Mountaineering · YDS Class 3

North Fork Jones Creek to the Church/Donaldson Headwall

High Point
12,024 ft
Route Description

Idaho's 8th-highest peak, with a long approach and a steep, loose headwall -- most often combined with an ascent of neighboring Mount Church.

Approach

Access is via Lone Cedar Creek Road to its end. A good, mostly-easy-to-follow trail leads up North Fork Jones Creek, occasionally crossing the intermittent stream (watch for cairns where the trail picks up on the far side); the lower canyon is forested, opening up as you climb. Above treeline, large talus slopes lead up to a tarn at the base of the Church/Donaldson headwall -- a good spot to break before the crux. Two lines lead through the lower half of the headwall from the tarn: a more conservative talus-and-shelf line, or a steeper, more exposed ledge system; both meet partway up. The upper headwall is loose and steep throughout, with several roughly equivalent lines to the Church/Donaldson ridge; from the ridge, the true summit is a short distance away.

Weather Forecast
7-Day Forecast
Today
☁️
Overcast
41° / 26°
4%
💨21
Tomorrow
☁️
Overcast
40° / 27°
38%
💨9
Tue, Sep 29
☁️
Overcast
45° / 25°
💨5
Wed, Sep 30
☁️
Overcast
46° / 28°
💨6
Thu, Oct 1
☁️
Overcast
49° / 30°
1%
💨8
Fri, Oct 2
☁️
Overcast
52° / 33°
💨12
Sat, Oct 3
🌤️
Partly Cloudy
49° / 30°
4%
💨6
Trip Reports
+ File a Report
No reports yet for this route.
Be the first to file a report