The Splendor of the Sawtooth

Yesterday, I shared some observations on the lovely town of Ketchum near Sun Valley, Idaho. Before I flew back to Washington, I had one adventure remaining. My new friends, Jenny Dupre and Brandon Kuvara, decided to take me on a snowmobile expedition to Redfish lake in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. It was my first snowmobile experience and it will be hard to forget. As a lifelong hiker and backpacker, I am used to encountering nature on foot.  The snowmobile allowed us to cover a huge amount of territory in a long excursion.

Jenny and Brandon are both old hands on snowmobiles, which go with living in this remote area.  While Jenny is from Louisiana, she is totally comfortable in this snow-covered environment. She has raised a bunch of kids to respect the outdoors, including camping experiences where they found themselves overrun by black bears. Having lived in Louisiana, I was not surprised by her toughness, but I was impressed by her acquired winter skills.

Brandon is the owner of Whiskey on Main in Ketchum, a must-go-to spot for great food, drinks, and entertainment. For a businessman who works from Nashville to Ketchum, Brandon is still prototypical of the Idahoan. With his ultra-cool bar and good-at-everything ease, I really should hate the guy. However, he is the most self-effacing and engaging person you will ever hope to meet. All I can say is, if you find yourself in the Sawtooth in winter, call Brandon.

Named for its ragged tooth-like peaks, Sawtooth Mountain range goes up 10,751 feet (3,277 m) at the summit of Thompson Peak. It encompasses an area of 678 square miles and the air gets a bit thin for those of us from the East. It is a range formed from glaciers and still has considerable seismic activity due to the Sawtooth Fault near Redfish lake. (I had dinner with another couple of new friends on this trip who lived not far from the base of the mountains and reported having to deal with moving furniture and pictures from the earthquakes).

The melting of the alpine glaciers left roughly 400 mountain lakes in the Sawtooth, making this a hiker’s delight. It is also near the Rocky Mountains so it is as close to Nirvana for backpackers as you can get.

We started out, as with most adventures in Sun Valley, with a hearty Western breakfast. We went to the Kneadery, which is ultimate breakfast spot. For those of us who love breakfasts, the Kneadery is the ultimate experience. It serves up heaping plates of stick-too-your-ribs meals in a quintessentially Idahoan atmosphere. They had to drag me out of the place.

We then drove about an hour to an outfitter who supplied the snowmobiles, winter clothing, and directions. We thought we had a guide set up, but we learned that we would have to do the excursion with the help of a satellite phone and map. Fortunately, we had Brandon.  He kept us on course while both he and Jenny kept a close eye on the novice who just the day before was laid low by a ski lift. (Jenny seemed to be looking back as much as forward to be sure that I did not fly off the mountain or take a header into a snowbank).

It was very cold and began to snow but the rental pants and jacket were impenetrable. I actually had to zip down my jacket because I was getting too warm despite the cold temperatures. You need to bring sunglasses to avoid snow blindness and a good pair of gloves (I purchased a pair from the outfitter that I can use if Washington is it is ever plunged into a polar vortex). It took me a while to feel comfortable on the snowmobile. We were covering a long distance so we were moving at a speed of 35-45 mph at points. As we went along drops and riverbanks, I was thinking that this is no place for a torts teacher.

Redfish Lake is great with the towering mountains of the Sawtooth around it. It gets its name for sockeye salmon you can find in the area. It is a favorite place for locals in the summer, though the temperature of the water remains very cold all year round. The warmest it will get is 60 degrees on a hot summer season. In the summer, there is a small lodge where you can get food and there are a few rooms available but you have to book months in advance.

The lake was entirely frozen when we got there after a few hours of cross-country snowmobiling.

Brandon got us back safe and sound.  I will forever have a different impression of “Let’s Go Brandon” after he located the outfitter’s shack at the end of the day.

As you might expect, the views were overwhelming. Since it was snowing, the full view of the distant mountains was obscured. However, I felt the snowy conditions made it even more magical. Here are a few pictures.

It was a wonderful way to end my stay in Sun Valley.

This is truly a unique place filled with people who could not be nicer.  What is most impressive is how everyone stays active in the outdoors from hiking to skiing to fishing. It is part of everyone’s routine. Every person you meet is helpful and happy.

Coming from the East, the most notable difference is the absence of visual neurosis and angst. I love Washington and living on the East coast. Yet, there is a different pace and perspective here. Perhaps it is the close association with the surrounding natural conditions. People just seem more centered and, again, happy. There is no bragging or bravado, just a confidence and eagerness about people here. It is just fun to be around them.

There is also a certain quiet toughness to Idahoans. I particularly enjoyed my conversations with Royce who works at the Limelight Hotel about growing up here skiing and backpacking. He has his own adventures in the wilderness that he matter-of-factly recounted. Royce showed that ability to live in the moment; to appreciate how lucky he is to have grown up in this unique place. He is working to put himself through school and still enjoying every moment on the slopes and the trails.

It is hard to leave Sun Valley, even after the demeaning face plant on Bald Mountain. However, it is time to plunge again into my own unique ecosystem of the Beltway.  We have our own predators and hazards, of course. Yet, I cannot say we have the same sense of tranquility and satisfaction. If my new Idahoan friends visit me in Washington, I can show them how to evade lobbyists and look for the telltale signs of trolls and muckrakers. However, what we have in Washington, they do not need in Idaho.

I cannot recommend a visit to Sun Valley more highly to our blog family. Summer or winter, this place will reorient and replenish the most tired traveler.