Elevation: 7,042 ft
Prominence: 302
This peak is not in the book. Published November 2024
Peak 7042 is one of several ranked summits in the northern ramparts of the Caribou Range. It sits southwest of magnificent Mount Baldy (7,388 feet). This area is a mix of private and public land, so be careful. This climb is entirely on BLM and National Forest land. USGS Point Lookout
Peak 7042 as viewed from the south. This was my descent route. Livingston Douglas Photo
Access
From US-26 exactly 24.1 miles east of the Idaho Falls Caribou-Targhee National Forest Service Office, turn right/south onto [signed] Antelope Creek Road and reset your odometer. At 3.1 miles, go left at an unsigned junction. At 6.0 miles, go right at an unsigned junction. At 6.9 miles, go right/north at an unsigned “T” junction. At 10.0 miles, the road reaches an unsigned junction with Trail Creek Road. Go left/south onto Trail Creek Road (a public access road through private land). At 13.7 miles, reach an unsigned junction with Indian Fork Road.
Turn left/south onto Indian Fork Road and drive 0.7 miles to a pullout and park (impassable mudhole at 0.8 miles). This pullout is at 6,090 feet and 43⁰25’42”N, 111⁰35’59”W. In drier conditions, you may be able to drive to the Caribou National Forest boundary and park there to shorten this climb. Antelope Creek Road is a badly rutted dirt road so be advised. Do not drive it in wet conditions. This is the first leg of a 2-peak journey that includes Peak 7042 and Peak 7283. It covers 5.5 miles with 1,600 feet of elevation gain round trip.
Northeast Shoulder, Class 2
The Climb
From the roadside pullout, hike about ¾ mile southeast up Indian Fork Road to the [signed] Caribou National Forest boundary. Leave the road here and follow an old road bed (that turns into a foot trail) heading diagonally right/south down to Indian Fork Creek in a marshy area. Amazingly, this unmapped foot trail crosses the creek on a nice wooden footbridge. The trail continues right/southwest to follow the right/northwest side of the drainage.
Leave the foot trail as it crests and begins a descent into the drainage. Bushwhack right/west up onto a shoulder in steep scrub with gaps. Continue southwest then west up the shoulder through the thick-ish scrub on elk trails and other gaps. Higher up, the scrub shortens and the slope steepens. Pop out on the small, open summit and find a large cairn.
The large summit cairn atop Peak 7042. Livingston Douglas Photo
Peak 7042 (dead center) as viewed from low on the northeast shoulder. This was my ascent route. Livingston Douglas Photo
South Face, Class 2
The Descent
From the summit, descend south-southwest in short scrub toward the east side of a saddle. Cross a drainage then head south up almost 100 vertical feet to skirt the right/west edge of a thick aspen forest that clogs any potential straight shot to the connecting saddle with Peak 7283. Descend in magnificent open terrain (almost no scrub) along a fence row to reach the bare connecting saddle at the base of the northwest ridge of Peak 7283. This concludes the first leg of today’s 2-peak adventure. Peak 7283 is up next.
Additional Resources
Regions: Caribou Range->SOUTHERN IDAHO
Mountain Range: Caribou Range
Longitude: -111.5998 Latitude: 43.4161