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Sun Valley/Sawtooths of Idaho |
Dates: (6 days, 5 nights; Sun-Fri) |
Assembly Point: |
Tour Cost: $1,995 (includes all lodging, all meals, raft trip, van shuttles between Boise and Sun Valley prior to and following tour, leaders, tour maps & narratives) |
ItineraryIdaho, among the last of the “lower 48” to be settled and granted statehood, today remains one of the last true reminders of the pristine beauty of the West as it must have appeared to those earliest settlers. Vast regions of Idaho today remain wild, undeveloped and inaccessible, and the state ranks second only to Alaska in the amount of totally undeveloped land.
Among the many magnificent mountain ranges that dominate Idaho’s geography, perhaps none can match the rugged Sawtooths for sheer scenic splendor. Much of the range is embraced within the 2.1-million acre Sawtooth National Forest and its recreational importance is recognized and protected within the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
The beautiful Sawtooths will be the focus of our Idaho Hike, which will assemble in the world-famous ski resort of Sun Valley. We’ll spend our first and final nights in Sun Valley at the Tyrolean Lodge with ample opportunity to enjoy the excitement of the area as well as our lodge’s inviting outdoor swimming pool. We’ll provide a van shuttle early morning of Day 1 from Boise to Sun Valley and arrive early enough to hike Adams Gulch near Ketchum (5 miles).
Early-morning of Day 2, we’ll head north toward the “tooths” over Galena Summit and beyond the headwaters of the Salmon River. We’re headed for Alturas Lake, second largest in the Sawtooths, and we’ll hike above the lake along Cabin Creek to a series of high lakes from which the creek flows (8 miles).
Later that afternoon, we’ll shuttle to the mountain village of Stanley on the banks of the Salmon, and we’ll spend our next three nights at the Valley Creek Lodge. An early breakfast on Day 3 and we’ll then board the shuttle boat at Redfish Lake for a quick trip across the lake to our next trailhead. We’ll hike from the shoreline through Redfish Lake Creek Canyon to Alpine Lake. Beyond the lake, we’ll cross a meadow ablaze with wildflowers; another 720 feet of elevation and we’re standing atop spectacular Baron Divide, near timberline at 9,160'. The view from the divide is breathtaking with wild Baron Creek Canyon and Baron Lakes below and Big Baron Spire on the western horizon (13 miles).
The town of Stanley and the wild Salmon River are the focus for some of the world’s best whitewater adventure. And so, we’ll give our legs a well-deserved rest on Day 4 as we “float” the Salmon in the context of a full-day whitewater journey.
Our plan for Day 5 is an engagement with the most renowned of Idaho’s backcountry lakes, incomparably beautiful Sawtooth Lake. We’ll hike initially among the lodgepole pine along Iron Creek to Alpine Lake, which in reality is sub-alpine and largely surrounded by fir except for its magnificent view of massive Alpine Peak to the south. We’ll switchback beyond Alpine Lake above the trees as we head for Sawtooth. Our first view of Sawtooth is one never to be forgotten as it mirrors the image of towering, snowcapped Mt. Regan hovering above (10 miles).
We’re headed back to Sun Valley for a final evening at the Tyrolean Lodge. One last climb is planned for our final day to Mt. Baldy’s impressive summit. To prove that we are not totally without some compassion, after enjoying the spectacular 360-degree view from Baldy, we’ll ride the chairlift down to the village (5 miles). And rest assured we won’t leave Sun Valley without a visit to the world-renowned Sun Valley Lodge. Following our ascent of Baldy, lunch is planned alongside the lodge’s storied ice rink prior to our return to Boise.
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