Kuna Butte 12-28-2014

Partners: Deez and Ketchum.

Stats: 2.5 miles.  Time to summit 1hr (3,236ft).  Total time 1:38.  Elevation gain 371ft.  Class 1.

Gear Notes:  N/A.

After a fresh dusting of snow the night before, we headed out to hit yet another peak on the Lists of John Ada county peaks with over 300ft of prominence.  Kuna Butte appears to be an old and short lived Shield Volcano that likely displayed effusive eruptions that probably ended a little more than 200,000 years ago.  The Mafic nature of this flavor of lava is thin and runny which helped to mold the landscape south of Kuna that is very, very flat. 

Temperature was 34F with light winds and partly cloudy.  There was about 2-3 inches of fresh dry snow on the ground.

There are a few 4x4 roads, one of which leads to the top that we did our best to avoid after parking just off Kuna Mora Rd.

We wandered around on the north slopes heading up while trying to avoid the holes in the ground which could very easily ruin ones day.

We topped out just east of the high point to traverse the ridge.

Looking west to the actual high point.

Dees looks on to the high point.

After arriving at the top we chose to push on to the western most part of the peak that, when viewed from the top, appears to be slightly higher.  I think this is a reoccurring issue as it relates to peak bagging; you have to hit all the high points to make sure you get it right the first time, otherwise, you get to go back. 

Looking at the western most high point.

Looking back at the central and true high point.

After a glory shot, a few guzzles of water and a dozen pictures later, we headed back to the car.

There was quite a population of mudders to the south, down in this ravine that are apparently allowed to shoot in the no shooting area.

Ketchum loves snowballs!

With a short and easy walk up Kuna Butte, the days outdoor work was behind us.  The new boots that Deez got me for Christmas felt great and I'm sure they will receive the same high mileage beat down as the last ones!  Thanks babe!

This was nothing more than a walk up, but it puts me one peak closer to completing the list.

Only two left to go!  Hey babe, we don't have plans for next weekend, do we?

Happy Trails!

-Granola, Out.