White Cloud Mountains

White Cloud Mountains
White Cloud Mountains
Highest point
Peak	Castle Peak
Elevation	11,815 ft (3,601 m)
Coordinates	44°02′22″N 114°35′07″W / 44.039558°N 114.585266°WCoordinates: 44°02′22″N 114°35′07″W / 44.039558°N 114.585266°W
Dimensions
Length	25 mi (40 km) N/S
Width	32 mi (51 km) E/W
Area	461 sq mi (1,190 km^2)
Geography
White Cloud Mountains
Country	United States
State	Idaho
Parent range	Rocky Mountains
Borders on	Sawtooth Mountains and Boulder Mountains

The White Cloud Mountains are part of the Rocky Mountains of the western United States, located in central Idaho, southeast of Stanley in Custer County. The range is located within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) and partially within the White Clouds Wilderness.^[1]

The White Cloud Mountains are located on National Forest land in with numerous trails in the area. Camping is permitted anywhere on the national forest land and there are no fees to access the area.^[2] Primary access to the area is via State Highway 75, the Salmon River Scenic Byway, which accompanies the main Salmon River as it descends along the range's western and northern perimeter.

The highest peak in the White Cloud Mountains, and the SNRA, is Castle Peak at 11,815 ft (3,601 m).^[3] The Sawtooth Mountains are about twenty miles (32 km) west of the White Clouds, on the west side of the river and highway, and the Boulder Mountains are directly south of the White Clouds.

Peaks

Castle and Merriam Peaks

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Peaks of the White Cloud Mountains^[4][5]

Mountain Peak	Elevation	Prominence	Isolation	Location	Easiest Route
Castle Peak	11,814 ft 3601 m	4,016 ft 1224 m	27.3 mi 43.9 km	44°02′22″N 114°35′07″W / 44.039558°N 114.585266°W	Class 3
Calkins Peak	11,486 ft 3501 m	1,247 ft 380 m	5.80 mi 9.33 km	44°07′11″N 114°37′12″W / 44.119646°N 114.620093°W	Class 3
D. O. Lee Peak	11,342 ft 3457 m	541 ft 165 m	1.25 mi 2.01 km	44°06′10″N 114°37′43″W / 44.102674°N 114.628671°W	Class 3
Lonesome Lake Peak	11,302 ft 3445 m	801 ft 244 m	1.11 mi 1.78 km	44°04′31″N 114°36′43″W / 44.075396°N 114.612077°W	Class 2
Peak 11,272	11,280 ft 3438 m	673 ft 205 m	1.24 mi 2.00 km	44°05′29″N 114°36′33″W / 44.09126°N 114.609296°W	Class 3
White Cloud Peak 9	11,263 ft 3433 m	463 ft 141 m	0.61 mi 0.98 km	44°06′41″N 114°37′36″W / 44.111383°N 114.626608°W	Class 2
Chinese Wall	11,237 ft 3425 m	197 ft 60 m	0.53 mi 0.86 km	44°07′38″N 114°37′07″W / 44.127324°N 114.618743°W	unknown
White Cloud Peak 10	11,102 ft 3384 m	341 ft 104 m	0.53 mi 0.85 km	44°07′03″N 114°36′36″W / 44.117573°N 114.609906°W	Class 4
Merriam Peak	10,919 ft 3328 m	518 ft 158 m	0.57 mi 0.91 km	44°03′08″N 114°34′51″W / 44.052126°N 114.580744°W	Class 3
Patterson Peak	10,873 ft 3314 m	252 ft 77 m	1.70 mi 2.74 km	44°02′56″N 114°37′04″W / 44.04880°N 114.61780°W	Class 2
White Cloud Peak 7	10,778 ft 3285 m	677 ft 206 m	1.48 mi 2.38 km	44°07′21″N 114°39′13″W / 44.12254°N 114.65374°W	Class 3
Fourth of July Peak	10,712 ft 3265 m	1,133 ft 345 m	2.54 mi 4.09 km	44°01′48″N 114°38′06″W / 44.03010°N 114.63500°W	Class 2
White Cloud Peak 5	10,597 ft 3230 m	977 ft 298 m	0.91 mi 1.46 km	44°08′08″N 114°39′29″W / 44.13550°N 114.65810°W	Class 4
White Cloud Peak 3	10,587 ft 3227 m	808 ft 246 m	1.44 mi 2.32 km	44°09′22″N 114°39′36″W / 44.15620°N 114.65990°W	Class 3
White Cloud Peak 8	10,558 ft 3218 m	457 ft 139 m	0.94 mi 1.51 km	44°06′18″N 114°38′49″W / 44.10503°N 114.64697°W	Class 3
Washington Peak	10,518 ft 3206 m	859 ft 262 m	2.37 mi 3.81 km	44°00′31″N 114°40′21″W / 44.00850°N 114.67260°W	Class 2
Ebony Peak	10,512 ft 3204 m	334 ft 102 m	1.13 mi 1.82 km	44°01′04″N 114°39′12″W / 44.01770°N 114.65320°W	Class 3
Watson Peak	10,449 ft 3185 m	353 ft 108 m	0.68 mi 1.09 km	44°07′51″N 114°41′08″W / 44.130972°N 114.685666°W	Class 3
White Cloud Peak 4	10,449 ft 3185 m	810 ft 247 m	1.01 mi 1.63 km	44°08′20″N 114°40′40″W / 44.13890°N 114.67790°W	Class 3
Croseus Peak	10,387 ft 3166 m	188 ft 57 m	0.47 mi 0.76 km	43°59′53″N 114°39′06″W / 43.997965°N 114.651733°W	unknown
White Cloud Peak 1	10,354 ft 3156 m	453 ft 138 m	0.88 mi 1.42 km	44°10′07″N 114°39′28″W / 44.16870°N 114.65777°W	Class 2
Blackmon Peak	10,308 ft 3142 m	400 ft 122 m	2.46 mi 3.96 km	44°03′30″N 114°39′05″W / 44.05820°N 114.65140°W	Class 2
White Cloud Peak 2	10,272 ft 3131 m	491 ft 150 m	0.81 mi 1.30 km	44°09′31″N 114°40′32″W / 44.15860°N 114.67550°W	Class 3
White Cloud Peak 6	10,256 ft 3126 m	316 ft 96 m	0.37 mi 0.60 km	44°07′50″N 114°38′52″W / 44.13046°N 114.64765°W	Class 2
Peak 10,041	10,039 ft 3060 m	581 ft 177 m	0.73 mi 1.17 km	43°57′23″N 114°42′25″W / 43.956400°N 114.707000°W	Class 2
Lookout Mountain	9,954 ft 3034 m	1,854 ft 565 m	8.30 mi 13.36 km	44°11′34″N 114°45′32″W / 44.192659°N 114.758948°W	Class 1
Peak 9,988	9,954 ft 3034 m	728 ft 222 m	1.46 mi 2.35 km	43°56′42″N 114°40′02″W / 43.94510°N 114.66720°W	Class 2
Horton Peak	9,895 ft 3016 m	276 ft 84 m	0.83 mi 1.34 km	43°57′57″N 114°44′51″W / 43.96580°N 114.74750°W	Class 1
Bible Back Mountain	9,885 ft 3013 m	428 ft 130 m	1.15 mi 1.85 km	43°59′52″N 114°38′16″W / 43.997688°N 114.637843°W	unknown

Lakes

See List of lakes of the White Cloud Mountains

Photos

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  White Cloud Mountains viewed from Sawtooth Mountains

• 

  Washington Lake in the White Cloud Mountains

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  White Cloud Mountains in Distance across Sawtooth Valley

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  Fourth of July Lake in the White Cloud Mountains

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  Castle Peak

• 

  White Cloud Mountains

• 

  Warm Spring Creek in White Cloud Mountains

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  Warm Springs Meadow in White Cloud Mountains

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  White Cloud Mountains

• 

  White Cloud Mountains across Sawtooth Valley

• 

  Hikers leaving Quiet Lake, which sits at the base of Castle Peak and Merriam Peak.

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  Hikers eating lunch at Shallow Lake with the Devil's Staircase on the horizon.

References

1. "White Clouds". Summitpost.org. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
2. "Sawtooth National Forest". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
3. "White Cloud Mountains". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
4. Sawtooth National Forest. “Sawtooth National Forest” [map].1:126,720, 1”=2 miles. Twin Falls, Idaho: Sawtooth National Forest, United States Forest Service, 1998.
5. "White Cloud Peak List". Summitpost.org. Retrieved 2012-05-04.

See also

External links

• Peak Bagger.com - White Cloud Mountains
• Visit Idaho.org - official state tourism site
• Idaho Summits.com - Castle Peak - 11,815 ft.