ALICE LAKE x 2

I just got the official word that this year’s Death Hike (DH 25) will be July 14th, originating out of Grandjean in the Sawtooths. I would like to invite all of you (what, all 5 or 6 of you who read this blog?) to come and participate. DH is a one-day, non-supported, you-are-on-your-own hike of somewhere between 22 and 50 miles in the mountains here in Idaho. Ok, despite the name, you can pretty much pick whatever distance you are comfortable with as the point is to just get out and have some fun. This all got me thinking about DH 24 last year and all the fun I had. It was a true adventure because of all of the snow in the high country. That winter left us with one of the deepest snow packs ever. And then spring came and it was really cold and wet, which left unbelievable amounts of snow in the mountains. So on July 12, 2011, the group I was with set out for Alice Lake, but of course we went the back way, cross-country, with no trail, up and over the peak. It was epic, as I recall. It was a beautiful blue-sky day, with temps in the 70’s, and still lots of snow. There were only 3 of us who wanted to brave this route (me, my friend Leo and his friend).

Ahhh, nothing quite like the Death Hike in the Sawtooths. Ironically, I went back to this same lake some 3 weeks later as part of our ward’s 50 mile backpack high adventure trip. It looked a lot different after 3 more weeks of summer heat. Yes, Lone Wolf really did wear that shirt (the boys loved it!) in honor of Taylor. Right behind my head is where we had dropped into the lakes 3 weeks earlier.

Ok, so it was not all fun and games. The mosquitoes (and company) could be annoying at times.

Check out those zebra Hammer pants. Classic and oh so entertaining around the campfire!

Now, don’t you wish you lived in the great state of Idaho?!