After an amazing experience a year ago, I was inspired to again ascend Idaho’s highest peak, Mt. Borah. A series of early September snowstorms almost canceled the trip, but the weather cleared up quite beautifully later in the month. It ended up being almost a year exactly since the last ascent.

To accompany me this time, I convinced friend and fellow shooter Charlie Litchfield to leave the big city and head for the mountains of central Idaho. And instead of making a groggy 4am drive, we decided to camp near the trailhead, which is a much better approach, btw. We hit the trail early the next morning, and I soon remembered how brutal it is to climb about 5,000 vertical feet in just under 4 miles. Being better prepared physically and mentally this time helped make the climb a little less grueling.

Roughly four hours later, we were rewarded for our efforts with an absolutely clear view from about 12,662 feet. After photos with the flags, finding my old entry in the log book, chatting with a few other climbers, and  some time savoring an uncommon vantage point, we made the trip back down. A few hours later, with burning knees and feet, we enjoyed a few cold ones amongst the aspens before hitting the road.