Ada County High Point Trip Report
Date: June 1998
Author: Walt O'Neil
The route: Take the Broadway exit from I-84 north into Boise about 3 miles.
Cross Warm Springs Avenue, where Broadway becomes Avenue "B".
Go past the next light one block and turn right on Reserve St. to the right of the park.
Go to the base of the foothills and bear right on Shaw Mountain Road.
Proceed through the housing area and the road becomes Rocky Canyon Road,
with the pavement ending a mile after the development. Continue on this road about 7.5 miles
until coming to the highest point in the road (Aldape Summit-4797'). Here there is a cross road.
Turn left and go 0.2 mile and park.
Here the dirt climbs steeply with much loose rock and ruts to about 5500'.
The road levels out, gaining elevation gradually as it winds around a large draw.
Look for a road the same size going left after about 3.5 miles. There are many smaller roads,
trails and closed roads going left and right before getting there. Stay straight at this road
and go up a small slope to a clearing. The highpoint is about 20 feet to the right
and is easy to pick out as this area was the northern terminus of the 1996 foothills fire
and the trees have been cleared. The slight mound is barely 6000'.
Be sure to check the gorgeous views on the way up and down.
This road could probably be navigated with a 4 WD vehicle, making it a 20 foot hike
with a 5 foot gain instead of a 7 mile hike with a 1204 gain.