Idaho, part 2
Wow. Like, really wow. Like, holy effing shit WOW.
That’s my reaction to the Sawtooths. I think I said that no less than a hundred times in my week there. Seriously - holy shit.
Mountains are my thing, obviously. But the San Juans have spoiled me, so it’s rare that I am really floored by any other mountain range. The Sawtooths, though … as gorgeous and in-yo-face as the San Juans, but without all the people. Dreamy.
My intended destination for Idaho, Part 2 was Ketchum. A member of my “chosen family” was near there, and I desperately needed a visit. But the friend who was traveling with me suggested we find a basecamp in the heart of the Sawtooths, near Stanley. That would get me about an hour-and-a-half drive from my visit with family, but my friend assured me that I’d love the Sawtooths and that the dispersed camping would be plentiful. He wasn’t wrong.
Possibly the best dispersed site ever.
To say the dispersed sites were plentiful is a gross understatement. There are literally miles and miles of dirt roads and large dispersed sites - the kind where you don’t see or hear any of your neighbors. We found one that had an abundant supply of chipmunks to keep the girls entertained, and provided gorgeous views of the nearby mountains. If heaven exists, I’m pretty sure it looks like this.
Kind of like the San Juans, there were too many hiking options from which to choose, but not much mountain biking nearby. I’ve been trying to embrace the concept of cross-training (i.e., any physical activity not involving two-wheels and a saddle) - so this was the perfect place to put this to the test.
The first day, we hiked into Sawtooth Lake. I mean, seriously, this was my introduction to hiking in the Sawtooths. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Contemplating something serious. Probably dinner.
I mean, seriously.
No photoshop. This is really what it looks like.
The next day, we tackled Yellowbelly Lake, in the same general area, but a much shorter hike. The pups (OK, Kiva) needed a shorter day and this fit the bill.
Not the most epic hike or alpine lake, but who am I to complain?
The big hiking finale was a 15-mile hike into Imogene Lake. This was recommended by a USFS ranger we talked with on one of the other trails, and as soon as she said “Imogene”, we both decided that it needed to be done, if for no other reason, the name. Imogene is also the pass/Jeep road that connects Ouray to Telluride in the summer, so we absolutely needed to bring a little bit of the San Juans to the Sawtooths.
Grey and gloomy at the beginning.
We experienced all four seasons while on this hike. The day started dark and gloomy, with the constant threat of rain. Then the sun would poke out for a few glorious steps, then it would actually rain. But when we reached the turn-around point, the sun was out in full force, and the lake was gorgeous. Again, I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Is this even real? Why yes. Yes, it is.
Is this the most scenic trail photo you’ve ever seen? Seriously.
Kiva was back in the rig, sleeping off her hiking hangover, so this one was all about me and my BFF.
Whew. These piggies needed an alpine soak before continuing on.
The takeaway from hiking in the Sawtooths? That not all trails are as unforgiving as those in the San Juans. The views are just as amazing, but you aren’t forced to climb straight up and gain 2,000’ of elevation in a mile. Some places build trails that gently meander through the trees and gain elevation gradually. I’ll definitely return here for some backpacking someday.
Lest I lose my mountain-biker cred, I’ll add that I did ride one day - at the Galena trails just north of Ketchum. The trails were fun, but not phenomenal enough to make the drive for a return ride.
Very buff. Very flowy. Fun, but not epic.
What was almost worth a return was the GIANT COOKIE at the base lodge. As I’ve said before, my friend Carey has all the reliable MTB intel, so when she said I needed to make sure to get a cookie after the ride, I did. They were as big as my head and worth every one of the four-bajillion grams of sugar. (Sorry, Dr. Emmons, but sometimes sugar is a necessary indulgence.)
The aforementioned head-sized cookie.
I also spent a full day with my chosen family (but didn’t get any photos) and ate way too much Bigwood Bread (if you’re ever in the area, trust me, its worth every damned carb-filled calorie). So yeah, the Sawtooths are pretty amazing. I was sad to leave, but I’ll be back.