where John Platt, Michael Pelton and I climbed Mountaineer Peak, and the next day Steve Grantham and Dave Pahlas joined us to climb Mt. Corruption. The weather was marginal, as you can see from the pictures. John Platt's trip report and Dave Pahlas' trip report
  

2011

• Here are pictures of a hiking and camping trip up to O'Caulkins Lake in the White Clouds with Steve Grantham and Chris Elrod and Bela and Braxon. Steve and I climbed WCP 7 and 8, and all of us climbed WCP 6.
  
  
• Here are pictures of a float down a stretch of the San Rafael River in Utah, beneath the Wedge Overlook, and of Muley Twist Canyon. The trip was in mid-May with Steve Grantham, Michael O'Malley, and Lauren O'Malley Most of the pictures are Steve's, Michael's, and Lauren's. Here is a short video of the trip, shot by Lauren.
  

2010

• Here are pictures of my first ever November hike in the Idaho Mountains, the Kelmer loop in the White Clouds.  Splattski report SuperDave GPS data   SuperDave report
  
  
• Here are pictures of a hike up Basil's Peak in the Boulders.  It would probably be easier to go up via Amber Lakes.
  
  
• Here are pictures of a hike up Murdock and Mallory peaks at the southern end of the Boulders, and then along the ridge most of the way to Rock Roll Peak  Splattski report
  
  
• Here are pictures of a climb up D.O. Lee Peak and WCP 9, and an attempt at WCP 7 in the White Clouds. We had camped at OCaulkins lake and did the climbs from there.
  

• Here are pictures of a climb up Duncan's Peak with Steve, John and Michael as well as new friends Matt and Rob. Splattski report
  

• Here are pictures of some of the region around Hyndman Lake in the Pioneers. It wasn't much of a lake, at least not in August. It might be more impressive in May.  Splattski report
  

• Here are pictures from a trip to the White Clouds where Steve Grantham and I climbed Caulkins Peak. We took a difficult route up from OCaulkins lake, don't follow us if you do it
  

• Here are pictures from a trip to the White Clouds where we climbed Lonesome (Lake) Peak and Blackman Peak. I was with Steve Grantham, and this was our first hike with Michael Pelton and John Platt. The pictures are mostly John's, a few of Steve's. None are mine. Splattski report
  

• Here are pictures of two short trips to King's peak in the Lost Rivers, and Galena Peak in the Boulders. Both were pretty easy climbs, and Galena was the first climb for Doug's two dogs, Simon and Maisey.
  

  2008

• Here are pictures of a trip that culminated in a rim-to-rim-to-rim crossing of the Grand Canyon. The earlier pictures in the album are of climbs of Boundary Peak in Nevada, then Telescope and Wildrose peaks in Death Valley, then Charleston Peak in Nevada, all with Deborah Askew. The next pictures are of Humphries Peak in Arizona, climbed with Deborah Askew and Gene Thibeault, and finally the Grand Canyon pictures, which I did with Deborah Askew and Herb Lepley.
  

• Here are pictures of a climb up Perfect Peak. Access is via the TinCup trailhead and Alice Lake, so a lot of the pictures are on that trail.
  

• Here are some pictures of a hike up to Snowslide Lake outside McCall, and then a fastpack around the Seven Devils Loop (27 miles) on 27 August 2008. The weather was cold, wet and grey for the loop trail, so it was good weather for fastpacking but not for taking pictures.
  

• Here is a climb of Mount Morrison, via the southwest ridge. The ridge looks nasty, but you can get around all the obstacles without any class 4 moves.
  

• Here is a trip Dave Ferguson, Steve Grantham and I made to climb Cleft and Al West peaks in the Lost Rivers. This trip went over Horse Heaven Pass, a very beautiful and remote area.
  

2007

• Here are a few pictures of an aborted climb up Mt. Adams in Washington, along with some pictures I took along the Historic Columbia River Highway
• Here are some of Deborah Askew's and Sue Johnston's pictures on Mt. Hood from the same trip.
• Here are some of Marty West's pictures from the same trip.
• And here are Doug McKeever's pictures from the same trip.


• Here are pictures of a fastpack I did in Zion National Park with Deborah Askew and Herb Lepley on 26 May 07. We started at Lee Pass in Kolob Canyon and finished at the Grotto in Virgin Canyon, about 35 miles. I didn't take many pictures near the end, since I was having trouble keeping up.
  

• Here is a trip Dave Ferguson, Doug Bullock and I took to the Copper Basin and the Lost River Range on 14-15 May 07. I climbed Copper Basin Knob while Doug and Dave climbed in the White Clouds, and then we went over to the Lost Rivers to climb Mt. McCaleb and Little Mac.
  

  2006

• Here is a trip Deborah Askew and I took to Gannett Peak, Grand Teton NP, and the Hyalite trail in Montana. I didn't take my camera this trip either, so again the pictures are Deborah's.
  

• Here is a second trip Steve Grantham, Dave Ferguson and I took on 31 July-2 August 06 to hike and climb in and around the Long Lost Creek valley. It was a fairly strenuous trip, so I left the picture taking to Steve and Dave with their little cameras. Photos don't do justice to the upper Long Lost Creek valley, which was amazingly beautiful. We climbed 6 peaks on this trip.
  

• Here is a trip Steve Grantham and I took on 4 July 06 to climb Kane Peak/Goat Mountain in the Pioneers. I overexposed most of the pictures, I threw in a few of those anyway, but the trip was a a bust as far as pictures went.
  

  2005

• Here is a trip Deborah Askew and I took to Granite Peak, the Wind Rivers, and Mt. Borah. I didn't take my camera this trip, so most of the pictures are Deborah's. The photo of my back is taken just after a hailstorm that hit us on the way back from Granite.
  

• Here is a trip Steve Grantham, Dave Ferguson and I took 9-11 July, 05 to the southern Lost River Range, where we climbed Ferguson, Shadow Lakes, and Octoberfest peaks and Massacre Mountain. We had bad weather for two of the three days. Pictures 21-23 are of some bighorn sheep taken with a 200mm lens - it was only the second time I had seen bighorns in Idaho.
  

• Here is a trip Steve Grantham, Bela and I took on 5 July 05 to the southern Pioneers. We climbed Antares Peak, an unamed peak, and another thing that is probably just a shoulder of Antares. There were the remains of what was once a major mining operation on the side of Antares.