username
X
password
register
for free!
 help
 Home FAQ Contribute Camp Granada Surveys Shop
 TrailDEX Filter Areas A to Z Easy Hikes in Season Dog Hikes in Season
 MapRoute Editor Route Editor Route CloudRoute Scout Route Scout Foliage DEX Wildflower DEX
Publish a Guide
Trail/Hike Guide
 GPS Route
Recorded Track of a Hike
 Triplog
Review/Journal of a Hike
 Photoset
Photos of a Hike
help
  HAZ Forum
ArticlesGuidesRoutes
 
Photosets
 Recent Photosets
Liked PixelMASTERS
Avatars Tagged Notes
 
 Comments
triplogs   photosets   labels comments more
Scotchman Peak #65 - 2 members in 5 triplogs have rated this an average 4.5 ( 1 to 5 best )
5 triplogs
login for filter options
Aug 22 2025
avatar

 Guides 110
 Routes 2,246
 Photos 8,982
 Triplogs 2,600

45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Scotchman Peak #65Northern, ID
Scotchman Peak #65
Northern, ID
Hiking avatar Aug 22 2025
LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600
Hiking8.30 Miles 3,723 AEG
Hiking8.30 Miles   6 Hrs   28 Mns   1.51 mph
3,723 ft AEG      58 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Jill and I opten for Scotchman Peak for her first hike in Idaho. Got started a little after 0830. Cool temps to start. It’s a steep trail, so we took our time. Jill got to try some huckleberries along the trail. The final half mile along the ridge to the summit is my favorite part of the trail.

Had lunch at the summit, where we watched a couple of mountain goats walk around. Easy descent back down after that, but it was getting fairly warm by the finish. Always a good hike, with great views on the upper half.
_____________________
Stop crying and just go do the hike.
 
Oct 17 2024
avatar

 Guides 110
 Routes 2,246
 Photos 8,982
 Triplogs 2,600

45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Scotchman Peak #65Northern, ID
Scotchman Peak #65
Northern, ID
Hiking avatar Oct 17 2024
LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600
Hiking8.26 Miles 3,696 AEG
Hiking8.26 Miles   5 Hrs   26 Mns   1.61 mph
3,696 ft AEG      18 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
The weather looked iffy, but I went for Scotchman Peak anyway. Got started around 0830. 37 degrees. It rained all day yesterday, but some moron decided to take their horse on the trail in that weather. Tore up the lower mile pretty good.

Light drizzle to start, and at about 4000’, that started to shift to snow. It started accumulating around 5000’. By 6000’, the trail was pretty snow covered, and the snow/graupel mix was coming down steadily.

Ran into two hikers just below the final ridge, and chatted with them for a moment. The final ridge is all talus, and the first part of it was somewhat slippery, but not as bad as I expected. After that first climb on the talus, it actually got a little better. The snow was deeper, but better footing through the rocks.

No goats today, and I had the summit all to myself. Zero views. Temps were probably in the low 20s, and I had to unfreeze the valve and hose for my water bladder.

Descending wasn’t too bad. Once below the talus, the trail was a lot more snow covered than my ascent, but it was easy hiking. Saw three hikers coming up with about two miles to go. They were disappointed when I told them the goats weren’t around. Snow down to about 3700’, then drizzle to finish. 40 degrees when I got back to my truck.

Good hike, and fun with the snow. The road is in good shape, no problem for any medium clearance vehicle.
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
_____________________
Stop crying and just go do the hike.
 
Jul 16 2024
avatar

 Guides 99
 Routes 1,484
 Photos 16,072
 Triplogs 1,374

male
 Joined Jan 07 2017
 Fountain Hills,
Scotchman Peak #65Northern, ID
Scotchman Peak #65
Northern, ID
Hiking avatar Jul 16 2024
DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,374
Hiking8.01 Miles 3,698 AEG
Hiking8.01 Miles   6 Hrs   4 Mns   1.53 mph
3,698 ft AEG      49 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
This was a hike to the summit of Scotchman Peak, the highpoint of Bonner County in the northern part of the Idaho panhandle. The county borders Washington to the west and Montana to the east.

There is a nice maintained trail leading all the way to the summit. The trail is steep in places, but there are lots of switchbacks that make life easier.

Signs at the trailhead mention grizzly bears and mountain goats: I saw 4 mountain goats but no bears.

About 1/4 mile from the summit I saw RM2 just off the trail -- according to the surveyors data set this was used as the azimuth mark.

The summit has 2 rock knobs that are a couple of hundred feet apart. The knob to the west has the benchmark and topo maps show it as having a spot elevation of 7,009 feet. However, lidar data shows that the knob to the east is at an elevation of 7,018 feet, thus making it the highpoint. That being the case, I went over and made a short easy scramble to get on top of it.

This was an enjoyable hike. I started early and saw nobody else on the trail until I was on my way back down. There were several groups going up as I was on the descent, so this seems to be a popular hike.
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Mountain Goat
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Azimuth Mark  Reference Mark
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Lake Pend Oreille  Scotchman Peak
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light
_____________________
Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there
  4 archives
Jun 26 2023
avatar

 Guides 110
 Routes 2,246
 Photos 8,982
 Triplogs 2,600

45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Scotchman Peak #65Northern, ID
Scotchman Peak #65
Northern, ID
Hiking avatar Jun 26 2023
LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600
Hiking8.05 Miles 3,718 AEG
Hiking8.05 Miles   4 Hrs   56 Mns   1.84 mph
3,718 ft AEG      34 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
I almost skipped doing this hike today, but I’m really glad I decided to go ahead with it. Got started a little before 0930. Temp was 64, but felt quite warm. The uphill starts right away, and is steep, gaining 3700’ in four miles. First mile or so is endless switchbacks. Not terrible, but not exciting, just a walk through the forest.

After the switchbacks, the trail headed straight up the ridge for a while, feeling even steeper. The upper switchbacks are nicer, with better views. Crossed paths with one mountain goat.

The final ridge, about 0.75 miles, is the best part of the hike. Excellent views, fun path through the talus, and today about twenty more mountain goats along the way. I slowed down a lot taking way too many pics of them. I was the only human on the summit, but shared it with three goats and a lot of ladybugs while I rested and ate a snack.

Retraced my steps back down, which was warm again on the lower half. Good day and good hike. Also saw a few pikas, and lots of squirrels and chipmunks. On the drive in, saw a moose, heron, and bald eagle.
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Mountain Goat  Pika (American)
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Lake Pend Oreille  Scotchman Peak
_____________________
Stop crying and just go do the hike.
 
Sep 12 2022
avatar

 Guides 110
 Routes 2,246
 Photos 8,982
 Triplogs 2,600

45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Scotchman Peak #65Northern, ID
Scotchman Peak #65
Northern, ID
Hiking avatar Sep 12 2022
LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600
Hiking7.79 Miles 3,692 AEG
Hiking7.79 Miles   5 Hrs   2 Mns   1.62 mph
3,692 ft AEG      13 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Not the ideal day to be hiking—very smoky from fires in all four directions, but there was no point in wasting a day, so I pretended it was fog instead of smoke. Got started a little after 0700. The trail immediately headed uphill, starting off with plenty of switchbacks. Zero views due to the trees and smoke, but pretty forest in the first half. No breeze at all, so it felt somewhat warm. Saw one snake near the start, I think it was a small rubber boa.

Once on the upper switchbacks, there was a hint of a view despite the smoke. The final walk along the ridge to the summit was the best part of the hike. Dramatic sheer cliffs off the north side of the ridge and peak, and if there hadn’t been smoke, the views would have been amazing. I also like hiking through talus, the sound it makes is kind of enjoyable to me. I could see a mountain goat on the summit from a ways off, and sure enough, he was sitting up on top. Took some quick pics from the top, then retreated down about 50’ to give him some room, and to avoid the bugs right around the top.

After about a ten minute break, the goat decided to approach, so there was a hasty retreat back downhill and away from any potential conflict. Easy hike back downhill. Saw nobody else all day, although there was another vehicle at the trailhead.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Redberried Elder
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Mountain Goat  Rubber Boa
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Benchmark
_____________________
Stop crying and just go do the hike.
 
average hiking speed 1.62 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

FAQ
helpcommentissue

end of page marker