Elevation: 9,303 ft
Prominence: 283
This peak is not in the book. Published November 2022
Peak 9303 is located on a cirque at the headwaters of Frenchman Creek. It is most easily climbed from Smiley Creek via the West Fork Big Smoky Creek Trail/FST-224 and its west face or northwest ridge. USGS Frenchman Creek
Peak 9303 (dead center) as viewed from the northeast. Livingston Douglas Photo
Access
Same as for Peak 9495. This is the second leg of a 5-peak adventure that includes Peak 9495, Peak 9303, Peak 9599, Peak 9540, and Peak 9818.
Northeast Ridge, Class 2
The Climb
From the 8,700-foot connecting saddle with Peak 9495, scramble southwest up through forest or semi-open forest (often using a decent game trail) to reach the forested summit of Peak 9303. The high point is in an open field that is surrounded by pine forest. The USGS map is correct on its positioning of the summit. There is no summit cairn nor any loose rock with which to build one.
Peak 9303 (summit is right of center) and the northeast ridge (descending diagonally left from the summit), my ascent route. Livingston Douglas Photo
South Ridge, Class 2
The Descent
From the summit, head south into open scrub (easy) and descend to a saddle at 9,020 feet. There are ridge pines to skirt on the south ridge so it is a bit tedious. This is the connecting saddle with Peak 9599. It concludes the second leg of today’s 5-peak adventure. Peak 9599 is up next.
Peak 9303 (the semi-open hump in mid-ground) as viewed from the south. Livingston Douglas Photo
Additional Resources
Mountain Range: Sawtooth Range
Longitude: -114.81591 Latitude: 43.80869