The Albion Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. states of Idaho (~99%) and Utah (~1%), spanning Cassia County, Idaho and barely reaching into Box Elder County, Utah. The highest point in the range is Cache Peak at 10,339 feet (3,151 m), and the range is a part of the Basin and Range Province. Most of the mountains are part of the Albion Division of the Minidoka Ranger District of Sawtooth National Forest.

The Raft River Mountains are southeast of the range, while the Black Pine Mountains are to the east and the Snake River Plain to the north. The streams in the mountains are in the Snake River watershed, which is a tributary of the Columbia River. The towns of Almo, Elba, and Malta are east of the range, Albion, Burley, and Heyburn are to the north, and Oakley is to the west. There are six alpine lakes in the Albion Mountains. Lake Cleveland is north of Mount Harrison, a small unnamed lake is southeast of Mount Harrison, and the four Independence Lakes are north of Cache Peak.

Several roads and trails are located in the mountains, which provide for a variety of activities including hiking, off-road vehicle riding, fishing, and hunting. A paved road ascends to the summit of Mount Harrison. Most of the peaks can be accessed relatively easily via class one or two routes. City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park are located in the southern portion of the range and is a popular destination for rock climbing. The Pomerelle ski area is located in the range and has two chairlifts.

Idaho's rarest plant, Christ's Indian Paintbrush is a plant endemic to the upper slopes of Mount Harrison, being found nowhere else in the world. Davis' springparsley is a plant that is also endemic to the Albion Mountains. The South Hills crossbill is a bird believed to be a separate species than the Common crossbill, and it is endemic to the Albion Mountains and the South Hills due to ecological speciation.

In February 1945 nine people died on Mount Harrison when a B-24 Liberator Army Bomber crashed during a training mission in dense fog.

Peaks

The peaks of the Albion Mountains
Mountain PeakElevationProminenceIsolationLocation
Cache Peak10,338 ft 3151 m4,459 ft 1359 m81.8 mi 131.6 km42°11′08″N 113°39′40″W/42.185606°N 113.661156°W/ 42.185606; -113.661156(Cache Peak)
Mount Independence9,951 ft 3033 m351 ft 107 m1.07 mi 1.73 km42°11′51″N 113°40′30″W/42.197413°N 113.675010°W/ 42.197413; -113.675010(Mount Independence)
Mount Harrison9,265 ft 2824 m2,297 ft 700 m7.75 mi 12.47 km42°18′53″N 113°39′32″W/42.314634°N 113.658899°W/ 42.314634; -113.658899(Mount Harrison)
Graham Peak8,868 ft 2703 m669 ft 204 m5.13 mi 8.26 km42°07′25″N 113°43′00″W/42.123525°N 113.716677°W/ 42.123525; -113.716677(Graham Peak)
Peak 8,8588,858 ft 2700 m318 ft 97 m2.3 mi 3.7 km42°10′38″N 113°42′36″W/42.1771°N 113.7101°W/ 42.1771; -113.7101(Peak 8,858)
Peak 8,7708,770 ft 2673 m469 ft 143 m1.74 mi 2.8 km42°09′08″N 113°42′25″W/42.1523°N 113.7069°W/ 42.1523; -113.7069(Peak 8,770)
Peak 8,7528,760 ft 2670 m581 ft 177 m1.39 mi 2.24 km42°18′21″N 113°36′54″W/42.3058°N 113.6151°W/ 42.3058; -113.6151(Peak 8,762)
Peak 8,7408,737 ft 2663 m518 ft 158 m1.49 mi 2.4 km42°12′55″N 113°41′30″W/42.2154°N 113.6917°W/ 42.2154; -113.6917(Peak 8,740)
Connor Ridge8,327 ft 2538 m466 ft 142 m1.49 mi 2.4 km42°18′58″N 113°35′21″W/42.3162°N 113.5891°W/ 42.3162; -113.5891(Connor Ridge)
Peak 7,7157,713 ft 2351 m896 ft 273 m3.29 mi 5.3 km42°04′44″N 113°44′23″W/42.0790°N 113.7397°W/ 42.0790; -113.7397(Peak 7,715)
Peak 7,6897,687 ft 2343 m709 ft 216 m1.93 mi 3.1 km42°06′02″N 113°41′39″W/42.1006°N 113.6943°W/ 42.1006; -113.6943(Peak 7,689)
Smoky Mountain7,579 ft 2310 m1,401 ft 427 m2.98 mi 4.8 km42°03′32″N 113°40′48″W/42.0590°N 113.6799°W/ 42.0590; -113.6799(Smoky Mountain)
Thunder Mountain7,454 ft 2272 m676 ft 206 m2.61 mi 4.2 km42°10′17″N 113°36′49″W/42.1714°N 113.6136°W/ 42.1714; -113.6136(Thunder Mountain)
Peak 7,4107,411 ft 2259 m351 ft 107 m4.85 mi 7.8 km42°22′44″N 113°39′58″W/42.3789°N 113.6661°W/ 42.3789; -113.6661(Peak 7,410)
Peak 7,3627,359 ft 2243 m302 ft 92 m3.54 mi 5.7 km42°16′28″N 113°42′34″W/42.2745°N 113.7094°W/ 42.2745; -113.7094(Peak 7,362)
Peak 7,0967,096 ft 2163 m837 ft 255 m1.68 mi 2.7 km42°02′10″N 113°41′31″W/42.0361°N 113.6919°W/ 42.0361; -113.6919(Peak 7,096)
Peak 7,0637,060 ft 2152 m364 ft 111 m1.49 mi 2.4 km42°03′30″N 113°43′54″W/42.0584°N 113.7317°W/ 42.0584; -113.7317(Peak 7,063)
Peak 7,0387,037 ft 2145 m499 ft 152 m1.49 mi 2.4 km42°02′19″N 113°44′33″W/42.0387°N 113.7425°W/ 42.0387; -113.7425(Peak 7,038)
Peak 6,8566,857 ft 2090 m466 ft 142 m1.12 mi 1.8 km42°23′21″N 113°38′57″W/42.3891°N 113.6491°W/ 42.3891; -113.6491(Peak 6,856)
Twin Sisters6,837 ft 2084 m377 ft 115 m1.18 mi 1.9 km42°02′37″N 113°43′15″W/42.0435°N 113.7208°W/ 42.0435; -113.7208(Twin Sisters)
Peak 6,8216,821 ft 2079 m322 ft 98 m1.37 mi 2.2 km42°05′31″N 113°40′12″W/42.0919°N 113.6701°W/ 42.0919; -113.6701(Peak 6,821)
Peak 6,3886,388 ft 1947 m407 ft 124 m4.35 mi 7 km42°14′21″N 113°36′40″W/42.2393°N 113.6112°W/ 42.2393; -113.6112(Peak 6,388)
Peak 6,3426,342 ft 1933 m443 ft 135 m1.3 mi 2.1 km42°13′21″N 113°35′54″W/42.2226°N 113.5983°W/ 42.2226; -113.5983(Peak 6,342)
Pine Knob5,879 ft 1792 m348 ft 106 m1.55 mi 2.5 km42°24′40″N 113°38′39″W/42.4111°N 113.6441°W/ 42.4111; -113.6441(Pine Knob)

Gallery

  • Map of City of Rocks and the southern Albion Range
  • Bath Rock in the City of Rocks
  • City of Rocks
  • City of Rocks

See also

External links

  • Sawtooth National Forest