Sunday, August 2, 2009

I heart Idaho

Look at this place? Is this not the most gorgeous place you have ever seen?

We went up to Stanley with some friends this weekend who scored this killer spot right on Stanley Lake at the base of the Sawtooths. You park about 200 yards away and hike your gear in. Super short but it got longer and longer the more trips you took.

This was the view we saw when we opened up our tent each morning — at 4am. Thank you, Gus.

I would say that the first night Gus was comparable to having a 1 month old in your tent. A 1 month old that weighs more than Nicole Richie. Around 2 am Gus decided that he'd had enough of the whole "sleeping thing" and starting crying, like a 1 month old. I managed to wrangle him back to sleep for another hour or two. But with the combination of Gus and my paralyzing fear that a bear is going to try to join us in our tent and have a little Gus surprise for dinner, I wasn't able to sleep so I just gave in and got up around 4am. I used the rest of our camp wood to make myself a fire to keep warm, oopsies. Once the sun lit the sky I started snapping pics. I had left my tripod in the car and quite confident that I would encounter a mountain lion on the trip back there in the dark, I settled for my knee or a tree stump. Hence, blurry photos.

It was a stunning sight with the fog rising off the lake and the peaks in the distance. I could have gone for a more stellar sky but you take what you can get.

After a nice, fattening breakfast we all headed up for a hike.


The Wing's

Hazel's first camping trip.

Evan and Natalie.

Camp.


Nick, Mike, Gus and I did the 10 mile loop up to Sawtooth Lake, the same hike Nick and I had done a year ago. It felt much easier this year (thank you Sheila for kicking my tail at boot camp) but I still had to take a few extra "photo op stops" that last mile climb. At the top we stopped for lunch, Gus took a swim and Nick and Mike decided to climb another mountain. Eeks. By the time we were on our last mile on the way down I was almost swinging my hips to power my legs to move forward, as they had died 1/2 mile back. We saw some great scenery up there!

Gus cooling off.

Alpine Lake.

Gus swimming in Alpine Lake. I didn't alter the color on this!

Big Mike himself.

Yours truly.

Sawtooth Lake.

The McDowell's at Sawtooth Lake.

So why DO they call them the Sawtooths? Anyone?

McDizz


The most rewarding prize from the hike was that Gus pretty much passed out right after the hike until this morning. He actually had to be lifted into the car by his hands and feet because he just "couldn't move." What a sap!

After not being eaten by a bear, climbing a mountain and wading in the lake, we packed up the new ride and headed back to town. Gus and Nick are still sleeping.

3 comments:

Michelle said...

these photos are amazing cris! it looks like you guys had an awesome time!

Lindzee said...

Beautiful pics!!!

Brook and Toby said...

I want to go camping with you guys! That looks amazing!

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