Elevation: 6,854 ft
Prominence: 483
This peak is not in the book. Published November 2024
Peak 6854 is the second of five ranked summits on Upper Valley Road in the Soda Springs Hills. It is most easily climbed from BLM-50 (a side road just off of Upper Valley Road/BLM-11) via its east ridge or east face. USGS Alexander
Peak 6854 (forested hump in center) as viewed from the northeast. Livingston Douglas Photo
Access
From US-30 a few miles west of Soda Springs (and 0.9 miles east of the US-30/ID-34 junction), turn north onto [signed] Oregon Trail Road. Drive 1.4 miles north up Oregon Trail Road to a signed junction with Upper Valley Road/BLM-11. Reset your odometer here. At 2.8 miles, reach a signed road junction. Go left onto BLM-50 and drive 0.5 miles to a bend in the 2-track road at a fork in the canyon. Park at this fork in the field grass (6,150 feet and 42⁰41’41”N, 111⁰41’22”W).
East Ridge, Class 2
The Climb
From the grassy pullout, bushwhack west then southwest up through a thick pine forest. You will soon come upon an open ridge. Head right/west then northwest up the semi-open ridge of grass/brush and pines/mountain mahogany. Reach an open grassy hump north of the summit. Follow the ridge down about 10 vertical feet to a saddle.
From the saddle, bushwhack up through thick-ish forest and brush to the summit. I built a cairn on the high point. On the descent back to the road, the pine forest blocks your visuals. Aim for the canyon fork, which you may be able to see. If you err, head a bit left/north and then descend the northwest fork on the remnants of an old 2-track back to the canyon fork and your parked vehicle.
Peak 6854 (dead center) as viewed from the north on the high ridge. Livingston Douglas Photo
The grass-and-mahogany summit. Livingston Douglas Photo
Additional Resources
Regions: Blackfoot Mountains->Soda Springs Hills->SOUTHERN IDAHO
Mountain Range: Blackfoot Mountains
Longitude: -111.6999 Latitude: 42.6932