FBC Men’s Wilderness Retreat 2019

Proposed Itinerary: Sept 10 – Sept 14

• Depart Lufkin on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30pm. • Flight: Delta Airlines departing at 6:59pm #DL2471 & DL4635 • Arrive in Sun Valley at 10:54pm. Stay in hotel Tuesday night. • Wednesday morning, drive to trailhead (approx. 1 hr) and begin 3 day hike. • Saturday flight options: o either leave at 6:55am and arrive at 1:48pm OR o leave at 3:25pm and arrive at 9:19pm

Tentative Costs

• Flight: approx. $450 • Rental Car: Split between group, approx. $75 person • Food: approx. $75 person • Hotel: approx. $75 person

TOTAL APPROX COST: $675.00

• (Labor Day weekend is still an option. However, the flights are much more expensive and less convenient. Further, I think Labor Day weekend will be busy, and thus, we may have to compete with other hikers for campsites. Nevertheless, I am flexible on the dates and can work to get as many of you to go as possible.)

General Considerations

Weather:

• Similar to all mountain areas, the high elevations may hold large snowfields on north facing slopes well in to July. Temperatures vary greatly as they reach well into the 80s in the lower elevations during the day and nighttime temps can be well below freezing (20’s) in higher elevations. Monsoonal flows (including snow and hail at higher elevations) will often develop and bring afternoon showers to the mountains until late August.

Physicality:

• We will hike approximately 20 miles over a 3 day period, averaging 6-7 miles a day. Be sure to exercise prior to this trip. The first day you walk 6 miles does not need to be the first day of the wilderness retreat. We are intentionally going to the in because the elevation will be below 10,000 feet. However, the mountains are spectacular and we will see breathtaking views throughout the trip.

Group Gear (provided by FBC Longview)

• Backpack, Gaiter, Tent, Sleeping Bag, Sleeping Pad, Cooking Equipment

Personal Gear List

• This checklist covers gear you must have for this trip – unless it is noted as optional. As you’re selecting what to bring on the trip, make sure to think snow and rain—it’s the mountains and the weather can be very unstable with temperatures from the 20’s to the 80’s. GUIDELINES: Don’t bring more than you need...you will be carrying everything on your back. Leave your cotton clothing at home (It gets wet and doesn’t dry quickly, cotton kills). Break your boots in before the trip! Break your boots in before this trip! Break your boots in BEFORE this trip! This means wear them around town (I know, super fashionable, but it will save you tremendous pain on trail). Waterproof and water resistant are two different things; you want waterproof J

• Waterproof rain jacket with hood • Hiking boots: Heavy duty, waterproof, preferably all leather with Gore-Tex. • 2 pairs of wool socks (merino wool is the best & most comfortable) • 2 pairs of synthetic underwear • 1 set of mid-weight synthetic long underwear; 1 bottom, 1 or 2 tops (for extra layer of warmth) • 1 short sleeve t-shirt (synthetic) • 1 pair of nylon shorts (or pants with zip-off legs) • Down or fleece jacket (solid warmth layer) • 1 pair of wind/rain/snow pants (snowboarding/ski pants will work) • Fleece gloves • Fleece hat or beanie • Sandals/shoes (suitable for river crossings, Chaco/Teva type are best, or lightweight tennies) • Sun hat (baseball cap or other type) • Sunglasses • 2 bandanas (cotton ok) • Cup/bowl/spoon (plastic or stainless, not ceramic) • 2 water bottles (1 quart wide mouth NALGENE or similar) • Headlamp with extra batteries • Lip balm with sunscreen • Toothbrush • Blister kit (moleskin, duct tape, sports tape inside of a Ziploc bag) • Optional: camera/film/batteries • Optional: Crazy Creek type camp chair

The Trail: Alice Toxaway Loop (south of Stanley, Idaho)

Review #1 from https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7014206/alice-toxaway-loop

Overview **(Counterclockwise Loop—the way we will most likely go)** This route makes for a fantastic 3-day loop, where visitors will be camping at lakes and traveling over high passes. Spectacular views are available within the Sawtooth Wilderness Area, and visitors will be able to see all the way across the valley to the White Cloud Wilderness. Several creek crossings make the trail entertaining with the opportunity to camp at a lake every night. Expect to see many other trail users along this route.

Need to Know Rocky trail with 4 creek crossings that can be tricky during spring runoff.

Description From the Tin-Cup Trailhead at , work your way 1/4 mile up to the Pettit Lake Cutoff Trail. From there you can head either clockwise or counterclockwise around the 17 mile loop. There is some great camping at Alice Lake, , Toxaway and Farley Lakes. If you head up towards Alice Lake to start your hike, you'll be traveling though old mature lodgepole pine and fir forests. You start traveling up along the creek which you'll end up fording in several places. During runoff, these creek crossings can be dangerous.

You then climb up into a high hanging valley where you start some long switchbacks up into the Alice Lake Basin. A couple of more creek crossings and you are almost there. There is good camping all around Alice Lake for your first night. Twin Lakes is about another mile past Alice and also has some good camp spots. From Twin Lakes, you pass over a 9,000 plus foot pass on your way to . This is another good spot to camp for your second night out. is another two miles below Toxaway Lake, and this is another opportunity for camping, but the sites are harder to find. The next morning you can head back out to the Tin Cup Trailhead via the Pettit Lake Cutoff.

Flora & Fauna This is a beautiful high elevation lodgepole/Douglas Fir forest. Trilliums and lots of wildflowers in the springtime. Deer, elk, bears, pika, marmots, and lots of birds.

Review #2 from https://www.theoutbound.com/idaho/backpacking/backpack-the-alice-toxaway-loop

**(Clockwise Loop—we will probably not go clockwise; use the review to get an idea of the terrain)**

A multi-day backpacking trip that is easily customizable in length and days. Killer climbs that lead to the best views in Idaho. The Alice/Toxaway Loop is a standard loop in the Sawtooth Mountains, ID. The basic route is around 20 miles and takes 2-3 days. This trip report will outline our Aug 2016 trip and also give multiple options for you to use your own imagination when coming up with your own route. Below is my take on the route with my opinions interjected :)

Day 1- Tin Cup to Twin Lakes

Starting at the Tin Cup Trailhead at Pettit Lake, you will follow Trail 95 all the way today. About 1/4 of a mile from the parking lot, stay left when the trail splits (this is where you will emerge at the end). Along the way you will pass Parks Peak (optional 2 mile, class 3 scramble), El Captain, and Alice Lake. Alice Lake and Twin Lakes are not very far apart but I suggest staying at Twin Lakes (Less crowds and better views). Twin Lakes is a little under a mile & couple hundred feet of climbing past Alice. There are plenty of established camp sites to set up at. Test your luck with the little trout in the lakes.

Day 2- Twin Lakes to Imogene

Starting from Twin Lakes, hike back up to the sign denoting that Toxaway Lake is to the right. This begins Trail 92 ( 95 ends at Twins and 92 begins when you start your climb out of the basin). You start off the day with a nice climb up to the pass. Once you gain the pass, you have another optional scramble with Snowyside Peak. This is another class 3 scramble that will take a few hours to complete. Continue down the north side of the pass towards Toxaway, passing 3 smaller ponds along the way. You'll be heading downhill on the million switchbacks for longer than you'd think. Continue on 92 around Toxaway until you come out of the trees and are about 1/2 way around. You will see a sign denoting the way to Edna Lake, this is Trail 92. Continue climbing uphill on Trail 92. At the top of the ridge you'll continue towards Imogene/Edith lakes (staying right). At this point, you have the option to scramble along a few ridge lines if you want to explore. After descending into the basin, follow the signs to Imogene. You'll have another climb full of switchbacks to end the day and get up and over to Imogene. If you're gassed, over it, grumpy, and need a drink... go right to Edith and stay there instead.

Day 3- Imogene (or Edith) to Farely

Regardless of where you stayed the night, you have plenty of time to day hike and explore on Day 3. If you stayed at Imogene, then you have the option to try your luck at another class 3 scramble with Payette Peak. If you stayed at Edith... make time to get over to Imogene to see it. Or you can scramble some of the ridges in the area and explore. Regardless of where you stayed or did after you woke up, take Trail 40 down from Edith until it dead ends into Trail 96 (Yellow Belly Trail). You will take a left (East) and head toward Farley Lake. After about 2 miles, you'll come upon Farley. Take your pick from the camps around the lake. I personally thought Farley was the least impressive of everything we saw.

Day 4- Farley to Trailhead

Day 4 is the easiest. Continuing on Trail 96, you'll hike 2-3 miles until you hit the the split to take you back to Pettit Lake (trail 41). Taking a right on this trail, you'll have a brisk 500 feet up and 500 feet back down and end up back where you started. **Map of Clockwise loop. Most likely, we will travel to the north, counterclockwise.**