Find Nearby Peaks

This peak is not in the book. Published December 2024

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Peak 9621 is a rocky, rugged peak that sits on a high ridgeline that separates Greylock Creek from Eightmile Creek in the Eastern Salmon River Mountains. It is most easily climbed from the Estes Mountain area to its west. Peak 9621 sees very few visitors. USGS Custer

Access

Same as for Peak 9461. This is the second leg of a 3-peak adventure that includes Peak 9461, Peak 9621, and Peak 9477. It covers 9.0 miles with 4,150 feet of elevation gain round trip.

Southeast Ridge, Class 3

The Climb

From the 9,180-foot connecting saddle with Peak 9461, the steep, rocky southeast ridge of Peak 9621 looks ominous, probably impossible to climb. But, believe it or not, it goes at Class 3. From the saddle, scramble northwest in semi-open pine forest in loose underlying gravel/sand. Reach the base of a massive ridge buttress. Climb up this buttress on solid ridge rock (Class 3) then downclimb south and east to reach a ridge notch just above the buttress.

This downclimb is on angled ledges and scree/gravel. Skirt the right/east side of the massive buttress to reach a chute that leads up to the aforementioned ridge notch (Class 2+). This ridge notch lies between the buttress and the summit hump. Once at the notch, scramble up easy ridge rock to the summit. There were no signs of previous ascent, so I built a nice summit cairn.

Southwest Face/West Ridge, Class 2+

The Descent

From the summit, return down the southeast ridge to the ridge notch. Skirt around the east side of the massive ridge buttress to find a steep-ish, gravel/sand chute to quickly reach the southwest face. Descend diagonally west then northwest on the steep, angled white sand on the face to reach the crest of the west ridge. Descend the thickly-forested ridge (with copious blowdown) to quickly reach the forested, 9,060-foot connecting saddle with Peak 9477. This concludes the second leg of today’s 3-peak journey. Peak 9477 is up next.