A narrow road to Twin Peaks South: pray you don't meet someone coming the other way
Twin Peaks South is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 3.154m (10,347ft) above the sea level located on the boundary of Custer and Lemhi Counties, in the center of the U.S. state of Idaho. It’s one of the highest roads in Idaho.
Tucked away in the Salmon River Mountains, within the Salmon-Challis National Forest, the rough track to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s called Forest Road 090. It’s very narrow with 11 hairpin turns. There is no room for error as the drop-off on the downhill side can be pretty scary. While is 4WD is not essential it is a good idea. High clearance, though, is a must.
The view from the top is absolutely amazing and gives you a perspective on the whole geography of the area. The summit hosts a fire lookout called Twin Peaks Fire Lookout. At this elevation it is the highest active fire lookout in the Pacific Northwest. Originally established in 1913, the present structure was built in 1964.
The area is subject to flash floods and other rapidly changing conditions. The drive is pretty steep. Starting from Forest Road 086 (Twin Peaks Road), the road is 3.54km (2.2 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 423 meters. The average gradient is 11.94%.
Pic&video: idaspudone1