Triplett Butte

Hikes: D, O.
Total Distance, D: 7-10 miles.
Difficulty: Levels I, II.
Season: April 15-June 15.
USGS Maps: Triplett Butte, *Big Table.
BLM 100K Map: Sheep Creek.
Dirt Road Miles: 32 3/4 gravel, optional 2 1/2 poor dirt.
PLSS Location: Section 21, T16S R7E.

Introduction: The climb to Triplett Butte is a tough hike which yields commensurate rewards. When you finally reach the top, you have a spectacular view down the Bruneau River's Black Rock stretch, and across to the remote Hole in the Ground area. All this is in the Upper Bruneau River Wilderness Study Area.
  The hike can be done two ways: walk the whole distance from the highway, a long day hike, or drive on a fairly nasty road for a while, and save 3 miles of hiking. The author enjoyed the all-hiking route, but he recognizes the value of the easier alternate for the less hardy or more hasty.

The Hike: If you walk the entire route, start at the cattleguard (T1) and head down Triplett Canyon. Most of the time, you'll stay on the right side of the creek. You can stick to the cow path, make good time, and save energy, or you can contour along the hillside about 75 feet above the creek. The latter route passes through better vegetation.
  When you reach Squaw Camp, a drainage opens up on the right (to the southeast). Cross it and start climbing to the right. Don't stop until you're near the summit of Hill 5947 (W1). The stretch of road here is where your lazy, gas guzzling, motor minded companions will join you. Well, was it that bad?
  Follow the road to a slight saddle with water troughs: the road's reason for being. The 1940 edition Rowland map shows no roads up here. The sole purpose of the new roads and ways seems to be watering cows. Does the benefit--more cows--justify the cost of more erosion, more roads, and less wildlife??
  From the saddle, climb to the next summit and scope out the rest of the hike. Triplett Butte is ahead of you, but you must swing to your right to avoid Cougar Creek, and climb via Hill 5764. The best route is to cut right and follow trails that descend toward a faint way that climbs up 5764. The way seems related to a 1985 fire that swept the southwest flank of Triplett Butte.
  If you poop out, any place along 5764 offers great views of the Hole in the Ground area. However, you really must climb Triplett! A rock fence impedes access to and egress from the summit area. Who went to all this trouble, and why? The summit is broad and rocky, but you could probably scrape out a campsite for a very wild night.
  The best views (and a bit of shade) can be found along the northeast side. From there, you look north along the Black Rock escarpment and the entire Owyhee Plateau.
  On his return, the author hiked down the creek leading to Squaw Camp, instead of walking directly down to Squaw Camp from Hill 5947. There were good trails along this reservoir route. Also, when he reached Squaw Camp, he climbed a very poor road on the north side of Triplett Canyon, which climbed to the plateau and followed the fence back to the trailhead.

Access: Drive to the Desert Road, 1/2 mile south of Grasmere, and turn left (W2). Go 26 1/4 miles to Totenkopf Junction (W3), and bear left. Continue 2 3/4 miles to Rowland Junction (W4), and turn left. After 4 miles, you cross a cattleguard; this is the lower trailhead (T1). If your car can handle rough roads, you may continue a short 1/2 mile past the cattle guard and turn left (W5). After 1/2 mile, when a road comes in from the right, go straight. Bear left after a short 1 1/2 miles. After another 1/2 mile, you are at a hilltop overlooking a steep descent to the saddle above Squaw Camp (T2). (This is between 5983T and 5994T in Section 5 on the USGS Big Table map.) The road gets much rougher now, so park here.