Mount Borah...Take Two

Posing at the summit of Mount Borah, in commemoration of my inaugural climb.

Miss J and I set out to conquer Mount Borah, Idaho's highest peak at 12,668 feet.  We ascended 5,262 feet in a meager 3.5 miles.  It was a whirlwind adventure, arriving at the campsite at 11:30 pm in the evening, and hitting the trail at 4:30 the next morning.  We had crested through the treelines and were on the flat traverse leading up to chicken-out-ridge when the sun rose from directly behind the summit.  It was spectacular to watch the otherwise darkened valley flood awash with light in a matter of 7 minutes.  Strides of sunbeams would jet from the jagged edges of the summit, until the sun had completed uncovered and commenced to wreck havoc on my sunscreen-less face.

The hiking efforts were well worth the view and amazing sense of physical accomplishment.  Additionally, we met up with a group of scouts (kudos to the faithful scout leaders!), and several other company on the way.  There's nothing quite as motivating as 15 other people trudging the same path, huffing just as hard, and staying optimistic throughout the entire ordeal.

The good-morning-it's-4-am picture.

Crossing the snowfield to begin the ascent of Chicken-Out-Ridge (which really wasn't as treacherous as it sounds).

Looking west down the face which we'd just ascended.

Looking east from the summit.

Looking south from the summit.  The prominent peak in the center-left of the picture is Leatherman- which I attempted last week.

The trail directly preceding the summit (in the top right corner).

Looking up the first climb on Chicken-Out-Ridge

J being daringly awesome.

The sun rising over the summit of Mount Borah.  Notice the slanting sunbeams.  Beautiful.