I was tipped-off by K7DJL that Salmo was nearly a drive-up summit not too far from our planned camp on Priest Lake. Turned out that it was a fun scenic drive through cedar and hemlock forest and over a couple of mountain passes. The summit looks into Canada so we decided to spend the night in the saddle between the 1960s era US Forest Service Lookout and the actual summit.
5.1-miles, +1,705 ft, -963 ft; From Elk Mountain TH
I activated Bilk Mountain on Day-1 of a long backpacking trip.
It is a relatively long drive to the trailhead on good Forest Service Roads. Most vehicles should be able to make it with no troubles, but some clearance is helpful. This summit combines nicely with W7I/IC-172 (Green Mountain), which is a drive-up.
1.5-miles, +920 ft
Elk Mountain has a notable 2,166 feet of prominence and a pleasant trail to near the summit.
It is a relatively long drive to the trailhead on good Forest Service Roads. Most vehicles should be able to make it with no troubles, but some clearance is helpful. This summit combines nicely with W7I/IC-172 (Green Mountain), which is a drive-up.
18.7-miles, +5,750 ft; -1,590 ft; From N. Fork Trailhead
Evans Peak is an iconic mountain that is the 4th highest peak in Lewis and Clark County. I activated it as the fifth summit on a multi-day backpacking trip that went up Lake Creek, down Canyon Creek, up the Dry Fork & Cabin Creek, and then down Dobrota Creek and the North Fork of the Blackfoot back to the car. This route description is the reverse of the final leg, which is the most efficient approach.
15.9-miles, +4,320 ft; -1,060 ft; From N. Fork Trailhead via Dry Fork
I activated this as the third summit on a multi-day backpacking trip. We camped at the mouth of Dwight Creek and climbed from there.
15.7-miles, +3,230 ft; -1,100 ft; From N. Fork Trailhead via Dry Fork
I activated this as the second summit on a multi-day backpacking trip. We camped at the mouth of Dwight Creek and climbed from there, but it is also possible to camp in the area of the Dry Fork – Flathead Divide.
19.7-miles, +4,848 ft; -1,158 ft; From N. Fork Trailhead via Dry Fork
I activated this as the fourth summit on a multi-day backpacking trip. We camped at the mouth of Dwight Creek and climbed from there, from which the summit is a 6.5 mile on-trail hike with 3,200 feet of net elevation gain.
For those speedy hikers Rhodes Peak can be hiked in a day. For those like me, a trail sloth, a backpack camp at Goat Lake half-way there is a fine alternative for a multi-day hike to three nearby summits. The lake is within a scenic alpine basin next to W7I/NI-108 and looks across a valley to Williams Peak W7I/NI-003. Rhodes Peak is Clearwater County’s highpoint and is sought by those summiting every County highpoint in Idaho.
Williams Peak is a good trail hike with a short off-trail hike and a short rock scramble. The summit has good views but little room for operating. A good alternative is to hunker-in just below the summit and tie off to one of the few snags or live trees on the south side.
Summary - A long drive then a short, steep hike up to a nice meadow with a view. Good hiking shoes and trekking poles will be handy, as will GPS. Easy to make 2M contacts and APRS spots. Lots of trees for holding up wires and not a bad place to hang out for a few hours. Finding the trailhead can be a little challenging because of the unmapped roads in the vicinity and the Weyerhauser gates. Given the drive and the gates, plan on doing Ginsberg as part of a multi-summit day.