Peak 10,375

Overview

Peak 10375, or Liberty Peak, is situated along the main Sawtooth crest, 0.7 miles northwest of the Finger of Fate and 0.6 miles due south of Decker Peak along the same ridgeline. It looks as if both Liberty and Decker could be summited together in a day, although the approach to Liberty from the north is considerably steeper. The peak is a mostly class 3 scramble from its base near the Finger, up through loose granitic soils and cobbles, to blocky granite on the ridge leading to the summit. It appears that Liberty could also be scrambled from the Cramer lakes side to the west. Views from the summit provide a primer of many of the Sawtooth's named peaks and drainages.

Getting There

From Idaho State Hwy 75, take the Decker Flat Road to the Upper Trailhead for Hell Roaring Lake. Hike 3 miles to Hell Roaring Lake, and then follow the social trail along the north edge of the lake 0.7 miles to meet with the inlet flowing down from Clarice Lake (Lake 8186 on USGS topo). Hike 0.8 miles (740' climb) up along the social trail to Clarice Lake. Southwest ridgeline route: Veer southwest/left along the drainage that meets up with the north side base of Finger of Fate (stay low). Hike up the climber's trail along the Finger's north/right base and follow the contours to lake 9200. Now you're at the base of the peak. Head up the nose between this lake and the next lake immediately to the southwest/left (you won't see the next lake til you've climbed partway up the nose). Scramble up the loose (class 3-4) chute to the left of the cliffy treeline to its terminus. Sidehill the short distance across mostly loose soils up to the ridgeline. Scramble the ridgeline to the summit. Taking the Finger (right) side of the ridgeline, offers class 4 scrambling and loose boulders overhead. Scrambling up along the left (Cramer Lakes side) of the ridgeline yields more solid footwork to the summit. Open, airy and tremendous views of many peaks, lakes and drainages abound from this small summit. No summit register was located on Oct 1, 2011. Descend the way you came up, except follow the edge of the treeline to midway along the chute,then drop into the chute to avoid cliffing out and dealing with a descent of the top half of the chute. Return to Clarice lake by following down the chain of lakes to a social trail above Clarice that provides some respite from the extensive talus in this area. The inlets and outlets along this chain of lakes are photogenic with Liberty Peak as a backdrop.

Red Tape

The 4WD road to the Upper Hell Roaring Trailhead is rough, and parking at the new (as of Oct 2011) trailhead lot is limited to about 10 vehicles. Helmet is recommended for the climb.

Camping

Backpacking to and basecamping at Clarice Lake is recommended. There is one large group campsite near the outlet and one smaller site on the more coveted peninsula.

External Links

Here's a link to the peak as it's located on USGS topo and a peak-related website: http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/QMap.php?lat=44.0348&lon=-114.9684&z=15