Alice Lake | Sawtooth Mountain Range
The Sawtooth Mountain Range is home to some of Idaho’s most beautiful mountains and lakes. With the maximum elevation of 10,751 feet, backpacking this mountain range can prove quite the adventure.
One of the most popular hikes of the Sawtooth mountains is the Alice Lake Loop. This 11.2 mile in-and-out trail starts at the Tin Cup Hiker Trailhead and has a 1,600 foot elevation gain. The hike starts trailing alongside Pettit Lake, seen in the pictures above. The stunning blue waters of this lake are almost clear in the shallow areas, and deep crystal farther from shore.
The best time to visit Alice Lake is generally July through September, but come prepared! We visited in late August and shortened the trip due to intense rain, hail, thunder, and lightening storms. To make the trip a little more interesting, we brought our mini Dachshund along.
Upon arriving at Alice Lake, you will find a lot of campsite options. We choose a spot on the western side of the lake with a great view of El Capitan, pictured here.
After a restful evening and dinner of Three Amigo Chili and Pad Thai (thank you, dry food), we tucked in for bed and slept well with only light wind tapping the walls of the tent throughout the night.
The following day, we headed out for a day hike over and around Toxaway Lake. Shortly after ascending the ridge behind Toxaway, a storm started to roll in. And by roll in, I mean barrel in, ripping through the valley and what was, our peaceful hike. We turned around quickly but still got caught in a downpour mixture of rain and hail. As it picked up, we stopped for cover underneath a tree.
It was surreal to watch the storm roar through the Toxaway valley. A curtain of rain and hail descended, while the deafening thunder brought audible reminders of exactly how irrelevant we were on nature’s totem pole. Being even with mountain tops during a storm like this felt like intruding on either heaven or hell, and I couldn’t tell which.
After the storm subsided, we headed back to camp to find both tents sitting squarely in a puddle of water. Note to self - if rain is forecasted, pick high ground for your tent. After much consideration, we decided to call it quits and packed up our soaking gear, hitting the trail back down the mountain for the 5.5 miles back to the parking lot by Pettit Lake.
Overall, I would highly recommend this hike to anyone who wants to experience some of Idaho’s natural beauty firsthand.
