| Borah Peak | |
|---|---|
 View from west in August 2009 | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 12,662 ft (3,859 m) |
| Prominence | 5,982 ft (1,823 m)[1] |
| Listing | |
| Coordinates | 44°08′15″N113°46′52″W / 44.1373891°N 113.78110123°W /44.1373891; -113.78110123[2] |
| Geography | |
| Location | Custer County,Idaho, U.S. |
| Parent range | Lost River Range |
| Topo map | USGS Borah Peak |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1912 by T.M. Bannon[3] |
| Easiest route | Class 3 Scramble |
Borah Peak, also known asMount Borah orBeauty Peak, is a mountain in thewesternUnited States and the highest summit inIdaho.[4] One of the mostprominent peaks in thecontiguous United States,[5] it is located in the central section of theLost River Range, within theChallis National Forest in easternCuster County. On February 11, 2021, the USGS officially recognized Mt. Borah as Idaho's only active glacier.[6]
The mountain was nameless until it was discovered to be higher thanHyndman Peak, previously regarded as the state's highest point. In February 1934, theU.S. Geological Survey named it forWilliam Borah,[7] the prominent seniorU.S. Senatorfrom Idaho, who had served for nearly 27 years at the time and wasdean of the Senate. An outspokenisolationist, the "Lion of Idaho" ran for president two years later in1936, but did not win theRepublican nomination, and died in office in 1940.[8]
| Climate data for Borah Peak 44.1341 N, 113.7832 W, Elevation: 11,745 ft (3,580 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 18.8 (−7.3) | 18.1 (−7.7) | 22.1 (−5.5) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 36.5 (2.5) | 46.3 (7.9) | 58.0 (14.4) | 57.6 (14.2) | 48.8 (9.3) | 35.8 (2.1) | 23.6 (−4.7) | 17.9 (−7.8) | 34.2 (1.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 10.9 (−11.7) | 9.1 (−12.7) | 12.3 (−10.9) | 16.3 (−8.7) | 25.0 (−3.9) | 33.8 (1.0) | 44.3 (6.8) | 43.8 (6.6) | 35.5 (1.9) | 24.8 (−4.0) | 15.5 (−9.2) | 10.2 (−12.1) | 23.5 (−4.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 3.0 (−16.1) | 0.1 (−17.7) | 2.4 (−16.4) | 5.6 (−14.7) | 13.5 (−10.3) | 21.3 (−5.9) | 30.6 (−0.8) | 29.9 (−1.2) | 22.1 (−5.5) | 13.8 (−10.1) | 7.5 (−13.6) | 2.5 (−16.4) | 12.7 (−10.7) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.37 (111) | 4.13 (105) | 5.03 (128) | 5.11 (130) | 5.20 (132) | 3.92 (100) | 1.67 (42) | 1.60 (41) | 2.44 (62) | 3.64 (92) | 4.12 (105) | 4.99 (127) | 46.22 (1,175) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[9] | |||||||||||||
The 1983 Borah Peak earthquake occurred on Friday, October 28, at8:06:09MDT in theLost River Range at Borah Peak incentral Idaho, United States, measuring 6.9 on themoment magnitude scale. Mount Borah rose about 1 foot (30 cm) and the Lost River Valley in that vicinity dropped about 8 feet (2.4 m).[10] The peak was scarred on the western side, and the mark is still visible. Two children inChallis were the only fatalities of the quake, struck by falling masonry while walking to school.[11][12]
The normal route involves ascending 5,262 vertical feet (1,604 m) from the trailhead to the summit in just over 3.5 miles (5.6 km). This route on the southwest ridge, the most popular route, is a strenuous hike for the most part until one reaches a Class 4arête just before the main summit crest. This point is known asChicken-out Ridge as many people will abort the attempt once they see the hazards up close. In the cooler seasons, this crossing usually involves a traverse over snow, with steeply slanting slopes on either side. Anice axe, and the ability to use it, is recommended for this section when icy.
Borah Peak's north face is one of Idaho's only year-'round snow climbs and provides a much greater challenge than the normal route. The face features a number of Grade II class 5 routes on mixed terrain.
Three climbers are known to have died on Borah Peak: two climbers, Vaughn Howard and Guy Campbell, ascended the northwest ridge on November 24, 1977 and were killed in anavalanche. The bodies were not recovered for nine months, until August 26, 1978.[13][14] On June 13, 1987, another climber, Dave Probst, died on aglissade.[3][15][16]
To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clickingCoordinates (underLocation); copyLatitude andLongitude figures from top of table; clickZoom to location; clickPrecipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click30-year normals, 1991-2020; click800m; clickRetrieve Time Series button.
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