North Idaho hikers find peak place close to home

The Scotchman Peaks area northeast of Lake Pend Oreille is a roadless area the Sandpoint couple prizes.

For seven years, Hough and Hunsicker have been leaders in Friends of the Scotchman Peaks Wilderness group promoting the roadless area for wilderness designation.

“I’ve seen a lot of places in the lower 48 and there’s not much to compare with the Scotchmans,” Hough said. “They’re very wild, not very discovered with few trails.

“The backcountry of Scotchmans, named for 7,009-foot Scotchman Peak, is as wild as any place we’ve seen along the PCT, AT or CDT. The rugged nature of the area and the fact that it has threatened and endangered species such as wolverines and grizzly bears and now wolves – critters that can eat you – separate it from the others.”

Online: www.scotchmanpeaks.org