The Sawtooth Redemption

[jeffblaylock]

More pics from remote Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada:






Wheeler Peak is home to Nevada's only glacier


Stella Lake


This tree first took root around 100 BC



More here

[jeffblaylock]

Slowly chugging along ....

My day in the Tetons was a rainy one:





More here

[jeffblaylock]

Wildflowers were blooming all over the Sawtooths. Here are a few:











More here

[Goldilocks]

Rainy and cloudy but still beautiful! The Tetons are on my bucket list.

[Al]

Great flower shots especially including those on your website.  Still G9ing?

Al

PS That Cross Fit stuff looks painful!

[jeffblaylock]

BACKPACKING DAY 1: SOUTH FORK PAYETTE RIVER



My adventure across the Sawtooths began at the Grandjean trailhead of the range’s western side. The plan was to acclimate to the terrain slowly by taking a long, gradual ascent up the South Fork Payette River to Benedict Creek up to the Tenlake Basin. My goal for that first day, August 12, was 14 miles to Smith Falls, one of two significant waterfalls along the river. But the terrain and trails proved more challenging than I’d imagined, and I barely made 10 miles that first day.

In my notebook, I described that first day as “forgettable.” The South Fork Payette River Trail “is overgrown & frequently impeded with downed trees.” I later noted, “Curious that the SFP and Benedict Creek trails rarely see their namesakes.”

This is a typical stretch of the trail, which happens to be blocked by three fallen trees:



A long, tough first day, covering 10 miles and gaining a little over 1,000 feet. More here

[randell]

Absolutely gorgeous photography Jeff!

[homerboy2u]

No trails, at least none that i see....Rugged all the way.

[jeffblaylock]

BACKPACKING DAY 2: BENEDICT CREEK TO MOUNT EVERLY

The second day of my backpacking trek across the Sawtooth Wilderness would get me to the high country and, eventually, out of the long slog through the thick vegetation and fallen trees that marked the previous “forgettable” day. It would also be a day during which I would see more bears than people.



In addition to a black bear, the day featured two waterfalls, several lakes, a ford, some rain, and lots of mosquitoes.





The long day ended on the shore of aptly named Rock Slide Lake:



Complete description and more photos here

[jeffblaylock]

BACKPACKING DAY 3: TO TENLAKE BASIN

Rain, rain, rain. This was the wettest day on the trail.





But the sun came out to play occasionally.





More photos and details here

[jeffblaylock]

BACKPACKING DAY 4: SAND MOUNTAIN AND SNOWYSIDE PASSES

The fourth day of my 10-day backpacking trek saw me hike over a pair of mountain passes, 9,303-foot Sand Mountain Pass and 9,435-foot Snowyside Pass, in order to cross the Sawtooths and reach the canyon where my resupply waited. The day began at Edna Lake, gained 900 feet to Sand Mountain Pass, lost 700 feet to Toxaway Lake, gained 1,100 feet to Snowyside Pass, and finally lost 900 feet to Alice Lake over about 9 miles.


Approaching Sand Mountain Pass


Sand Mountain -- looks unlike any other peak in the Sawtooths


View looking back from the pass


View looking forward from the pass. That's Toxaway Lake.

More on Sand Mountain Pass here


Snowyside Peak from Toxaway Lake


Looking back from just below the pass


View looking forward from the pass. Those are the Twin Lakes.


Forbidding mountains across from the pass


El Capitan from near the pass

More on Snowyside Pass here

On approach to Alice Lake, I saw a mountain lion, my first in the wild. Suffice it to say, we scared each other. It jumped off the boulder where it was sunning itself, into the brush between that boulder and me. In turn, I gave it a wide berth, picking a path up the hillside to avoid a confrontation with the hiding animal.


El Capitan and Alice Lake at sunset

[jeffblaylock]

BACKPACKING DAY 5: PETTIT LAKE TO HELLROARING THRAILHEAD



My fifth day on the trail was the longest, beginning with a hike to a waiting resupply and ending with a long slog along a lonely forest road, 15.2 miles total. “Everything hurts,” I wrote that evening.





More pics and details here

BACKPACKING DAY 6: HELLROARING TO IMOGENE LAKE


Clouds and Mt. Cramer are reflected in Imogene Lake.

August 17 was my sixth day on the trail, the first following a successful resupply. I was eager to return to the Sawtooth Wilderness and the high country. The previous day’s long slog along forest roads and badly designed trails would be redeemed by the trail ahead, I believed, and the miserable evening at the Hellroaring trailhead would be quickly forgotten, I kept telling myself. This day totally redeemed the decision and death march to get here.

When I woke up, the thermometer fob I’d attached to my hammock said it was 24 degrees, the coldest morning on the trail. As the sun was already up, I assume it was even colder in the dead of night. Fortunately, my hammock set-up and insulation kept me warm enough. Warm enough in fact that I got back into my hammock and slept another couple of hours. I knew it would be a relatively short day hiking-wise. Turns out the extra sleep was very restorative, and a great decision.


The Finger of Fate

I had the northern shore of Imogene Lake to myself. It was spectacular, with great views of the lake's islands and a beautiful sunset too.



More pics and details here

[jeffblaylock]

Eventually, I'll get this story finished .....

BACKPACKING DAY 7: IMOGENE LAKE TO HIDDEN LAKE

A beautiful sunrise:



Two (or three, depending on one's perspective) mountain passes stood between me and my destination, Hidden Lake, a beautiful sight set in a narrow chasm beneath Payette Peak.

First, a last look at Mount Cramer reflected in Imogene Peak's still waters.



The climb to the first pass:



Looking back at that first pass:



Payette Peak and Hidden Lake, as seen from my campsite:



More photos and details here

[BigBendHiker]

Thanks, Jeff!  Keep 'em coming!


BBH

[jeffblaylock]

Thanks, Jeff!  Keep 'em coming!


BBH

Coming soon. And I owe Homero a gear list.