Idaho Exposure

Hiking, Climbing, Backpacking, Snowshoeing, Backcountry Skiing. Photos by Thomas Oetzell; idahoexposure.com

Most viewed
DSCF0236.JPG
DSCF0236.JPG10 viewsFrom the saddle south of Strawberry Basin, the route appears to descend steeply to Warm Springs Creek from the mouth of the basin to the northeast. On the far left of the photo, the entrance to Iron Basin can be seen above Warm Springs Creek.
DSCF0243.JPG
DSCF0243.JPG10 viewsAfter an initial steep descent from the mouth of Strawberry Basin on the north, the terrain below levels out into some nice meadows before steeping again.
DSCF0322.JPG
DSCF0322.JPG10 viewsLooking back to the north, beyond Island Lake from the saddle between the two Boulder Lake basins. It’s already 3 pm, but the cloud development is not anywhere as threatening as it has been the past two afternoons.
DSCF0325.JPG
DSCF0325.JPG10 viewsD. O. Lee Peak to the west northwest, from the saddle that allows access to Hummock Lake.
DSCF0327.JPG
DSCF0327.JPG10 viewsLooking southeast from the saddle between the two Boulder Lake basins to Hidden Lake, draining into Hummock Lake. Smoke from fires in Oregon and Washington is drifting back to the White Clouds.
DSCF0326.JPG
DSCF0326.JPG10 viewsThe descent was not as exposed as I remembered, but requires careful route finding to ensure the safest descent.
DSCF0328.JPG
DSCF0328.JPG10 viewsCastle Peak, and the Serrate Ridge rise in the distance to the south. Scoop Lake (seen below the Serrate Ridge) is the highest Lake one encounters on the trail before climbing south out of the Boulder Chain Lakes basin.
DSCF0329.JPG
DSCF0329.JPG10 viewsTo the north, the ridge I ascended to avoid “side-hilling” in talus is seen west of Island Lake. It might have taken longer, but was a much more pleasant route than that from Cove Lake, described in the Idaho Alpine Zone article, and the one taken in my first crossing between the two Boulder Lake basins two years prior.
DSCF0373.JPG
DSCF0373.JPG10 viewsAt 8:30 pm I reach the ridge top, but there is still a bit more uphill. I photograph D. O. Lee Peak in the hazy, fading light, have a snack, and continue. I see headlamps ascending the trail. I finally take out my headlamp. At 9:20 pm, I meet a woman headed for Born lakes, and advise her where to find the Z-packs tent city. Twenty minutes later, there is a group of five headed for Washington Lake, intending to take Splatski"s Cutoff the next morning and climb Castle Peak. I reach the car at 10:23 pm.
DSCF0495.JPG
DSCF0495.JPG10 viewsFrom the D. O. Lee/WCP-9 saddle, the view west-southwest beyond Ants Basin, across the Sawtooth Valley to the Sawtooth Range. There are numerous storm cells in the distance.
DSCF0498.JPG
DSCF0498.JPG10 viewsFrom the D. O. Lee/WCP-9 saddle, the view west-southwest beyond Ants Basin, across the Sawtooth Valley to the Sawtooth Range. This is view is slightly further west than photo 495.
DSCF0546.JPG
DSCF0546.JPG10 viewsHalf way around Born Lakes (9555’) the freight rain arrives on time at 4:30 pm.
3052 files on 255 page(s) 99