Phi Kappa Mountain - 7.25.2010
From Ketchum... drive the Sun Valley Road (eventually becomes the Trail Creek Road) for 12.2 miles to Trail Creek Summit (7894') and the Summit Creek trailhead (7920').
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When you see this sign on the west side of the road, you have reached Trail Creek Summit... turn east and drive slightly uphill for a very short distance and park... the trip to the summit is ~10.5 miles roundtrip, gaining ~2800 feet of elevation.
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Denali Girl crossing Summit Creek near the beginning of the hike.
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I don't believe that I have ever seen this one before.
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There were lots of beaver ponds in Summit Creek Valley.
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One of the beaver dams.
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Looking up Summit Creek Valley... we are heading for a 9500 foot pass.
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Denali Girl on the Summit Creek Trail... lots of down timber.
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Lots of flowers in Summit Creek Valley.
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Columbine above Summit Creek.
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Lots of Elephant Head in Summit Creek Valley.
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Looking NW... down Summit Creek Valley to the Boulder Range... the terrain gets steeper for the last mile of trail to the 9500 foot pass.
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larman at the 9500 foot pass... hard to believe that the mountain in front of him doesn't have a name.
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A pano shot from the 9500 foot pass... Devils Bedstead on the far left.
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We've left the 9500 foot pass and going cross country towards Phi Kappa Mtn... and looking back at the heart of the Pioneer Range.
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A flower near the Phi Kappa Mountain summit.
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Phlox near the Phi Kappa Mountain summit.
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larman approaching the Phi Kappa Mountain summit.
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On the Phi Kappa Mountain summit (10,516')... looking along the ridge to Summit Creek Peak... with the Boulder Range beyond.
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The Lost River Range is on the horizon... which has seven of Idaho's nine 12,000 foot summits... including the highest, Mount Borah.
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Interesting art work on the Phi Kappa Mountain summit.
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larman on the Phi Kappa Mtn summit... Devils Bedstead on the left... and Goat Mountain just right of larman's head.
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ragman was also on the Phi Kappa Mtn summit.
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larman coming through an interesting rock passage on Phi Kappa Mtn... on our way back to the 9500 foot pass.
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Back at the 9500 foot pass... anyone want to take the boot path over to the pass on the right... and then then go up to the high point in the center of the photo... 4.3 miles of hiking to get back to the car.
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