This page documents a hike to the summit of Galena Peak, near Sun Valley, Idaho, in August 2005.
Here is some basic info about Galena Peak from www.summitpost.org -
Here is a placemarker from GoogleEarth. Google Earth.
If you haven't seen GoogleEarth, then you've got to try it. It is the coolest program I've seen in a long time.
From personal experience, I would recommend not starting the hike up the valley between the west and southwest ridges. Although, we discovered an old cabin, several mines, and a spring coming out of the side of the valley, it was difficult climbing. The climbing was often very steep in loose scree.
There is a trail that begins steeply at the south tip of the
west ridge right at the point where the road ends at the beginning
of the valley. The trail follows the very south edge of the
west ridge for at a least a half mile until the ridge
gets flatter and wider. We lost and found the trail often on the
west ridge on our way back down through the trees,
but sticking near the south
edge of the ridge seems the right way to do it.
The ridge gets narrow at some points after breaking out
of the trees, but there is a distinct trail.
Follow the west ridge trail all the way to the top.
Here is a
picture
with the trail.
Here are a all my pictures from the hike.
or my favorites
from the top this panorama shows, from the left, the Galena summit, the Sawtooths, White Clouds, Castle Peak, Boulder Mountains
Shows the beginning of the trail and looks up the valley to the top
