Senate Peak on a warm, sunny day in October with just a touch of snow.
- October 20, 2018
- Team: SuperDave, Michael, JJ, and Steve
- Peak: Senate Peak, 10,500'
- Lists of John
- Idaho Climbing Guide
- 4.8 miles, 2993' gain, 5:20 hours car-to-car. Class 2
Note: click images to see a larger version in a new window
After multiple emails, we finally decided on Senate Peak with an early start so Dave wouldn't miss his baseball game. Meet at 6am, Banks. As we were getting geared up at the trailhead, a lone figure arrived, explaining his dogs were lost. After about two minutes of conversation, he recognized me and introduced himself as LT. Well, I'll be darned. LT and Nick were attempting Galena. Up the trail a ways, the dogs were retrieved (they were retrievers) and we went our separate ways. |
 |
We followed the trail up onto our ridge, then headed up the ridge in easy off-trail hiking (can you call it bushwacking if there are no bushes?). Views expanded and sunshine was had. Not a breath of wind. Spectacular. |
 |
Up and up. |
 |
The little splash of snow at the far right is either our summit, or something very close to our summit. |
 |
Another expansive view. |
 |
| When we gained the ridge, the views got even bigger. There's Castle Peak in the White Clouds. |  |
And Snowyside in the Sawtooths. |
 |
And there's our goal for the day, in front/left of Galena Peak, and slightly below. Time for some ridge walking. |
 |
Getting closer. Nice mix of Boulder-range talus and some non-supportive snow. We never did use them, but carrying crampons and ice axes makes you feel manly. |
 |
Not much farther now. If you click for the bigger photo, you can see the cairn on the summit. |
 |
SuperDave on top. |
 |
Michael on top. |
 |
Steve on top. Sorry, JJ, you slipped by me- so I didn't get one of you. |
 |
But here's the whole group. Summit lunch lasted about 40 minutes or so. Lots to look at. Lots of tall tales. |
 |
| We were entertained by watching LT and Nick summit Galena. |  |
| Then it was time to descend. Not only did this make a loop, but it was a massive shortcut. And every bit as loose and treacherous as it looks. |  |
| We stopped briefly on Galena Summit and I caught this photo. We climbed the treed ridge going from bottom right to upper left, then Senate Peak is the third ridge bump from the left, or the highpoint just left of Galena. However, Peak 10850, which sits east of Senate, is peeking out right behind Senate. |  |
| Map And a BIG congratulations to SuperDave on his 400th peak!
|
 |
|
|
