Red Ryan Peak, photo by Rick Baugher

Coming up North Fork Big Lost River, a massive eye catching hulk of red rhyolite, limestone, and sandstone can be mistaken for Ryan Peak 11714'.

But, Ryan rules from behind the scenes. What you see is its cliff faced guardian one mile to the north. This is Red Ryan 11296' (prominence 316'), one of the last Idaho Eleveners to be climbed.

View W to Red Ryan from North Fork Big Lost River. The 8300' trailhead is accessed by a quite reasonable dirt road (when dry).
The signed but somewhat sketchy North Fork Trail leads to scenic North
Fork Lake 9354'.

North Fork Lake, photo by Rick Baugher

North Fork Lake, view W to Red Ryan on right.

My climbing route heads right from top of terminal moraine in middle
distance.

Route up Red Ryan, photo by Rick Baugher

On top of the terminal moraine, route heads N up steepening scree, just right of center; climbs about 150' of broken cliff band to reach the upper yukky screefield, upper center of photo. The quarter mile summit ridge walk left is anticlimactic.

Meridian Peak and Lost Rivers from the summit of Red Ryan, photo by Rick Baugher

Near the summit, several sheephorns were found shed in a defile. This one was brought up to mark the summit. View E to Meridian peaks and North Fork Big Lost. Lost River Range on horizon.

Perkins, Kent, and Ryan Peaks from the summit of Red Ryan, photo by Rick Baugher

From Red Ryan summit the view is SE to Ryan, Kent, Perkins on the Boulder crest. No sign of prior summit visitation found on this 7/29/10.

Article and photos by
Rick Baugher
Sept 1, 2010