GUNUNG · United States

Borah Peak

Information

Elevation: 3.859 m
Country: United States (US)
Location / Range: Lost River Range
Mountain type: Puncak sesar-blok batuan sedimen (non-vulkanik)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 44.1373, -113.7812
Difficulty: Berat (scrambling kelas 3, terekspos)
Best Season: Juli–September (jendela bebas salju; awal musim butuh peralatan es)
Permits & Rules: Tidak ada permit khusus untuk mendaki. Kawasan dikelola Salmon-Challis National Forest (US Forest Service); trailhead Birch Springs punya area kemah kecil. Bawa air sendiri—tak ada sumber air di jalur.
Hazards: Chicken Out Ridge yang terekspos dengan jurang ~600 m di kedua sisi, batu lepas (rockfall), penurunan (downclimb) di sadel bersalju, cuaca berubah cepat & badai petir siang hari, serta beban tanjakan curam ~1.600 m dalam ~4 km.

Description

Borah Peak (3,859 m / 12,662 ft), also called Mount Borah or 'Beauty Peak', is the highest point in the U.S. state of Idaho. It rises in the central Lost River Range in Custer County, within the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Unlike the Cascade volcanoes to its west, Borah is a non-volcanic fault-block of uplifted sedimentary rock in the Basin and Range Province, raised along the Lost River Fault—the magnitude 6.9 Borah Peak earthquake of 28 October 1983 lifted the range by tens of centimetres and left a prominent fault scarp along its base. The standard route climbs from the Birch Springs trailhead (~2,255 m) up the Southwest Ridge and crosses 'Chicken Out Ridge', an exposed Class 3 (Yosemite Decimal System) scramble that turns many hikers back—hence the name. Roughly 3,000–4,000 people attempt the summit each year, gaining more than 1,600 m in under 4 km one-way, usually as a long single-day climb.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Southwest Ridge / Chicken Out Ridge (rute standar)

Kelas 3 (Yosemite Decimal System), terekspos

6.60 km +1600 m Pendakian sehari yang panjang (±7–12 jam PP)

The only common non-technical route: from the Birch Springs trailhead (~2,255 m) on the west side, the trail climbs steeply ~1,600 m (about 5,262 ft) over ~4.1 mi (6.6 km) one-way. The first ~3.5 miles are pure stamina up steep grade, then comes 'Chicken Out Ridge'—an exposed ~0.6 km section with ~600 m drops on both sides, including a short downclimb and a saddle that often holds snow into early summer. Start pre-dawn to be off the summit before afternoon thunderstorms; carry your own water.

Source

Southwest Ridge dalam kondisi awal musim / bersalju (mountaineering)

Mountaineering (butuh kapak es & crampon)

Sehari (lebih lambat karena kondisi salju)

The same line as the standard route, but into early summer Chicken Out Ridge and the saddle behind it are often covered in hard or corniced snow, turning them into a narrow snow ridge that demands an ice axe, crampons and often a rope. This raises the difficulty from a Class 3 scramble to genuine mountaineering; suitable only for those experienced on snow and ice.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Climbers describe Borah Peak as a short but brutal day climb: ~1,600 m of steep gain in ~4 km, with the crux 'Chicken Out Ridge'—an exposed Class 3 ridge with ~600 m drops on both sides and a downclimb/saddle that often holds snow into early summer. Repeated advice: start very early (around 4:00–5:30 a.m.) to descend before afternoon thunderstorms, carry enough water since there is none on the trail, and consider a rope/helmet if the ridge is still snowy. Many people 'chicken out' on this ridge—hence the name—but most find the exposure manageable with care.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.