Nick Peak

General Information

The McCall area gets lots of winter snow, so the roads to access this peak are closed from roughly late November until late May. Also, this is a popular big-game hunting area (including the trails walked to climb the peak). Check before you head out.Climbing Nick requires a 7 to 8 mile hike (each way) with a 3800' gain. This makes for a long day.

Trip stats

8 miles each way, 16 miles round trip
3800' gain
Considerable cross-country navigation
First 5 miles is Class 1
Last 100 feet is easy Class 4

Getting There

First, get to McCall. Either take Highway 55 north for about 100 miles from Boise, or come south from Riggns and New Meadows.

From downtown McCall, take the Lick Creek road, also signed as the turn for Ponderosa State Park. Turn right after the golf course, then take another right off the pavement (signed) in about three miles.

You are shooting for the Lake Fork campground, a total of about 10 miles from downtown. 

Route

Wander down the meadow and look across the East Fork. You should see Idler Creek coming down the hillside. There is another clue here, a signpost (again, without a sign).

The last 70 feet or so involves a Class 4 scramble. If this looks like too much, you can try to drop down and circumvent the summit cone (not done by the author, so can't vouch for this route); the south side is Class 2. 

No red tape.Red Tape

Parking at the trailhead is limited.

Camping

The trailhead is actually in the Lake Fork Creek campground. The campground is quite nice (although primitive), but also quite popular. Normal Forest Service fees etc. apply. 

Payette national ForestExternal Links

For additional information on this climb and other peaks in the area, please see Tom Lopez's excellent book, Idaho: A Climbing Guide.

Weather