Find Nearby Peaks

This peak is not in the book. This peak can be climbed as part of a three-peak traverse described at the following link: The Giveout Triple Play. Published November 2019

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Shale Point is the first of two ranked summits on a ridgeline that is separated from the higher Snowslide Ridge to the south by Snowslide Canyon. It has Montpelier Creek to the west (leading down to Montpelier Reservoir) and Crow Creek Road to the east. This is a fun ridge scramble from Crow Creek Road at the base of the southeast shoulder where the road makes a sharp turn left/north. USGS Meade Peak

Southeast Shoulder/South Ridge, Class 2

Access

Crow Creek Road/FSR-111 is located 6.9 miles east of Montpelier, ID on US-89. Leave Montpelier at the Phillips 66 gas station at the junction of US-89 and US-30. Turn left/north onto Crow Creek Road. At 2.0 miles, pass the upper end of the Montpelier Reservoir. At 4.5 miles, reach a junction with FSR-801 (signed). Park on the left/north side of Crow Creek Road in a pullout about 100 feet before reaching this junction. You are now at the base of the southeast shoulder of Shale Point. The elevation here is 6,705 feet.

The Climb

From the parking pullout, climb west-northwest up the steep sagebrush slope. For a short stretch, you will find a use/game trail to help. The underlying gravel/dirt is a bit loose. Weave and grind it out to reach much tamer terrain higher up, bending right/northwest as you gain altitude. Once you reach the LONG south ridge, follow it north for ½ mile to reach the high point of Shale Point. This ridge section is a combination of easy scrub and a scree/gravel base. The summit of Shale Point is a raised hump with a small cairn.

North Face, Class 2

Access

Same as for the southeast shoulder/south ridge

The Descent

From the summit, descend north into a somewhat thick pine forest with lots of dead branches littering the ground. The combination of loose branches and pine needles make for a somewhat slippery descent to the narrow drainage that separates Shale Point from Peak 7765. Visibility is nil in this descent so, depending upon where you pop out of the forest into the drainage, head uphill to reach the small, narrow saddle that joins Shale Point and Peak 7765. You will find a cattle fence here. It runs north up the ridge crest toward Peak 7765.