Revisiting my Favorite Range

Photos

Trip Report

Fourth Peak (Smoky Dome) has never been just a mountain to my family and I. It’s where we hunted, rode snowmobiles, camped, cut wood, and hiked. For as long as I can remember, it was my dad's favorite mountain, and became mine too. It’s the mountain that pulled me into climbing in the first place.

My father passed away in 2025. A few days before he passed, we sat at his kitchen table and he shared with me that he wanted his ashes placed on top of Smoky Dome. I even pulled up an image showing the top, which has a few memorials. He really liked that! So in addition to his ashes, I had a cross made for him to put on the summit as well.

I'd climbed Smoky Dome over 25 years ago and was excited to take my wife to the top of this special peak with me. So with ashes and the cross in tow, we headed up on a beautiful July day.

After a short delay waiting for cattle to cross the road, we were on our way up Chimney Creek to the start of the hike.

The hike was pretty uneventful, except we stayed to far left after crossing the creek at 8300' and ended up in some marshy terrain. Plus our route was pretty brushy. We fixed both on the way out and had much greater descent!

The route is basically sagebrush and grass until you hit the ridge at around 9600'. It then becomes rock with some small trees to weave around. There are a few boulder fields to navigate, but generally easy hiking. The final pitch to the summit is steep, but also easy terrain.

We thoroughly enjoyed the top. It was a clear, cool day and the views were spectacular. We got the cross placed, spread his ashes and took a long break to savor the moment and the mountains.

Getting There

However you do it, make your way to the junction of 1200W and Chimney Creek Road. 43°23'05.7"N 115°00'17.3"W

Turn left onto Chimney Creek Rd and at .5 miles you reach a gate that requires opening. At mile 4.2, keep straight through another gate, on a road marked FR 484. At 7.2 miles, just before you reach Ear Creek Corrals on your left, take a right onto the road going up the ridge. Other trip reports say to pass the corrals, but I can assure you, the ridge road is MUCH better. Follow the road up the ridge until your odometer reads 9.2 miles, where you stay straight at a junction. At 9.5, take the left fork. Follow the road to it's end at 9.8 miles.

The last 2.6 miles of the road are a bit steep and rough, but any vehicle with a bit of clearance should be fine.

Hiking Directions

At the end of the road at near 7800 feet, start heading north. You will drop down just a bit, then can catch a faint, old ATV track heading due north on the ridge. Eventually a game trail can be found on this ridge, which we followed to 8200', where we hooked right and crossed the creek.

As mentioned in the trip report, on the way up, we stayed too far left after the creek crossing and got into a marshy area. You can stay on dry slopes here.

The slopes are open at this point. Go wherever feels best, just make a b-line for the ridge above. We met the ridge at 9600' and followed it to the summit.