Hiking to Castle Rock

Castle Rock From Harris Creek

I had seen this large rock from Harris Creek and decided that I would someday like to explore it. It took me quite a few attempts before actually ever making it to the rock.

Karma Breaking out of the Bushes

On the first attempt, Karma and I took our mountain bikes up the trail. It is a fairly short ride on a mountain bike as the trail soon ends and a good knowlege of cross country navigation on foot begins.

Karma taking a Break

Hank on the Logging Road

I am guessing this area was logged or mined quite extensively in the past. There are remnants of an old road and a lot of cables and old hardware around.

Bobeau on the Logging Road

Moss on a Tree

The area after entering the forest is amazingly dense and damp. The immediate change from a desert environment to one with so much moisture is very interesting.

Glimpse of Castle Rock Through the Trees

Every once in a while the forest will clear enough to get a view of the rock. This is about where the trail ends and a compass and GPS are handy to stay on target with the rock as cross-country travel by foot is necessary. It's size makes judging distance to it more challenging.

Bobeau has been a good hiking partner for many years.

Back of Castle Rock

We finally made it to the Rock! This is the back of the rock. On the topo maps it shows a road coming in from this side but I don't think it is accessible anymore due to its closure by private land that it crosses.

View from Rock

I traversed on the ledge out to the end to take some photos of the panorama below. There is some pretty major exposure. I bouldered up the back of the rock as well for a ways but began feeling uncomfortable with the situation so turned back before getting to the top.

View to Squaw Butte

From Castle Rock there is a good view of Squaw Butte and the area between Horseshoe Bend and Emmett

Foot of Castle Rock

I hiked around to the bottom of the rock. The perspective is very interesting given that the rock is so forshortened.

Old Log

I took a bunch of photos of this old log. I love the patterns and the textures of the forms created both by the wood and the weathering process.

Climbing Mount Borah | Highest Peak in Idaho

Morning at Base Camp

We woke up early and prepared for the climb ahead with a good breakfast. The weather seemed to be cooperating. Karma and Shelly at the picnic table.

Looking towards Borah Peak

We get a glimpse of Borah peak beyond. It seems like a long distance from our location.

Trent & Shelly at a Gnarled Tree

On the way up we passed by this old Gnarled and weathered tree. Trent and Shelly posing for the camera.

Above the Tree Line

We made it above the tree line and decided to take a little break. Now the climbing begins.

Trent | Below Chicken out Ridge

Trent is making his way up to Chicken out Ridge. We had been on top of the Razors Edge in the background of the photo.

Shelly | Approaching Chicken Out Ridge

As we approached Chicken Out Ridge we found a "bottle neck" there. A team of French climbers were roping up and were holding up many of the other groups of climbers. That is Borah Peak in the background. The trail leading to the summit can be seen etched into the side of the mountain.

Karma & Nate | Chicken Out Ridge

There is a lot of exposure on the ridge which is why they call it "Chicken Out Ridge". If you don't look at the exposure it is actually fairly non-technical climbing.

Chicken Out Ridge

This guy was pushing the limits of exposure at chicken out ridge. The other side of where he is climbing is a long drop.

Chicken Out Ridge from Below

This is a view of the ridge from the loose talus slope below. As I inched my way down to take this photo Trent told me about an accident in this same spot where a climber was glissading from the snow bridge down to this area during a winter climb, built up too much speed, and kept sliding all the way to the base of the the slope.

Looking up Talus Slope to Snowbridge

This is a photo looking back up the talus slope to the snowbridge. Chicken out ridge is to my right in this photo.

View from Snowbridge

Looking from the snowbridge to the adjacent mountains.

Across the Saddle to the Next Pitch

Crossing the saddle to the base of the next and last pitch. This will be the steepest and most difficult part of the climb.

Tad | Re-Fueling

We stopped to have some snacks to re-fuel and to hydrate before the last pitch. Aaah...fuel for the body!

Karma approaches the Summit

Karma, with just a few more steps to the summit. Notice how the light is much different in these summit photos. That is the knife edge in the background and crop circles in the valley below.

Nate approaches the Summit

Nate joins us at the Summit.

Tim at the Summit

Tim joins us at the Summit.

Trent at the Summit

Trent joins us at the Summit.

Shelly approaching the Summit

Shelly is working her way up the last pitch to the summit. She is almost there!

Trent enjoying the Summit

Sit back and relax with your favorite Clif bar. Remember we are only half-way. Keep an eye on the clouds over the next few photos.

Karma enjoying the Summit

Karma re-hydrating at the summit. We brought some smoked salmon and other good food to the top for some much needed energy.

Lakes on the Backside

There are some bright blue lakes off the back side of Mt. Borah.

12,662 Feet

Trent's Altimiter watch reads 12,680 feet. The true elevation according to the USGS is 12,662 feet.

Shelly | On top of the World !!

Shelly joins us at the Summit. She has also made a new friend on the way up.

Team together at the Summit!

(From Right to Left)
Trent Koci, Michele Koci, Tim Terry, Nathan Mitchell, Tad Jones, Karma Jones

Soaking up the Rays at the Summit

(From Right to Left)
Tim Terry, Tad Jones, Karma Jones, Nathan Mitchell

(Notice the clouds starting to form in the background)

Time to get moving!

(From Right to Left)
Tad Jones, Karma Jones, Tim Terry

Leaving the Summit

We start down from the Summit.

Shelly working her way down.

Working our way down presents some challenges & is a bit more risky than climbing up. The rocks are extremely sharp and there are climbers coming up the mountian so there is limited room to pass each other. Much of the decent is a controlled slide down. Leather gloves are a good idea!

Climbing Down

We work down the talus slope. Passing climbers coming the other direction. Thunderstorms are starting to brew in the afternoon heat.

Karma's Battle Wounds

Climbing Down

While trying to pass another climber coming in the opposite direction, Karma steps to the side of the trail and the edge of the trail lets loose beneath her. The resulting fall leaves lacerations on her lower legs from the sharp rock.

Arriving at the Base

We all arrive safely at the base. We stop to pose for a photo before tending to blisters, sore muscles, and cleaning up Karma's wounds.

Night at Base Camp

We tell stories about he day's adventures. The next morning it is pouring down rain so we pack up everything and head to Challis for one of the best breakfasts I have ever had!

~Tad Jones

Blackline Guides | Mt. Heinen

We added a new guide for Mt. Heinen in the Boise Mountains today! It is a beautiful hike with lots of wildlife. Check it out when you get a chance by clicking on the image below!
~Tad Jones

Leslie Gulch, Oregon

Driving into Leslie Gulch

The drive into Leslie Gulch can be quite an epic adventure. The road down in the gulch is a well maintained gravel road, but up on the flat area above the gulch there are many different undeveloped tracks. Upon coming out of the gulch , I met a guy in a pickup with a camper that had been lost for 2 days. I gave him directions back to the highway.

Balanced Rock

Many of the rock formations seem ready to separate from the high cliffs above at any moment and tumble down to the valley floor.

Stone Faces

This rock wall looks as if many stone faces have been cast into the rock. While hiking by this formation I had the eerie feeling that I was being watched by thousands of eyes. The formations were actually formed by pockets of gas developing in rhyolite deposits from the Mahogany Mountain /Leslie Gulch ash flow tuft.

Stone Faces

This rock wall looks as if many stone faces have been cast into the rock. While hiking by this formation I had the eerie feeling that I was being watched by thousands of eyes.

Hiking up Juniper Gulch

Bobeu and Hank and I headed up the Juniper Gulch trail. The trail is basically a wash, so I was very aware that I was in flash flood territory. The dark rain clouds and high humidity were also good indicators to the potential for flash flooding.

Natural Cave

Among the other amazing and extraordinary formations I found this huge cave. The cave may be a good place to spend the night if there wasn’t any wind blowing into the opening. I would later find some deeper caves.

Balanced Rock

Another balanced rock. This one extending above an area of faces cast in stone.

Bobeau & Hank

Bobeau and Hank have a good time hiking in this area. They are very calm and follow me and stay on the trail the entire hike. They are very well behaved.

Mushroom Rock

This rock reminds me of some kind of mushroom. The formations are very interesting when analyzed in detail. The combination of wind and water has further sculpted the original gas bubble formations over the years in the soft malleable rhyolite.

Dinosaur Egg

This rock is about the size of a dinosaur egg.  I can imagine a prehistoric animal emerging from the rock.  I can easily stand inside the rock as I pass by it on my hike.

View down Juniper Gulch

Weather is starting to set in. It is starting to drizzle and the wind is really picking up.

Eagle Rock

The Leslie Gulch area is a great place to let your imagination run wild! There are so many odd formations and so many stimuli to imagine familiar objects in the stone. Here is an eagle perched on top of a large stone mass. Behind him is an alien form. Leslie Gulch is a lush garden for the imagination that spawns natural visions of the extraordinary.

Stone Pillars

These stone pillars rise vertically from the valley floor below. This could be a climber’s dream if they enjoyed chimney stemming. From a distance this formation looks like a throne for a giant.

Bobsled Gully

The course of water can be seen in this gully reminding me of the bobsled tracks used in Olympic competition.

Inside the Cave

This cave was on the outside corner of the wash. I belive a gas bubble created the cave and then water has increased its depth over the years. Water erosion has carved out the cavern under the overhanging cliffs as it continually rounds the corner and centripetal force causes a scouring of the soft rhyolite.

Stone Wall

Still inside the wash. This wall has held up against the erosion

Juniper Trees

The berries are know for use in flavoring Gin.  They were also traditionally used as a spice in European cuisine.  Not an actual berry, they are the female conifer seed cone of the juniper tree.  Some species (Juniperus Sabina) are poisonous. This photo most resembles Juniperus Californica (California Juniper) or possibly Juniperus Osteosperma (Utah Juniper).

Leslie Gulch Cabin

This is a small cabin on the way out of Leslie Gulch.

~Tad Jones