Windy Ridge

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Windy Ridge
Elevation 5180'

A nice hike in the Owyhees to escape cabin fever
March 28, 2020
43.2251°N / 116.6879°W

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The Owyhee Mountains of Southwest Idaho are great a great place for solitude. The high-desert terrain is best visited during the shoulder seasons when the temperatures are mild. Looking for a balance between finding a cure for cabin fever, and responsible “social distancing” during the pandemic, I decided my family needed to get out of the house. Our destination is what I’m calling “Windy Ridge” (Peak 5180’), on the Owyhee front and the highest point between Reynolds Creek and Rabbit Creek.

We made our way from Boise to Murphy, then up Rabbit Creek road to the saddle above Reynolds Creek. This is where we parked, and then started hiking cross-country up through the sagebrush to the northwest. After about 400’ of elevation gain, we made it to the ridge for some great views. Also a bit of snow/hail mixture to make things interesting.

The rest of the way we just followed our noses along the undulating ridge. We set a steady but leisurely pace, with occasional stops to check out early season wildflowers, lava rocks, and sign from deer and wild horses.

Once closer to the highpoint, we met up with a jeep trail that we followed to near the summit. The final stretch was a little steeper and some boulder hopping to the top, where we had a snack and enjoyed the great views. The higher Owyhee peaks to the south and west were still snow covered. And we could also see Shafer Butte all the way across the valley.

On the way back, we mainly just retraced our path back to the trailhead. Round trip was 4.6 miles and 1200’ of elevation gain in just under 3 hours round trip. On the way home, we made a loop and drove down Reynolds Creek. It was a great day to get out for some exploring with my wife and kids.