W7I/SR-163 Teapot Dome

I was driving from Twin Falls to Boise for my flight home, and I had some extra time, so I decided to do a quick activation on the way. Teapot Dome is a one-pointer a few miles north of Mountain Home. I got off the freeway and drove a few miles up US 20 before turning on to NE Teapot Road. Teapot Road is dirt, but it is wide and well maintained. About a mile from the turn is an unmarked dirt road. This road is the start of BLM land. I drove a short distance up it, but it quickly got too rough for the sedan.

Teapot Dome. The summit is not visible from here.

I followed this road on foot as it climbed up the side of a small hill. Once I got over the crest I could see the road didn't go where I wanted to, so I left the road and went cross country across the small valley. From here it was a steep climb up to the crest of the ridge. There was a barbed wire fence near the top, but I found a gap to cross it.

Climb up to the ridge.

It looked like there were cliffs along the south side of the hill, so I went and contoured across the north face, around the first peak. This was quite steep, but there was good footing and it didn't feel dangerous. I came back on to the ridge at the col between the first, lower summit and the true summit. From here it was a pleasant ridge walk up to the summit. The summit is large and flat, with plenty of rocks for sitting.

Radio setup, looking north.

I set up and got on the air. I had no trouble with CW, but when I tried some SSB I remembered that the CQWW contest was still going on, and there were no clear frequencies for a little QRP station like mine. I had to head back by this point anyway, so I could get to the airport on time. After walking back along the summit ridge, I tried going down the south face. This was quite steep, but I made it back to the road successfully.

Taking a break on the way down.

As I was packing my stuff up at the car, a SUV drove by and stopped a bit farther down the road. Not sure what those guys were up to. I finished packing, and headed to the airport for the flight home.

Trailhead: Unmarked road at the west end of the summit. Road runs along the border of the BLM land.
Website: SOTA Site.
Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.
Route: Follow the road up to the hill. Where the road starts climbing, follow the fence on the left up to the top of the main ridge. Skirt around the lower summit, on the north side, then walk up the ridge to the true summit. An approach from the south east might be less steep.
Red Tape: None.

Contouring around the first summit.