U Mountain. Rick Baugher photo.

Timber Creek-Big Creek Cluster

We continue our tour of the central Lemhi main crest southward in a serpentine fashion. Here the range reaches its greatest width. We have reached the Lemhi core. How sweet it is.

Actually, my visit to these two peaks on 9/16/01 was bittersweet. U
Mountain el 10540' and Mad As Hell Peak el 10523' form a big U shaped cirque around Yellow Lake. As I built a cairn and left a note on 10523', the events of September 11th came with me to this remote corner of America. From Mad As Hell Peak this view looks NE across the cirque to U Mountain. The incoming sleet storm did not improve my outlook.

Slate Roof. Rick Baugher photo.

Now back to better times. View W along main Lemhi crest to The Slate Roof el 10507' on 7/6/98.

Rocky Peak. Rick Baugher photo.

From a stunted limber pine grove the view is east to the pristine
summit cone of quartzite Rocky Peak el 10555'. Although this peak has been officially named since 1956, surprisingly the summit showed no sign of prior occupation on 7/6/98. This mountain is located 1.5 miles off the main crest, so it would have been missed by the forest
boundary surveyors.

Many Tops. Rick Baugher photo.

View S to Yellow Peak el 10968', a local landmark. While technically a desert range, the central Lemhi usually presents travel challenges during the season of runoff. Be prepared for difficult stream crossings and forest deadfall, not to mention mud, soft snow, and mosquitos. Photo 6/16/07.

Big Creek Peak. Rick Baugher photo.

View south to big rounded Big Creek Peak el 11350', monarch of the central Lemhi Range. To its left is Flatiron Mountain el 11019'. Bear Mountain el 10744' is on the far left. Photo 6/16/07

Rick Baugher

6/4/08