The White Cloud Mountains are part of the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

of the

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, located in central

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...

, southeast of

Stanley Stanley may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Stanley'' (1972 film), an American horror film * ''Stanley'' (1984 film), an Australian comedy * ''Stanley'' (1999 film), an animated short * ''Stanley'' (1956 TV series) ...

in Custer County. The range is located within the

Sawtooth National Recreation Area The Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) is a national recreation area in central Idaho, United States that is managed as part of Sawtooth National Forest. The recreation area, established on August 22, 1972, is managed by the U.S. Forest Se ...

(SNRA) and partially within the

Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds Wilderness The Cecil D. Andrus–White Clouds Wilderness is a protected area in the western United States, located in Custer County, Idaho. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area, in the Sawtooth National Forest, manages the majority of the wilderness, wit ...

. The White Cloud Mountains are located on National Forest land, with numerous trails in the area. Camping is permitted anywhere on the national forest land and there are no fees to access the area. Primary access to the area is via State Highway 75, the ''Salmon River Scenic Byway,'' which accompanies the main Salmon River as it descends along the range's western and northern perimeter. The highest peak in the White Cloud Mountains, and the SNRA, is Castle Peak at . The Sawtooth Mountains are about west of the White Clouds, on the west side of the river and highway, and the Boulder Mountains are directly south of the White Clouds.

Peaks

Lakes

See ''

List of lakes of the White Cloud Mountains The lakes of the White Cloud Mountains are located within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area of Custer County, Idaho. There are hundreds of lakes in the mountains, and most of the lakes were created by alpine glaciers. Many of the lakes are ...

Mine proposal

In 1970, it was proposed that the White Cloud Mountains be the site of an open-pit mine. The proposal became a major issue in Idaho's 1970 gubernatorial election. Incumbent Republican governor Don Samuelson favored the mine, as it would generate an estimated $4 million in revenue to the state. However, his Democratic opponent,

Cecil Andrus Cecil Dale Andrus (August 25, 1931 – August 24, 2017) was an American politician who served 26th and 28th governor of Idaho, for total of fourteen years. A Democrat, he also served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1977 to 1981 during the ...

, opposed the mine on conservation grounds. His stance was backed by many of the state's urban residents, who enjoyed vacationing at the mountains. Andrus won the election by more than four points, and it has been suggested that Andrus's stance on the mine was a contributing factor to his victory, and in particular to his victories in the normally Republican-leaning urban parts of the state.

Photos

Image:White Clouds from Sawtooths.JPG, White Cloud Mountains viewed from Sawtooth Mountains Image:Washington Lake.jpg, Washington Lake in the White Cloud Mountains File:White Cloud Peaks.jpg, Castle Peak to left of center Image:4th July Lake.JPG, Fourth of July Lake in the White Cloud Mountains Image:Castle Peak.JPG, Castle Peak Image:White Clouds.JPG, White Cloud Mountains Image:Warm Springs Creek.JPG, Warm Spring Creek in White Cloud Mountains Image:Warm Springs Meadow.JPG, Warm Springs Meadow in White Cloud Mountains Image:Sawtooth Valley and White Clouds 2.JPG, White Cloud Mountains Image:Sawtooth Valley and White Clouds.JPG, White Cloud Mountains across

Sawtooth Valley The Sawtooth Valley is a valley in the Western United States, in Blaine and Custer counties of central Idaho. About long, it is in Sawtooth National Recreation Area (SNRA) in the Sawtooth National Forest. It is surrounded by the Sawtooth Moun ...

Image:Leaving_Quiet_Lake.jpg, Hikers leaving Quiet Lake, which sits at the base of Castle Peak and Merriam Peak. Image:Shallow_L_with_Devil's_Staircase_on_horizon.jpg, Hikers eating lunch at Shallow Lake with the Devil's Staircase on the horizon.

References

External links