Bunting Canyon Peaks

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Bunting Canyon Peaks

An Excellent 4 Peak Adventure in the Lemhis, including 2 11ers
June 9, 2026
Black & White (10,970') - Little Diamond (11,272') - Joker (10,965') - Nicholson (11,058')

The Lemhi Range in Eastern Idaho is a great place for solitude, scenery, and high peaks. Bunting Canyon is an area that typifies all of these. It is surrounded by several peaks, including 11ers Nicholson Peak and Little Diamond Peak. I’d long envisioned a loop hike around Bunting Canyon to summit a total of four of Idaho’s tallest mountains.

	I’d made the drive the night before to camp with Michael, John, Zach, and other old friends. After some discussion, Michael and John would join for Black & White Peak, while Zach had plans for a more ambitious 7 peak look going the opposite direction. After driving to the mouth of Bunting Canyon, the 4 of us began hiking up the old mine road on a nice sunny morning.
	Zach headed up the northwest ridge of Nicholson, while the rest of us made the pleasant hike up the canyon. The views become more open after ~3.5 miles of hiking.
	Soon enough, the dreaded talus on the west face of Black and White Peak came into view. Our general plan was to head toward the righthand ridgeline in the distance.
	I think Michael was most dreading the talus. But Black & White is the tallest peak in Idaho he hadn't yet climbed, so up we went.
	We stayed in the gully for awhile. There were multiple obstacles above this headwall, so Michael and John opted to veer south a bit to gain the talus ridge. While I continued up the gully hoping for stable rock.
	The talus continued as I climbed the gully, but eventually I reached more stable rock. This steep section had grippy rock, so wasn't quite as bad as it looked.
	Eventually I reached the ridge, with a good view looking down on the guys. Joker and Nicholson in the background.
	Nearing the summit of Black and White Peak, 131st highest mountain in Idaho.
	John arriving at the summit of Black & White Peak.
	Bell Mountain and Diamond Peak, from the summit of Black and White. A little harder to make out are the 3 11ers between here and Diamond.
	Group shot on the summit of Black & White. After a snack, and having to downclimb 100' on the wrong side to retrieve my wind blown hat, we would part ways. The guys would head back down, while I would try Little Diamond Peak next.
	After Black & White, I carefully downclimbed southward to the saddle, passing Zach along the way. From here I had a good view of Little Diamond, with no major obstacles along the way.
	Nearing the summit of Little Diamond Peak.
	Bell and Diamond dominate the view from Little Diamond. With Black & White looking pretty small in comparison.
	From Little Diamond, I descended westward toward Joker and Nicholson.
	I paused at the saddle for this view looking north down into Bunting Canyon.
	Climbing Joker Peak was straightforward. Here's view from the summit of Joker, looking northwest toward the gnarly summit of Nicholson Peak.
	Nicholson is best tackled straight on, and this area below the false summit was one of the most fun sections of the day.
	Nicholson Peak summit view, looking back on Little Diamond and Joker Peak.
	Black & White and Little Diamond, across Bunting Canyon from Nicholson.
	Diamond Peak from the summit of Nicholson Peak.
	A lovely tribute found in the summit register on Nicholson.
	Time to head down the northwest ridge of Nicholson toward the trailhead. But not out of the woods yet.
	I had to downclimb these cliff bands, and skirt around a few others. All class 3 with some route-finding.
	Once off the summit block, the terrain became more casual.
	After many hours of hiking, I was feeling whooped. So it was nice to find the mine road for a more leisurely hike back down to the truck. Zach was there when I returned, having completed his own 7 peak loop. Very impressive!
	Map of my route. About 12 miles and 6000' elevation gain round trip, in 11.5 hours of hiking. A fantastic day!

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