In July I climbed an Oregon high peak in the Elkhorn Range of Northeast Oregon and a prominent peak in the Cabinet Range of Northern Idaho.
Cougar Pond SW Peak
On Tuesday, July 7, I drove to Baker City, Oregon, and checked road status at the local Forest Ranger Station. Then I drove west up along Pine Creek on the east side of the Elkhorn Range. The Pine Creek Road was quite rough. I recommend 4WD, good clearance, and tough tires to drive up to where parking is allowed beyond private property. I spent a pleasant evening and night camped beside the road.
The next morning, Wednesday July 8, I hiked up further along the primitive road. This road eventually became more of an ATV track as it approached Pine Creek Reservoir. I hiked past the reservoir, then followed the track as it switchbacked north up a slope towards a saddle.
The last 400 feet to the saddle was on an unimproved trail through a flowering meadow. Some mountain goats were visible on the slopes above and to my left. Rock Creek Butte rose far above me to the west.
From the saddle, Cougar Basin extended below me to the north. My destination, the unofficially named “Cougar Pond Southwest Peak”, rose above me to the west. Cougar Pond SW Peak is Oregon’s 39th highest peak (with at least 500 feet of prominence). From the saddle I climbed open ground and through thin forest to find the summit on the NW end of the summit ridge.
I enjoyed identifying most of the 12 other Oregon 100 highest peaks in the Elkhorn Range from the summit. I noticed a thunderstorm brewing above Mount Ireland to the NW.
[Read more…] about Elkhorn and Cabinet Range Peaks, July 2015