When it gets really hot in the valley, the best place to escape is the mountains. So in late July, when temps hit triple digits, Alice Lake was calling.
Alice is special because it gives you a true taste of the beauty of the Sawtooth Wilderness. Part of the supremely popular Alice-Toxaway loop, it’s a roughly 12+ mile out-and-back route that can be done as a round-trip day hike, but we think it’s best enjoyed as an overnighter.
Starting out at the Trailhead near Petit Lake, just south of Stanley on Hwy. 75.
Gorgeous Sawtooth views come standard on this hike. Stunning craggy mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls, stunning blue skies, and flower-filled alpine meadows.
For good measure, the trail includes 10 ice-cold creek crossings—don’t forget your Teva’s.
The trail gets steep and rocky and climbs a good 1,600 feet. We take things slow and drink plenty of water. (Legend has it there’s a beer and pizza place somewhere up at the lake.)
White Cloud mountains in the distance.
The higher you get, the higher you get.
If that isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.
This lake is a top destination in the Sawtooths and gets pretty crowded. We got lucky this trip. There was only one other party out there, so we had the place to ourselves.
The view from our tent. (Not too shabby.)
We enjoyed lakeside dining with lovely bangers and mash. (Keep an eye out for our soon-to-be-released backpacker cookbook.) Sadly, that legendary pizza place I heard about was just a rumor. But the views more than made up for it.
Here’s a shot of the lake as we’re heading back to the trailhead. Gorgeous morning.
El Capitan.
The view as we descend.
Long story short: this trail is a classic and doesn’t fail to impress. And if you’re looking to beat the heat, it’s the way to go.
Just a friendly reminder as we head home.
-Erik
Images are very good. Beautiful hiking area! Looking forward to more copy / pictures! Did you find a pizza shop with local beer??