Search routes & places
Placeholder Routes & Places


Log in and send us updates, images and resources

Borah Peak/Chicken Out Ridge

The Chicken Out Ridge route is technical with sustained exposure, and it's 8 miles roundtrip with 5,300 feet of elevation gain. Borah Peak is the state highpoint of Idaho.

GETTING THERE

The trailhead for Chicken Out Ridge is located between the Idaho cities of Boise and Idaho Falls. When south of the town of Dickey, turn east off of Hwy 93 onto Birch Creek Rd then drive 3.5 miles east to the end of the road to the trailhead. Parking permit not needed. Nearby airports with direct flights from Seattle are located in Boise (BOI) and Idaho Falls "Fanning Field" (IDA).

APPROACH & ASCENT

The Chicken Out Ridge trail begins at 7,420 feet and passes through a thin forest and then gains the SW ridge of Borah Peak. Continue on the obvious trail along the ridge until approximately 11,000 feet where the hiking trail turns into an intermittent climbers trail over rock for the rest of the ascent.

At 11,300 feet the route turns into a scramble. Some people "chicken out" and turn around at this point since there's technical terrain and increased exposure. Stay on the ridge even if it looks easier to traverse below. After a few hundred vertical feet, downclimb a 30 foot blocky section to a short knife-edge ridge which may be snow-covered in early season. The most technical part of the route is now behind you, so just follow the climbers trail as it turns north and traverses a couple hundred feet below Peak 11898 to the saddle. From the saddle stay west of the ridge to the summit.

Notes

  • Borah Peak is the state highpoint of Idaho.
  • In early season an ice axe might be  needed for the short knife-edge ridge.
  • Make sure that members of your group aren't showing signs of altitude illness.
  • Borah Peak has 6,000 feet of prominence, making it the 65th most prominent peak in the United States.
  • Suitable Activities: Climbing, Scrambling
  • Climbing Category: Basic Alpine
  • Seasons: July, August, September
  • Weather: View weather forecast
  • Difficulty: Strenuous 5, Technical 5
  • Length: 8.0 mi
  • Elevation Gain: 5,300 ft
  • 12,662 ft
  • Land Manager: Salmon-Challis National Forest
    Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, Lost River Ranger District (SCNF)
  • Parking Permit Required: None
  • Recommended Party Size: 12
  • Maximum Party Size: 12
  • Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12
Map
  • USGS Borah Peak
Activities
Trip Reports
Resources

There are no resources for this route/place. Log in and send us updates, images, or resources.