| Rooster Comb Peak Mountain/Rock |
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| Rooster Comb Peak   | 
| Page Type: Mountain/Rock Location: Idaho, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 43.13797°N / 116.81593°W County: Owyhee Activities: Hiking, Scrambling Season: Spring, Summer, Fall Elevation: 6336 ft / 1931 m | Page By: SawtoothSean Created/Edited: Mar 23, 2006 / Mar 23, 2006 Object ID: 182985 Hits: 700 Loading... Page Score: 88.85% - 12 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview Rooster Comb is perhaps the most interesting
peak in the Owyhee Range from a scramblers point of view. It provides Class 2-4
scrambling on a rock studded ridgeline amongst superb scenery. During the edges
of winter and even parts of the summer, solitude can be found on these
slopes. Scramblers visiting the Owyhees should consider Rooster Comb for
it's rocky ridge, Hayden Peak (the range's tallest at 8403), and War
Eagle Mountain for it's historical significance and close proximity to
Silver City.
Rooster Comb Peak is one of the few prominent
points in the area without an obvious Jeep Trail to the summit. This is a great
reason to give this peak a shot. Depending on the variable snow and mud
conditions, this peak makes an excellent winter snow-shoe, early spring trail
run, and late spring mountain bike. There are numerous rocky outcroppings,
mining remnants, and abandoned buildings to explore on the approach. In
addition, Succor Creek runs just under the peak and is a significant source of
historic seasonal winter camping for Bannock and Shoshone Indians of the past.
Not too far from this location, major U.S. Cavalry battles occurred against
Indian uprisings in the late 1800's.
Trails / Routes
- North Approach- The north side approach starts at China Flat or
just west of that point at a prominent division in the road. The approach
Jeep Road parallels a significant rocky ridge that runs north-south and
crosses Succor Creek just before leaving the Jeep Road for the
scrambling. A variety of interesting alternatives around the summit
ridgedefines the difficulty level from Class 2 to Class 4.
1200 feet of gain in 4.75 miles (one way)
- East Side Slopes- This approach starts at the upper reaches of
Reynolds Creek near Johnston Draw. Follow the Johnston Draw west contouring
north and cross Succor Creek just southeast of Rooster Comb Peak. Choose an
interesting line up one of the south side gulleys. 1770
feet of gain in 2.9 miles (one way)
Numerous other possibilities exist and allowing extra
time to explore the hundreds of rock outcroppings in the area is always a
possibility.
Maps: USGS Rooster Comb Quad, USGS De Lemar Quad
Getting There Road Approach
Just south of the prominent ID-45 / ID-78
junction, take the signed Reynolds Creek Road. Follow this improved (paved for a
portion) road for 14.3 miles until you reach the small town of Reynolds. About
0.3 miles south of the cemetery, turn right (west) and follow this dirt road 4.7
miles and park at the prominent clearing and road junction. The road winds it's
way up the slope and is subject to snowy and muddy conditions. Conditions and Season Conditions and Season
This remote area is most often visited by off
road vehicles during the summer. To avoid these, plan your trip just before all
the snow melts or after the hunting seasons. The season is highly variable
and depends on the snow pack. One year you may get close as soon as February,
another it may take until late March. Often you can get close as late as
November or December. The small town of Reynolds is accessible year round, so
technically this peak is climbable year round.
National Weather Service-Boise
Even though the Owyhee Range (also called the Silver City Mountains), sits
south of Boise and has many desert like features, the area receives a good
amount of snowfall and nearly twice the annual precipitation as nearby Boise.
| Silver City, Idaho (Elevation 6150) Climate Data: |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Annual |
| Average Max. Temperature (F) |
35.9 |
38.1 |
45.0 |
51.9 |
60.8 |
69.9 |
80.7 |
80.2 |
70.6 |
58.1 |
41.8 |
35.7 |
55.7 |
| Average Min. Temperature (F) |
20.4 |
20.9 |
27.0 |
31.6 |
40.3 |
46.6 |
55.5 |
55.0 |
46.2 |
36.8 |
25.1 |
20.5 |
35.5 |
| Average Total Precipitation (in.) |
2.91 |
2.16 |
2.29 |
2.40 |
2.49 |
1.34 |
0.60 |
0.54 |
0.82 |
1.41 |
2.10 |
2.09 |
21.15 |
| Average Total SnowFall (in.) |
20.3 |
13.0 |
10.6 |
5.7 |
2.0 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.2 |
2.0 |
11.0 |
15.5 |
80.5 |
| Average Snow Depth (in.) |
22 |
27 |
19 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
12 |
7 |
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