After a challenging (steep, very narrow, huge drop-off, twisty, rough) 12.5 kilometer drive up from Sandon, BC… there are two breathtaking trails to the top of Idaho Peak.
The photo above is approximately one-quarter of the 360º view at the top (from the former forestry lookout). Each part of the 360º view is equally stunning.
If you look closely you can see a trail on the lower right side of the image. This is the final part of our route along the ridge to the summit. Look even closer (at the bright green patch in the centre of the image) and you might see the trail cut across and disappear into the trees.
The image below shows our trail across the slide and up along the ridge to the fire lookout (top right, under the small cloud.) The ground was frozen on the trail September 24th. There was some snow around and the path is very narrow in spots. One slip and you’d be down with the black bears and the grizzly that were seen below—one half hour earlier.
We saw two hang gliders launch from the peak (fire lookout building is at the top right; under the small cloud) around this time during our hike. And ten minutes later, we met a man heading back down from the summit to his truck. He told us his buddies—the hang gliders—needed no further assistance from him as they would be landing back home in ‘downtown’ New Denver. (from the peak, you can see all of New Denver and Silverton, BC)
Another view taken a few hundred metres from the peak.
Idaho Peak elevation: 2273 meters