Sawtooth Range, Idaho - June 2017

McGown Peak at Sunrise - Prints available

For anyone considering a trip to the Sawtooths in Idaho, I have a few observations from our recent hikes that could be helpful.

First, early June is too early for backpacking to the higher lakes.  The continuous snow began at about 7,500 ft. covering the trails which made route finding difficult without a GPS.  Many of the rivers do not have bridges built to cross them and were too high and strong to safely cross (especially with a dog).

Second, if you want to stick to lower elevation areas, then June is an excellent time to go.  The entire area was empty.  I didn't once encounter another person on any of the trails other than Fishhook Creek.  The dispersed campsites (non-pay campsites) were all empty as well.  The weather was cool and mosquitoes were not too bad compared to the horror stories from other trip reports.  Deer and Elk were all over the place.  I would bet that even in the height of summer this area still sees light crowds compared to what we're used to in the mountains near Denver.

 Third, The Sawtooth Range is stunning.  Hands down one of the prettiest places I've been.  The beauty of the jagged peaks rivals that of the Teton Range or anything in Colorado. 

The original plan was to hike a loop from Pettit Lake to Redfish Lake camping at specific locations along the way including Alice, Toxaway, Cramer, and Baron lakes.  The snow and river crossings made this unrealistic and the new plan was to do day hikes/backpacks to lower elevation areas.

Heyburn Mountain and Horstmann Peak

Pettit Lake

It started raining on the first morning and continued for the next 24 hours with a light dusting of snow.  Never fun.  There was a flood warning for Stanley that night. 

The weather was better for the next couple days.

Sunrise at Hell Roaring Lake - Prints available

Hell Roaring Reflection

Fishhook Creek Meadow - Prints Available

Stanley Lake  - Yep, this is a real place.

Sawtooth Range Panorama - Prints Available

Grand Mogul - Prints Available

Alturas Lake - I fell in the water after this shot.

Fern and Odessa Lakes - RMNP

Thanks to Grandma for watching the kids so Cami and I could take a hike into Rocky Mountain National Park.  It was a perfect weather day and a treat to spend a day in a beautiful place with my beautiful wife!

Typical vagrants in Estes Park

Big Thompson River and Moraine Park at dawn - Prints available

The hike to Fern Lake (9,500ish ft.) was snow free on an easy trail.  At Fern Falls, we walked right up to a backpacker who was taking pictures of the waterfall.  The falls were so loud that he didn't hear our voices or footsteps.  It startled him and he jumped and accidentally dropped his smartphone in the water!  Just kidding.  He didn't drop his phone, but we did give him a good scare.  We wouldn't see another soul for the rest of the morning, which is rare for this part of the park. 

Fern Falls was violent from the spring snow melt

Fern Lake - Prints available

Fern Lake Panorama

The trail past Fern Lake was completely covered in snow.  The nice thing about spring hiking in the National Park is that all the snow on the trails has been packed down by the many visitors walking on them.  This makes for easy hiking on top without the dreaded postholing.  All we needed were microspikes on our boots. 

We had the lake all to ourselves for lunch.

Odessa Lake with Notchtop Mountain - Prints available

Odessa Lake vertical

Postholing to Emmaline Lake - June 2017

James and I spent a day hiking, snowshoeing, and postholing to Emmaline Lake in the Comanche Peak Wilderness west of Ft. Collins.

 "The best way to train for long days in the mountains is long days in the mountains."

Moose or Elk tracks

Cirque Meadow

Once we reached the lake, the storm clouds rolled in and we got hailed on and had to take cover in some bushes.

Emmaline Lake...Hail began 10 seconds after this shot