Idaho Hang III Trip Report

**pgibson** · 09-11-2012, 19:51

Just got back this morning from the third annual Idaho Hang. It was another great trip with some friends from past years and some new friends as well. First and for most thank you to each of you guys that made the trip from so far to come hike and hang with me. I appreciate the effort to travel so far that each of you made.

This years hang was great. From amazing scenery, to great fishing to excellent conversations with good friends.

I started the trip around 11am with a couple last minute stops for some things I had forgotten but got going down the road by noon. And hit a spot for a few fish a couple hours into the drive.

We all started meeting up around 5 on wens day evening. Campsites for the evening were selected and we chatted till dark. Camped at the inlet of Alturas lake at the base of the Sawtooth Mountains the temps dropped overnight to 23 degrees. A good first test of cold temp camping for several of the group.

After breakfast we packed and headed for the trail.

We reached the outlet stream that flows down from the lakes we planned to hike to and decided that was a good spot to get some water and snacks for a short break. I spotted a fish in the small creek and decided to toss a hook at him. To my surprise the small pool held several fish.

First a small Greyling.

Then a few small but stunning cutthroat.

Officially the trail ends at this 3 mile mark of the creek and despite some searching I could not find a trail map that showed the split in the trail between the two lake basins that we feed into Alturas lake. So we ended up hiking for a bit in the wrong direction and then taking off trail when we realized we were headed to far to the south. This put us first climbing steep trail then scrambling over scree and sandy hills trying to head back into the right direction.

Eventually we climbed up out of some very steep terrain. Walking Bear though took a hard fall scrapping his arm and landing hard on one of the front pack pockets of his pack. We eventually found out way back onto the trail. Before to long we had made our way up to the lake that would be home for the next few days.

We set about setting up a camp in the only area that made a good option for the group....right across the trail.

My WBBB with AHE Shangri La Tarp and FlameThrower quilts.

Walking Bear's DIY Bridge with Integrated UQ and DIY Tarp.

Ted's HH Desert Rat

Mordakai's DIY Hammock with integrated weather cover and DIY UQ

Denis' WBBB with yeti UQ

KSC's Switchback with FlameThrower UQ under a WB Superfly with doors.

Jbehun's WBBB with FlameThrower UQ under his DIY tarp.

With camp set up I set out to see if the fishing in the lake would be any good. It did not take to long to find out.

Before long it was getting dark and it was time to get some dinner going and then some rest for the next day.

The sun came up early and plans for several of us to hike to the hiker lakes in the basin were made.
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**pgibson** · 09-11-2012, 19:52

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KSC, Jbehun and I set out in search for what lay over the next hill and beyond the bend in the trail. We found steep faint trail that at times was difficult to follow.

We passed several small ponds along the way. While a quick swim was debated for a moment a quick test of the water temp changed that to a negative real quick.

We soon though found ourselves at the fist of the two upper lakes.

After a little fishing and a beak we decided to head over the hill to the second lake.

Once I hit the edge of the lake I spotted a large fish cruising the edge and cast to it. Two head shakes and the fly broke off. We continued to fish the lake, relax in the sun and in the shade, eat lunch and relax for several hours. KSC hiked around the entire lake. Jbehun fished one side, snacked and lunged in the sun. I fished around half of the lake picking up several nice fish.

I switched at one point from fishing with Japanese traditional flies to a small hopper pattern and picked up this fish.

Looking closely this fish had a fly in his mouth next to my hopper...the fly I had lost earlier in the afternoon to the fist fish of the lake.

We eventually got our gear together and set out to hike back to camp. We look a look at the topography around the lake and studied the map for a little bit and decided that we had found a short cut back to camp. We set out over the scree fields that lines the edges of the lake.

We soon found ourselves in a shallow canyon with cliffs towering on one side and a small rise on the other.

From a mellow hike in the canyon to a steep pitched climb down as the canyon sloped steeply down the hill side.

We hiked down quickly with the steep terrain aiding in our quick pass back down the the lake edge and back to camp.

A little evening fishing and a great view of the landscape around the lake as the sun began to sink.

Morning broke on Saturday morning and everyone roused with various plans for the day.

Most of us decided to relax or fish the day around camp while KSC decided he was still in the mood to explore and soon set out to hike back to the main trail and then climb up to the lakes that feed out of the southern basin.

I fished the day away working my way around the lake several times.

Walking Bear with a nice Cutthroat on the line.

Several fish were kept with the plans of a bit of fish over the fire with dinner.

The Nebraska crew with fish fingers.

Even before the sun hit the lake and camp fully packs were being loaded with gear for the hike out.

One quick group photo and we were on the trail down.

Steep trails but great views around every bend.

As we hiked the last couple of miles rumbles of thunder and dark clouds loomed behind us. We kept ahead of the rain up till the last couple hundred yards to the trail head.

After we changed clothes we headed for Smiley Creek for a burger and fries. Following lunch KSC and Jbehun each headed out on their ways home and the rest of us headed to Ketchum to grab some supplies and then head east to a small mountain river that we planned to fish.

We arrived in the late afternoon and set about setting up camp.

With things situated I took a stroll down to the river to see a few friends. The Fine Spotted Cutthroat, a subspecies of the Yellowstone Cutthroat.

In the morning Denis made everyone crepes for breakfast.

Mordakai then rounded up his gear and got on the road back to Oklahoma while the rest of us got geared up to spend the day fishing the river in search of more of the strong cutthroat.

And so with one more night in the hammock we rose early this morning well before the sun would peak over the ridge and light the valley. The temp hovered in the low 20's and we packed quickly to head out. Another great Idaho Hang is in the books.

Till next time....
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Only 358 days.

**MedicineMan** · 09-11-2012, 19:57

Man do I ever need to return to Idaho! Spectacular photos just like last year. No way you all could not have had an incredible time! Thanks for sharing.

**oldgringo** · 09-11-2012, 20:01

Great report, Paul! I need to come back.

**Acer** · 09-11-2012, 20:10

Definitely "Gods Country" Stunningly beautiful pictures and great fishing,,what a trip! You will have lots of memories forever on a trip like that..love that wilderness of Idaho and miss heck out of it! Definitely great trip Paul and guys!

**MuseJr** · 09-11-2012, 20:32

I knew I didn't really want to look at this report... Nice write up. It looks like you guys had a great time.
I'm looking forward to other perspectives and pics of the trip.

**mbiraman** · 09-11-2012, 22:29

Great pics and great report. Looks like a good time for all.

bill

**samsara** · 09-12-2012, 06:27

Great trip report... I miss home! (I'm from eastern WA)

A trip with your group would have been worth it just to take part in the fishing. It looks like it was an amazing trip. Hopefully I can tag along one of these years. I just need to get the timing right so that I'm out there during the next trip.

Thanks for all of the great pics

Dave