Sawtooth National Recreation Area - Idaho
Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho - (stitched)
Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho

On July 2, 1997 I visited the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Visitor Center in Ketchum, Idaho and then proceeded to tour the area.

Drove up several different roads just sight seeing. One of these was the Salmon River road that goes almost to the headwaters of the river. Got to use my 4WD fording the river several times. Many nice meadows with yellow and purple flowers. Saw a nice deer.

A Boy Scout group was camped in the area and I talked to one of the leaders who was from California. Turns out this was a Hungarian camp out with Troops from several states and Canada. Apparently many of the members were immigrants who had grown up partly under Communist rule where Scouting was banned. Part of this groups program was reinforcing the Scouting principles that had been missing from their lives under Communism.

Drove up Pole Creek Road which was supposed to be open to Pole Creek Summit. Along the way visited historic Pole Creek Ranger Station built in 1909 and staffed by Ranger Bill Horton for 22 years - on the National Register of Historic Places. Saw an antelope mother and two fawns nearby.

Turns out the road was blocked by a good sized tree about half a mile below the summit. Turning around was a bit interesting but the chariot handled it well. Back tracked about half a mile and found a place to camp. Hiked back up the road to Pole Creek Summit (8,600') and back (2 miles round trip). The road was clear beyond the tree until I got to the summit, where there were many trees down and just enough snow to make travel problematical. Very pretty area.

On July 3, I awoke to full sunshine - yippee!

Drove back to the highway and backtracked a few miles to an overlook where I got pictures of the Sawtooth Mountains and valley.

Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet

Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet

Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet

Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet
Sawtooth Mountains from Galena viewpoint on Hwy 75 at 8450 feet

Pole Creek Historic Ranger Station, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Pole Creek Historic Ranger Station, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Pole Creek Historic Ranger Station, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Pole Creek Historic Ranger Station, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho

Pole Creek Historic Ranger Station, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Pole Creek Historic Ranger Station, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Sawtooth Mountains from Pole Creek Road
Sawtooth Mountains from Pole Creek Road

Sawtooth Mountains from Pole Creek Road
Sawtooth Mountains from Pole Creek Road
Fish screen and paddlewheel on Pole Creek road
Fish screen and paddlewheel on Pole Creek road

Fish entering canal are guided to a bypass pipe through which they return to the stream
Fish entering canal are guided to a bypass pipe through which they return to the stream
Sawtooth Mountains from Hwy 75 near Obsidion, Idaho
Sawtooth Mountains from Hwy 75 near Obsidion, Idaho

Then drove up a road to the site of Sawtooth City, a late 1800's mining town - a few collapsed log buildings.

Pettit Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Pettit Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Pettit Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Pettit Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho

Continued on to Pettit Lake for lunch - nice lake with Sawtooth Mountains as a backdrop.

Continued to Redfish Lake, larger and more developed. Also nice lake with Sawtooth Mountains as a backdrop.

The campgrounds were beginning to fill up for the July 4 weekend.

Grand Mogul Peak over Redfish Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Grand Mogul Peak over Redfish Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Grand Mogul Peak over Redfish Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Grand Mogul Peak over Redfish Lake, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho

Grand Mogul Peak (left) & Mt. Heyburn (right) over Redfish Lake
Grand Mogul Peak (left) & Mt. Heyburn (right) over Redfish Lake
Grand Mogul Peak (left) & Mt. Heyburn (right) over Redfish Lake
Grand Mogul Peak (left) & Mt. Heyburn (right) over Redfish Lake

I then headed out on Idaho 75 down the Salmon River - by-passing Stanley which I will return to later.

Saw some kayaker's and rafters on the river - which is still high but fairly tame in this section.