No. 65, South Wet Creek Peak, Lost River Range, Idaho

I was hoping for another 2-fer weekend, because I've had three in a row and because I'm making up for a late mountaineering season. The goal today (9/27/09) was South Wet Creek Peak and Wet Creek Peak in the east end of the Lost River Range, accessed via Pass Creek summit. So with that in mind I asked a friend, Bryan, if he'd like to join me. He had done Mt. Borah a few times many years ago (and as I would find out this day, he hiked 13 miles the day before, geez). Well for a nice, introductory, non-Borah mountaineering experience, I probably couldn't have picked worse....10 miles round trip, and 4,100 elevation gain over 5 miles...but I have a tendency to not look at the "details" until after the climb. Regardless, having been in the basin two weeks before, I knew it could be a long approach, long day. So we took off on an early start, in crisp morning air, under a clear sky that promised to stay with us all day.

The approach started on developed Forest Service trails from the trail head through fir/pine forest to Bear Lake.

After the lake, most of the hike was through a sunshine-filled gully that was long and energy sapping. By this point we had seen 9 deer.

Having reached and crossed the relatively flat basin, it was time to make the final climb to the summit that, in this photo, is further back on the right-hand peak, out of view. It was on this approach that we saw a bighorn sheep, across the way, on the ridge of Hidden Peak.

It was later than I had hoped when we reached the summit, and timewise, I was concerned about going after the second peak. Bryan was already stretched out on the summit to watch me go it alone. Well, the gully had hammered me as well, and tempting as it was, I elected to pass on my 2-fer opportunity. We found a register with signatures back from 1992, so we added our names to that. Bryan took some fabulous photos on the summit for posterity; I took a sapphire (my nano's name) panorama; we had wine (the little 4-pack bottles are perfect for day hikes), cheese and crackers; and headed back down.

It's not everyone's thing, but I have tried to introduce willing adventurers to the mountains. So few people really get the opportunity, which I was fortunate to have been given in the 90s. The mountains are very spiritual for me and make my everyday problems sooo small when I see the enormity of God's handiwork in this beautiful State. I hope they become as special to others...at the very least they can say, "Hey, i climbed that." I am blessed to still be able to participate in this sport that I love so much. I never thought I'd have had the ability to summit 1, let alone 65 mountains...i wonder if i have 35 more in me...that would be cool.

Make that South Wet CREEK Peak and Wet CREEK Peak...kept forgetting the "creek" in the names.