Hiking to Sawtooth Lake

August 21, 2015

Oh no.  My humans are up early.  I know they are gonna leave me again.  I hope they aren't gone all day like yesterday.  I will give them some stink eye so they know I mean business.

This morning, we are taking a hike up to Sawtooth Lake.  It is a 5 mile hike each way.  Spouse has not been able to hike for a year, so this will be a real test for him.

It is 35 degrees, so we dress in layers.  Spouse agonized about his ZAB (zombie apocalypse backpack) all last night.  Not a chance to get lost, cold, hungry or thirsty.  We file our wilderness permit and hit the trail. We are full of energy and excitement to tackle this trail. It is a dirt trail with rocks and tree trunks around which to navigate.  The fir trees are tall, lupines are still blooming, but stunted as they try to nab some of the sun through the trees.  There is a creek on our left.   We pass the big boulder that a local told us about.  Turn here and hike that way and you will find a hot creek.  We will check that out on the way back.  We were sworn to secrecy as this is a local haunt.

After 30 minutes, we shed our jackets as the sun starts warming things up.  We continue climbing.  Rugged rocky crags dominate the surroundings.  It is absolutely breathtaking.  We continue to climb.  We cross a creek then start up a series of switchbacks.  The trail is fairly well maintained.  At one point, a hellacious wind howls through the trees.  As we climb, we hear more wind blowing across the tops of the mountains.  After about 4 miles, we crest the trail to see Alpine Lake.  It is a pristine lake that sits inside what looks like a crater in rugged mountain terrain.  We stop to eat some of our lunch and enjoy the scenery.  When some people pass by, Spouse starts talking to them and tells them about the secret hot creek!  Can you believe that?  Blab, blab, blab!

We still have about a mile to go to get to Sawtooth, so up we climb.  The switchbacks are more narrow and they are rockier and steeper.  We go slow, lest we twist an ankle or slide somewhere undesirable!  We eventually crest this mountain and come upon a small lake.  Spouse is convinced it is Sawtooth and plops himself down in a meadow.  I think it is too small for Sawtooth.  To me, Sawtooth is just beyond this lake, and I leave him to check it out.  I was right.  Another quarter mile I see a driftwood graveyard!  Oooh would I love to haul this stuff home.  A couple of rugged peaks are the backdrop for Sawtooth.  There is a wee bit of snow in the crevices.  The winds are gusting.  The sun is warm but the winds are cold.  I hike around, watching the howling winds create white caps on the lake, then back to Spouse.  After he rested a bit, we both hiked back to Sawtooth so he could see I was right!  OOOOH, that feels so good!  I love the way the wind has twisted the trees.  The wood is gnarly and interesting and would be so good for me to mount my orchids...

Now we start our return.  How come it could be 5 miles up, but it is 10 miles back down?  How does that happen?  You always see different things when you go in the opposite direction.  And down we go... step by step... don't slide on that rock or trip on that root.  Step by step.  Don't stub your toe.  Don't trip.  Don't look up without stopping!  I kept waiting to see one of the marker signs we saw on the way up.  We have to have hiked that far by now.  I know we are on the right trail as I remember some of the unique trees or some other rock, or creek or bush.  Where is the sign?  On we go.  I am now leading as Spouse is dragging behind.  I know that sign is right around the corner... NOT!  Keep on... step by step.  Finally, I see the sign, we only have 1 3/4 miles to go.  Ugh...  the excitement and energy we had when we saw this sign going up is long gone!  We continue, step by step.  I wait for Spouse.  When we get to the hot creek boulder, Spouse says there is no way he wants to go back there.  He may never get out!  So we continue, step by step. 

I don't know if I was tired (I really didn't feel tired) or if it is 'horse pointed to the barn' syndrome, but I kept tripping on rocks.  We both ultimately made it back to the truck.  Ahhhhh....  I do have to laugh at one thing... when we passed people that were going up, Spouse made it a point to tell them that the first lake they see is not Sawtooth...  He is now the Sawtooth ambassador!

When we got back to Hannah, Spouse took some Ibuprofen and collapsed in the recliner.  Technically, his knees and feet seemed ok, but he was truly beat!  He then sat outside with Rudy and read.  Moving is not his thing right now...