Hike Up Peak 5915 - Near Camas Prairie

This December 12, 2017, hike was mainly an outing to escape the gloomy clouds and cold air of the Treasure Valley Inversion. 

Peak 5915 on Dec. 12, 2017 - still snowless even as of Dec, 18, 2017

The Snake River Valley in the western half of southern Idaho had been sitting under a strong low-level cold air dome with strong inversion above that cold air for about one week as we approached mid-December. The result of this weather phenomenon is a cloudy, foggy and gloomy valley atmosphere, while the mountains were sitting in above freezing temperatures and bluebird days. It's times like these that valley residents head to the mountains to warm up and find some sunny skies. I did.

This wasn't a strenuous hike and wasn't in a location that is particularly scenic but a hiker's got to take what a hiker is given. And a snow-free, 45℉ bluebird mid-December day in the mountains of Idaho was handed to me. I just needed to find that peak and a few hours of free time. I did.

A little planning or a lot of planning can go into a hike like this December 12, 2017, outing. This one took more planning than most. Most of the planning involved evaluating the short and long term weather forecast and researching land ownership in a location that wouldn't be too high and snowbound or too low and cloud-bound. And like the story of the three bears, this one location was "just right."

This is an upper air sounding from the Boise NWS. It shows a vertical cross-section of the atmosphere from the surface to about 50,000 feet for the day of the hike.

Why Do I Tell You This? The Hard Sell Is Why

If you are looking to get away from the city or the air base and just don't know where to go, I can research a trip for you. That research cost about $30 and you'll get digital maps for your adventure. I wanted to point out the lengths I go to research a hiking or a biking adventure. I also do research for rockhounding, fishing and sightseeing trips in southern Idaho also. 

You'd get a high resolution/geo-tagged pdf with your adventure route annotated right on the topo map.

Let me take most of the guesswork out of your adventures in the wilds of southern Idaho. My motto is "know before you go" and my Outdoor Concierge Service will do just that. It will also save you time. Most people use the "just heading for the mountains for a hike" method. Most times you'll end up on private property or a route that ends up in a less than ideal spot. Let me be your concierge.

The Hike Details

Date Of Hike: December 12, 2017
Name of Hike: Bennett Hills - Hike - Peak 5915 just off Highway 20
Name of KML/KMZ File: 12Dec2017-Bennett Hills- Hike-Peak 5915-Camas Prairie.kmz
Link To Photographs: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mcWKG1hibfSm4ytw1
Total Hike: 1.6 miles
Vertical Feet: +583 feet / -582 feet
Average Slope: +11.9% / -14.7%
Elevation Ranges: 5,416 feet / 5,915 feet (GPX file = max 5,896 feet)
Time On Trail: 1 hour 51 minutes
Facilities At Trailhead: None
Gear Used: New Balance hiking boots and Outdoor Product hiking pole
Land Ownership: 100% public Boise National Forest Service lands
Road Mileage from Boise, Idaho to Trailhead: 78 miles
Online Map of This Hiking / Biking / Adventure: It's available by contacting me, Tim Bondy through this website.

Outdoor Concierge Service

An online map of this hiking adventure is available by using the “Contact Me” form on this site or leaving me a comment on this story, stating your wishes.

If you would like more information about mountain biking, hiking, rockhounding, fishing or any type of adventures in the Bennett Hills (Danskin Mountains, along the Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness or Bruneau Desert), I will be glad to discuss some outdoor options. Use the contact form on this site I'll get back to you.

In Decline Statement

If venturing to this area, please understand the local opinion is my hometown of Mountain Home, Idaho, is a city in decline. There are some businesses thriving, but not many. Your best options are to avoid the place completely and stock up on food, supplies, and gas elsewhere. #MountainHomeIdaho #CityInDecline

This story was originally published on December 19, 2017.

Thanks,





Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

I am currently a proud citizen journalist, aka, "enemy of the American People!"

Peakbagging The Edge Of The Danskin Mountains

A late November 2017 peakbagging hike where I collected three peaks and some great views of southern Idaho's desert mountains.

The three peaks I bagged on Nov. 22, 2017

The Story

This was a late season hike and the way Idaho's weather can close in on me, it was supposed to be just a quick scramble to the top of Peak 5378. But my trained meteorological eyes told me the weather was obviously going to cooperate for the entire day so I decided to add a few peaks to the hike.

Steepness

I believe officially the hike was in the Danskin Mountains but geographically and geologically the route seemed more like the Mount Bennett Hills instead. The trailhead is just a wide spot on a dirt road and heads pretty quickly up a rather steep grade. There are no trails up this lava rock escarpment. 

During the first hour of the hike up, there was a 500-foot section of 39% average slope and places that seemed more cliff-like than trail. I try not to look down and I do better when things get steep like that.

Peak 5285

Self-named Peak 5285 (Blue Dot) took this old codger less than an hour to plant my boots on it. The view over the Snake River Plains, Bennett Mountain and the snow-capped peaks of the Soldier and Trinity Mountains were all quite visible from the peak. The name "peak" is being generous as it wasn't readily apparent where the unofficial peak was even on a topo map. My 7.5-minute quad topo map does show a closed contour giving me the opportunity to call it a "peak."

Next ...

A one-half mile hike to the northwest put me on another self-named peak. Peak 5377 is a little more visually prominent than Peak 5285 providing different views. Being a little closer to the Long Tom Creek, that river valley stood out as did the Snake River Plains. From the peak, I could easily see a two-track dirt road leading to my final destination and that was a little unexpected.

Peak 5377

Peak 5378 was less than one-half mile away and I took advantage of that path. As peaks go, it certainly didn't stand out as much of a feature. It's also where the two-track deadends. Again, the views were spectacular. I could easily see out to the Soldier Mountains, the Trinity Mountains, The Owyhee Mountains and the Jarbidge Mountains in Nevada. There is also a place where Long Tom Reservoir is visible and the juxtaposition of the deep blue against the nearly solid tan landscape of this area was striking.

The view of Long Tom Reservoir from Peak 5378

There were two features I found during the hike that I couldn't explain. See the two photos below for a good visual. The bottom photo shows a metal post recently drilled into solid rock on Peak 5378. The other was a small fenced-in area near the trailhead. If you have an explanation, leave a comment or use my contact form.

A small fenced area but why so small an area?

A metal post drilled into solid rock and recently painted

The Hike Details

Date Of Hike: November 22, 2017
Name of Hike: Hike To Peak 5378
Link To Photographs: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mtMRYiDtN9jCuCok2
Total HikeMileage: 3.2 mile out and back hike
Vertical Feet: +1,383 feet / -1,378 feet
Average Slope: +16.2% / -15.8%
Elevation Ranges: 4,503 feet / 5,379 feet
Total Time On Trail: 3 hours 20 minutes
Facilities At Trailhead: None
Gear Used: New Balance hiking boots, Outdoor Product hiking stick
Land Ownership: 100% BLM public lands
Road Mileage from Boise, Idaho to Trailhead: 56.5 miles
Online Map of This Adventure: It's available and should contact me or leave a comment stating your wishes.

Outdoor Concierge Service

An online map of this hiking/biking/fishing adventure is available by using the “Contact Me” form on this site or leaving me a comment on this story stating your wishes.

If you would like more information about mountain biking, hiking, rockhounding or any type of adventures in the (Danskin Mountains, along the Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness or Bruneau Desert), I will be glad to discuss some outdoor options. Use the contact form on this site I'll get back to you.

In Decline Statement 

If venturing to this area, please understand the local opinion is my hometown of Mountain Home, Idaho is a city in decline. There are some businesses thriving, but not many. Your best options are to avoid the place completely and stock up on food, supplies, and gas elsewhere. #MountainHomeIdaho #CityInDecline

This story was originally published on November 24, 2017.

Thanks,





Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

I am currently a proud citizen journalist, aka, "enemy of the American People!"

Teapot Dome Hike on October 19, 2017

A local hike in the southwestern Idaho's Bennett Mountain Hills in October 2017 is discussed in this post.

This was the path I took down the mountain. The summit is not visible in the photograph.

Summary of a local hike: This hike was more of a “get out and get some exercise” type of hike than an adventure. It can be done in short order so it’s a good “after work” or “just don’t want to sit around” activity for visitors to Mountain Home and Elmore County, Idaho.

This “canary in a mine” hike documents my physical fitness improvement in the last few years. In 2012, I could barely summit this local peak. I found this hike to still be a little strenuous but the biggest challenge was making sure I didn’t twist my ankle on the rocky ground.

The Hike Details
Date Of Hike: October 19, 2017
Name of Hike: Teapot Dome Canary in the Mine
Link To Photographs: https://photos.app.goo.gl/yjb6UywmTQgAK8nL2
Total Hike Mileage: 2.56 miles
Vertical Feet: +1,098 feet / -1,098 feet
Average Slope: +15.9% / -15.9%
Elevation Ranges: 3,741 feet / 4,717 feet
Hike Time From Trailhead To Summit: 1 hour 30 minutes
Facilities At Trailhead: None
Land Ownership: 100% BLM public lands
Road Mileage from Boise, Idaho to Trailhead: 54 miles

If venturing to this area, please understand the small town of Mountain Home, Idaho is a city in decline. Your best options are to avoid the place completely and stock up on food, supplies, and gas elsewhere. #MountainHomeIdaho #CityInDecline

If you would like more information about mountain biking, hiking, rockhounding or any type of outdoor adventures along the Owyhee Front, I will be glad to discuss your options.

This story was originally published on October 24, 2017.

Thanks,



Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

I am currently a proud citizen journalist, aka, "enemy of the American People!"

Hike To Idaho's Peak 6187 In The Bennett Mountains

Last edited on May 15, 2017

I haven't done much peakbagging in the Mount Bennett Hill / Bennett Mountain area north of Glenns Ferry, Idaho, USA. My goal was to bag Peak 6187 and from my research, I knew it wasn't a prominent peak at all but is would have excellent views down into the Little Canyon Creek area and over a little-visited area of this volcanically dominated mountainous landscape.

Perched on a ledge with a great view of Little Canyon Creek and the snowy Bennett Mountain in the distance

The Ascent - A Cross-Country Hike

The hike starts from the side of Bennett Mountain Road, a well-maintained gravel road and heads steeply up the ridgeline to the east. There is no real trailhead nor any paths to follow. It a "point your nose at the goal and put one foot in front of the other" type of hike. For this and all cross-country hikes, I suggest you chose your route wisely. I didn't.

From my starting point, I scrambled up a section of the mountainside for about seven-tenths of a mile, that was not only steep but also had slick footing. The "shaley" volcanic rock laying on loose dirt and gravel made for an 18-inches up, five-inches slide down for quite a distance. It was exhausting but not unpleasant.

Once I ascended that initial steep section the rest of the hike leveled off significantly. The distant views were as good as I expected. I suspect not many people have walked this section of earth but being cattle country, evidence of cows were easy to spot. I eventually encountered a mandatory fence line in the middle of nowhere and I followed it on the publically owned side.

Peak 6187 is just off the right side of the photo.

Not Peaking Out Regrets

I didn't stand on Peak 6187 on this hike. And again I have regrets for my decision. The initial ascent up the ridgeline was a sweaty event and the wind was blowing rather hard up there. So, while there was full sun and temperatures were likely in the high 50's, it was rather cold. I never removed my sweatshirt on this hike. Ironic, considering I debated at the trailhead if I should bring the sweatshirt on this hike. Obviously, I was glad I did.

I ended up about 725 feet south of the peak before heading down a ridgeline. Had I just put one foot in front of the other I would have likely had a great view of the West Fork of King Hill Creek and Lansing Springs.

Probably the biggest factor in not pushing on up the peak was because it didn't look very prominent or inspiring. Regretful. There was also that fence line that stood between me and the peak. Is Peak 6187 on private or public property? My research says "public" but why trespass when you don't absolutely need to. Bad justification ... I know.

The Descent

My descent back to my vehicle was another steep grind down a valley and intermittent stream course. The sagebrush was much thicker than on the ridgeline so I got to hopscotch and weave all the way down.

A dry creek bed provided an easier path down from Peak 6187

There was very little, if any, water in the streambed until getting into the lower elevations. At one point I came upon water flowing out of a spring. Not unusual, except the streambed was completely dry on the surface and 10 feet later water was flowing rather swiftly in that same streambed.

Rockhounding & Geology/Geography 

There were some cool volcanic hoodoo rock formations in the valley I descended but other than that, the area was sterile of any cool rocks. This is exactly is what I've come to expect while hounding in a "Rhyolite, quartz latite, and latite ignimbrites and flows; Miocene felsic volcanics; Owyhee Plateau" geologic area. However, because the earth's crust is always moving and you never know what could push up from the depths.

Selfie of Bondy and hoodoo on Bennett Mountain area hike

The Hike Data

Total Distance: 3.79 miles
Hike Configuration: Mostly cross-country loop around a high sagebrush steppe mountain valley
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,265 feet
Slope: Avg = 13.4% / Max. 41.5%
Time On Trail: 3:30 hours
Land Ownership: Mostly public lands (BLM) but a section of private property was also involved.
Trailhead Coordinates: Find a place near 43.169271, -115.316434 and head up the mountainside to the east.
Peak Coordinates: 43.189903, -115.309081
Facilities: None. The closest available food, equipment and/or bathrooms are located in Glenns Ferry, Idaho or 19 road miles to the south.
Link to more photos from the hike: https://goo.gl/photos/rymsEi8vG5spHa2M7
Road Miles from Boise / Twin Falls: 78 miles / 76 miles

Interactive Hike Map

Click, drag, zoom and explore the map for a better idea of how the hike up Peak 6187 would suit your hiking preferences.

Call To Action

If you liked this story, please consider sharing the post with your friends and family. You can also provide other feedback by simply clicking a "Reactions" checkbox at the bottom of this story or commenting. Go ahead ... do it.

Summary:

This hike was a tad disappointing. A little too steep at the beginning and not challenging enough for the rest of this microadventure. The highlights of the hike were the views and newness of the area. Obviously not peaking out was a disappointment. I'll be back peakbagging this area in the future. I already have a route picked out, so come on back to read about that future hike.


Originally published on May 15, 2017.

Thanks,


Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

I am currently a proud citizen journalist, aka "enemy of the American People!"
.

P.S. It is my opinion that Mountain Home, Idaho is a city in decline. While you could find goods and services in that town, I suggest you avoid Mountian Home completely.

Wilson Creek East Ridge Hike

Last edited on April 22, 2017

A ridgeline located just east of Wilson Creek, a tributary to southwestern Idaho's Anderson Ranch Reservoir, was the setting for my April 19, 2017, cross-country and solo hike. The views from the narrow and steep ridgeline were spectacular while the local, boots-on-the-ground environment wasn't so nice. It's a hike that I will probably be doing again.

View looking east from the ridge is expansive

The Distant Idaho Mountain Range Views

The views from this hike were amazing. Starting with creek and cliffs views along the easy hike from the trailhead at Wilson Creek and Reservoir Road to the place I picked to head up to a narrow "flat" east of the creek. Once I got up on the flats, the views gradually expanded to include the Soldier, Smoky, Trinity, Boise, Danskin and Bennett Mountains. Once I peaked out at an elevation of 5,812 feet it was hard not to just sit and stare. Beautiful.

The snow-covered House Mtn is framed by a wildfire burned pine tree.

Being mid-April, the last vestiges of mid-elevations snow added a nice juxtaposition to the "just starting to green-up" landscape. The higher elevations were still showing a deep snowpack and something I haven't seen this late for a quite a number of years.

The Views From The Local Environment

This area was burned rather thoroughly in August 2013 during the massive wildfire called the Elk Fire. From the flats leading up the ridgeline, there is very little vegetation at the current time. I suspect that before the fire, vegetation was sparse also. But it's likely worse 4 1/2 years later especially considering the years of drought we experienced in this part of Idaho during that time.

A majority of the trees on this geologic peninsula ridgeline are dead and the brush and bramble are sparse also. The most abundant vegetation in the immediate area is grass and that explains why there was so much deer and elk droppings along this cross-country hike. I had the company of a herd of mule deer from the time I got on the flats to the time I peaked out.


What I Wanted And What I Did - The Map - All 100% Public Lands Hike

Limited By Fear Of Falling

This hike was a perfect distance, both in mileage and vertical gain/loss for my current fitness level. However, that irrational fear of falling off planet earth persists when I'm on steep terrain. And the wide open and steep upper reaches of the ridgeline gave me the willies. I wouldn't even look downslope during the final attack on the ridgeline. I know ... irrational.

New Balance 703s boots still making tracks on Idaho

Once I got up near Peak 5812 the trail flattened out quite a bit, However, the mountainsides drop off sharply on both sides of that ridge. Once I spied how steep and foreboding my planned route back to the valley floor was, I decided to head back the way I originally scrambled up the ridgeline. I was still apprehensive of doing that even. In the end, the walk down the ridge felt quite safe. The fear was, again, all in my mind.

The Stats For The Day

• Trailhead location near Anderson Ranch Reservoir: 43.380888, -115.436823
• Peak 5812 Coordinates: 43.398324, -115.432376
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,804 feet / 1,947 feet
• Mileage: 4.82 miles
• Slope: Avg =  14.8% / Max =  51.7%
• Feet Wet Creek Crossings: Only one but possibly more if local erosion continues on the Wilson Creek stream bank. Bring water shoes or be prepared to get your boots wet until at least mid-May 2017.
• Landownership: All lands tread upon during this hike were public lands. 
• Link To More Photography: https://goo.gl/photos/Cwb24tQ1jiHFzF5J8

Call To Action

If you liked this story, please consider sharing the post with your friends and family. You can also provide other feedback by simply clicking a "Reactions" checkbox at the bottom of this story or commenting. Go ahead ... do it.

Originally published on April 22, 2017.

Thanks,


Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

I am currently a proud citizen journalist, aka "enemy of the American People!"
.

Hiking Boot Review - New Balance 703

Last edited on April 17, 2017

I bought a pair of New Balance 703 lightweight hiking or walking boots a number of years ago. They got plenty of hard use over the years and I was and still am happy with them. As of my last hike, (https://timbondy.blogspot.com/2017/04/peak-4922-near-syrup-creek-steep-cold.html) the boots are showing signs of wear and tears that made me buy a new pair of New Balance hiking boots.

Tim Bondy's Retired New Balance 703 Hiking Boots

Mountain Tops To Owyhee Canyons and Everywhere In Between

To the best of my recollection, I believe I bought the New Balance 703s at Cabela's in Boise, Idaho during the spring of 2014 or about three years ago. They've taken me on fishing trips, gold panning adventures, many rockhounding outings and of course countless hikes and microadventures during that time. And they held up rather well.

The Pro's

• Comfort: The boots fit my fat feet. For the first time in my life, I found a boot that didn't squeeze my toes together and blister them up after a long hike. The size 11, Quad E width has a toe-box made for wide feet like mine.
• Weight: The 703s are light. As we should know by now, the lighter the shoe the less effort required to move them forward. There is a trade-off between light and longevity and New Balance seems to have done that balancing trick pretty well with this model.
• Longevity: I rode those boots hard and put them away wet quite often and they still lasted a full three years. 

The wavy shoe laces were not my favorite feature of the 703s

The Con's

• Shoe Laces: The "Sure Lace" reciprocating wave pattern shoe laces never impressed me and made me actually wonder if they were some kind of product defect. In any case, they wore out shortly before the boot finally gave up on me. I put traditional boot laces in them towards the end. Some things just can't be improved upon and traditional shoe laces are one of those items.
• The Tread: The tread was the first thing to start wearing out on the New Balance 703s. But right to the end of its hiking life, there were no holes on the bottoms. 

The New Balance 703: A 5-star product.

Calling All Manufacturers - A Complaint

The wilds of the western part of the U.S., especially the high desert and sagebrush steppe environment has a lot of cheatgrass on it. Those cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) seed pods have small barbs that allow them to automagically attach themselves to the inside lining of most hiking boots.

Idaho cheatgrass attaches to boot linings 

Those pods, once they get into the lining, then poke and itch the ankle and heel during the rest of the hike. Then the process of removing the pods begins. I try to remove them before heading home because once they get home, the chances of them dispersing into the wind increases exponentially. Yes, I have cheatgrass growing in my yard.

So hey ... bootmakers? Find a lining that doesn't automagically attract cheatgrass seed pods.

My New New Balance Boots

I wasted no time in ordering a pair of New Balance Men's MW1400 Trail Walking Boot. Hopefully, they will be just as comfortable as my 703s were.

Call To Action

If you liked this story, please consider sharing the post with your friends and family. You can also provide other feedback by simply clicking a "Reactions" checkbox at the bottom of this story or commenting. Go ahead ... do it.

Originally published on April 17, 2017.

Thanks,


Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

I am currently a proud citizen journalist, aka "enemy of the American People!"
.

P.S. There are no stores in Mountain Home, Idaho to buy quality hiking boots. Boise or Twin Falls are the closest locations to buy most of your outdoor equipment.

Hike To "Didn't Follow Map" Peak In The Owyhee Mtns

Last edited on April 8, 2017

On April 5, 2017, I hiked up the wrong ridgeline in the Owyhee Mountains of southwestern Idaho. The hike was still quite excellent with views stretching from the Silver City Mountains, the mountains north of Boise, Mount Bennett Hills and even the Soldier and Smoky Mountain Ranges. The area is really greening up both in the valleys but also in the higher elevation of the Owyhees.

Horsehead Spring Creek. A stream that likely hasn't see that much water flowing in it for the last 10 years.

Ticks But No Tock

With water come ticks too. In the last month or so I've had a few ticks crawling on me but on this April 5, 2017, hike, ticks were plentiful. I picked up some near the 5,500-foot elevation of the hike. But suspect most of the 25-30 ticks I picked off me were living in the lush, green and very wet Lone Juniper Creek area.

In previous years, I never spent much time in this specific area but enough to know streams and creeks rarely ever run as high as they were during this April 2017 microadventure. I also suspect the waters have receded from their high point early in the year.

The Map

This embedded map proves a number of features. The orange line was my planned hike. The green line is my actual GPS track recorded during the adventure. There are a few markers that would make it easier to get to the trailhead. Oh, there is no real trailhead but just a place to park.

Lost My Way

One of the reasons I enjoy hiking in the Owyhee Mountains is because it's hard to get lost on a daytime microadventure. That doesn't mean I always remain true to my planned hike. In this case, I wandered off my planned hike by one mile and a whole ridgeline.

It wasn't until I was taking a break during a steeper portion of the hike that I looked at my map and discovered my navigation faux pas. By that time is was too difficult to get back on track. That really bugged me, however.

As a solo hiker, I always leave detailed plans of where I will be hiking with my wife in case something goes wrong. To me, being out of the area I said I would be hiking is a very bad idea. For example, there were many places where rocks, the size and shape of a softball, littered the steep hillsides. I did the full " slip, slide and fall" on this hike because of one of the rocks. No injuries but the opportunity existed.

Owyhee Peak 6581 and "Didn't Follow Map Peak."

My 6,000 Foot Quest

With Peak 6581 now out of reach being on the other side of the valley, my new goal became making it to the 6,000-foot level. That wasn't a real stretch but it was getting later than I wished. I pushed on so I could say "I did it" and for the views. That little volcanic plug is now and forever named "Didn't Follow Map Peak" and tops out at 6,005 feet.

Hike Details And other Info

• Date: April 5, 2017
• Who: Tim Bondy
• Where: Owyhee Mountains of southwestern Idaho.
• Land Ownership: Mostly public BLM lands but also a little sliver of Idaho State Lands.
• Elevation Range: 4,683 feet at the trailhead and 6,001 at "Didn't Follow Map Peak"
• Mileage: 4.42 miles
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,667 feet / 1,666 feet
• Avg / Max Slope: 13% / 37.1%
• Total Time On Trail: 3:50 hours
• Link To More Photographs: https://goo.gl/photos/TkUiCRsxijLvfcqu9

Owyhee Mountain Scenery - Had to stop and capture this view

Call To Action

If you liked this story, please consider sharing the post with your friends and family. You can also provide other feedback by simply clicking a "Reactions" checkbox at the bottom of this story or commenting. Go ahead ... do it.

Originally published on April 8, 2017.

Thanks,


Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

I am currently a proud citizen journalist, aka "enemy of the American People!"
.