Hyndman Peak in Sawtooth National Forest, ID

Hike Hyndman Peak Sawtooth National Forest, ID

Class 2 12.9 miles 5000 gain 5-7 hrs Out + Back Aug 24, 2022
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Hyndman Peak is the highest point of the Pioneer Mountains, and it has a trail leading almost the whole way to the summit. I woke up to find Rebecca's car at the trailhead (we met the previous day on Borah), happy to find that our half-assed meet-up plan would work out. We merrily set out along the Hyndman Creek Trail, both happy to have a hiking companion for separate reasons: she saw cat eyes in the middle of the night which understandably spooked her, and I was starting to get weary from being alone for so long on this trip. We laughed at ourselves for missing a very obvious log-crossing over the creek just after starting the hike, always a good sign when meeting someone new. Rebecca and I quickly became friends, and I loved her open-minded spirit and confidence, plus her cute dog Tefen who could run circles around us both.

The trail slowly gained elevation as it worked up the drainage, the pretty meadows illuminated by morning light. Then we started gaining more quickly as the trail ascended north into the basin at the southern base of Hyndman Peak. We passed a couple of easy creek crossings and a interesting cascade that paralleled the trail. Finally, we could see the summit pop up, still quite a bit away. The basin was gorgeous, the jagged western ridge of Hyndman Peak looming over a wide meadow.

With a bit more ascending we made it to an unnamed lake at the base of the peak. We could see the low point on Hyndman Peak's southeastern ridge, the spot where we'd be heading. The trail became less clear past the lake, but there were plenty of cairns and enough impact to form a social trail most of the time, and we had no trouble navigating the talus and keeping the going light. A couple of short Class 2 sections got us up to the ridgeline where the trail definitely ended.

Keeping prettty much directly along the ridge crest, we scrambled on Class 2 talus for a bit over a half mile to reach the summit. There was one section about halfway up that required keeping left of the crest since a large outcropping prevented direct access. I recommend keeping high when possible. Rebecca stayed low and later admitted she could begrudgingly accept that keeping higher is easier. The views were spectacular the whole way up, especially along the crest and toward the impressive northeast face of Hyndman Peak. At the summit, we took in the views and chatted about all sorts of things and bonded about how normally neither of us ever spend this much time on the summit. We backtracked the way we came. I experimented a bit with a social trail that led away from the ridge, but it wasn't great. Excellent day out on a mostly trailed, big mountain.

Later, while walking around Ketchum looking for even one place serving dinner that was under a thousand dollars, I bumped into a bread-baker acquaintance on the sidewalk who casually whipped out a couple of delicious loaves from his car and gave them to me. I was extremely excited. How sweet, but a ridiculous scenario.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Hyndman Peak
12009 ft
4809 rise

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Starting along the Hyndman Creek Trail.
Starting along the Hyndman Creek Trail.
The trail parallels the creek and continues up a wide, meadowy drainage.
The trail parallels the creek and continues up a wide, meadowy drainage.
Image 2 from gallery
Beautiful meadows.
Beautiful meadows.
The trail leads up the hill in the center in order to reach the basin on the south side of Hyndman Peak.
The trail leads up the hill in the center in order to reach the basin on the south side of Hyndman Peak.
View back down the Hyndman Creek drainage.
View back down the Hyndman Creek drainage.
Meadows as we progress. Hyndman Peak pops in top right.
Meadows as we progress. Hyndman Peak pops in top right.
View back again toward the Hyndman Creek drainage.
View back again toward the Hyndman Creek drainage.
Image 8 from gallery
Image 9 from gallery
Steeper section of trail.
Steeper section of trail.
Ascending into the basin below Hyndman.
Ascending into the basin below Hyndman.
Cool cascade that parallels the trail.
Cool cascade that parallels the trail.
Gorgeous little basin. The jagged western ridge of Hyndman Peak seen left, Hyndman on the right.
Gorgeous little basin. The jagged western ridge of Hyndman Peak seen left, Hyndman on the right.
More ascending toward the base of Hyndman Peak.
More ascending toward the base of Hyndman Peak.
View back at our progress into the basin.
View back at our progress into the basin.
Hyndman Peak ahead. Our first goal is to reach the low point on the ridge (right).
Hyndman Peak ahead. Our first goal is to reach the low point on the ridge (right).
Unnamed lake.
Unnamed lake.
View back at the lake. The trail came up from the top left in this photo.
View back at the lake. The trail came up from the top left in this photo.
The trail starts to peter out past the lake.
The trail starts to peter out past the lake.
Cairns mark the way through the talus. Saddle we're headed to seen center.
Cairns mark the way through the talus. Saddle we're headed to seen center.
Some light Class 2.
Some light Class 2.
View back down into the basin. Cobb Peak seen top left.
View back down into the basin. Cobb Peak seen top left.
At the ridge crest, view toward Hyndman Peak.
At the ridge crest, view toward Hyndman Peak.
Starting up from the saddle, view toward Old Hyndman Peak.
Starting up from the saddle, view toward Old Hyndman Peak.
Incredible northeast face of Hyndman Peak.
Incredible northeast face of Hyndman Peak.
View back at our progress along the crest. The saddle is seen right/center.
View back at our progress along the crest. The saddle is seen right/center.
Wider shot of the ridge, Old Hyndman top right.
Wider shot of the ridge, Old Hyndman top right.
Class 2. You can see a large rock outcrop along the ridge. We kept left around it.
Class 2. You can see a large rock outcrop along the ridge. We kept left around it.
Another shot back. There are a few social trail options, but I recommend sticking close to the crest when possible.
Another shot back. There are a few social trail options, but I recommend sticking close to the crest when possible.
More Class 2 as we make progress up Hyndman Peak.
More Class 2 as we make progress up Hyndman Peak.
View back at the impressive cliff on Hyman Peak's northeast face.
View back at the impressive cliff on Hyman Peak's northeast face.
Close-up at the route up so far from the saddle.
Close-up at the route up so far from the saddle.
Just below the summit, view east.
Just below the summit, view east.
Hyndman Peak, view north.
Hyndman Peak, view north.
Hyndman Peak, view southwest. we came up from the center. The Hyndman Creek drainage is seen center as well.
Hyndman Peak, view southwest. we came up from the center. The Hyndman Creek drainage is seen center as well.
Hyndman Peak, view northwest.
Hyndman Peak, view northwest.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!