Deep Creek Peak

Power County, ID High Point- 9/26/2024

Trip Stats (Click here)

Summit Elevation: 8,748 ft.

Trip Distance: 5.0 miles 

Total Vert: 2,467 ft.

Travel Type: Trail Running

If there is one thing climbing Idaho county high points has taught me so far, it’s to appreciate the place I live a little more. I sometimes take for granted my life here in East Idaho. This world has so much to see, and sometimes I forget I live a few hours away from places that many people dream of visiting their whole life. I often find myself thinking about trail running in Scotland, or skiing in Japan, but every once in a while I find myself in a place that reminds me I live in a really, really, cool corner of the world. Deep Creek Peak and the Deep Creek Mountains are one of those inspiring places.

There was no particular reason I picked Deep Creek Peak to next on the list, I think I was just in the mood to see something I had never seen before, so early on a September morning a close friend and I headed down the highway toward Power County. After exiting I-86 at the Pocatello Airport and stopping to buy some oddly flavored potato chips from a chatty gas station attendant, we cruised one more exit to the West and turned our voyage onto The Arbon Valley Highway crossing the southern section of the Fort Hall Indian reservation.

The Arbon Valley in the fall is exceptionally tan, gold, and brown, but has a desolate beauty to it. After driving through the agricultural basin where less than a handful of people have ever lived, we turned onto Knox Canyon Road. I noticed the fields were filled with a plant that looked like dried marigolds. I was curious so we pulled up along side what happened to be a local farmer and he informed us that the fields were filled with safflower (over 1,500 acres.) My curiosity had been satiated and so we headed on down the road, once urging my travel companion to not desecrate the dead wildlife in the road.

Knox Canyon is just a short drive into the mountains from the Arbon area but the scenery changed surprisingly quick. As we winded up the canyon toward the Southeast ridge of Deep Creek Peak farmland shifted into aspen groves and again quickly changed to thick stands of pine. Within what felt like a few short minutes we were out of civilization and into the Wild West.

We drove a few minutes up the canyon road, climbing rapidly. There was really no one to speak of in Knox canyon except for one woman who was cutting firewood, seemingly alone. It appears that life in the Arbon Valley, while beautiful, is not for the faint of heart. One needs to be a little burly to survive there. After exploring the surroundings we found a place to park and decided to set off into the woods toward our destination.

After parking, we began to trek eastward trying to gain the ridge. This quickly became my least favorite part of the day and would lead to later course correction, for better or worse. The woods in Knox Canyon have had little traffic and a a lot of deadfall. What should have been a quick jog to warm up, became a 45 minute/ .3 mile wind and grind in and around the forest. With a little worked we exited the bushwhack and gained the southeast ridge that leads all the way to the summit.

The ridge upward goes over 3 or 4 minor hills and is really an interesting run. A faint trail follows the ridge line making travel much more enjoyable, but be careful, there are plenty of livestock trails to lead you off course if you aren’t paying attention. We began to gain elevation rapidly even though I wasn’t feeling great (probably due to packaged donuts I chose for breakfast; someday I will learn).

As we climbed higher I started to feel better. About 3/4 of the way we approached a few rock bands as you curl from NE to east. This is also the point where we realized what we hoped was the our destination was actually a false summit. Not too much to worry about though, the true summit was just a little further. The ridge climb was relatively uneventful due to beautiful weather, gorgeous fall sunshine, and golden aspen leaves changing in the valley below. We did see more and more antelope scat the higher we ventured, but never laid our eyes on an actual animal. I’m not the quietest of wilderness travelers so, animals have not typically been something I see much of.

We chose to cut straight through the rock bands because they looked worse than they actually were and the last quarter mile of ridge to the summit was a cruiser. The broad top of Deep Creek Peak gives gorgeous, unobstructed 360 degree views. From the summit you can see into Northern Utah, as well as spotting Cache, Bonneville, and Oxford Peaks; 3 other Idaho county high-points. There was a small cairn and summit register on top. The breeze made the summit rather chilly so after a few snapped pics we decided to head down.

Partway down our descent we opted take a fork that seemed more direct back into Knox canyon. The exit ridge we took was two ridges to the north of where we had ascended but on the way up we noted it to be more direct and would circumvent the aforementioned pine-shwack. While it was a much more direct route, it was also steeper. Additionally, the sage brush was thicker so it really seemed that we traded one herbaceous wrestle for another, but thus is life off trail.

While zigzagging, and jumping our way lower and lower, we struggled to stay on our feet and our legs were getting a little thrashed in our running shorts, but the stoke was high and hope was in sight. We saw the road just before entering a thick aspen grove. This time the forest navigation was much simpler and within a few short minutes of bobbing and weaving we found ourselves climbing up a steep embankment and back onto the road. Our new course left us a couple hundred feet lower than our initial departure point, but a short, warm jog on road was definitely worth the trade. We arrived back at our car still early in the day and headed home, passingly a lazy camp of sheep that came out of nowhere on the drive out.

I imagine there are many places like this all over the world. Seek out such places. Places that only have one requirement of an adventurer: get off the main road.

As we drove home, I thought of how Deep Creek Peak and Knox Canyon are truly hidden Idaho gems. Because of their positioning, few people will probably ever notice this pretty little mountain range stretching out behind Shoshone peak and its namesake reservation. Even fewer people will venture down the Arbon Valley Highway to explore. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a small adventure or even just a relaxing Sunday drive. I imagine there are places like this all over the world; maybe even some near you. Seek out such places. Places that only have one requirement of an adventurer: get off the main road. You might be surprised at what you find. Just be ready for any possible bushwhacks along the way.

P.S. Honey Butter is an awful potato chip flavor, even after a run.