Knuckle Peak

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#9999FF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04076ba3.gif"> <div> <B><U>CONTENTS</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Introduction.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Introduction"><U>INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="What's%20Newid128.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats New?"><U>WHAT'S NEW?</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Mount%20Borah.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mount Borah"><U><B>Mount Borah Guide.</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Linksid24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>LINKS</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Favorite Climbs"><U>FAVORITE CLIMBS</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Idaho%20Mountain%20Ranges%20by%20Region.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Idaho Mountain Ranges by Region"><U>MOUNTAIN RANGES BY REGION</U></A></div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="Northern%20Idaho.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NORTHERN IDAHO"><U>Northern Idaho</U></A></div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="Western%20Idaho.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Western Idaho"><U>Western Idaho</U></A></div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="Eastern%20Idaho.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastern Idaho"><U>Eastern Idaho</U></A></div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="Index%20S%20Idaho.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SOUTHERN IDAHO"><U>Southern Idaho</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="Climbing%20Articles.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Climbing Articles"><U>CLIMBING ARTICLES</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#99CCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04176bc1egdyqn.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFCC" FACE="Arial" ><B>Idaho: A Climbing Guide</B></FONT><B>   |   </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Idaho: A Climbing Guide"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Black Tip"><U>Black Tip</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boulder Mountain"><U>Boulder Mountain</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id161.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jughandle Mountains North Face"><U>Jughandle Mountain's North Face</U></A>   |   <B>Knuckle Peak</B>   |   <A HREF="id89.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SLAB BUTTE"><U>SLAB BUTTE</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id78.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SALMON RIVER MOUNTAINS"><U><B>Return to Salmon River Page</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#99CCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04176ba3.gif"> <div> Knuckle Peak</div> <div> <B>Knuckle Peak, the most impressive feature of the Bighorn Crags, is the highest point on the Fishfin Ridge. The 9,700 foot summit was first climbed by Lincoln Hales and Peter Schoening in 1955. See pages 124 and 125 for more information.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Caudill Barnett Route. (</B><I><B>II, 5.7, A1)</B></I><B>   </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#6633CC" FACE="Arial" > This exciting new route was put up by Kevin Caudill and Brien Barnett on July 23, 2001. It is the first new route I have heard about on Knuckle Peak in years. Kevin led the climb and he reports the rock quality "was sketchy at times."  Kevin's route description and more photos are found below. </FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="16c900b0.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="267" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Kevin Caudill describes the route as follows:   </div> <bR> <div> Access the route from harbor lake. The most important part of the route is getting to the ledge system that veers to the right (EAST) on the photograph.</div> <bR> <div> The long first pitch is rated 5.6 and crosses blocky rock to an obvious ledge. The route begins roughly 30 yards right of the largest pine tree at the base of the wall. The pitch climbs to the ledge in one full rope length..</div> <div>  Once on the first ledge you follow a series of corners up and to your right to the summit ridge in 4 or 5 pitches. These pitches must be shorter (1/2 to 3/4 rope lengths) than a full rope length due to rope drag. There are several options of routes between the first ledge and the summit ridge. The second pitch is short and 5.7 with few hard moves. The third pitch is 5.7, A1 with short but very hard section. The fourth pitch is also short and 5.7 with some hard sequences. The fifth pitch is a long sustained 5.6 climb which ends on the knife-edged summit ridge.</div> <bR> <div> The point where the route tops out on a knife-edged summit ridge has both great exposure and views. Without changing your stance you can could look down 600 ft to your left and 800 ft to your right. </div> <bR> <div> Once on the summit ridge, traverse one rope length EAST along the Class 3-4 knife-edged summit ridge to reach the summit block. This section crosses very loose blocks, staying roped is advised.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A word of caution From Kevin:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#6633CC" FACE="Arial" > I climbed the east ridge out of the notch between Rusty Nail and knuckle peak in 1997. It was my first gear lead and rappel. We rappelled directly from the summit block down the massive face above Wilson Lake. Their were very few rappelling horns and we rappelled off small trees 1 inch in diameter. The full face was 9 single rope rappels and three of the anchors were hair raising. I count myself lucky to be alive. I don't think I would have lived without divine intervention. ( We rappelled half of the face in the dark!!!!) A safer route down includes traversing West back past the end of the route and shortening the length of the face. there is a good starting point 70 meters from the summit block. Three double rope rappels with good protection is allot more enjoyable than the former struggle. </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="510" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#A0A0A4" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFF99" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFFCC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 326 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="16ec82c0.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="16fd5400.jpg" border=0 width="213" height="320" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 326 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="17040d60.jpg" border=0 width="320" height="214" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="171d8400.jpg" border=0 width="216" height="320" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>