The focus of this trip was to climb some state high points – Gannett in Wyoming, Granite in Montana, and Borah in Idaho, and to sightsee in the national parks on rest days. My partner Philip Wegge had to delay his arrival due to work, so I started off solo in Glacier National Park, followed by Mt. Borah in Idaho, a fun class 3 ridge climb. Once Philip arrived at the Cody airport, we drove straight to the trailhead for Gannett and hiked in. At 50 miles round-trip, and a glacier climb near the summit that requires gear, Gannett is considered to be the hardest state high point after Alaska. The area was scenic and wild, helping to take our minds off the grueling miles. After a successful summit and hike out, we rested for a day in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National parks, then went after Granite Peak in Montana. Another beautiful area and a great climb.

We ended up shaving a day off of our allotted time for each of the Gannett and Granite climbs, so we added a bonus peak, Ruby Dome in Northeast Nevada, a unique area in the Great Basin. It’s still hard to believe that the trip came together so beautifully, in such amazing areas…