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Just got back from a week long hut to hut trip in the Sawtooth Range of Idaho. It was an incredible week. I wasn't sure what to expect, but Idaho definitely delivered. The terrain there is amazing and rivals anything i've ever seen in the Tetons or Colorado IMHO.


from Fishhook Meadow

Started out trip at the Redfish lake road, and spent 7 days touring and turning around, the first three out of Bench Hut, and the last three out of Fishhook Yurt, with a day in between to travel from Bench to Fishhook and relax a little. We had a group of 10 - 9 skiers and myself as the lone splitboarder. This was my first multi-day trip on a split, and i was very pleased with its performance. I picked up a new 168 Burton w/ Volie interface a few months ago.


Inside Bench Hut

Last week seemed to be the transition week between winter and spring in the mountains up there. The first few days we saw mild, but still cool temps, with a funky sun crust on southern aspects, which werent fun to ride at all, so we stuck to N and E aspects that help some good powder. Soft stuff for sure, but not the light, fluffy face-shot material we were hoping for. Mid-week, temps rose and all aspects at most elevations started to soften up. S aspects delivered some excellent corn, and the corn harvest began. We didnt get much sun, unfortunately, but we didn't get any days where we were totally socked in either.


Above the Fishhook Valley


The gendarmes of Heyburn peeking out from behind the clouds

We were pretty conservative in our tours, and didnt tackle anything too gnarly due to the mixed abilities and levels avi training in our group, but the lines in this area are phenomenal, and will definitely warrant a return next winter.


Looking across form Bucks Park

The snow out there right now is DEEP, and by the looks of it, the area will be off the hook in April/May when the snow on the steeps stabilizes.


Touring into Monolith Valley. Note Horstman Peak in the background... 55+ degree face from the summit. Gnarly! Just out of view is the Sickle, an amazing looking couloir that comes down from the col in between the two peaks. Steep, narrow, and long, one of the most aesthetic lines we spied all week.

We didnt really run into anyone else while up in the hills. We saw a few locals and guided parties touring around lower down. The backcountry in this area seems to be a pretty well kept secret. Oh wait. I mean, the skiing there was terrible. Don't go there.



I've got some more pics posted at http://www.uvm.edu/~bschnei1/images/sawtooth
Feel free to check them out!

Brett

Beautiful Pics and TR. I notice you are from vermont, Im guessing this wasnt your first trip out west?

hell ya, nice pics. Idaho always delivers. I've been kayakin in that area on the N. fork payette. Amazing mountains!

great photo's.....really like the one of the Barons and Sirens sitting in the sun. We were just across the valley from Fishhook a few years ago (Williams Peak) and had some amazingly good turns given it hadn't snowed for a while

yeah there are some amazing lines in the Sawtooths that I'd like to ski, Fishhook area only scratches the surface of whats out there.

thanks!

thanks for posting the pics and the TR.

the great thing about central idaho is that it is not crowded at all. mainly because you have to go out of your way to get there. it's not off a major interstate, etc. it's especially tough to get there in the winter (when the more direct route from Boise to Stanley on Hwy 21) is closed due to slides quite a bit during the winter months.

you'll find me up there a couple times a month during the summer. i make a few trips during the winter season.

I've been lucky enough to have had one or two opportunities to travel west each year for the last few seasons. I've also spent a lot of time in the PNW during the summer months. I figure it would make more sense to actually live out west instead of always wishing i was out west, so i'm heading out to Jackson soon after i graduate from UVM in May.



I was joking with my friends in that pic that i should send it to the folks at G3 for promotional use, and then they would be famous.