Lorain - Backpacking Idaho: from alpine peaks to desert canyons

Backpacking Idaho

From the book

St. Joe River-Bacon Peak Loop ()

A bonus of taking this trip in late August or early September is the chance to feast on the acres of huckleberries that carpet the ridges around Bacon Peak.

White Cap Creek ()

Very rugged cross-country side trips provide access to several more lakes, meadows, and forests, so you can enjoy the solitude here for as long as your food and vacation time hold out.

Snake River Trail ()

Your efforts are rewarded by the superb scenery, which features a continuous series of amazing views of the raging river, the ruggedly contorted canyon walls, and even occasional glimpses of the high Summit Ridge in Oregon.

Chamberlain Basin Loop ()

One night I lay in my sleeping bag for almost an hour listening to wolves howla classic wilderness experience that I will not soon forget.

Middle Fork Salmon River ()

Like all of the hot springs in this canyon, this is a great place to spend some time soaking sore muscles and enjoying the scenery.

Loon Creek Loop ()

The jagged peaks here rise above 10,000 feet and are made up of a stunningly beautiful collage of gray, white, and reddish rocks. When you add this colorful geology to the areas cirque lakes, clear streams, and flower-covered meadows, you have a great place to go for a backpacking vacation.

Backpacking Idaho

1st EDITION March 2004

Copyright 2004 by Douglas Lorain

Front & back cover photos copyright 2004 by Douglas Lorain

Interior photos by Douglas Lorain

Maps: Douglas Lorain

Cover design: Andreas Schueller

Book design: Andreas Schueller and Jaan Hitt

ISBN 0-89997-346-9

UPC 7-19609-97346-1

Manufactured in the United States of America

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher, except for brief quotations used in reviews.

SAFETY NOTICE: Although Wilderness Press and the author have made every attempt to ensure that the information in this book is accurate at press time, they are not responsible for any loss, damage, injury, or inconvenience that may occur to anyone while using this book. You are responsible for your own safety and health while in the wilderness. The fact that a trail is described in this book does not mean that it will be safe for you. Be aware that trail conditions can change from day to day. Always check local conditions and know your own limitations.

Acknowledgments

The help of many people made this book possible. First of all, I would like to thank the many wilderness rangers and fellow hikers who provided trip companionship and recommendations.

Special thanks go to the following persons:

My occasional hiking partner Dave Elsbernd.

My friends Bob, Barbara, and Natalie Fink, who graciously provided this dirty, bedraggled author with a place to shower, do laundry, and resupply on one of my long trips while doing research for this book.

My family my parents Bob and Nancy Lorain, and my sister, Christine Ebrahimi, for putting up with the worry over my solo months-long backpacking sojourns into the remote Idaho backcountry, for which I could provide no itinerary or date for my return.

As usual, my sister was invaluable in providing answers for all questions botanical.

Garth Barrow and the friendly young men of Boy Scout Troop 152 in Rigby, Idaho (Travis Ihler, Aaron Nelson, Matt Anderson, Tyson Aeschbacher, Brad Butikofer, and Dustin Berry) who kindly provided this tired hiker with much needed transport that saved me many miles of arduous road walking during a spell of record 100-degree weather.

Forest Service and Park Service personnel, who provided information, read drafts, or otherwise shared their considerable expertise Duane Annis, Stacy Baker, Earl Baumgarten, Paul Christensen, Cathy Conover, Dennis Duehren, Carol Eckert, Kearstin Edwards, Jason Fisher, Michael Foster, Melissa Fowler, Tracy Gravelle, Pat Hart, Sheri Hughes, Donald L. Kole, Ivan Kowski, Gary Loomis, Laurie Matthews, Joni Packard, and Ann Schwaller.

While the contributions and assistance of the persons listed above were invaluable, all of the text, maps, and photos herein are my own work and sole responsibility. Any and all omissions, errors, and just plain stupid mistakes are strictly mine.

Featured Trips Summary Chart

Snow Peak over Snow Peak Pond,

Introduction

I daho is a virtually undiscovered backpackers paradise. Although the state has millions of acres of wilderness, it has no national parks and few well-known destinations to draw the crowds. As a result, Idaho remains a great place to get away from it all.

What all those crowds heading for more famous hiking areas dont realize is that Idaho hides some of North Americas most beautiful scenery. The mountains of Idaho are at least as scenic as anything found elsewhere in the American West and, in fact, they are far better than most. The canyon country is great too and is, if possible, even more spectacular than the mountains. These great gashes in the earth are incomparable in their depth, their scenic grandeur, and the abundance of their wildlife.

Idahos nearly ideal climate helps to make exploring the states natural wonders a joy. The weather here is consistently better than in bordering geographic regions, with fewer thunderstorms than in the Rocky Mountain states to the south and east, and much less rain than in soggy Oregon and Washington to the west. So Idaho boasts the ideal combination of solitude, outstanding scenery, and good weather in other words, Shangri-La for backpackers.

There are many ways to see and appreciate the beauty of Idaho. Many parts of the state can be seen just as easily on dayhikes, rafting trips, bicycle tours, or even from your car. The focus of this book, however, is on the best ways for backpackers to see the state. Most of Idahos best scenery is far from roads and can be truly appreciated only by those willing to hit the trails. After many years and thousands of trail miles, I have selected what I believe to be Idahos very best backpacking trips. The focus is on longer trips from 3 days to 2 weeks. These are beyond a simple weekend outing, but they make terrific vacations, and give you enough time to fully appreciate the scenery. Best of all, youll have the chance to really get to know and love the state.