The "Sawtooth Scribble"

Published on 2025-7-22 by Michael Stanton

This approximately 75 mile-long trail is based on the Grand Loop, starting from Grandjean, however, I exit down and north at Sawtooth Lake, traverse the mountains by the 'Alpine Way,' then spend a last night below Thompson Peak. The trip finishes with a climb of Thompson, then an exit to the Redfish area.

Steve dropped me off Monday afternoon at the Grandjean trailhead and campground. We were still sore from our adventure on Warbonnet Peak the day before, but we'd had a great breakfast in Stanley -- pancakes, eggs and coffee! So good.

At the nearby Sawtooth Lodge, I had a beer and an amazing toasted avacado and cheese sandwich. This area is very peaceful, with the wind whispering through the pines...I got everything ready and slept for the adventure in the morning...

Enjoying some junk food at the Grandjean Campground the evening before launch

Day One, July 22

Knowing I had a long day at lower elevations, I left early -- pack heavy with six days of food. I planned to follow the "Grand Loop," a 65 mile journey south then back north, however, I wanted to exit at Stanley instead of Grandjean, because I needed to somehow find a way back to Boise, since Steve would be out of town until early August. A great young fella named Brennen gave me his number in case I needed a shuttle. This was a great option to have in my back pocket. This area really is remote, and there isn't a bus or anything like that!

However, such concerns were a long ways from today. I had a great weather forecast, and enjoyed the trip up the Payette valley. The forest had burned some years before, but I saw more and more unscarred trees and green leaves as I walked in. Eventually, the river got wilder, forming little waterfalls down long granite slabs. I chatted with a few people comimg out of the Grand Loop, as most folks travel it "clockwise," ending with this section. They all had great fun.

The South Fork of the Payette River meandering along on my right all day.

Somewhere between Elk Lake and the Benedikt Creek Trail junction, I was sitting by the river munching on a tortilla when I heard "yow, that's cold!" This was Larry, of Larry and Paul, a couple of guys who'd done much of the traverse, but had to exit early because Paul twisted his ankle in a boulderfield. We chatted for a good ten minutes or more about various outdoor and computer topics. This encounter added a lot to my day. I just meet such impressive and dynamic people out here. We wished each other well, and I set off looking for the turn into Benedikt Creek.

Larry and Paul on their way out to recovery from an injury

Once I found it, I walked for an hour or so and was surprised to see black bear scat on the trail. Well, that's why I have the Ursack and keep food away from the tent! It made this valley feel a bit more isolated. I wouldn't see anyone until the afternoon of the next day, by Ardeth Lake.

I reached Benedikt Lake and decided that was enough for day one. There was one campsite right by the lake which felt rather charming. The mosquitoes were out, and occasionally annoying, but I could make use of the wind and change where I was eating or sitting to largely get away from them.

The camp had just one downside: being so close to the water brought a very noticeable chill once the sun was gone. I could feel the damp cold like a physical thing on the water-side of my body. Brr! Definitely cost me a bit of sleep, but thems the breaks!

Bear scat on the Benedikt Creek Trail

Benedikt Lake

My cold camp beside the lake...

Day Two, July 23

Hiking up into lake country...

I believe this is a view across Lake Ingeborg

Looking northwest from the pass above Spangle Lake

Happy to warm up with movement, I followed the gently climbing trail by a series of lakes, culminating at a broad pass of sorts with Lake Ingeborg. This lake had great campsites on the eastern edge. From here I dropped into a basin with the Spangle Lakes, then climbed a pass to the south. It was nice to sit at the pass awhile in the sun and admire the country ahead of me, called Tenlake Basin. Soon I was dropping down to Ardeth Lake, where I met a fellow I'd see again later. I wish he'd warned me of the steep climb of 500 feet up to an arm with an unnamed lake, then down to Vernon Lake. I was hot and dusty, so I decided to swim in this lake.

Getting the courage to jump fully in is always a character test for me, which I barely pass! But as I came up freezing, I laughed, knowing I was better off for occasionally springing into cold water. This reminded me of my ex-girlfriend Barbara. She was always one to jump into water and make me do it with her. That relationship was over, ending even in these last days as I was on my hike. But I was glad for this thought about her, about the best things about her. Those will stay with me, I reckon.

Beautiful dragonflies dancing at my swimming spot on Vernon Lake

Rounding Edna Lake...

Now refreshed, I meandered happily enough down to Edna Lake, where there were many campers, more people than I'd ever see until days later by Sawtooth Lake. I thought about climbing up to Sand Mountain Pass, but changed my mind. So I dropped to Virginia Lake, then started my last climb of the day to Hidden Lake after a brief dip back into the South Fork Payette River Valley I'd left the afternoon before. Hidden Lake offered a few good campsites. I picked one and settled in, enjoying a cigar in the evening as the wind blew through the trees.

Evening at Hidden Lake, near my campsite

Day Three, July 24

As Hidden Lake receded below me, I came to a pass with stunning views of Mt. Cramer, the Temple and other peaks. This was truly a glacial basin, now bathed in a cold blue light. As I marveled at the scenery, descending moraines, peaks were lit up with warm yellow fire from the sun finally climbing over the ramparts above. I came to various unnamed lakes, and eventually found not people, but llamas waiting for their people to wake up.

Mt. Cramer and other peaks above the Cramer Lakes

This tree seems to be accosting me in the morainal basin below Mt. Cramer

Llamas patiently waiting for their masters to bring some breakfast

The beautiful morning elevated my spirits all the way down to the crossing of Redfish Lake Creek, where I grumbled slightly at having to get my feet wet again. A little rest before starting the switchbacks up to Alpine Lake helped. Steve and I camped there only a few days before. I was now back, and munched disconsolately on a granola bar, briefly haunting our now-abandoned campsite.

On Cramer Lake

I came to a little valley of shallow ponds, then switchbacked up to a pass. Here I met some people admiring the view down to the Baron Lakes. I was really impressed by a peak called El Primo, or Pt. 9837, depending on your map. It appeared that a major slice of the granitic slabs had fallen off recently, leaving a shower of tan-colored debries as released from under the shield faces of weathered, black rock. Was it a rock climb, somehow, ruined by the 2020 earthquate? Warbonnet Peak was on the same ridgeline, not far away, and we'd been denied its summit because that earthquake had shifted a crucial block.

I shared the camp area with a nice couple with two rather aggressive yet friendly dogs (so long as you are confident with them!). I tried swimming here but the muddy bottom of the lake discouraged me from doing more than just wading out a bit. I enjoyed the evening sitting on a secret rock outcropping with incredible views of peaks and lakes.

My camp at Baron Lake

After a swim at Baron Lake

Day Four, July 25

Today would be the narrow part of the loop, in which I'd come within two miles of my trail leaving Grandjean, and only about 4-5 miles from the Grandjean Trailhead itself. Feeling a bit tempted to run back there for another amazing avacado sandwhich at the Lodge, I enjoyed the trip down from the Baron Lakes, watching the golden light expand on peaks of the valley walls around me. I listened to some podcasts as I came to the lowest point, then dutifully turned back up the North Fork, where sunlight finally found me.

I think this is the plant that made my hands swollen and blistered on our trip to Observation Peak a few weeks before. Cow's Parsnip.

Trying not to touch the Cow's Parsnip, I continued up a sometimes very brushy trail, especially so when a stream came down the mountainside. Feeling a bit hot and miserable, I was resting when a chill, hippy kind of guy came by and reminded me that it "is what it is" and no use complaining about brush. Well...he's right, of course!

Looking down into the North Fork of Baron Creek from the hot switchbacks up to Sawtooth Lake

Looking south to the unnamed lakes at a pass just south of Sawtooth Lake

A larger party came down for a day hike, and I'd see them again at the lakes later. Finally I was done with the brushy trail, and could enjoy the high country around Sawtooth Lake.

Mt. Regan lording over the lake...

A pano-rama from the pass between the McGown Lakes and Sawtooth Lake. A great place to sit in the evening!

I smoked a cigar and watched the light changing on the water and Mt. Regan above...

Day Five, July 26

This was a pretty simple day. I dropped down to near the Iron Creek Campground, then turned east on the "Alpine Way" trail. This was very pleasant walking in forest, offering a new perspective on the range, because I was on the outside of it now. I could look out across forest and plain to Stanley. I also had cell phone signal, which was useful.

Once, my back hurt quite a bit when crossing a high open area with sagebrush. "Ow!" I said. For a while, I thought I would have to go walk out to Stanley. It gradually subsided. Thinking about it, I decided it had to do with hunching over in the tent a lot, and using certain muscles in unusual ways. They were now tired. I'm really glad I got over it! I was aided in this by the suddenly invigoratingly steep climbers trail up the the basin below Thompson Peak. A young lady named Emory had never crossed a boulderfield before, and was unsure of the way to go. I had already set up my tent in the basin above due to a looming rainstorm, and saw her trying to decide what to do when I dropped back down to a creek to get some water. Happily I could help out, and soon she was continuing on to the lake to camp.

Looking down on Alpine Lake (yes, there are two of them), coming down from Sawtooth Lake

Watching storms over the White Cloud Range from camp below Thompson Peak

It rained and stormed much of the night, often with dramatic lightning and thunder. A couple of times I heard roaring wind on the ridge above, then would be hit by a great impact as the wind rolled down into the basin. Wow.

Day Six, July 27

The unnamed lake below Thompson Peak in the dawn...

Let's finish this little expedition with a climb! I was up and moving towards the summit early. At a higher lake, I saw people crossing a snowfield. This turned out to be Kate and Mark, her dad. They were good routefinders! I followed them up two snowfields (the second one a little bit difficult, such that you really had to work to kick a step in the ice now and then), and into a boulderfield below the summit.

Mark and Kate traverse snow to a rock step

Kate and Mark on the final bit to the summit

We joined forced shortly below the summit ridge, then followed a gully with bits of trail in it to the top. What a cool pair they were! On top, we met a guy named Eric who had started at the car at 4 am. Strong fella.

The view down to the lake was amazing. Our weather was great, but only an hour later as we took down our camps, we saw clouds rolling in again. Anyway, it was a great end to my trip to climb this peak and make some friends!

The unnamed lake from the summit...

Father and daughter look down to the unnamed lake.

Here I am posing on Thompson Peak (pic by Kate)

I went ahead and got the scrambling descent to the main trail over with, then we three hiked quickly down the easy trail together. They were going back home to the Boise area that evening, and were so kind as to offer me a ride. I was over the moon about that!

But even better, on the way home we enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation about biology, politics, philosophy, then back into more immediate concerns like rock climbing, then back out to metaphysics (Kate brought up Rupert Sheldrake and found both her dad and I are fans of that polite Oxford man's "insane" ideas and experiments!).

Goodbye, Sawtooths!

An incredible lunch with Kate and Mark

Big thanks to Kate and Mark. Big thanks to Steve for setting me up right for the trip and giving me a place to recuperate. The greatest thanks to God, in Whom all that we do is done.