Find Nearby Peaks

This peak is not in the book. Published November 2018

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Peak 7461 sits as a sentinel above the traffic that crosses Geneva Summit on US-89 above Montpelier, ID. Ironically, due to the thick forest on the north side of the summit cap, US-89 is not visible from the summit. Peak 7461 separates Wood Canyon from Montpelier Canyon. This is cattle country. You must cross at least one cattle fence to bag this summit. The peak requires just over 500 feet of ascent from Geneva Summit. USGS Montpelier Canyon

Northeast Face/East Ridge, Class 2

Access

From the junction of US-30 and US-89 (just north of Maverik and Boulim’s), turn east onto US-89 and drive 9.1 miles to reach Geneva Summit (6,923 feet elevation). Park on either side of the highway in a large truck pullout area. Geneva Summit is actually a pass not a summit. It serves as the connecting saddle between Peak 7461 and Peak 7575.

The Climb

From Geneva Summit, head southwest and almost immediately cross a cattle fence near the highway. Scramble up a steep slope of black dirt then desert scrub. You will find numerous cattle trails in this terrain. As you approach the forest line, follow a good cattle trail below the edge of the forest bending left/south to diagonally climb up the slope onto the east ridge of the peak. Once on the open ridge, scramble northwest to the open summit. The summit has a small cairn.

The key to this climb is to avoid the thick forest that covers the northern aspects of this mountain. The terrain in that forested area is very steep and is clogged with blowdown. Use cattle trails to expedite your ascent up the steep northeast face. If you analyze the USGS topo map, you can see the open area of the northeast face and how it leads up to the east ridge.

South Ridge, Class 2

Access

Same as for the northeast face/east ridge

The Descent

From the summit, descend west down a poorly-defined ridge (initially). This beautiful, open ridge of easy scrub soon takes form and is a fast assignment. The ridge bends right/northeast as it approaches a small bowl at its base. This bowl is at the convergence of two dry drainages and sits below US-89. There are multiple cattle fences here going in different directions. Climb north over a cattle fence to reach the low point at the bottom of the Montpelier Canyon drainage and at the base of a steep scrub hill leading up to the guardrail next to the highway. The south ridge is far more beautiful than the rather ugly, steep, messy northeast face that you ascended to get to the summit.