Sawtooth Range, Idaho

Words by Robin Shier

During each of the previous two summers, we have managed a week of wilderness mountaineering in remote BC: Wahoo Tower region, 2012; Razorback/Ottarasko Mountains, 2013. This summer (2014) we intended to return to the Chilcotins for a similar experience, but miserable weather forecasted for the Pacific Northwest forced us to search for an objective in an area that was beyond the incoming wet system. 

Only two days before our departure, we settled on the Sawtooth Range in south-central Idaho. Armed with "Idaho A Climbing Guide" by Tom Lopez (borrowed from the Vancouver Public Library) and "Backpacking Idaho" by Douglas Lorain (purchased en route at REI in Bellingham), we cobbled together a route using 85 kilometres of the Grand Sawtooths Loop Trail which encircles an area that provides a variety of peaks to climb. 

The Team: 

Alastair: a tactician and sage; now a modern dresser and poster boy for Outdoor Research

Dean: agile and lithe; solicitous; is able to successfully insulate himself from lightening strikes 

Jeff: possessor of hidden power and strength; an obligatory companion due to his magnetic attraction to mosquitoes

Robin: routinely gets his exercise by carrying the heaviest pack; a practitioner of the fact that torn skin is cheaper to replace than clothes 

To get to the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, we drove 1,200 km from Vancouver to Boise, and from there, another 160 km to the trailhead at Grandjean. We left Greater Vancouver at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 18 and camped that night on a minor road near Snoqualmie Pass in WA. Next morning we continued driving and finally arrived at Granjean in the evening; there's a nice free campground at the trailhead. Elevation: 5,200ft/1,576m. 

The Grand Sawtooths Loop Trail is used by hikers, backpackers, and pack horses. Although the trail is renowned as "magnificent", taking one to the "most outstanding locations and is the premier backpacking tour of the Sawtooth Mountains", during our week of hiking, we were surprised that we encountered only a few travellers. Use of the trail and backcountry camping is free!

The Sawtooth Range is apply named - many of the mountains are comprised of complex jumbles of pinnacles resembling teeth. The area has 33 peaks that surpass 10,000ft/3,030m. Most of our camps were placed above 8,000ft/2,424m. The trail is somewhat well-manitained; we encountered no litter and we were amazed that there was little sign that backpackers had taken shortcuts to avoid the many switchbacks. There are numerous creeks to cross - they are forded or crossed either on logs or rocks. We estimated that our backpacking speed was generally about 4 km/hr. 

SUNDAY, JULY 20. 

The trail in forest at the start of the trip:

As we ascended, we passed through areas that had been torched by lightening strikes and hoped that this was not portentous of what would be in store for us.

We gained a ridge overlooking Sawtooth Lake (8,400ft/2545m) and had a good view of our objective: Mount Regan.

We placed a camp beyond Sawtooth Lake, having hiked 7.5 hours, and we immediately climbed Mount Regan (10,190ft/ 3,088m) via the SE Ridge. Enjoyable Class 3 scramble.

MONDAY, JULY 21.

This was a full backpacking day. We began hiking at 10:00 a.m. and arrived at our next camping spot, north of Baron Lake, at 6:30 p.m.

Alastair was delighted to have an opportunity to get close to a Rubber Boa:

TUESDAY, JULY 22.

From our camp at Baron Lake we climbed Braxon Peak (10,353ft/3,137m) via its West Side. Once above the treeline, the travel was on easy talus slopes. We attached our crampons to climb 200ft of firm 30° snow to gain a shoulder, from which the summit was gained over easy ground. This route was not Class 3-4 as indicated in Tom Lopez's guide book.

We then moved our camp two km south to Upper Baron Lake. That night we experienced a very violent electrical storm with much lightening, thunder, and heavy rain and hail. None of us had much sleep.

An exposed place to camp for a storm:

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23

After the storm, by tacit agreement, we all slept in until well past 8:00 a.m. Then we climbed Monte Verita (10,080ft/ 3055m) via its NE Ridge. The route, with several Class 3 moves, took 1.25 hours to ascend from our camp.

Our route lead up shoulder to the snow in the open face, tending to the left to gain the summit block.

Back we went to our camp, broke everything down and hiked over Baron Divide (9,300ft/2,818m), descended to 7,400ft/ 2,242m, and ascended gradually to 8,300ft/2515m to reach our camp at the middle of three Cramer Lakes. This was a hike of 5 hours, arriving at 7:00 p.m.

Robin and Alastair enjoying a cool swim below the Baron Divide

THURSDAY, JULY 24

From Cramer Lakes, we packed everything up and hiked up to the 9,500ft/2,879m crest of Cramer Divide. Here we had a leisurely lunch as we chatted to four very energetic and eager boy scouts and their two adult leaders. 

From the Divide, we climbed Mount Cramer (10,716ft/3,274m), the second highest mountain in the Sawtooth Range. We ascended via the East Face, first climbing the talus slope to gain the obvious col, and then up the right skyline to the summit.

The East Face route a simple ascent over talus slopes and not Class 3 as indicated in Lopez's guide.

From the summit, we could see our next objective - The Rakers! They're the two horns seen in the upper centre:

Once back at the Divide, we began a long trek of 12 km, travelling south, then northwest to Elk Lake at 6,700ft/2,030m - our lowest point since the beginning of the entire trip. 

FRIDAY, JULY 25

This was to be the highlight of the entire trip: our attempt of the remote 9,880ft/2,994m South Raker. There are no trails to this area of the Sawtooths, and we were thrilled to be engaged in the activity that BC mountaineers excel at: bushwhacking!

Our first obstacle - crossing the South Fork Payette River - was very easily overcome. Just above Elk Lake, the river is spread out in a series of channels, and over each of them we found suitable fallen logs. The woods were pungent with the lovely smell of wild mint and we worked our way into the valley of Fall Creek. At first the slope was steep, but soon the valley opened up into grass meadows and some marshy areas. Alastair and Jeff chose a wet crossing to the west side while Dean and I kept to the east until we found a suitably dry bridge.

Eventually we reached a charming lake, teeming with trout, and over which rose the magnificent Rakers.

We ascended the scree and talus slopes until we were under the East Spire of the North Raker. 

We then gained the col between the Rakers and headed for the southern one.

Our climbing route ascended the centre of the face, then headed towards the white rounded rock just below the summit block on the left skyline. 

Lopez's guide reads: "The summit block is rated at either Class 3 or 4, depending upon who you ask." Well, our answer to that statement is that it is Class 4, and the exposure to the east is terrific. None of us ventured up those final 15 feet - the South Raker was just beyond our grasp!

The view back to the North Raker was dramatic! at 9,970ft/3021m, its summit is just 90 feet (27m) higher than that of the South Raker.

After our attempt, we ate our lunches and read through the register found on the col between the two Rakers. The book was only a few years old, and not a single entry indicated a successful climb to a summit!

Then we began our way back. Dean and I decided to go over to the east shoulder of the North Raker while Alastair and Jeff immediately began the descent . As we were looking around, Dean noticed that we might be able to climb the East Face of the East Spire of the North Raker! We called down to the others of our intent, but either we were unclear with our wording or they could not hear us clearly; neither Jeff nor Alastair climbed back up to us. Dean and I made attempts on two different lines, the second of which brought us to an airy position just three or four feet below and 10 feet horizontally from the crest of the East Spire - the last bit was simply too exposed for our nerves and skills.

Reunited with the others, we all headed back along the ridge to the west of Fall Creek, then descended into the valley and returned to our camp at Elk Lake.

SATURDAY, JULY 26.

This was our final day in the mountains. We hiked 20 kilometres north to Grandjean, reaching the vehicle in 5 hours. It was a hot and dusty finale. A quick and very badly needed bath in the creek was had, then we drove to Boise for steak dinner. The long drive home was begun; by 1:00 a.m. we had made it to Grandview WA - east of Yakima - where we drove up a side street to the local high school and we found a secluded area in the back parking lot, replete with a porta-potty! Sleeping bags and pads were laid out on the blacktop and four hours of deep sleep were had by all. 

SUNDAY, JULY 27

Breakfasted at Denny's in Yakima, WA, and arrived back in Vancouver at noon.

This was an outstanding trip!! The camaraderie was wonderful. We already look forward to our big trip of 2015!