sawtooth huts – Page 2 – Sun Valley Trekking

Family Yurting at the Boulder Yurts

Boulder Yurts, Huts and Yurts Comments Off

Mar 282015

Training ’em young

It’s Spring Break for the local school kids and what better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons than to ski into a backcountry yurt! The Boulder Yurts are a great choice for families with younger kids as the approach is pretty easy, the sledding and skiing is super accessible and FUN and the yurts provide an amazing venue to get away. This week has seen a bunch of local families heading up to the Boulder Yurts with lots of adventures and fun had! Check out these pics of an overnight with SVT owners/guides (the St.Onge family) and friends. Good times!!

Family train

Break time

Sister love

exploring the shed like a Pine Martin

Donna Julia and family

as one family leaves another arrives, Spring Break at Boulder Yurts

girls exploring cozy nooks

Fun Girl

Beer/milk cave

Spring Break!

Sledding action #1

sledding action #2

Sledding action #3

Sledding action #4

Sledding action #5

Dinner time!

the Lei

Smores!

mmmm…..

Morning light

Story time

Yurt art!

on the way home

Exploring the Sawtooth

Bench Hut, Fishhook Yurts, Huts and Yurts Comments Off

Mar 212015

Brent admiring tracks

SVT guides, JP Preuss and Toby Citret, are just returning from 5 days in the Sawtooth traversing from Bench to Fishhook Huts. The trip began in far from ideal conditions with warm temps and rain to 10,000′. These weather conditions are almost unprecedented for this time of year! Fortunately, the weather turned colder and new snow fell, allowing the group to explore some of the amazing terrain that make up the heart of this spectacular range.

5th Lake group shot

Bench Lakes from 5th saddle

JP 5th Lake Saddle

Kye Monolith side valley

Silouette 5th lake Saddle

Skinning & tracks

Summiting the Hunk

Tracks on Silver Saddle

Willy skiing

The Men of the North Return

Daily Powder Tours Comments Off

Mar 042015

Judy, carving powder 3 weeks after the last storm

The Men of the North (and one woman) swept down from Montana for another raid into Idaho. The Smokey Mountains and her hidden treasures of faceted powder and corn were looted by this ruthless crew of barbarians. Led by SVT guides: Joe St.Onge, Chris Marshall and Niels Meyer many fun tours and lines (both new and familiar) were explored and skied. Not to worry, there are still some hidden treasures left out there!

Corduroy on the approach

Too many peaks, too little time, I think he may be back…

Good stability ice snack

Judy, dropping into the burn

5,000 vertical and still going strong in the burn

DoctorsPhysicainsSurgeons

Mike carving

up in the sun to the Land of the Lost

Loving the views

Buckley: the man, the myth…

ahhh

Mike laying it out

John DPS style

Mike, surveying the country

Mackay’s first backcountry experience (we think he’s hooked)

Stan, stoked

Mackay: Easy floater

Wolverine stash

Climbing into the sun for some more powder

The Pioneers beckoning

SVT guide, Chris Marshall, leading the way into the next powder stash

oh yeah!

Rus enjoying the pow

king-pow

Lunch at the ridge-top cafe

mmm

Stan, sampling some corn

SVT Guide, Chris, cranking in the corn

Pow blast

Young Niels, taking the tail guide shot

The team on day 4

SVT Guide, Joe St.Onge, letting it rip.

Going Deep into the Sawtooth

Bench Hut, Sawtooth Monolith 1 Response »

Jan 292015

Welcome the heart of the Sawtooth

We have just returned back to the village after a few days exploring deep into the Sawtooth. When local skier/mountaineer (Chris) invited an old childhood friend (Matt) out from New York City to Idaho for a backcountry ski trip, Matt pictured fields of mellow powder and easy hikes. The journey Matt embarked on was something a bit different. Good thing Matt had years of experience in the inner city punk scene…

Beach break at Redfish Lake on the way to Bench Hut

Approaching the Bench Hut

Arriving at the Bench Hut

Early starts mean beautiful sunrises

approaching the land of the Grendel

Climbing above the 5th Bench Lake

atop the 1st pass of the day (a couple more to go!)

beneath the west summit of Heyburn

The first descent of the day into the Monolith Basin

ripping turns down into the Monolith Basin

welcome to the deep Sawtooth

Joe, happy to be back

climbing

gap toothed buddy

granite backdrop

the sneak onto Braxon Peak

now where are we going?

Chris, at home in the mountains

There is a lot of trust here…

rappel into the Bird Cage

Just a couple more steps and then skis on…

and now we are skiers

and now the skiing

Upper Bowl#2

The upper bowl of the Bird Cage

Stoked to be off a rope and on skis!

Chris ripping the Bird Cage

the lower bowl of the Bird Cage

Matt ripping under the Monolith

Niels dropping

Chris keeping strong form

Matt, skiing out under the Monolith after a descent of the Bird Cage

the final traverse back toward home

after 10 hours on the go

Chris in space

beauty

Stretching the legs as the clouds break

Enjoying a sunny beer with a view of our ski tour from Stanley

The mighty Sawtooth rising above the clouds

Autumn Climbing in the Pioneers

Guides Day Off, Pioneer Yurts, SVT Scene Comments Off

Sep 172014

A beautiful ridge walk toward Old Hyndman

We have just returned from a couple of days in the Pioneers. The goal of the trip was to get the yurt ready for the oncoming winter season and to climb a new route on Old Hyndman. For years, SVT guide Joe St.Onge, has been dreaming on climbing a route along the skyline of Old Hyndman Peak. Old Hyndman rises like the Matterhorn with steep rock walls guarding the summit. There are a couple standard routes to the summit, but we were unaware of anyone having climbed the steep NW ridge. Having spied this part of the mountain on many ski tours over the years, the time seemed right when local ER doc, Terry, called Joe with the goal of climbing Old Hyndman. A great adventure climb was had and success in exploring a new line to the summit of this iconic peak. Terry suggested calling the route “Old Goat” or “OG” to honor the bearded old goat we wandered by on the approach. Enjoy the pics and the mountains!

approaching the Pioneer Yurt

Cobb Peak and the upper Hyndman Basin

The line on Old Hyndman roughly follows the left skyline

ah, alpine views!

Peering down the big drop toward Wildhorse

Beginning the rock section with some 4th class climbing

Approaching the business

transitioning to 5th class climbing and belays

snack break mid route on spacious ledges

Mid-route looking toward the summit

solid climbing on somewhat solid rock

Terri and Joe, stoked.

Wow, the view from the summit of Old Hyndman!

Joe on the summit

Beginning the descent, the Triple Crown connects the ridgeline with Cobb in the distance

After extensive down climbing, we made 3 rappels to get back to the basin

Enjoying the view back up toward a beautiful mountain skyline

The Pioneer Yurt ready to opened for the approaching winter

Rambling back toward the village in autumn beauty

Men of the North Storm the Coyote Yurts on Bikes

Coyote - Summer, Huts and Yurts, Mountain Biking Comments Off

Jul 212014

With an insatiable thirst for single track, beer and good-times, the Men of the North descended upon the Smokey Mountains of Idaho last week. The Coyote Yurts survived the onslaught, but many miles of trail were sacrificed to these brutes form the north country.

Stoked for day 2 ride (24 miles down 5400′)

putting the barby to the test

Bob wondering if its worth getting your name on a table

carve

yehaw!

riding into the front country

taking a break on the long descent Fox Peak

Day 3, starting the 4000′ descent on Fox Peak

nothing like tired legs, a full belly, a campfire fire, and a view

the pink shuttle day 2

Aysha and yucca

purple mountains

river ride

hummer home

and on it goes…

Single track that goes to the horizons

the window seat at Coyote

the steeds corralled for the night

The point

starting the 2000′ downhill on “Edge of the World”

tasty

nothing like riding 24 miles and climbing over 4000′ to generate an appetite

smoking carne asada

the Men of the North ready to storm the mountain

Chris, stoked mid ride

bank turns

9pm sunset on the point

Aysha tests the yucca

and around it goes..

and goes..

and the party gets wild

Joe gets his hand at shaking the yucca

Shaking the yucca #2

shaking the yucca

Boulders and beers

nothing like a cold beer after a long ride to bring on a smile

good morning sunrise at Coyote Yurts

Summer Solstice at the Coyote Yurts

Coyote - Summer, Huts and Yurts, Mountain Biking, SVT Scene, Uncategorized Comments Off

Jun 242014

Evening light at the fire pit

We are just back from celebrating the Summer Solstice on the point at the new Coyote Yurts. After the Beaver Creek wild fire burned the Coyote Yurts last August, its been quite a journey to bring the Coyote Yurts back to life. This past weekend marked the final (planned) stage in this process! Joe, Niels and Aysha went up a couple days early to finish construction of the outdoor areas including benches and stoop on the deck, picnic table, barbeque, new fire pit and dance floor on the point and a bike corral. It all turned out beautifully. Then it was time for friends and family to converge in this special spot to enjoy the longest day of the year. Biking, hiking, dancing, good food and good times!

Finishing the carpentry projects to get the new yurts ready for summer

Sunset on June 20th, readying for the shortest night of the year

the new “front stoop” makes for a great seat

Sunset June 20th

hunter…

Kids LOVE the yurt experience!

mmm, smores!

Neve trying out the new bow

Morning coffee on the deck

The deck makes for a comfy hang spot any-time of day.

The comfy new benches and a view forever

Flowers everywhere!

Cleaning out the trails for the season

Fox Peak sure is riding nice!

Can’t hold back a smile on these trails!

The newlyweds on the point.

Dance party on the point!

Wow, what a view!

Scoping the riding

up, up…

and away!

The driving approach to the Coyote Yurts

Early Summer at the Sawtooth Huts

Bench Hut, Fishhook Yurts, Huts and Yurts, Mountain Biking Comments Off

Jun 082014

A unique and beautiful way to start the ride to Bench Hut

When the snow melts, we start the process of prepping, repairing and improving the huts. This summer season, hutmeisters: Niels and Aysha are riding from hut-hut working on projects. We cut out the downed timber on the Fishhook Trail, so its is clear and smooth now. The following photos are from a recent trip into the Sawtooth with owner/guide/backcountry carpenter: Joe St.Onge. Sure is pretty out there!

The Arrow Leaf in full bloom

Sweet Sawtooth Single Track

One of the rockiest trails around

yehaw

Taking the corner toward the Fishhook Yurt

Bike as utility vehicle, Niels riding with the hut repair supply

Fishhook Creek is raging

ahh, the beautiful Fishhook Hut

Doesn’t get much more buff than this

Devil’s Bedstead Ski

Daily Powder Tours, Uncategorized Comments Off

May 152014

The Devils Bedstead in all its majesty

May showers bring Powder to the high peaks and we were able to experience some of this magic the other day here in the Pioneer Mountains, Idaho. A surprise visit from our old avalanche forecaster, a pro skier and a local doc coincided with Joe returning from the Hawaiian Islands and the Trail creek road having just opened. Recent cold temps and new snow led to great conditions on one of the most iconic ski peaks in Idaho. Thanks to Dylan Crossman for some of the great shots here, enjoy!