Find Nearby Peaks

This peak is not in the book. Published November 2019

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Peak 8297 North is one of two summits of exactly equal, measured heights. This is highly unusual, particularly given that the summits are over 1-1/2 miles apart via a twisting, turning, up-and-down ridge traverse. Thankfully, the terrain here is open scrub and goes relatively quickly. You must do each summit in order to bag this peak. The ridge traverse takes just under 40 minutes each way. The north summit alone is NOT ENOUGH. You must also do Peak 8297 South. Since the peaks are of equal height, you can claim TWO summits if you do the work. USGS Antelope Flat

East Ridge, Class 2

Access

Same as for the east ridge of Peak 8288/Broken Wagon Peak. This route is the final leg in a ridge traverse from Peak 8288 to Peak 8297 South to Peak 8297 North.

The Climb

From the 8,100-foot saddle at the base of the north face of Peak 8297 South, pick up a good elk trail that skirts the west side of a couple of minor ridge humps to get past Point 8205. Scramble west across the easy, open ridge to reach a final hump (8200+). Descend north to another saddle [Note: you can skirt this final hump, at least a little, by using an elk trail on the hump’s east side].

From the final saddle, head north up a final section of easy ridge to reach the small, gentle summit of Peak 8297 North. In contrast to the decent summit cairn atop Peak 8297 South, Peak 8297 North had no summit cairn. I built a small cairn atop the high point. There isn’t much talus/scree to work with here. Return to the summit of Peak 8297 South by descending the east ridge of Peak 8297 North and ascending the northeast face of Peak 8297 South. From the summit of Peak 8297 South, descend to Broken Wagon Creek Road and follow it east for about four miles to return to the parking area near US-93.