While visiting family in Idaho, I climbed a direct route up the south ridge of Cobb Peak (11,650’) with my dad, Curtis Olson.

Beginning at the toe and slightly east of the crest gave access to lower-angle slabs at around 9,400 feet. These provided extensive 3rd- and 4th-class scrambling on surprisingly solid bedrock and quick access to the true south ridge. Staying as close to the ridge crest as possible offered lots of nice exposure on excellent rock, with very few loose blocks and short sections of low 5th-class slabs and right-leaning corners.

Around 11,000 feet, we traversed a fun knife-edge section, after which several steeper 5th-class slabs would allow access back on the ridge. We instead followed a moderate westward traverse through more 3rd- and 4th-class terrain to eventually connect with the standard southwest gully hiking route approximately 100 vertical feet from the summit.

This was a potential first ascent, with no evidence of previous climbs. The only other known ascent on this section of the mountain was a variation by Curtis Olson in 2015 that skirted slightly west, below the true south ridge crest, up a zig-zagging route on more moderate terrain. Acknowledgment, however, should be given to the possibility others may have previously climbed up this fine ridgeline, taking care to leave no trace. The Austrian ski guides living in the Sun Valley area in the early 1900s climbed extensively in the Pioneer Range, often without record or documentation.

All in all, the south ridge provided an excellent alternative to the scree-filled standard route up Cobb, and is highly recommended to those comfortable route-finding through fun 3rd- and 4th-class terrain.

—Nik Aksamit