Murdock Creek
October 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Distance: 6 Miles
Elevation Gain: 2,320 Feet (1,100 feet first 2.5 miles)
Highest Point: 8,880 Feet
Rating: Easy to Moderate
Access: Dirt Road
Area: Boulder Mountains
To the Trail: Drive north from Ketchum on Highway 75 for 7.8 miles and turn right at the SNRA building. Continue past the visitor parking and drive 1 mile to a sign reading Murdock Creek Trail to the right. Following the sign, drive a short distance to the parking lot. Stay right and ignore a little road that goes left to a campsite.
The Trail: The trail begins from the lot at a registration box. Sign in and follow the trail for .2 miles to where it crosses the creek. You should be able to make your way across on rocks and logs. The level path follows along the creek for 1.5 miles until again crossing to the other side. Before the trail starts to climb farther on, there are great spots along the creek for an afternoon picnic.
Now the trail starts to ascend along the left of the canyon. At 2.25 miles re-cross the creek and follow the steep trail up the other side. After leveling off, the trail re-crosses the creek. At 2.5 miles, near a large basin, the trail crosses a tributary stream and starts a steep ascent up the ridge. To this point, there’s been a cumulative 1100 foot ascent though most of it is very gradual. At the end of this arduous climb at 8,800 feet is a rock outcropping to your right. This is the place to stop and take in the great views. A faint trail continues from here but dead-ends soon after.
Field Notes:
-Easy to access - short distance from SNRA building on smooth dirt road
-Stream crossings may be problematic (especially upper ones)
-Passes through pretty thick foliage in sections and stinging nettle will be encountered here.
-The first sections are nice for some looking for a short stroll out and back but still in the mountains.
Last hiked: 9/14/07 - DS
West Fork of the North Fork
October 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment
This quiet trail along the West Fork brings the hiker into a beautiful high mountain valley in the Boulder Mountains.
Distance: 7 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1,920 Feet
Highest Point: 8,840 Feet
Rating: Moderate
Access: Dirt Road
Area: Boulder Mountains
To The Trail: Drive north from Ketchum on Highway 75 for 7.8 miles and turn right at the SNRA building. Continue past the visitor parking area onto North Fork Road and drive 5 miles on dirt road to the parking area.
Boulder Basin - Boulder Mountains
September 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment
A wonderful hike for the curious explorer, Boulder Basin has it all: remnants of Idaho’s mining history, high altitude lakes, soaring peaks and meadows filled with wildflowers in the spring.
Total Distance: 7 Miles
Highest Elevation: 9,528 Feet
Elevation Gain: 2,210 Feet
Rating: Moderate
Access: Dirt Road (4×4 Recommended)
To The Trail: Drive north from Ketchum 12.5 miles and turn right onto Boulder Creek Road, located at the top of Phantom Hill at mile marker #141. Follow the dirt road, going left at the first junction. After approx 1 mile follow the sign indicating ‘Boulder Basin 5′ to the right. Continue on, the rough road crosses through Boulder Creek and then up into the canyon. Around 1.5 miles after the last junction there is a place to park in an area of sparse, tall pines and cut down stumps. Park here. A registration box is up to the left, next to the road.
The Trail: From the parking area the trail is on road all the way up into Boulder Basin. First following along the bottom of the canyon, through forest before turning up and to the left when it begins climbing along a long exposed slope of shale and rock. It eases off a bit past the first long climb into the bottom of the valley again before resuming the climb up a series of switchbacks of rocky road.
Reaching the top of this climb the road passes through pine forest and begins to make it’s way into Boulder Basin. There is a stream crossing just before getting into the first meadows of the basin, which may be deep in high water. Past here the road crosses some big meadows and scattered forest as it slowly curves left up in the valley, eventually reaching a junction.
- Going left leads, on easy walking road, to the remains of historic Boulder City, the popular destination. Built in the 1890s and active until 1950, several dilapidated buildings still stand.
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Going right continues to climb, reaching another junction approximately .75 of a mile up at the base of steep rockfall underneath a cliff. There is a dark mine shaft here with rusty, twisted railway metal sticking out.
- From here going left leads up a short climb to the biggest and most perpetual of the Boulder Basin Lakes. There is an old cabin here.
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Going right, again continues to climb, curving up and around a rocky knoll before eventually topping out near the base of the cliffs and near a small glacial pond/tarn area. Here there are vantage points where you can walk out to the edge and look back down into the basin.
Boulder Basin Images:
Field Notes:
-Rocky road, sturdy footwear recommended.
-Stream crossings may be problematic in the spring.
-These roads are open to motor vehicles - don’t be surprised to see motocycles or 4×4s.
-Old mines & structures are very dangerous and should be observed only.
Last hiked: 9/8/07 - DS
