Peak Bagging Opal Mountain Area of the Owyhee Mountains

Free-Hiking The Owyhee Mountains of Idaho in October 2017

Opal Mountain or Peak 4602 is where I was headed. 

Summary of a local hike: The first real hike of the fall is highlighted in this post. The Owyhee Mountains of southern Idaho have been my cold season go-to recreation location for many years. With a cloudy and windy day predicted by weather experts, I decided some peak bagging was in order.

The Story: I named a peak in this area "Opal Mountain" about five years ago and this hike would take me back to the same mountain but I would be approaching the peak from a different direction. Peak 4602 is normally attacked from the north starting at a parking area off the Poison Creek Cut-off Road. This hike started from the Poison Creek Canyon heading south on a narrow hiking/motorcycle trail in the creekbed.

Vein of jasper

I then headed west toward the not-so-distant peaks and just linked from one peak to the next. I had no real destination but did want to explore this area a little more than I did in the past. The geology of this small area is interesting. There are pockets and veins of opal, agate, and jasper in an otherwise sterile rockhounding environment. The rocks are the reason I keep coming back here.

Overall, I bagged about four minor peaks and three named peaks during this 3.5 hour wandering of the Owyhee Mountains. This place is an ideal place to get away from it all. In the 10 times I've been out in this area, it rare that I encounter another person. On this day, Oct. 11, 2017, I saw one truck on the main dirt road and a parked RV off in the distance.

The Hike Details
Date Of Hike: October 11, 2017
Name of Hike / Ride: Peak Bagging Opal Mountain Area of the Owyhee Mountains
Link To Photographs: https://photos.app.goo.gl/UoS9gREY0jdveT3p1
Total Hike: 4.40 miles
Vertical Feet: +1,502 feet / -1,504 feet
Average Slope: +12.2% / -13.6%
Elevation Ranges: 3,660 feet / 4,626 feet
Approximate Time On Trail: 3 hours 30 minutes
Facilities At Trailhead: None
Land Ownership: 100% BLM public lands
Road Mileage from Boise, Idaho to Trailhead: 73 miles
Online Map of This Hike: It's available and should contact me or leave a comment stating your wishes.

Outdoor Concierge Service: 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 some outdoor options.

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 3, 2017.

Thanks,



Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

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

The Big Draw MTB Ride in the Bruneau Desert

A mountain bike ride high above the desolation of the Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness of Idaho.

The fear of falling was a motivator for not getting too close to the edge.

Summary of a Mountain Bike Ride: This ride was originally part of a longer ride in the desert southeast of Bruneau, Idaho on October 18, 2017. Located in the desolated region containing the Bruneau River Canyon and only 70 ‘as-the-crow-flies’ miles southeast of Boise makes this a good day ride to see some spectacular scenery.

The Ride: The approach road was 6-9 miles of washboard and rutted gravel road with the main problem finding safe parking off Blackstone-Grasmere road. I found my safe spot about 2 miles further into the desert than I originally intended.

Once on my bike, the gently rolling hills made biking a little more interesting. Gravel/dirt roads in this area aren’t marked very well and from my experience, they aren’t maintained very often either. To highlight this point I completely missed my first turn heading east towards the canyons. Later in the day, I came out that road and I understand why I missed the turn on this loop-type ride. It didn't even look like a road nor a trail.

This is the turn or intersection I missed. It's on the left ;-)

The highlight of the trip was riding down more widely traveled unnamed trail that followed the rim of an unnamed canyon to a spit of land high above the Bruneau River Canyon. The view from that spit of land was dizzying and spectacular. Really … it was “Wow.”

Once I took in the views from all sides of that spit of land, I headed back to find the trail I should have been on before riding this road. Yes, I did have maps and had the capability to get back on the original circuit that I planned. But once I discovered I missed that first turn, I decided riding the planned loop in reverse couldn’t hurt. The bonus being I was staying on my published route.

The loop road was turned out to be a two-track that wasn’t marked. This loop part of the ride is an official BLM jeep trail while the trail out to the canyon rim is not. My expectation was this part of the ride would be flat and a speedy ride. That didn’t pan out either.

There is an Air Force A-10 aircraft in this photo. They flew close to me but I was slow on the camera.

The loop road was flat but bumpier than the worst washboarded road I’ve been on. I probably cruised this two-track at 10 miles an hour and it tried to shake my brains loose for most of its length. The scenery wasn’t exactly special either. I did watch two military A-10 aircraft flying in the canyon only about 1/3 of a mile away. You don’t get to see that very often in other places in the world unless it’s a war zone.

This wasn’t a mountain biker’s ride but more of a touring #mtb exploring an area not many have ever ventured on a bicycle.

The Ride Details
Date Of Ride: October 18, 2017
Name of Ride: The Big Draw MTB Ride in the Bruneau Desert
Link To Photographs From Ride: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fNfYsEAwyRMEjfld2

Bike Ridden: Giant Talon 2 (2017)
Total Mountain Bike Mileage: 13.8 miles
Vertical Feet: +669 feet / -689 feet
Average Slope: +1.7% / -1.5%
Elevation Ranges: 3,401 feet / – 3,736 feet
Facilities At Trailhead: None
Land Ownership: 100% on public BLM lands. I may have entered the Bruneau-Jarbidge Rivers Wilderness while walking around the above mentioned “spit” of land.
Road Mileage from Boise, Idaho to Trailhead: 80 miles

Why "The Big Draw"? The Crowbar Gulch topo map identified it as such. 

If venturing to this area, please understand the small town of Mountain Home, Idaho to the north of this area 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 southern Idaho, USA, I will be glad to discuss your options.

This story was originally published on October 20, 2017.

Thanks,



Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

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

Spivey Road – South of Oreana, Oct. 2017 Bike Ride

A fun but exhausting October 2017 mountain bike ride in southwestern Idaho.

Looking down into Browns Creeks Canyon with the Silver City Mountains of Idaho in the distance

Summary of the Mountain Bike Ride: This mountain bike ride ( #Mtb ) was completed on Oct. 5, 2017, in the Owyhee Front south of Oreana, Idaho. The ride, located about 40 ‘as-the-crow-flies’ miles south of Boise, was on gravel and dirt roads, mostly suitable for higher clearance vehicles as well as ATVs and mountain bikes.

With temperatures in the 50s, this out and back, 22 mile, 1,600 foot vertical, bike ride was grueling for me. The road was rocky, yet not technical but was uphill all the way. The rockiness detracted from the ride because it prevented me from watching the horizon for deer and more specifically, bighorn sheep. However, the view to the south of the Owyhee Mountains and the various shallow canyons was quite beautiful.

The Ride Details: I forgot to turn-off my GPS tracking when I got back to the truck and it continued to track all the way home and into the house. All statistics are approximated but likely very close to reality.

Specifics

Date Of Ride: October 5, 2017
Name of Ride: Spivey and Alder Creek Road Ride
Link To Photographs From Ride: https://photos.app.goo.gl/PYkukRMsr8Gh1alA2
Total Mountain Bike Mileage: 21.9 miles
Vertical Feet: About 1,600 feet. This is the one stat my GPX/Google Earth are having troubles parsing.
Average Slope: 2.9% / Max Slope: 11%
Elevation Ranges: 2,792 to 4,285 feet

Land Ownership: Mostly Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and some Idaho State Lands. No private property was encroached upon during this ride.
Facilities At Trailhead: None
Road Mileage from Boise, Idaho to Trailhead: 65 miles

The end of the trail for me. 

If venturing to this area from the east, 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 18, 2017.

Thanks,



Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist


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

Failed Owyhee Mtns Quad-Peak Hike

Last edited on April 4, 2017

I planned out a hike in the Owyhee Mountains of southwestern Idaho that involved bagging four closely spaced peaks off Mud Flat Road, 21miles southwest of the city of Grand View. I attempted that hike on April 1, 2017, and failed to summit only one of the peaks. It turned out to be a wonderful day in the great outdoors.

Tim Bondy in the Owyhee Mountain during April 2017 - On top of Peak 5882

Why didn't I summit the other peak? That peak, "Rocky Points Peak," was a just a little out of the way. Plus, it would have meant I would have had hike to a saddle about 300 feet below that new summit and I just wasn't up for it. So yeah, I was lazy.👎👎👎 On the bright side, I have another peak to explore in the future. 👍👊

The Location And Owyhee Peak Names 

The hike is close to the relatively unknown "Lone Juniper Creek." There is a two-tract or dirt road running north and then west of the peak area but I stay mostly off of it.

The Peaks:

• Peak 5642 - summited 👍
• Peak 5787 - summited 👍
• Peak 5882 - summited 👍
• The self-named "Rocky Points Peak." - Nope, didn't make it there. 👎

Click On Map, Zoom In/Out and Explore

My research shows some private property is in the area but well away from the peaks, although there is a fence line running along the ridgeline I followed. I suspect it is a BLM grazing allotment fence. However, based on the condition of the fence, maybe I'm missing something and there is private property up there too?

Timbers prop-up the post while a boulder and wire do a counter-balancing act.

Is this a BLM or Idaho fence in the Owyhee Mountains?

Why There?

Why there? It's been awhile since I explored this area for cool rocks and decided some rockhounding while hiking in a place not many have tread would add an extra dimension to this microadventure. The "Rocky Points Peaks" was chosen because of how rocky and gnarly it looked on Google Earth. The other peaks I sought out were chosen because they "they were there."

Cross-country hiking at its finest in the Owyhee Mountains south of Grand View, Idaho.

Other Details

• Total Hike Mileage: 3.99 miles
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,494 feet
• Total Time: Trailhead To Trailhead: 3:45 hours
• Slope: Avg = 12.8% / Max = 41.3%
• Link To More Photographs From The Hike: https://goo.gl/photos/29jZ9VXM5RvVLtZs5
• Parking Location: 42.749351, -116.310569
• Topo Maps: Rough Mountain and Snow Creek Quadrangle 7.5 minute series
• Video From Peak: https://youtu.be/vqulV1Zl87Q

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 4, 2017.

Thanks,


Tim Bondy
Freelance Writer & Citizen Journalist

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

Danskin Mountains Peak 4743 Hike

Last edited on March 24, 2017

I went on a 3.5 mile, 1,500-foot elevation gain/loss hike on March 22, 2017, in what I'm calling the Danskin Mountains of southwestern Idaho. The beautiful spring weather and relatively light winds made the hike quite pleasant.

Tim Bondy - Freelance Hiking Writer

Map Of The Hike:

Below is a Google "My Map" that I created out of the GPS track I recorded on my smartphone during the hike. Google has updated the My Map feature and it looks very useful ... for now. However, these Google features seem to have a very short lifespan before being discontinued.

The lines on the map are the exact path I walked, while the two additional markers are the peak and a secondary destination. Play around with the map and you'll find you can move around inside the app to see more details if you wish.





I hiked further than I originally planned and that is concerning for me for two reasons:

1. Because this was a solo hike and if I got hurt, hiking outside of my planned route would have made any rescue more difficult. I leave the specific hiking route I plan to walk with my wife. The only saving grace for the off-plan segment was the visibility of where I was going. In this case, I was directly below the peak I planned on turning around. 
2. I didn't research the land ownership on the extended trek. The maps I looked at after the hike showed I entered private property. I walked about 400 feet into property owned by Michael Wilder out of Star, Idaho. I feel rather strongly about avoiding private property and on this day, I didn't do my due diligence. My bad. 

More about the hike:

• From Boise: It's a 50 minute, 42 mile drive to the trailhead.
• The drive to the "trailhead" is mostly paved with about 6 miles of good gravel road suitable for passenger cars.
• Pick up everything you'll need for the hike before coming into the Mountain Home, Idaho area. 
• Trailhead/Parking is or can be just off a two-track at 43.271759, -115.674936. Pick you stopping point and just go.
• This is cattle/ranching country.
• This is also mule deer country.
• There is a two-track leading up to the ridge. Use it or don't but I find going off trail/road you'll encounter less trash and a nicer environment. Explore.
• Know what lands are public and which are private ... that means you too, Tim Bondy.
• Keep Public Lands Public...
• There is a fence on the ridgeline. It's not a private/public divide. Climb under or if you're tall enough step over. There were a few sections, at the time, where the fence was broken down. 
• A photo album with way too many pictures from the hike can be viewed at https://goo.gl/photos/G6dYp2g5ztem69K97

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. Go ahead ... do it.

Originally published on March 24, 2017

Thanks,



Tim Bondy Freelance
Writer & Citizen Journalist

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

.

Idaho Teapot Dome Hike - Video From The Top

Last edited on March 22, 2017

The weather forecast was looking good so I make the decision to hike up a local volcanic peak called Teapot Dome. With temperatures in the 60s and plenty of sunshine, I headed up Highway 20 towards Fairfield, Idaho. But before heading up the mountains, I veered off to the right towards the massive lava peak about two miles off in the near distance.

Teapot Dome is about 50 miles southeast of Boise, Idaho

To get there:

• From Interstate 84, Exit 95 head north for about 7.1 miles. Turn right or southeast onto NE Teapot Road.
• Drive for one mile on this good gravel road.
• Turn left on a two track road and park close to the intersection on the right. (43.183760, -115.547435)
• That lava massive extending well to the east is Teapot Dome. (43.181057, -115.533046)
• Point your nose towards the peak and start walking.

Other Info:

• This is a non-trailed cross-country hike.
• All the lands from the parking spot to the peak are public and freely open to hiking. 
• There are other places to access this peak further down NE Teapot Road. 
• If you are looking for outdoor gear, food or drink, it's best to buy in Boise or Twin Falls. Mountain Home, Idaho is a city in decline. 

More photos from this hike can be viewed at https://goo.gl/photos/XbdvcbgquKyJzb3B7

If you liked this story, please consider sharing this post with your friends and family. And you can provide other feedback by clicking a simple "Reactions" checkbox at the bottom of this story.

Originally published on March 22, 2017

Thanks,


Tim Bondy Freelance
Writer & Citizen Journalist

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

.

We Already Share and Use Our Public Lands

Last edited on March 16, 2017

At least two Idaho state legislative representatives are quite excited about the prospects of getting their hands on some, most or all 32 million acres of the federally owned lands in our state. This public lands take-over wet dream is also shared by the right wing conservative majority in other western states with Utah politicians being the most vocal. Locally, Representatives Megan Blanksma and Christie Zito are the noise makers.

The fence between cleaner and pooh-strewn on our public lands of Idaho

Photo Details:
Geographic Coordinates: 42.7709056, -116.298325
Date: March 15, 2016 at 3:48 P.M.
Owyhee County, Idaho.
Land Ownership: The people of the USA.
Photographer: Tim Bondy from Tim Bondy - Freelance Writer

In May 2016, Megan Blanksma and Christie Zito, then legislative district 32 candidates extolled their vision of how great it would be if we could more readily share our public lands with corporations and/or allowed the state of Idaho to "manage" all those lands. We already know Idaho is better known for selling their state lands than properly managing them.

The word "Manage" as used by Blanksma means "being in charge of" instead of  the other definition, "help in the administration of our public lands for all people."

Sharing Already - The Proof Is On The Land
On March 15, 2017, I went on a hike that started on Mud Flat Road in the Owyhee Mountains of southwestern Idaho. The cross-country hike took me up to Peak 5356 and back again. The first half of the hike was on the State of Idaho lands and likely some federally owned BLM grazing allotments also.

During the state and grazing allotment portion of the hike, I shared the land with a massive amount of cow patties. This is quite normal in this portion of the Owyhees. The fence and the lands seen beyond in the above photograph were conspicuously free of the shared cow patty environment.

Once I crawled under that fence, there was no more empty cans, junk or trash. Around the peak however, there were some old cow patties. I suspect these were from cows that migrated up to this area from another grazing allotment to the north and east. So Representative Christie Zito from Idaho Legislative District 23, we are sharing our lands. No more compromise required ... okay?

Finding Nemo the Cow Patty out in the desert is easy

Management For Corporations
Representative Blanksma from Idaho Legislative District 23 wants Idaho to manage, as in take full control of our federal lands. She has no real plan other than an old bill that Congressman Raul Labrador submitted a few years ago. That bill was just a public lands take-over idea.

The only way Idaho could afford to "manage" our federal lands is by selling off a good chunk of it and agreeing to use that money to manage the lands they grabbed from "We, the People." Remember, Idaho won't even fund education properly and local school district are forced to vote on funding levies every few years just so school buildings can be properly maintained.

Call To Action
I know there are a lot of people living in Idaho who wish to keep public lands public. These people come from all walks of life and use some of the 32 million acres of federally owned lands in many different ways.

There are concerned fishermen, kayakers, hikers, ORV users, motorcyclists, birder, hunters, rockhounders and explorers to name just some of the hobbyists I can think of.  If you use our public lands in a responsible and gentle way, please tell your state and federal elected officials to "Keep Public Lands Public ... now and forever."


Originally published on March 16, 2017.

Thanks,


Tim Bondy Freelance
Writer & Citizen Journalist

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

.

Hike To Below Peak 5651 - Owyhee Mountains

Last updated on March 14, 2017

Summary: This review is about a hike in Owyhee County, Idaho, a place that you might find is a good vacation spot if you are looking for uncrowded outdoor recreation. It's also unique, rugged and quite beautiful. 

I went on a solo cross-country hike in the Owyhee Mountain southwest of Grand View, Idaho. Peak 5651 was my destination but I never made all the way to that little spot on this earth but I was close. Why? I ran out of energy and I'm not in the best physical condition after a long, cold winter.

The view from near Owyhee Peak 5651 in March 2017. Rough Mtn. is the name of the snow covered peak in the mid-ground

Stop For Food and Supplies
If you are need of some last minutes food or supplies, there is a cafe and a small general store on Highway 78 just outside of Grand View, Idaho. For a better choice of supplies and munchies, buy them in the Boise, Caldwell or Meridan area before heading out.

Here is Grand View, Idaho link to Google Maps 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Grand+View,+ID+83624/@42.9832396,-116.1069455,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x54addd3e7db5cd89:0x95af201b2651a22e!8m2!3d42.9896139!4d-116.0934305?hl=en&authuser=0 Mountain Home is a city in real decline and it's a good idea to stay away when on vacation.

Details:

• Coordinates the photo was taken: 42.7479889, -116.2795861
• Taken on March 12, 2017, at around 3:30 P.M.
• 20 miles southwest of Grand View and 60 miles south of Boise, Idaho (as the crow flies)
• All lands along the hike to the peak were public and freely open to hiking 
• To start the hike, park at or near coordinates 42.766069, -116.280721 just off Mud Flat Road.
• There are no trails to the peak so you just need to point your nose towards your destination and start walking. No, really.

A spit of land called "Between the Creeks" can be seen in the background.

Why Off Trail There?
The primary reason I wanted to peak-out in this particular area was so I could view and possible hike part of the way down into the Shoofly Creek canyon a.k.a. Perjure Canyon. The hike up to this butte was tougher than I expected so I stopped when the view was good enough. And the views of this little-visited canyon area were spectacular.

Video was taken from the summit area

When looking along the northern horizon I could see the snow covered mountain peaks extending from Near Ontario, Oregon and eastward to the Pioneer Mountains near Haily, Idaho. That's a quite a view considering Haily is over 100 miles from Peak 5651. 

Originally published on March 14, 2017.

Thanks,


Tim Bondy Freelance
Writer & Citizen Journalist

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

.