Williams Peak (Custer County, Idaho)

Williams Peak, at 10,636 feet (3,242 m) high is the 6th highest peak in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho and is located within the Sawtooth Wilderness portion of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.[3] The peak lies 0.75 mi (1,210 m) north-northeast of Thompson Peak, the highest peak in the range.[4]

Williams Peak
A photo of Williams Peak from the northwest
Williams Peak
Highest point
Elevation10,635 ft (3,242 m)[1]
Prominence837 ft (255 m)[2]
Parent peakThompson Peak
Coordinates44°09′08.66″N 115°00′21.31″W[1]
Geography
Williams Peak is located in Idaho
Williams Peak
Williams Peak
Parent rangeSawtooth Range
Topo mapUSGS Stanley Lake
Climbing
First ascent1934
Easiest routeScramble – Class 3

The town of Stanley, Idaho is 5.5 miles (8.9 km) northeast of the peak. Views of the peak may be accessed from the scenic Idaho State Highway 75, and on hiking trails from Redfish Lake and throughout the Sawtooth and White Cloud Mountains.

History

Williams Peak is named for pioneer Dave Williams, who was a part of the first ascent team in 1934 along with Robert and Miriam Underhill.[5] Williams also owned the property of what is now the Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch, which looks toward the peak.

Routes

Various routes are available for hikers and climbers as the mountain's southern slopes and ridgelines offer challenging and exciting scrambling, while the steep North Face offers the peak's classic alpine climb with over 1,100 feet (340 m) or 9 pitches of steep climbing.

1) The June/ North Couloir (III 5.7) – This prominent steep couloir cuts up the northeast face to a notch just below the summit. It's fairly easy access from the Alpine Way Trail near Marshall Lake. The couloir often has ice, rock, and snow and is blocked by a large cornice in the winter near the top. The first ascent came in 1986 by Kirk Bachman and B. Franklin.

Rope up at the base of the couloir and expect highly variable conditions on snow and ice. The route is straightforward. At the top of the couloir, follow the ridge to the west and then the south to the summit. It's only 400 feet (120 m) from the top of the couloir to the summit proper. The easiest descent is to utilize the south facing routes to get back to the trail.

2) Southeast Slopes (Class 3) – Easy access from the Alpine Way Trail make this method probably the easiest and quickest route on the mountain. Winter time offers great snow climbing and ski descents here.

3) East Ridge (Class 4) – A more challenging route involves up and down scrambling on the prominent southeast ridge above the Southeast Slopes route. There are sections of extreme exposure and steep, loose gullies to cross over. Mountain Goats were encountered on this route.

4) Southwest Couloir (Class 3) – This route is readily accessible from the Thompson / Williams Saddle (Thompson and Williams can be done together) or the Lake 8865 area.

Images
  • Williams Peak from near Stanley Ranger Station
    Williams Peak from near Stanley Ranger Station
  • Williams Peak from Alpine Way Trail
    Williams Peak from Alpine Way Trail
  • Williams Peak
    Williams Peak
  • Northeast aspect
    Northeast aspect

See also

References
  1. "Thompson Peak". summitpost.org. Retrieved 2009-07-26.
  2. Staff. "Williams Peak". Lists of John. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  3. "Williams Peak". bivouac.com.
  4. Sawtooth National Forest (Map) (1998 ed.). Sawtooth National Forest, U.S. Forest Service.
  5. Lopez, Tom. Idaho: A Climbing Guide. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books, 2000, p. 160
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