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John Evans Peak, photo by Rick Baugher.
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Please don't feel geographically challenged if you can't find the Pleasantview Hills. This Great Basin mountain range is located in Oneida County Idaho. Virtually all of its 12 mile length is managed by the BLM and State of Idaho. This is classic cattle country; yet on a sunny, inviting November day the score was Cows-0, Other Humans-0, Bull Moose-1. The scenery consists of sage and grass slopes, aspen and scattered timber draws, and lots of big sky. There's a good network of lightly travelled 4WD roads, turning all 7 of the 7000' peaks into short hikes. The challenge is to identify the peaks, then to creatively link up several summits. While none of the Pleasantview Hills are named on the map, here's my list. In each case the names correspond to a nearby named geographic feature:
John Evans 7400' (range highpoint, prominence 1000'+)
Pleasantview 7271'
Morgan Jones 7200'
Ireland 7169'
West Elkhorn 7161'
Buist 7120'+
Curlew 7092' En route to West Elkhorn the Idaho fescue is chest high in Wood Canyon. This view is NE to John Evans, highpoint of the Pleasantview Hills. |
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Summit of Curlew, photo by Rick Baugher.
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Making it to the summit of Curlew in 1938 was CAW who clawed his initials into sandstone. View SW to Curlew National Grassland. In the distance- Raft River Mtns, Utah, and Black Pine Mtns, Idaho.
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Summit of Morgan Jones, photo by Rick Baugher.
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My cairn placed on the summit of Morgan Jones. View NE across Malad Valley to Elkhorn Peak in the Bannock Range.
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Arbon Valley, photo by Rick Baugher.
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From Buist, a summit view N down Arbon Valley toward Snake River Plain. Deep Creek Peak on left.
Why the 7'ers?
The goal of reaching 1000 different Idaho summits is daunting, if not absurd. For me, I don't know if it's attainable, but along the way the 7'ers have always been there to offer their encouragement.
Rick Baugher 859/1000
All photos Nov 4, 2009
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