I haven’t explored the Sawtooth Range much, preferring to stick with the less-traveled White Cloud Range just to the east. Early on I remember driving down Highway 75 between the two ranges and stopped at the famous Redfish Lake to take in the view, only to find that the huge parking lot was full of cars and crawling with people. So I moved on, having added the Sawtooths to my list of busy places.
But this summer I gave the range a second try, with a recommendation from Josh Brundage at Campsaver to try for the highpoint, Thompson Peak, but to come in from the north along a remote valley above Goat Lake. I plotted a course in Gaia GPS and headed into Idaho to camp near the trailhead at Iron Creek.
From the trailhead the route into Goat Lake is a well built trail, that is until the final slopes below the lake. There the trail deconstructs into many loose, steep routes as you pass the picturesque Goat Falls. Beyond that is one of the most incredible high-country lakes I’ve ever seen, with several primitive camp sites on the east side overlooking the lake.
Passing the lake on the east side I began the more challenging section, route finding my way south into progressively higher glacial valleys with lakes and rocks and very little soil. One surprising find was the glacial snow fields that still persisted even in September. Several of them had formed caves/tunnels where I could walk through the cool interior.
The final push to the peak became a lot more vertical, with some class 4 scrambling as I approached the summit. Another surprise at the summit was a “Mazamas” register next to the survey marker, with a collection of trinkets and note pads. The view from the highpoint is incredible and you can really appreciate how the mountain range got its name.
The descent was equally fantastic and I was mostly just happy to have gained the peak — something that I was nervous about given the many off-trail miles. Plus my mental categorization of the overcrowded Sawtooths changed, as I saw no other souls for about 6 hours of the day, only running across other hikers on the Goat Lake trail.
The hike took about 8 hours and included 15 miles and 4500′ of elevation gain.
Resources:
- The drive in to the Iron Creek Trailhead is paved until the last couple of miles and from there it is well graded and maintained.
- There are a few primitive camping sites near the trailhead, along with a formal USFS campsite with pit toilets and site fees.
- Hiking Track
Lessons Learned
- Although I accomplished this route alone, I’d recommend brining a friend to reduce some risks
- I carried only my Core Hiking Gear on this outing
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