2nd Sawtooths Trip

“We (me) are planning an 8 day Idaho Sawtooth trip, and our attendance has fallen to dangerous levels. It is a scout trip, but right now we have only 3 scouts, and 3 adults. We could use a few more adults in case some adults cancel. I don't want the adult group to get down to myself and one other. If a scout had to be taken home, then the whole group would have to go home also, because any one scout has to be in the presence of two adults at any time, according to scout rules.

A person could join us for the first 4 days, and then go home via the ferry across Redfish Lake. They could also join us for the last 4 days by the same means. It is 42 miles of trail. Most of these lakes you can't see on a weekend hike, such as Edna, Hidden, Cramer, and Baron. Sawtooth is a classic lake, and its on every Idaho calendar ever made. This is 42 actual trail miles. This is a traverse of the whole Sawtooth range, south to north, Petit Lake to Sawtooth Lk.

The other typical Sawtooth 50 miler is a loop out of Grandjean, and goes to Trail Lakes, Sawtooth Lk, Baron Lakes, Cramer, Hidden, Edna, Vernon, Ardeth, Spangle Lake, then down a long hike down the drainage all the way to Grandjean. That last stretch of downhill is about 20 miles, in hot and dry country, and is about half the hike in distance. My route is almost all in alpine country, which I prefer.

It is 8 days, unless we get a support crew meet us at Redfish Lake to resupply us with food. The longest hardest day is day #7, so our packs should be lighter by then. If we break that long day up, our mileages will be about 6.5 miles per day.

Note: this is not a small undertaking. Participants must be in shape, have broken in boots, packs that fit, and have lightweight gear. This hike at these elevations could kick our butts if we are not prepared.

Aug 22, Sat: leave Petit Lake and hike about 5 miles to a small unnamed lake on the trail between Farley and Toxaway Lake. The campsite is good there, and the breeze off the lake helps if there are any mosquitoes.

Aug 23, Sun: To Edith Lake, and over the ridge to Edna Lake

Aug 24, Mon: From Edna to Hidden Lake, and maybe on to Cramer Lakes Basin

Aug 25, Tues: Cramer Lakes to Alpine Lake. On this day a person could head out to Redfish lake, catch the boat at Redfish, and head out. Also, a person could leave Redfish, and join us on the trail or at Alpine Lake.

Aug 26, Wed: Alpine to Baron Lakes.

Aug 27, Thurs: Either have a layover at Baron Lakes, or head down the drainage and camp at the confluence with the drainage from Sawtooth Lake.

Aug 28, Fri: Long hike down the creek below Baron Lakes, maybe its Baron Creek, then up the drainage to Sawtooth Lake. Camp at Sawtooth Lake. This is a long day, like 10 miles, if we start at Baron Lakes, but a good part of it is downhill.

Aug 29, Sat: Hike from Sawtooth to Iron Creek Campground, go get cars at Petit Lake, head home.

Links to pictures of the area:

http://patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/2005/09/sawtooth_lake.html

http://patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/2005/08/the_petzl_zipka.html”