IDAHO BOUNDARY TRAIL

HIKERS GUIDE 2020

By

MIKE O’BRIEN & Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

Copyright © 2020

www.fultek.com/ibt

Please note that any discrepancies such as US Post office hour changes, prices, businesses closed or burned down is way beyond our control. If you discover changes, please send us information via email ([email protected]). This will help us to keep this guide up to date as best as possible. We did the trail in 2016 and updated everything, including all tracks and waypoints, which can be found at www.fultek.com/ibt. Trail closures, fires, or storms that blow down a lot of trees can and will happen. We discovered that ourselves in 2016. If you can, track anything you find different or just describe the differences and send those to the above email address. Tracks should be in GPX form.

Also, there will be a text file named IBT_Hikers_Guide_Updates.txt online at www.fultek.com/ibt for any changes or additions we find out about after the book is published.

Cover Photo: On the way to Owyhee State Park.

Copyright © 2020 Mike O’Brien & Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Edited by: Melanie Simmerman All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1793257536 Why another long trail?

When we looked at a map of Idaho we saw a wide variety of terrain, desert, forest, mountains; lots of mountains. Not only that, but the border was mostly public land where we could choose where to hike and camp. Could we hike all the way around? It would be tough. First, we had to figure out a route, one that had reliable water in the desert (no trail angels in the Owyhee Desert!), and a route that touched the special places, like the Tetons, the Bitterroot and Selkirk Mountains, the cedar rainforests in the north. It took months to work out a track all the way around, avoiding private land, detouring from the border to wind through interesting ranges, and finding towns we wanted to visit. We debated where and when to start so that we would get through the fire-prone forests before the fire season, through the desert before it got hot, and yet late enough for most of the snow on the highest peaks to melt. We settled on starting in Clarkston, Washington, mid- May, and heading around Idaho counterclockwise. Expect to finish in September.

The hike far exceeded our hopes. There was variety, beauty, and all the challenge we wanted. What we didn’t expect were the new friends we found along the way, especially in the southeast corner of the state.

We hiked the Idaho Boundary Trail several times, always carrying a GPS to exactly map our route, refining the track time and again until we had as perfect a route as we could find. You will need a GPS to find your way because there are no signs, and in places, no trail. When you download the track, you will find a main route of 2500 miles marked in red. You will also see blue alternate routes. Alternates are always the easier tracks! Waypoints locate water and some hard-to-find trail junctions. The hike can be hiked a section at a time or all the way. This hiker’s guide is divided into sections, usually with a town where you can resupply at the start and end of each section. Each section description starts with a profile, showing you a cross- section of the track. (If you follow the red main track all the way, you will end up climbing 361,000 feet and descending an equal amount.) There is a brief description of each section, and information about resupply. In the desert and other dry sections, reliable water sources and the distances between them are listed. Turn the page and dig in!

Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide Table of Contents

Introduction 01

Section A - Clarkston, Washington, to Imnaha, Oregon 04 Section B - Imnaha, Oregon, to Weiser, Idaho 06 Section C - Weiser, Idaho, to Jordan Valley, Oregon 08 Section D - Jordan Valley, Oregon, to Mountain City, Nevada 10 Section E - Mountain City, Nevada to Jackpot, Nevada 12 Section F - Jackpot, Nevada to Oakley, Idaho 14 Section G - Oakley, Idaho to Preston, Idaho 16 Section H - Preston, Idaho to Montpelier, Idaho 18 Section I - Montpelier, Idaho to Victor, Idaho 20 Section J - Victor, Idaho to Sawtell, Idaho 22 Section K - Sawtell, Idaho to Monida Pass (Lima, Montana) 24 Section L - Monida Pass (Lima, Montana) to Bannock Pass (Leadore, Idaho) 26 Section M - Bannock Pass (Leadore, Idaho) to Lost Trail Pass (Salmon, Idaho) 28 Section N – Lost Trail Pass (Salmon, Idaho) to Darby, Montana 30 Section O – Darby, Montana to Lochsa Lodge, Idaho 32 Section Na - (Alternate) Lost Trail Pass (Salmon, Idaho) to Hamilton, Montana 34 Section Oa - (Alternate) Hamilton, Montana to Lochsa Lodge, Idaho 36 Section P - Lochsa Lodge, Idaho to Wallace, Idaho 38 Section Q - Wallace, Idaho to Clark Fork, Idaho 40 Section R - Clark Fork, Idaho to Bonners Ferry, Idaho 42 Section S - Bonners Ferry, Idaho, to Ione, Washington 44 Section T - Ione, Washington to Newport, Washington 46 Section U - Newport, Washington to Spirit Lake, Idaho 48 Section V - Spirit Lake, Idaho to St Maries, Idaho 50 Section W - St Maries, Idaho to Moscow, Idaho 52 Section X - Moscow, Idaho to Clarkston, Washington 54

About the Authors 56 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis IDAHO BOUNDARY TRAIL HIKER’S GUIDE

When you look at a map of the state of Idaho, you can’t help but notice that most of its perimeter is public land. All this public land gives the Idaho Boundary Trail room to explore surprisingly varied landscapes. The trail starts in Clarkston, Washington and heads south. You will see snowy mountains, deep Hells Canyon, irrigated farms, and in the southwest corner, the Owyhee Desert, one of the most remote places in the lower 48 states. Turn east and follow the border between Idaho and Nevada, up and down over seven mountain ranges and desert valleys, every one different from the last. This is Mormon country, and it has become one of our favorite places, where we met friendly and generous people. Turn north at Idaho’s southeast corner, over Snowdrift Mountain, through steep and remote forested ranges, and then detour up Fox Creek into Grand Teton National Park and the Death Canyon Shelf trail. At Yellowstone, turn west in the Centennial Mountains, and follow the Continental Divide past the most remote source of the Missouri River, past Lemhi Pass, where Meriwether Lewis, guided by Sacajawea, first looked west across the divide, saw “mountain upon mountain,” and his heart sank. Continuing north along the Montana border, you reach the Bitterroot Mountains, wild, jagged, and little visited. Remote lakes dot the border like a string of pearls. Cross the Silver Valley, where there are active mines that tunnel far below sea level. Go on north, walk the crest of the Cabinet and Purcell Mountains, then near the Canadian border, turn west across the panhandle of Idaho. The Selkirks look like they have just emerged from under glaciers. On their wet west slopes, cedar forests will remind you of Oregon. Turning south, you come to the rolling open hills of the Palouse, the home of the Nez Perce, whose horses and guides helped Lewis and Clark make it to the Pacific and back. It is a challenging and scenic walk.

1 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis have been working on the trail for years, exploring alternate routes, locating springs, mapping the route. This is not a “trail” like the Pacific Crest Trail, sanctioned by the state and maintained by the Forest Service. A lot of it is on forgotten dirt two-tracks across the desert. Some long sections have no path at all. Most of the way along the east and north sides of Idaho are single track trails. There are no Idaho Boundary Trail signs. You will need a GPS to follow the trail; the track we post is the track we have walked. We have marked waypoints at reliable water sources. If you find a better, more interesting route, tell us, and we will add it to the hike.

We recommend you start mid-May in Clarkston, Washington, and hike counter- clockwise, starting south, so that you get through the desert before summer heat and pass through the most flammable forests before fire season. Mid-May also gives time for most of the snow to melt in the mountains on the Montana and Wyoming borders.

Depending on the route you choose, the trail is approximately 2500 miles around Idaho. If you average 25 miles per day, it will take about 100 hiking days to make the complete loop, and you will cross the Selkirks before fall snow storms. If you stay on the main track, which usually is the more difficult option, you will climb 347,000 feet up, and because it’s a loop, the same elevation down, for a total of 722,000 feet of elevation change. You will find it a challenging hike through fascinating and diverse country.

The pages of this hiker’s guide are broken down into sections the way Yeti and Mike have hiked it, resupplying in the towns at the start and end of each section. You can hike the whole trail in a season, or you can hike one section at a time.

Is it a state sanctioned trail? No; the Idaho Boundary Trail is not an official trail. But Idaho is unlike other states in that most of the perimeter is public land, which makes a long trek like this possible. You will be hiking through country few have seen, and no doubt you will find some places so fascinating you will want to go back. It’s a mix of desert and mountain wilderness, rural farmland and small towns where we met people who were intrigued with what we were doing, friendly and very helpful. How hard is the trail? Parts can be difficult. In the desert, you have to be able to hike 30 mile days because that’s how far apart water sources are, but we have gone before and located water you can depend on. Some of the sections along the Montana border are “mountain upon mountain”. Yeti, who has hiked both, says it is harder than the Continental Divide Trail. To make it all the way around in one season, you need to average close to 25 miles per day through some pretty rugged country.

What is the trail like? We tried to keep to the wildest places we could find. About 50% is on remote dirt roads, but some of them in the desert are so little travelled

2 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis that one we hiked looked like it hadn’t been used since horse and wagon days. Most of the rest is on trails, some maintained, some not. Some stretches are trail-less. We kept travel on paved roads to a minimum. How do I follow the trail? There are no trail signs, and it would be very difficult (and, in places, dangerous) to attempt to follow the route using only a paper map and compass. We found several places where published maps were too old to be useful. You need a GPS to follow this trail. You can download a track of the entire route here: http://www.fultek.com/ibt (There you can find different files for older and newer Garmin GPS devices, GPX files, and Mapsource files) If you have a GPS not made by Garmin, contact Yeti at [email protected] for advice on how to load a map on your GPS. WARNING: Parts of this trail are much less defined than even the vague sections of the Continental Divide Trail, and many areas have out-of-date maps. Printing the track as a strip map will not give you adequate information in the most confusing areas. Loading it into your GPS allows you to zoom in to compare your location to the red line of the track, which is the distillation of the best route we have found to date. We planned the route in 2012 by studying maps and satellite photos, then we hiked it, recording our actual path with a GPS. That first hike revealed problems, such as private property we had to go around, as well as difficult places we thought the trail should avoid. We also saw places that looked interesting, so we rerouted the track to explore there. Yeti hiked most of the trail in 2013, refining the route and exploring alternate paths. Then in 2014, Mike hiked it again, recording springs and water sources, correcting problems that turned up in past years, and exploring alternate routes. We revised the route again in spring 2015. We have hiked and recorded every step of the way. Someplace on the route will change every year. Chances are you will encounter closed or moved or new trails. Maybe you will find a better way than we did. If so, please let us know, and send [email protected] a GPX file of the track you hiked. The route is not fixed; we hope to learn from everyone who hikes it. Every hiker can improve it. What will I need? You will need a Garmin GPS that can show a map on its screen. You’ll also need a program to load maps and the track into your GPS. We use “Mapsource.” It’s a good idea to also carry paper maps and a compass so you can see the big picture, and if the track is blocked, choose another route. This happened frequently on our first go-round, like the time the Forest Service was dynamiting in a pass Mike had planned to walk. The relevant maps are listed in the trail section descriptions later in this Hiker’s Guide. How did you figure hike time? We try to time our hikes so that our last camp in a section is as close as we can get to a town and still camp on public land. Then we arrive in the town early enough to have plenty of time to buy groceries, find a place to stay, wander around, meet people, and see the sights. That’s why so many of the sections figure hike time that ends with a half day.

3 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide TRAIL SECTION “A” Clarkston, Washington, to Imnaha, Oregon

Elevation Gain: 11,268 feet Elevation Loss: 10,109 feet

Distance: 89.2 miles; plan on 3 or 3½ days.

Description: The trail starts on a bike path in Clarkston, Washington (pop. 7200). The bike trail goes south up the Snake River to Asotin. From there, follow the paved River Road to the Grande Ronde River, where the road turns to gravel. Turn up Joseph Creek, then Horse Creek to Cold Springs Ridge, up 4000 feet; then descend on a trail into the Imnaha River Canyon and a road to Imnaha, Oregon (pop. 160).

Resupply & lodging at start: Clarkston Motel 6 (509) 758-1631 is right at the start of the trail, and Albertsons market is nearby.

Midway: Dailey’s Bakery in Asotin is a pleasant breakfast stop. Imnaha River B&B (541) 577-6002 is 5.4 miles before Imnaha (call ahead, it may be closed, and remember that they take cash only).

Resupply and lodging at end: Imnaha has a small 3 unit motel; ask at Imnaha Store and Tavern (541) 577-3111, open 9 AM to 9 PM. They have excellent sandwiches and a small grocery, but not enough for resupply. To supply the next section, mail a package to the Imnaha Post Office, which is open Monday 7:30– noon, and 12:30–4 PM; Tuesday–Friday 7:30–noon.

Water: There’s plenty of water until you climb Cold Springs Ridge. Up there we have recorded waypoints to show the location of the widely spaced springs. Corral Creek Trail has water. The dirt road in the Imnaha River Canyon is far above the river, and there’s no water along that road until about 8 miles north of Imnaha, when it drops to river level.

Camping: There are some primitive BLM campsites along the Grande Ronde River, and if it is raining, at 35 miles from Clarkston you can camp in an old schoolhouse on Washington state land. There are many places to camp on Cold Springs ridge in Wallowa National Forest and on the BLM land in the Imnaha River Canyon.

4 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Maps: The Hells Canyon National Recreation Area map begins at the Oregon border. We haven’t needed a paper map between Clarkston and the Oregon line; the GPS track was enough. (Hells Canyon National Recreation Area HQ is along the trail, 3 miles from the start, between Clarkston and Asotin. You can get a map there, M–F 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM.)

5 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide TRAIL SECTION “B” Imnaha, Oregon, to Weiser, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 27,262 feet Elevation Loss: 27,063 feet

Distance: 136.1; plan on 6 to 6½ days.

Description: Take Hat Point Road as it climbs steeply out of Imnaha. On top, in late May you will encounter snow drifts across the road. At the south end of the ridge find the trail to Freezeout Saddle. We always seem to find extreme weather here. Expect high winds, rain, and/or snow. At the south end of Freezeout Saddle, the track climbs Lookout Mountain. It isn’t steep, but expect snow. South of the mountain, the track leaves the snow and follows Summit Ridge. Here you have a choice to descend into the Snake River Canyon on a trail/bushwhack with great views, or the easier but longer alternate route which drops into the canyon on a dirt road. Pass through Oxbow, Oregon, a small Idaho Power company town, cross Oxbow Dam, and follow the dirt road on the Idaho side of the river to McCormick Park. Here the route is on paved Highway 71. This road can be dangerous for walkers near Brownlee Dam, and we encourage you to find a ride from McCormick Park to Gateway Store on Highway 71. (Ask the picnickers at McCormick Park.) A couple of miles past the store, the track turns south into Andrus Wildlife Refuge and eventually goes almost to the top of Benton Peak. In snowy years expect steep snowdrifts, and carry an ice axe or micro-spikes for your shoes. After the peak, the trail descends through choppy and confusing country to Weiser, Idaho.

Resupply & lodging at start: Imnaha (pop. 164) has a small 3 unit motel; ask at the store (541) 577-3111. Imnaha Store and Tavern is open 9 AM to 9 PM, and has excellent sandwiches (try the “Big T”). They have a small grocery, not enough for resupply. To supply the next section, mail a package to the Imnaha Post Office, which is open Monday 7:30–noon, and 12:30–4 PM; Tuesday–Friday 7:30–noon.

Midway: Gateway Store, southwest of Brownlee Dam, has some hiker supplies and a café. They are open from 7 AM—9 PM daily.

Resupply & lodging at end: Weiser (pop. 5,000) has a large grocery store, laundromat, and several places to eat. There are three motels; State Street Motel (208) 414-1390 is most convenient.

6 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Water: Grizzly Ridge is dry, but has some waypointed springs. Summit Ridge has plenty of water. The dirt road from Oxbow Dam to McCormick Park crosses several creeks at first, but dries out as you go south. When you leave Highway 71 and enter Andrus Wildlife Refuge, get water at the third ford; water is scarce after that ford until you reach Dennett Creek. Water is available from there to Weiser.

Camping: Saddle Creek CG is near Freezeout trailhead. Yeti spent a May 2013 night in the (clean) latrine there, sheltering from snow and hurricane force winds, so keep it in mind. There are lots of places to camp all the way to Weiser. Copperfield Campground at Oxbow is a pleasant stop with friendly hosts, grassy campsites, water, and hot showers. Dennett Creek, 27½ miles from Weiser, is a great place to camp.

Maps: Hells Canyon National Recreation Area & West Payette National Forest map. We haven’t needed a paper map for the area close to Weiser

7 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “C” Weiser, Idaho, to Jordan Valley, Oregon

Elevation gain: 10,540 feet Elevation loss: 8,299 feet

Distance: 129.5 miles; plan on 5 to 5½ days.

Description: The track follows paved roads by irrigated farms through Ontario, Oregon, and south until you get to the Owyhee River Canyon. At Owyhee Reservoir, the track leaves paved roads and turns steeply up Birch Creek to a rolling and scenic high desert plateau, then climbs Mahogany Mountain. South of Mahogany Mountain the track descends in dry country to Jordan Valley (pop. 175).

Resupply & lodging at start: Weiser (pop. 5,000) has a large grocery store, several places to eat, and a laundromat. (You can also buy groceries in Ontario, making your Weiser-to-Ontario load lighter.) Weiser has three motels; State Street Motel (208) 414-1390 is most convenient.

Midway: The best motel in Ontario (pop. 11,000) is Ontario Inn (541) 823-2556. Albertsons Market is nearby. About 23 miles south of Ontario, Sunset Market and Café is a good place to stop for a meal, but don’t expect to resupply there; open M– F 7 –7, Sat 7–6, Sun 8–3.

Resupply & lodging at end: The best place to stay in Jordan Valley is the Old Basque Inn, now Flatiron Steakhouse & B&B, a restaurant with rooms upstairs (541) 823-2800. $60 price includes breakfast. Jordan Valley has s mall convenience and miscellany stores, but for resupply you will have to mail a package to the Jordan Valley Post Office, or better yet, care of the Flatiron Steakhouse & B&B. Call ahead so they will expect your package.

Water: While there are frequent canals, locals warned us that water in the irrigation canals may contain chemicals that would pass through a water filter. You can get water at the Malheur Experiment Station south of Ontario, at farmhouses, at Cow Hollow Park, and Owyhee State Park at the reservoir. In the desert, find water at the waypoints between Birch Creek and Jordan Valley. This is a dry section; fill up whenever you see good water.

Camping: If you ask, you may be able to camp at the Malheur Experiment Station, 6 miles south of Ontario. Cow Hollow Park is just past Sunset Café, 23½ miles 8 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis south of Ontario. It has showers. You may find secluded spots to camp along the Owyhee River, but all parks there prohibit camping. You can camp at Owyhee State Park, and anywhere in the desert between there and Mahogany Mountain. Private and BLM land are intermixed from the mountain to Jordan Valley; check a map before camping.

Maps: Malheur River Country BLM map covers from just south of Ontario to just north of Jordan Valley. We have not needed a paper map in the Weiser/Ontario area, and we have not yet found a good detailed map for the area near Jordan Valley.

9 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide Trail Section “D”

Jordan Valley, Oregon, to Mountain City, Nevada

Elevation Gain: 12,493 feet; Elevation Loss: 11,253 feet

Distance: 170.3 miles; plan on 5½ to 6 days.

Description: This section is a long walk across desert. Don’t attempt it unless you are confident you can backpack 30 miles per day for 5 consecutive days. South of Jordan Valley, the track goes by ranches along Pleasant Valley Road. It gradually gets drier until you reach the North Fork Owyhee River bridge and BLM campground. The road then climbs past small reservoirs and up Juniper Mountain, then down to the ford at Crutcher Crossing of the Owyhee River. There you enter serious desert. It’s 9½ miles to the 45 Ranch ford of the South Fork Owyhee River. Next is a 23 mile walk to Pipeline Crossing; not a ford, just a water stop. Wild horses water here. From there is a 27½ mile desert walk to Wilson Creek Canyon, then 5 more miles to Wilson Reservoir and campground. We have been careful in this area to avoid crossing the huge Petan Ranch, which does not tolerate trespassing. Where the track crosses ranch property, it is on a public road, and then turns onto a Forest Service right-of-way up Wall Creek. In Humboldt National Forest, you’ll climb the surprisingly damp Bull Run Mountains, then descend to Mountain City, Nevada (pop. 11).

Resupply & lodging at start: The best place to stay in Jordan Valley (pop. 175) is the Old Basque Inn, now Flatiron Steakhouse & B&B, a restaurant with rooms upstairs (541) 823-2800. $60 price includes breakfast. Jordan Valley has small convenience and miscellany stores, but for resupply you will have to mail a package to the Jordan Valley Post Office, or better yet, care of the Flatiron Steakhouse & B&B. Call ahead so they will expect your package.

Resupply & lodging at end: Shorty at Chambers Motel in Mountain City is the friendliest motel owner you will ever meet. Call ahead (775) 763-6626 to reserve a room, since the motel sometimes fills with construction workers. Shorty said if she knows you are coming, she will have oranges, ice cream and other requests waiting. You can send a package to the Mountain City Post Office, which is open M-F 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 8:30 AM to noon; better yet, send a food package care of Chambers Motel. The Mountain City Bar may open for dinner, but don’t count on it; pack extra food.

10 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

Water: (Reliable water is in bold type) 1) Dougal Reservoir, 26 miles from Jordan Valley (good size lake) 2) North Fork Owyhee River Bridge & CG, 6 miles from Dougal Reservoir 3) Cottonwood Creek, 4 miles from North Fork Bridge (might be dry) 4) Graves Creek reservoir, 6 miles from North Fork Bridge (small, but good) 5) Summit Spring, 14 miles from Graves Creek Reservoir (expect a trickle) 6) Bull Basin Creek, 2½ miles from Summit Spring (often cow trampled) 7) Crutcher Crossing, 33 miles from North Fork Bridge (usually 2 ft. deep) 8) 45 Ranch ford, 9½ miles from Crutcher Crossing (tank up before leaving) 9) Pipeline Crossing, 23 miles from 45 Ranch ford (bank often cow trampled) 10) Wilson Creek Crossing, 27½ miles from Pipeline Crossing (usually good) 11) Wilson Reservoir Campground, 5 miles from Wilson Creek Crossing 12) Small Creek, 11 miles from Wilson Reservoir. Water is abundant from #12 small creek to Mountain City.

Camping: You can camp anywhere in the desert; you don’t need to camp by water.

Maps: Owyhee Canyon Country, Triangle, Riddle, Bull Run Mountains, and Jarbidge Mountains, all BLM maps. (You can do fine without the Owyhee Canyon Country map. Even the Triangle map is of marginal utility because the track is only on one edge of the map, and you are on easy-to-follow roads there.)

11 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “E” Mountain City, Nevada to Jackpot, Nevada

Elevation gain: 13,926 feet Elevation loss: 14,294 feet

Distance: 109.6 to 117 miles, depending on route; plan 4 days.

Description: Leaving Mountain City, you pass through meadows and rolling brushy country, then reach scenic Meadow Creek Canyon, which leads to the Bruneau River. Here you have a choice. The main route goes up Rattlesnake Creek, an easy walk until you get to the end, where you have a steep bushwhack up into the Jarbidge Mountains. The easier alternate route goes up Wikiup Ridge. Both routes join before descending to Jarbidge, Nevada (pop. 176), an interesting old mining town. After Jarbidge, you climb steeply into the Jarbidge Mountains. Here you have another decision: the main route or the alternate that follows the East Fork Jarbidge River. The alternate trail hasn’t been maintained since a fire over a decade ago, has many deadfalls, and is hard to follow, but the track on your GPS will get you through. The trails rejoin and climb up to a high desert ridge. Expect a cold night up there. The track then descends to the desert around Jackpot, Nevada (pop.1200)

Resupply & lodging at start: Shorty at Chambers Motel in Mountain City (pop. 11) is the friendliest motel owner you will ever meet. Call ahead (775) 763-6626 to reserve a room, since the motel sometimes fills with construction workers. You can send a package to the Mountain City Post Office, which is open M-F 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 8:30 AM to noon; better yet, send a food package to Shorty at Chambers Motel. The Mountain City Bar may be open for dinner, but don’t count on it; pack extra food.

Midway: The Trading Post in Jarbidge (pop. 176) carries canned goods and little else. Jarbidge also has a couple of cafes, a motel and inexpensive hotel.

Resupply & lodging at end: The least expensive motel/casino in Jackpot is Four Jacks. Best food is Canyon Cove Buffet at Cactus Pete’s. Barton’s Club 93 opens early for breakfast. Jackpot has a small store where you can resupply.

Water: There is sufficient water available all the way to Jackpot. If you are taking the Wikiup alternate route, fill up before leaving the Bruneau River. The country gets dryer as you hike east and approach Jackpot. 12 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

Camping: You can camp anywhere between Mountain City and Jackpot. There is a primitive campground a short distance north of Jarbidge.

Maps: Jarbidge Mountains & Jackpot BLM maps

13 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “F” Jackpot, Nevada to Oakley, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 5,193 feet; Elevation Loss: 5,866 feet

Distance: 65.8 miles; plan on 2½ days.

Description: The track heads northeast from Jackpot in desert country. After 12 miles the trail briefly drops down to Shoshone Creek, with beavers and clear water. After leaving the creek it is sometimes on dirt roads, sometimes on cow tracks, sometimes in bushwhacks, until crossing Shoshone Creek again 20 miles from Jackpot. You then head up the dry southwest side of the South Hills, topping out at Porcupine Campground before reaching the east side, with its forest and creeks. Head down a path along Trapper Creek, back down to dry country, and pass Goose Creek Reservoir to reach Oakley (pop. 777), a friendly farming and stone quarrying town.

Resupply & lodging at start: The least expensive motel in Jackpot is Four Jacks. Best food is Canyon Cove Buffet at Cactus Pete’s. Barton’s Club 93 opens early for breakfast. Jackpot has a small store where you can resupply.

Resupply and lodging at end: Clark’s Market in Oakley has all the supplies you will need to get to Preston. There is a B&B (208) 862-7829, but no motel in Oakley. There also is a laundromat and a little bar/café.

Water: (Reliable water is in bold type) 1) Shoshone Creek, 12 miles from Jackpot (good water) 2) Shoshone Creek, 8 miles from #1 (fair water quality) 3) Sheep Sp. Creek, 7 miles from #2 (can be cow trampled) 4) Lime Spring, 2 miles farther (fenced to keep cows out) 5) Porcupine Campground, 36 miles from Jackpot, 7½ miles past Lime Spring (piped, solar powered pump) Water is frequently available along the trail from Porcupine Campground to Oakley.

Camping: You can camp about anywhere between Jackpot and Oakley. We posted a waypoint at a state owned section 3 miles east of Oakley where you can camp.

14 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Maps: Sawtooth National Forest Minidoka District map. It is 7½ miles from Jackpot to Rock Cabin Spring, which is on the Sawtooth map. A paper map in this gap isn't necessary.

15 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “G” Oakley, Idaho to Preston, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 14,776 feet; Elevation Loss: 14,673 feet

Distance: 157.9 to 162 miles, depending on your route; plan on 6 days.

Description: Expect a long walk through dry country. You’ll cross 5 desert mountain ranges, the stone hills, and 7 valleys, some desert, some farmed. This is Mormon country. We have enjoyed meeting the hospitable, generous, and friendly people here. East of Oakley you’ll climb the Albion Mountains and see City of Rocks, then go down to Almo (pop. 166) in the dry Raft River Valley. Next are the Black Pine Mountains, and an unexpected forest. Keep an eye out for rare ferruginous hawks between the mountains and the I-84 rest stop. Cross the highway and a desert valley, then climb the Stone Hills. Curlew Valley is next. You can detour to Snowville, Utah (pop. 164) if you want a break. Next are the Hansel Mountains and a hot and dry bushwhack, then down to the dryland farms of the Pocatello Valley. You dip very briefly into Utah in the easy crossing of the Samaria Mountains to Woodruff. Next you cross the Malad Range; notice that the country is getting wetter as you travel east. This section finishes in the irrigated and prosperous Bear River Valley, and the towns of Weston (pop. 400) and Preston (pop. 5,200).

Resupply and lodging at start: Clark’s Market in Oakley has all the groceries you will need to get to Preston. There’s a B&B (208) 862-7829, but no motel in Oakley. You can camp in a state section 3 miles east of town. Oakley has a laundromat and a little bar/café. Midway: Almo has a café and motel (208) 824-5577. Call ahead; rock climbers often fill all the rooms. Almo has 2 small stores, but they don’t have many hiker supplies. Flying J in Snowville, a few miles south of the main route, has ramen and a few limited items. You can find motels and cafes there, too. Weston, a few hours before Preston, has a nice little store with an ice cream bar and excellent hot sandwiches.

Resupply and lodging at end: Call ahead to Plaza Motel in Preston (208) 852- 2020; it’s often booked. The supermarket in Preston is closed Sundays. Preston has cafes & a laundromat.

Water: (listing only the cleanest and most reliable water) #8 and 9 are spigots at farms. Please ask permission. 16 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis 1) Mill Creek, 15 miles from Oakley (excellent snowmelt creek) 2) Two springs (G07 & G08) just north of City of Rocks 3) City of Rocks HQ, Almo, 32½ miles from Oakley (spigot) 4) Geothermal plant, 15½ miles from Almo (ask at the office) 5) Kelsaw Creek, 14½ miles from geothermal plant (good) 6) Pole Canyon Spring, 7 miles from Kelsaw Creek (turn valve) 7) I-84 rest stop, 4½ miles from Pole Canyon Spring 8) Curlew Valley canal, 15 miles from I-84 rest stop (fair quality) 9) Spigot in Pocatello Valley farmhouse yard, 16 miles from canal 10) Spigot in farmhouse yard, 5½ miles from last house (good water!) 11) Creek & campsite, 5½ miles from last farmhouse 12) Woodruff, 7 miles from campsite #11 (ask for water at any house) 13) Burnett Creek, 4 miles from Woodruff (Burnett Creek where you first meet it is often muddy; at 4 miles it’s usually good) 14) Faucet by road, 3 miles from Burnett Creek (excellent cold solar pumped well water!) 15) Weston city park, 10 miles from roadside faucet

Camping: You can camp in a state section 3 miles east of Oakley. Weston has a city park with restrooms and water; ask at the store for permission to camp. Other than that, you will find plenty of places to camp on FS and BLM land.

Maps: Sawtooth National Forest Minidoka District map and Malad City & Preston BLM maps. The track dips into Utah briefly off the south edge of the Malad City map. This area and Snowville are on the north edge of the Tremonton BLM map. (You can get by without it.)

17 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide TRAIL SECTION “H” Preston, Idaho to Montpelier, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 6,864 feet; Elevation Loss: 5,591 feet

Distance: 55.1 miles; plan on 3 days. (This allows time for a Paris stop.)

Description: Preston (pop. 5200) is a prosperous town surrounded by irrigated farms. It can be hot in the foothills, especially on the longer main route. The alternate route is 1½ miles shorter, but has 3 more miles walking on a busy road shoulder. Temperatures cool quickly once you start up the steep Bloomington Lake Trail in the Bear River Range. Expect snowdrifts on the north side of the mountains before Paris. Try to time your trip so you arrive in Paris (pop. 510) on July 3. Ask permission at the store to camp in the city park by the ball field, attend the free concert that night, and the July 4 breakfast the next morning. You should also tour the Paris Mormon tabernacle; it is an impressive historic building. The short walk from Paris to Montpelier (pop. 2500), just north of the Bear Lake Wildlife Refuge, goes through marshes and wet fields teeming with birds.

Resupply and lodging at start: Call ahead to Plaza Motel in Preston (208) 852- 2020; it’s often booked. The super- market in Preston is closed Sundays. Preston has two cafes and a laundromat.

Midway: Paris has a nice café, open 9 AM–7PM, closed Sunday. The Paris convenience store has minimal hiker foods. You can ask at the store for permission to camp at the city park, which has lavatories and picnic tables.

Resupply and lodging at end: Super 8 motel in Montpelier (208) 847-8888 is conveniently located, and has internet connected computers as well as a laundry. A good 5:30 AM breakfast is included in your room price. You should call ahead to reserve a room, since there are a lot of visitors around the Fourth of July. Montpelier supermarket is closed Sundays. Montpelier has few places to eat out.

Water is not a problem in this section.

Camping: There are many campsites between Preston and Paris. In Paris, ask permission at the convenience store to camp at the park by the ball field. The park has water, shaded picnic tables, and clean lavatories.

18 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Maps: Caribou-Targhee National Forest Montpelier/Soda Springs District or Preston BLM map

19 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “I” Montpelier, Idaho to Victor, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 25,222 feet; Elevation Loss: 25,025 feet

Distance: 147.8 miles; plan on 6 or 6½ days, depending on which way you go.

Description: This can be a tough trail section, as a glance at the profile (above) will tell. After Montpelier (pop. 2500) you leave the desert behind and enter a mountainous forested region. The track begins on the shoulder of US Highway 89 for 7 miles, then turns north up gravel roads to Preuss Creek, where you meet the Snowdrift Mountain Trail. Snowdrift Mountain can live up to its name; carry micro spikes for your shoes. North of the mountain, the track goes by a new open pit phosphate mine just started in 2014. Go down Diamond Creek, up to the remote Webster Range, then double back up Stump Creek, down the South Fork Tincup Creek and across state Highway 34. North of the highway, Yeti and Mike have struggled through horrible bushwhacks over Tincup Mountain; we have found a way to get across that isn’t easy, but at least isn’t horrible. That route is the current main track. Down a steep slope on the north side of Tincup, you’ll ford Jackknife Creek and find a decent trail over Squaw Creek/Fish Creek divide. Then you get a rest walking dirt roads over a low pass and down to the Snake River. Here you have a choice to take the easy alternate to Lower Palisades Lake or the main route over Sheep Creek Pass (that’s the steep point 3rd from the right side of the profile (above). There are two ways down from the pass; Waterfall Canyon hasn’t been tracked yet. If you go that way, please send Yeti your GPS track. All the routes come together at the shore of Lower Palisades Lake, and climb steeply up to a ridge (and trails that sometimes go straight up rather than around hills along that ridge). The trail leads to roads and upscale Victor (pop. 1900).

Resupply and lodging at start: Super 8 motel in Montpelier (208) 847-8888 is conveniently located, and has internet connected computers as well as a laundry. A good 5:30 AM breakfast is included in your room price. You should call ahead to reserve a room, since there are a lot of visitors around the Fourth of July. The super- market in Montpelier is closed Sundays. Montpelier has some pizza parlors and a Subway.

Midway: There is a convenience store on US Highway 26 on the “easy” alternate to Lower Palisades Lake.

20 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Resupply and lodging at end: Victor has a small and breathtakingly expensive grocery store. You could resupply there, or send a food package to the Post Office in Victor, open M–F 8 AM to 4 PM, and Saturday 10 AM to noon. Victor has expensive motels and a less pricey RV park (877) 787-3036 with campsites, small cabins, laundry, and showers. There are many good but expensive cafes in Victor.

Water is generally available in this section.

Camping: Once you enter the Caribou National Forest you will find numerous campsites. The top of Snowdrift Mountain is an especially dramatic place to camp. Your main trouble finding a place to pitch a tent in this section is the scarcity of flat land. Rather than staying in expensive Victor, Mike camped in a small cottonwood grove along the bike path a few miles north.

Maps: Caribou-Targhee National Forest Montpelier/Soda Springs District and Targhee National Forest

21 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “J” Victor, Idaho to Sawtell, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 13,181 feet; Elevation Loss: 12,928 feet

Distance: 117.3 miles; plan on 4½ or 5 days.

Description: This section is one of the most scenic, taking you high into Grand Teton National Park. Head north out of Victor (pop. 1900) on the bike path, then turn toward Fox Creek trailhead on back roads. Fox Creek trail is hard to follow at first; trust the red track on your GPS. There are several fords, and in heavy snow years they can be hazardous. Be careful, use a staff to help your balance, and if there are two or more hikers, link arms. Fox Creek Pass usually has snow; take micro spike s for your shoes. After the pass, the trail turns north on Death Canyon Shelf, a wide rock bench with great views of the Tetons. In 2014, the pass and the entire shelf was snow covered all the way to Devils Steps, which is a cool trail chiseled out of solid rock. The trail descends to Teton Creek campground, then heads up over a high pass (and usually more snow). Next is a ford (which can be deep) of South Leigh Creek, and up the Andy Stone Trail to a third high pass. There are two more smaller passes, then a long gradual downhill on gravel roads out of the forest and to the Ashton– Tetonia bike path. Take the bike trail through pretty farmland for 6 miles, then turn off on lightly travelled farm roads, cross Falls River Bridge, reenter National Forest, and walk to Warm River Campground. There you will find another rail-to-trail, this one gravel and also used by ATVs. The trail is easy walking, and leads to Mack’s Inn and Sawtell, both tourist destinations.

Resupply and lodging at start: Victor has a small and breathtakingly expensive grocery store. You could resupply there, or send a food package to the Victor Post Office, open M–F 8 AM to 4 PM, and Saturday 10 AM to noon. Victor has expensive motels and a RV park (877) 787-3036 with campsites, small cabins, laundry, and showers. There are many good but expensive cafes in Victor.

Resupply and lodging at end: Mack’s Inn and Sawtell are only a few miles apart; you could resupply at convenience stores in either place, though their selection is limited. Or mail a package to Mack’s Inn Post Office, open M–F 10 AM to 5 PM, Sat. 10 AM to 2 PM. Both Mack’s Inn and Sawtell have restaurants. Sawtell Mountain Resort is usually booked full in summer months. You might get lucky and find a room; chances are all you will find is a campsite there, but this gives you 22 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis access to showers, a swimming pool, and laundry. Office staff let us charge batteries and use Wi-Fi in the lobby.

Water is everywhere until you cross Badger Creek, 43 miles from Victor. Next water is Conant Creek, 26 long miles away. Water is easier to find after Conant Creek.

Camping: Rather than staying in expensive Victor, Mike camped in a cottonwood grove along the bike path a few miles north of town. Once you start up the Fox Creek trail, you won’t find a campsite until you get near the pass. Teton Creek Campground can be reached in one day from Victor if you hustle. After Teton Creek, places to camp are easy to find until you leave the forest, and even then, there are places to camp along the Ashton-Tetonia bike path. Warm River Campground is busy, but you can camp in many places north of there along the bike trail.

Maps: Targhee National Forest

23 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “K” Sawtell, Idaho to Monida Pass (Lima, Montana)

Elevation Gain: 12,268 feet; Elevation Loss: 11,951 feet

Distance: 71.6 miles; plan on 3 or 3½ days.

Description: This section of the Idaho Boundary Trail follows the Continental Divide Trail as it goes west in the Centennial Mountains. This range seems to attract summer thunder storms; prepare for rain. Leave Sawtell westward on the Sawtell Peak Road. At 9.7 miles, turn off at a marked trailhead. About a mile from the road, watch for a waypoint on your GPS, and leave the trail, bushwhacking towards the most distant source of the Missouri River. It’s a neat spot few have visited. Continue west, following Hell Roaring Creek, then after fording the creek near Lillian Lake, pick up the CDT again. Watch for good views north to Red Rock Lake and south to Henry’s Lake. Pass Aldous Lake, follow the divide, and drop steeply down to Pete Creek Divide, then up Little Table Mountain. You enter a much drier area here, in the rain shadow of Idaho’s highest mountains, the Lost River Range and Lemhi Mountains. The track then descends on a dirt road down through ranch land to Interstate 15 south of Monida Pass.

Resupply and lodging at start: Mack’s Inn and Sawtell are only a few miles apart; you could resupply at convenience stores in either place, though their selection is limited. Or mail a package to Mack’s Inn Post Office, open M–F 10 AM to 5 PM, Sat. 10 AM to 2 PM. Both Mack’s Inn and Sawtell have restaurants. Sawtell Mountain Resort is usually booked full in summer months. You might get lucky and find a room; chances are all you will find is a campsite there, but this gives you access to showers, a swimming pool, and laundry. Office staff let us charge batteries and use Wi-Fi in the lobby.

Resupply and lodging at end: Lima (pop. 226) is 20 miles from where you reach Interstate 15. Call Mike Strang at Mountain View Motel (406) 276-3535 when you get near I–15, and he will drive out and pick you up. (If you have a Sprint phone, text before you drop down by the highway; there isn’t enough Sprint cell coverage to talk. Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T have stronger coverage.) His motel has a laundry and Wi-Fi. There are a couple of good places to eat in Lima and even a hardware store. Lima has a small convenience store, but you may be better off

24 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis mailing a package care of Mountain View Motel (406) 276-3535, PO Box 277, Lima, MT 59739.

Water is easy to find until you pass Lillian Lake; the next water is a creek 19 miles away. After that, springs are not common, but all are waymarked. Fill up whenever you see water.

Camping: Flat campsites are easy to find all the way.

Maps: Beaverhead Deerlodge South National Forest OR Jonathan Ley CDT maps #70 through #66 (Download from: http://francistapon.com/Travels/Continental-Divide- Trail/CDT-Maps-by-Jonathan-Ley)

25 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “L” Monida Pass (Lima, Montana) to Bannock Pass (Leadore, Idaho)

Elevation Gain: 20,152 feet; Elevation Loss: 19238 feet

Distance: 99.1 miles; plan on 4½ or 5 days (most take 5).

Description: The Idaho Boundary Trail continues following the Continental Divide Trail through the dry mountains in the rain shadow of higher ranges in Idaho. Mike Strang at Mountain View Motel can give you a ride to the trailhead along I-15, but this means you will get a late start on day one. Take this into account when planning how long it will take to walk this section. You start with the “roller coaster,” a long series of grassy hills that takes most of the first day to climb. Once to the top, you descend to Shineberger Creek, then begin a long series of climbs and descents over high, but generally dry mountains, culminating at over 10,000 feet on Elk Mountain. The continental divide here is mostly high rounded peaks covered with short grass. You may see elk and pronghorn herds up there.

Resupply and lodging at start: Lima (pop. 226) is 20 miles from where you reach Interstate 15. Call Mike Strang at Mountain View Motel (406) 276-3535 when you get near I–15, and he will drive out and pick you up. (If you have a Sprint phone, text before you drop down by the highway; there isn’t enough Sprint cell coverage to talk. Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T have stronger coverage.) His motel has a laundry and Wi-Fi. There are a couple of good places to eat in Lima and even a hardware store. Lima has a small convenience store, but you may be better off mailing a package care of Mountain View Motel (406) 276-3535, PO Box 277, Lima, MT 59739.

Resupply and lodging at end: At Bannock Pass, you have a 14 mile walk to Leadore (pop. 100) unless you can hitch a ride or pre-arrange a ride with a friend. Leadore Inn (208) 768-2237 has only 4 rooms, so it may be wise to reserve ahead of time. They will pick up hikers at Bannock Pass; if you have Verizon you can call from the top of Elk Mountain.

Water can be scarce in this section. The first creek crossing the trail is Shineberger Creek, 19 miles from the start. From there on, you should fill up every time you pass decent water, because water sources in this section tend to be 10 to 15 miles apart. 26 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

Camping: There should be no trouble finding a camping spot anywhere in this section.

Maps: Beaverhead Deerlodge South National Forest OR Jonathan Ley CDT maps #66 through #57 (Download from: http://francistapon.com/Travels/Continental-Divide- Trail/CDT-Maps-by-Jonathan-Ley)

27 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide TRAIL SECTION “M” Bannock Pass (Leadore, Idaho) to Lost Trail Pass (Salmon, Idaho)

Elevation Gain: 23,048 feet; Elevation Loss: 23,707 feet

Distance: 123.7 miles; plan on 5½ or 6 days.

Description: Expect a lot of climbing, but trails are good. This section begins at Bannock Pass, 14 miles from Leadore (pop. 100). From Bannock Pass, the trail climbs through dry forest to Goldstone Pass, then enters Montana in a gorgeous high area near Janke Lake. Next it descends into damp forest, and then climbs into an alpine area in the Bitterroots, where you will find snow, lakes, and rocky peaks. The trail then crosses back into Idaho, down to Sheep Creek (and fords that can be challenging in high water). You descend all the way down into a canyon warm enough to grow ponderosa pines, and if you are there in late July, you will see your first ripe huckleberries. The forest is burned in places the rest of the way to Lost Trail Pass.

Resupply and lodging at start: Leadore Inn (208) 768-2237 has only 4 rooms, so it may be wise to reserve ahead of time. They will give you a lift to Bannock Pass. Mail a package to the Leadore Post Office (open M-F 7:45 AM–12:30 PM and 1 to 4:15 PM, Sat 9 to 10:30 AM). You can also mail a food box to the Leadore Inn. Leadore has a café and a small convenience store.

Resupply and lodging at end: At the north end of this section at Lost Trail Pass, hitch a ride to Salmon (pop. 3000, 46 miles) or arrange to have a friend meet you. You will find several motels, a big grocery store, lots of restaurants, and a pretty good shoe store in Salmon. You could also hitch to Darby which is closer (31 miles).

Water is scarce between Bannock Pass and Goldstone Pass. There are three springs, and you should fill up at each one. There is plenty of water (sometimes too much) north of Goldstone Pass. It gets dry again after Bradley Gulch. Except for one spring, the last 22 miles to Lost Trail Pass are dry.

Camping: You will find plenty of places to camp in this section.

Maps: Salmon-Challis National Forest OR Ley maps #57 to #48

28 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

29 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “N” Lost Trail Pass (Salmon, Idaho) to Darby, Montana

Elevation Gain: 24,177 feet Elevation Loss: 27,310 feet

Distance: 129.2 miles; plan on 6 days.

Description: This section can be difficult. Be safe and only attempt it if you have a partner. It is rough and remote country, and trail maintenance on many trail miles ranges from sketchy to nonexistent. The trail first follows the Idaho-Montana border through a large burn, with many trees across the trail. Leaving the burned forest at 32 miles, you have the luxury of an easy 21 mile road walk. Next is a very nice trail down Blue Joint Creek and up Jack the Ripper Creek (who named these creeks?) to Nez Perce Pass. Good trails continue north along the divide and down Indian Creek into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The trail begins to deteriorate when it climbs Indian Ridge and enters a burn. Follow the crest on a sketchy trail, then bail off the ridge down a steep slope. There used to be a trail here, but it hasn’t been maintained in decades. Be very careful; if you fall here you may literally never be found. At the bottom of the steep and dense brushy slope, find a condemned bridge across Whitecap Creek (in 2014 Mike walked across it OK). You will find a trail going upstream into a spectacular alpine area, over a pass and down to Tincup Lake. Below Tincup Lake, you will be on a good trail in the forest.

Resupply and lodging at start: Salmon has several motels, a big grocery store, lots of restaurants, and a pretty good shoe store. Hitch a ride from Salmon or arrange to have a friend give you a ride to Lost Trail Pass.

Resupply and lodging at end: Darby (pop. 700) has motels, cafes, a good grocery, and a hardware store north of town. Mike stayed in Budget Motel (406) 821-2096. (There were lots of vacant rooms, so you probably don’t need a reservation.)

Water can be scarce along the ridges, but the trail drops off the divide often enough that you can find water. Be sure to fill up at the seep on Burnt Strip Mountain.

Camping: Campsites can be hard to find all the way to Darby. Start looking for a flat spot long before dark. Mike found no campsites at Tincup Lake, but there were a few low down, nearly to the trailhead.

30 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Maps: Salmon/Challis NF and Bitterroot National Forest, south half. (You could get by without the Salmon/Challis map, since it only covers about 3 miles from Lost Trail Pass to Frog Pond Lake, where the Bitterroot map starts.)

31 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “O” Darby, Montana to Lochsa Lodge, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 14,270 feet Elevation Loss: 14694 feet

Distance: 88.5 miles; plan on 3½ or 4 days.

Description: The trail on this section at first follows the shore of Como Lake. Above the lake, this would not be a difficult hike if the trails were maintained. Call the Darby District Ranger (406) 821-3913 to learn about the condition of the trail above Como Lake. There were many deadfalls across the trail in 2014, so many that it seemed easier to abandon trail #522 at Bell Lake and bushwhack over a ridge to trail #559. If trails were maintained, you could continue on trail #522 until it meets trail #559, and avoid a steep bushwhack. You next pass Spruce Lake and climb to Bear Creek Pass. There you meet a road for a few miles to Twin Lakes. North of the Lakes is the good Moose Lake Trail which leads to Dead Elk Trail. (It climbs a slope with excellent huckleberries.) After Big Sand Lake, you join the alternate route “Oa” that goes through Hamilton. The trail next climbs rapidly to the wild and remote alpine peaks near Frog Lake. The trail north of Frog Peak is usually under snow; watch the track on your GPS. It will show the trail, even though you can’t see it under the snow. Ford Colt Killed Creek (named by Lewis and Clark) and follow the creek as it builds quickly into an impressive mountain river. In 2014 a recent fire made hiking hard in places. You will leave the burned area 5 or 6 miles before Lochsa Lodge.

Resupply and lodging at start: Darby has motels, cafes, a good grocery, and a hardware store north of town. Mike stayed in Budget Motel (406) 821-2096. (There were lots of vacant rooms, so you probably don’t need a reservation.)

Resupply and lodging at end: Lochsa Lodge (208) 942-3405 has cabins (call ahead to reserve) and nice tent sites that allow you to use the facilities. The restaurant is very good. There is a little store, but don’t plan to resupply there. Call ahead (208) 942-3405 and arrange for the Lodge to hold a package for you.

Water is easy to find all the way.

Camping: Start looking for a campsite at least an hour before dark. There aren’t many flat clear places where you can pitch a tent. You can find campsites at Big 32 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Sand Lake, on the ridges beyond, at Frog Lake, and until you cross Colt Killed Creek; then they start to get scarce.

Maps: Bitterroot National Forest north half and Clearwater NF

33 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “NA” (Alternate) Lost Trail Pass (Salmon, Idaho) to Hamilton, Montana

Elevation Gain: 7,317 feet Elevation Loss: 11,596 feet

Distance: 67.9 miles; plan on 2½ to 3 days.

Description: At Lost Trail Pass, 46 miles north of Salmon (pop.3000), you can choose to hike to Lochsa Lodge via Hamilton or Darby. The Darby route is longer and much more difficult. If you are hiking alone, it would be prudent to take this route “Na” to Hamilton, rather than the longer Darby “N” section. This alternate begins on a good trail through alternating woods and grassy slopes with excellent views. Some of the forest patches are burned. The first day brings you down to Medicine Hot Springs and Spring Creek Campground. From there, you climb up the steep dirt Sula Peak Road. Mike saw several elk herds and some big bucks north of Sula Peak. The road goes over a low pass and drops to a road along Sleeping Child Creek and leading to Hamilton (pop. 4500).

Resupply and lodging at start: Salmon has several motels, a big grocery store, lots of restaurants, and a pretty good shoe store. Hitch a ride from Salmon or arrange to have a friend give you a ride to Lost Trail Pass.

Resupply and lodging at end: Hamilton has grocery stores where you can resupply, 3 motels, and several cafes.

Water is well-spaced along this route, up to 15 miles apart. Fill up when you find water, and expect a long walk to the next creek.

Camping: Spring Creek Campground is 20 miles from the start. Campsites are fairly common until you leave the National Forest in Sleeping Child Canyon.

Maps: Bitterroot National Forest, south half map and Bitterroot National Forest, north half map.

34 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

35 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “OA” (Alternate) Hamilton, Montana to Lochsa Lodge, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 9,011 feet Elevation Loss: 9,137 feet

Distance: 54.3 miles; plan on 2½ days.

Description: This is one of the most beautiful trail sections on the Idaho border. From Hamilton, you first walk lightly travelled rural roads, then a rocky trail up Blodgett Creek. Watch for all the berry varieties along the way. At 17 miles, the trail goes over scenic Blodgett Pass. Near Big Sand Lake, the trail climbs rapidly to the wild and remote alpine peaks near Frog Lake. The trail north of Frog Peak is usually under snow; watch the track on your GPS. It will show the trail, even though you can’t see it under the snow. Ford Colt Killed Creek, named by Lewis and Clark, and follow the creek as it builds quickly into an impressive mountain river. A recent fire makes hiking hard in places. You will leave the burned area 5 or 6 miles before Lochsa Lodge.

Resupply and lodging at start: Hamilton (pop. 4500) has grocery stores where you can resupply, 3 motels, and several cafes.

Resupply and lodging at end: Lochsa Lodge (208) 942-3405 has cabins (call ahead to reserve) and nice tent sites that allow you to use the facilities. The restaurant is very good. There is a little store, but don’t plan to resupply there. Call ahead (208) 942-3405 and arrange for the Lodge to hold a package for you.

Water is available all the way.

Camping: There are a few flat spots where you can camp before Blodgett Pass. You can find campsites at Big Sand Lake, on the ridges beyond, at Frog Lake, and until you ford Colt Killed Creek; then they get scarce.

Maps: Bitterroot National Forest north half & Clearwater National Forest (You could make do with only Clearwater National Forest map.

36 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

37 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide TRAIL SECTION “P” Lochsa Lodge, Idaho to Wallace, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 30,696 feet Elevation Loss: 31,414 feet

Distance: 153.3 miles; plan on 5½ to 6 days.

Description: This is another challenging section. It’s long, and there is a lot of hill climbing, but trails here are generally pretty good. The first 33 miles are on easy walking roads to Trail #565 at Toboggan Ridge (the second peak on the profile (above). You will be on trails for the next 61 miles, except for a little bit of road by Hoodoo Pass. The profile above doesn’t seem like much, but look at the elevation gain and loss numbers to get a better idea of how much climbing to expect. At 94 miles the track reaches the Stateline road, and easy walking for 37 miles. Then you walk ATV trails and single track around the back side of Stevens Peak. Keep an eye out there for the incredibly good red huckleberry patches, too far from roads for commercial pickers to access. After Stevens Peak, descend to Moon Pass and a short road walk to Wallace (pop. 780), the perfect hiker’s town.

Resupply and lodging at start: Lochsa Lodge (208) 942-3405 has cabins (call ahead to reserve) and nice tent sites that allow you to use the facilities. The restaurant is very good. There is a little store, but don’t plan to resupply there. Call ahead (208) 942-3405 and arrange for the Lodge to hold a package for you.

Resupply and lodging at end: Wallace has everything you would need. Stardust Motel (208) 752-1252 is conveniently located. There are several places to eat in Wallace. We liked the 1313 Club and Red Light Garage. Hikers there are encouraged to sign the kitchen wall.

Water can be scarce, since most of the roads and trails in this section are up on ridges. We have made waypoints at all the critical places. Don’t let one go by without filling up.

Camping: Campsites are easy to find.

Maps: Clearwater National Forest and Wallace BLM map

38 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

39 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “Q” Wallace, Idaho to Clark Fork, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 17,104 feet Elevation Loss: 17,761 feet

Distance: 106 miles; plan on 4½ or 5 days.

Description: Take the bike path out of Wallace (pop. 780) to Mullan (pop. 700), and walk past the Lucky Friday Mine to Shoshone Park. Look for a path a mile after the park. This section has been tough because of poor trail maintenance. You will tire of climbing over logs and crashing through brush. There’s a mix of road and trails, mostly up on ridges. Trails cross a lot of talus. At Jordan Spring, you descend to the Coeur d’Alene River and a scenic trail along the river headwaters. At the end of the Coeur d’Alene trail find an uphill road, then a shortcut on a fun dirt bike trail. Back on the road, it’s a few miles downhill to Pend Oreille Lake and Clark Fork (pop. 500).

Resupply and lodging at start: Wallace has everything you would need. Stardust Motel (208) 752-1252 is conveniently located. There are several places to eat in Wallace. We liked the 1313 Club and Red Light Garage. Hikers there are encouraged to sign the kitchen wall.

Resupply and lodging at end: Clark Fork has two small grocery stores with enough of a selection so you can resupply. There is one motel, Clark Fork Lodge (208) 266-1736. Call ahead to reserve a room. There are two cafes in town. See town guide for more options.

Water can be scarce, since most of the roads and trails in this section are up on ridges. Fill up at Pear Lake and Blossom Lake. 93 Mile Lake is ¾ mile down a good trail. It’s a shallow and warm lake, a good place to wash up. There’s a shortcut bushwhack from 93 Mile Lake back up to the road. If you don’t want to detour to the lake for water, there’s a spring along the road 4½ miles past the 93 Mile Lake trailhead. Water is more common after Jordan Spring.

Camping: Campsites are usually easy to find, but there are few from Jordan spring to the end of the Coeur d’Alene Trail.

40 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Maps: Coeur d’Alene National Forest. Coeur d’Alene map is also used in Trail Section “V“

41 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide TRAIL SECTION “R” Clark Fork, Idaho to Bonners Ferry, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 10,254 feet Elevation Loss: 10,484 feet

Distance: 66 miles; plan on 2½ days.

Description: In 2017 Yeti & Melanie hiked a new route which works just fine. From Hwy 200, turn up East Spring Creek Road until it makes a “U” turn. Look for a track straight in through the bushes and follow that trail. You will need to watch the track after you come to a road where you turn right. Bushwack off the road through the woods for a half mile (easy) back to a dirt road then continue on dirt roads to Spring Creek. Ford the creek and climb on good trail FS120 until you meet Trail #67. You can hike an alternate, easier trail up Lightning Creek Road, but the views aren’t as good (see GPS tracks). After Calder Mountain the trail descends to Boulder Creek, where you meet a road that goes over Twenty Mile Pass and leaves the Kaniksu National Forest.

Resupply and lodging at start: Clark Fork (pop. 500) has two small grocery stores with enough of a selection so you can resupply. There is one motel, Clark Fork Lodge (208) 266-1736. Call ahead to reserve a room. There are two cafes in town.

Resupply and lodging at end: Bonners Ferry (pop. 2500) has many motels. Carriage House (208) 267-7915 is good. There are two large supermarkets and several cafes.

Water is available most of the way. Trail #67 on the Cabinet Mountain ridge is dry, but there is a small spring right on the trail just past Mt Willard, and a small creek north of Calder Mountain.

Camping: There are many spots along trail #67 on Cabinet ridge where you can camp. After you leave the national forest at Twenty Mile Pass, you can camp on two state sections marked with waypoints between Twenty Mile Pass and Bonners Ferry.

Maps: Sandpoint and Bonners Ferry BLM maps or Kanisku National Forest map

42 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

43 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide TRAIL SECTION “S” Bonners Ferry, Idaho, to Ione, Washington

Elevation Gain: 23,424 feet Elevation Loss: 23,194 feet

Distance: 139.1 miles; plan on 6½ or 7 days.

Description: This section is challenging in places (lots of climbing, and a long bushwhack). Other than that, trails are pretty good most of the way. The track leaves Bonners Ferry northward along the side of US Highway 95. It isn’t as bad as it sounds; the shoulder is separated from the traffic by concrete barriers. After a couple of miles, turn east on Highway 2 to County Road 34a. Go north by Dawson Lake, and follow Forest Service roads steeply up into the Purcell Mountains. Trail #153 takes you near the top of Queen Mountain. (It always seems to rain here.) North of Queen Mountain you join the Pacific Northwest Trail. It makes a little bushwhack to the Brush Lake Trail, where you will find a campground at the lake outlet. On roads now, you cross US 95, and head west across a farmed valley to the Selkirks and the steep Parker Lake Trail. It’s a wonderful trail through some nice high country. Consider the short alternate “Sa” to the top of an unnamed mountain on Long Ridge. Mike called it “Mt. Why,” because when you look down from the top you see a tiny tarn with a question-mark shaped peninsula. The trail continues by some nice lakes, and ends at Ball Lakes. There you start a long wilderness bushwhack. You come out at Lion Creek, where campers like to slide down smooth rocks in the water. Next take a washed-out road up Lookout Mountain. Go all the way to the top; the view is spectacular. Take a trail, then a log road down, and go north on a trail around Upper Priest Lake and through beautiful cedar forest. You come out to a road and a detour sign. Originally the Pacific Northwest Trail went north and over Little Snowy Top; if the trail ever is repaired, the IBT will go that way too. But for now we follow a USFS detour on Hughes Creek Trail. It was a good trail in 2014 until near the top, where Mike found many deadfalls. Down the other side, either follow trail #517 past Helmet Mountain or take Sullivan Creek Road. Turn off at Sullivan Lake Campground and hike the trail along the east side of the lake. It brings you to a paved road and an easy walk to Ione (5.5 miles).

Resupply and lodging at start: Bonners Ferry (pop. 2500) has many motels. Carriage House (208) 267-7915 is good. Bonners Ferry has two large supermarkets and several cafes.

44 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Resupply and lodging at end: Ione (pop. 450) has 3 motels; best is Riverview (509) 442-2990. Ione has a medium size grocery store, a pizza parlor and a couple of bar/grills, none worth writing home about.

Water: It can be a long way between sources of water. Be sure to fill up at the creek just before you start up the Parker Lake Trail.

Camping: There are good campsites along Trail #153 south of Queen Mountain. Look for the campground at the Kootenai River Bridge. Think about stopping there, because once you start up the Parker Lake Trail there are few places flat enough to camp until you are 6½ miles past the trailhead. There is a nice waypointed camp in a cedar forest up Hughes Creek. The campground at the south end of Sullivan Lake is the last place you can camp before Ione.

Maps: Kaniksu National Forest and either Colville NF map or Colville Quadrangle BLM map (This last map is old)

45 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “T” Ione, Washington to Newport, Washington

Elevation Gain: 12,017 feet Elevation Loss: 11,955 feet

Distance: 96.8 miles; plan on 3½ days.

Description: Hiking gets easier as you turn south. This track goes back east from Ione (pop. 450) to Forest Road 1936. Turn right, and you soon come to a 3-way junction. Take the left fork, Paupac Road. This whole area burned about 100 years ago, and is now reforested. 33½ miles from Ione, turn east up Leclerc Creek. Climb to a pass, fill up at a great spring just east of the pass, then turn right on Trail #370 towards Kalispell Rock. The trail improves and changes its name to Trail #103. In 2016 Melanie & Yeti found Trail #103 horribly covered with blowdowns. Take the short side trip (alt “Ta”) to the top of North Baldy for an excellent view all the way back to Priest Lake and the Selkirks. On a road now, walk south over Pyramid Pass and Pelke Divide, through logging country; and turn right on Bear Paw Road. Turn south on a log road to the Bead Lake Trailhead. This trail is gorgeous and well maintained. The road from Bead Lake to Newport (pop. 2000) is narrow; plan to walk it early in the morning, when there isn’t much traffic.

Resupply and lodging at start: Ione has 3 motels; best is Riverview (509) 442- 2990. All 3 motels have on-site laundry. Ione has a medium size grocery store, a pizza parlor and a couple of bar/grills.

Resupply and lodging at end: Antler Inn (509) 447-3463 in Newport is nice and is centrally located. A laundry is a block away, and Safeway market is nearby. Michaels Café is very good, as is Newport Pizza.

Water: Many nice small creeks cross Paupac Road. Leclerc Creek can be fouled by cows, but there is a nice spring further on, near Kalispell Rock. Grouse Spring, one of the best springs on the entire trail, is a short distance past North Baldy. There is a little creek in the cedar forest just before you get to Bead Lake.

Camping: There are plenty of places to camp until you pass Bead Lake and leave Kaniksu National Forest. You can camp in a state owned pine plantation a mile south of Bead Lake; it is marked with a waypoint.

46 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Maps: Kaniksu National Forest and either Colville NF map or Colville Quadrangle BLM map (This last map is old)

47 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “U” Newport, Washington to Spirit Lake, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 5,364 feet Elevation Loss: 4,944 feet

Distance: 34.7 miles; plan on 1½ days.

Description: After Newport, the track passes small farms and rural residences, then turns up a logging road on Hoodoo Mountain. The track on your GPS guides you through a maze of log roads and ATV trails across the top of the mountain, a patch- work of logged and young forest. On the south side of the mountain you drop down to level, mostly private, forested land. The track entering Spirit Lake from the north passes through private land on a dirt road. The only other possible route into town is on the narrow and very dangerous State Highway 41. Mike asked several people in Spirit Lake, and all thought our marked track would be the best and safest way to walk to town, even though it is private. Mike has walked it twice, early in the morning, and never saw anyone. In 2016 Melanie & Yeti talked to locals who said this is definitely private property so we stuck to the road.

Resupply and lodging at start: Antler Inn (509) 447-3463 in Newport is nice and is centrally located. A laundry is a block away, and Safeway market is nearby. Michaels Café is very good, as is Newport Pizza.

Resupply and lodging at end: Spirit Lake has a good medium sized market. Annie's Country Kitchen is very good for breakfast and lunch. White Horse Saloon, Hotel and Café has 8 rooms: $40 (208) 623-2353.

Water: There are few places to find water on Hoodoo Mountain. We have waymarked all those we found. Fill up at every opportunity. Spirit Lake city park has water and lavatories.

Camping: There are campsites on Hoodoo Mountain, but few once you start down the grade on the south side of the mountain. You can camp in the Idaho state pine plantation at the bottom of the hill, a few miles north of Spirit Lake. The next campsite past Spirit Lake is 22 miles farther, in Coeur d’Alene National Forest.

Maps: Kaniksu National Forest

48 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

49 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “V” Spirit Lake, Idaho to St Maries, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 10,141 feet Elevation Loss: 10,522 feet

Distance: 97.9 miles; plan on 3½ days.

Description: After Spirit Lake, you cross the “Flats,” about 12 miles of flat ground with rural residences and young pine plantations. After you cross US Highway 95, you will encounter hilly ground, and at 19 miles from Spirit Lake, enter Coeur d’Alene National Forest. A few miles up East Fork Hayden Creek, turn up the Hells Canyon Trail, which climbs steeply to Forest Road 1511. At Burnt Cabin Summit, you will come to a confusing junction of 6 roads. Take the ATV trail, following the GPS track. You will pass Windy Ridge, Fernan Saddle, and Treasure Saddle and eventually find Blue Creek Road, which takes you down to Coeur d’Alene Lake. You have to walk 2 miles on the side of narrow and busy Idaho Highway 97 to Beauty Creek Campground. There you will see the trailhead for the Mt. Coeur d’Alene Lookout Trail. This trail eventually leads you to a gravel road that descends to Thompson Lake, where the Coeur d’Alene River enters Coeur d’Alene Lake. Cross a bridge, and you will see the paved Trail Of The Coeur d’Alenes bike path, which you can walk to Harrison (pop. 210), a good ice cream stop. Turn off the bike trail about 5 miles south of Harrison, and take O’Gara Road up to Highway 97. Walk a mile along the highway then turn southeast on Hell’s Gulch Road, which will take you all the way to St Maries (pop. 2300).

Resupply and lodging at start: Spirit Lake has a good medium sized market. Annie's Country Kitchen is very good for breakfast and lunch. White Horse Saloon, Hotel and Café has 8 rooms: $40 (208) 623-2353. Midway: Lakeview Lodge (208) 689 9789 is on the bike path in Harrison. There are several cafes there too.

Resupply and lodging at end: St Maries has a good medium sized market, and two motels: Pines Motel (208) 245-2545, and Riverfront Suites (208) 582-1724. Pines Motel does not open until the afternoon. Cafes (except for Zips) in St Maries open early to serve the loggers working the early “hoot owl” hours.

50 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Water: The first water after Spirit Lake is at Hayden Creek, about 20 miles from Spirit Lake. You won’t find much water after fording Hayden Creek, until you get to Coeur d’Alene Lake. There’s a nice little park with picnic tables and water off Highway 97 just before you get to Beauty Bay. Beauty Creek is dry. Next water is a small creek 9 miles from the park. You probably are better off not to use water from Thompson Lake because of lead pollution from old mines upstream. You can get water at Harrison. When Mike walked that way in 2014, there were only a few trickles of water in the canyons between Harrison and St Maries, but you can make it all the way from Harrison to St Maries without more water.

Camping: The next campsite past Spirit Lake is 22 miles from town, in Coeur d’Alene National Forest by Hayden Creek. You can find places to camp in the forest after Hayden Creek, but once you leave the national forest on Blue Creek Road, the first place you can camp will be on BLM property east of Blue Creek Bay. The ridge above the road there is also BLM land, and it looks like there would be good campsites on top. There is camping at Beauty Creek campground and along the trail to and beyond Mt. Coeur d’Alene Lookout. There is a gazebo built to observe wildlife at Thompson Lake; you maybe could shelter there in a storm. We doubt if camping is allowed along the bike trail, though Mike set up a late camp in a remote part of the trail along Shingle Bay south of Harrison, and never saw anyone.

Maps: Coeur d’Alene National Forest map and St Maries BLM map. Coeur d’Alene map is also used in Trail Section “Q“

51 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide TRAIL SECTION “W” St Maries, Idaho to Moscow, Idaho

Elevation Gain: 8,179 feet Elevation Loss: 7,755 feet

Distance: 75.2 miles; plan on 3½ days.

Description: Walk south on St Maries River Road through forest and by rural residences for about 8 miles. When the road takes off up the hill, instead go down to the abandoned railroad tracks, and follow the tracks upstream. It’s a pretty walk, though you will probably get tired of walking on railroad ties. Walk the tracks for 4¼ miles, then climb down and ford the river. We found the river rocks slippery there, but it wasn’t deep, and the current was no problem. On the far side, find a narrow old dirt road in a clear-cut, and follow it up Alder Creek. This is privately owned timberland, but the policy of the big timber companies is to allow hikers and horses on all the private lands in the area. The track zig-zags on log roads and skid trails and even cow trails through mostly logged country until you reach the national forest. Here the track is on roads, for the most part in young forest. After you cross Meadow Creek, go up the Prospect Creek Road to an ATV trail that climbs past Prospect Peak, and eventually deposits you on Gold Hill Road, which leads down to Potlatch (pop. 800) (in 2016 we found the area after Meadow Creek Rd closed so we went west on Meadow Creek Rd & after some tricky turns we ended up on Fiscus Rd which comes into Potlatch from the north, follow Alt Track Wc). Pine Street in Potlatch turns into Rock Creek Road, which goes over Moscow Mountain. At the top of the mountain, leave the road, and take the bicycle trail down to Moscow Mountain Road and Moscow (pop. 25,000).

Resupply and lodging at start: St Maries has a good medium sized market, and two motels: Pines Motel (208) 245 -2545, and Riverfront Suites (208) 582-1724. Pines Motel does not open until the afternoon. Cafes (except for Zips) in St Maries open early to serve the loggers working the early “hoot owl” hours.

Resupply midway: Potlatch has a grocery store and Dales Bar, Grill & laundromat, open at 10 AM (pretty good breakfast or lunch).

Resupply and lodging at end: We stayed at Hillcrest Motel (208) 882-7579. Moscow has many other motels, and several grocery stores and restaurants. There also is a great Saturday morning farmers market. Camping: There are numerous places to camp south of St Maries. The area around Potlatch is all private, but there are campsites near the top of Moscow Mountain. 52 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

Water: Alder Creek, about 13 miles from St Maries, has good water, as does John Creek, 10 miles farther. The next water is Meadow Creek, 14 miles from John Creek. After that, the next water is Gold Creek. You can fill up in Potlatch, and can make it the rest of the way to Moscow without more water. (There isn’t much on Moscow Mountain)

Maps: St Maries and Potlatch BLM maps

53 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide

TRAIL SECTION “X” Moscow, Idaho to Clarkston, Washington

Elevation Gain: 2,056 feet Elevation Loss: 3,897 feet

Distance: 45.5 miles; plan on 2 days.

Description: At the south side of Moscow, take a bike path east on the south side of Idaho Highway 8. Turn south on a paved road at 4 miles. Turn left at Blaine Grange Hall, where there is a picnic table and outhouse, and sometimes an owl. Cordelia Church (13 miles from Moscow) is worth a stop. It is beautifully restored, and has a shaded picnic table and well pump in the yard. A little past the church, stop and see the old Lone Star one-room school. Most of this route is through wheat and garbanzo bean fields, but some of the first day south of Moscow is in piney canyons. The second day the country dries out as you drop down to the Clearwater River. Cross busy Highway 12 (be careful!) to a bike path along the river. At the Lewiston Bridge, leave the bike path and walk the sidewalk on the west side of the bridge into Lewiston. A short walk on city streets leads to another bike path up on the levee. Soon you will see the blue bridge across the Snake River, and the park where you began hiking the Idaho Boundary Trail!

Resupply and lodging at start: We stayed at Hillcrest Motel (208) 882- 7579. Moscow has many other motels, and several grocery stores and restaurants. There also is a great Saturday morning farmers market.

Resupply and lodging at end: Motel 6 in Clarkston (509) 758-1631 is near the park where the Idaho Boundary trail starts and ends. Tomato Brothers restaurant is across the street. Albertson’s Market is a block away.

Water: The well water at Cordelia Church is drinkable, but rusty. You can get water at Little Potlatch Creek, 20 miles from Moscow. Unless you stop at a farmhouse, that’s the last drinking water you will see until a rest stop along Highway 12, just before you cross the bridge into Lewiston.

Camping: We have met friendly Palouse farmers who have offered us places to camp midway between Moscow and Clarkston. You also could camp in secluded and shady Little Potlatch Creek canyon.

54 Mike O’Brien and Jim “Yeti” Fulmis Maps: Potlatch BLM map. (A second map south to Clarkston probably isn’t necessary)

55 Idaho Boundary Trail Hikers Guide ABOUT THE AUTHORS

AUTHOR NAMES are: Mike O’Brien & Jim “Yeti” Fulmis

Mike O’Brien learned map reading in the Army, where he flew in a helicopter over Vietnam correcting maps freehand. He has worked as a forester, nature preserve manager, house, boat, and hospital builder. He has hiked the Idaho Centennial Trail and the Idaho Boundary Trail twice, and some sections of both trails many times.

Mike O’Brien

Jim “Yeti” Fulmis has hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) twice, the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT), The John Muir Trail (JMT) 22 times, The Idaho Boundary Trail (IBT) some parts twice, plus many more smaller trails. Yeti was born in 1938 and is still rock climbing, hiking, skiing, and enjoying other outdoor activities. Yeti acquired his trail name in 1973 while hiking in a snow storm wearing shorts and a “T” shirt, when asked if he was cold and answering no, everyone started calling him the abominable snow man which is the “Yeti”. That stuck and he is called Yeti now by everyone even his wife.

Yeti

Or visit www.fultek.com/ibt

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