Backpacking The 67 Mile Grand Sawtooth Loop - Idaho’s Best Hike

[@amauriarruda2504]

Great video and nice tips. I'm learning English, but I can understand you very well. Your diction is very good and you speak calmly. 👍🏻

[@tweedytreks]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! Good luck on your journey to learning English!

[@TheWayOutdoors]

Looking forward to wathing this one. Thanks for sharing Tweedy!

[@tweedytreks]

Awesome. Let me know what you think. This trip was incredible.

[@MollySwan17]

Loved this! One of my favorite places.

[@tweedytreks]

Thanks a ton Molly!

[@Trail_Trekker_AZ]

I’ve backpacked the Sawtooths a few times and mostly from Grandjean TH. Great memories!

[@tweedytreks]

Glad I could take you back friend! That TH is pretty fantastic though. There’s so many wonderful journeys you can have from that one spot. What a fantastic wilderness as a whole though am I right? A very worthy place to revisit and often.

[@Trail_Trekker_AZ]

It was great seeing that magical place again. I often revisit my photos & videos from my time there. Tops my list and I have explored many beautiful wilderness areas. Sawtooths top them all.

[@Trail_Trekker_AZ]

If you haven’t hiked them from Atlanta, ID up to Spangle Lakes, you might think about it. It’s unbelievably beautiful and a slog well worth the effort.

[@tweedytreks]

I have no argument for someone being obsessed with the sawtooths haha. It’s very high on my list. If you have (or haven’t) been to the Wind River Range in WY - there’s some good comparison to the sawtooths. I’ll have a pretty sweet film on it published this week I believe. You’ll probably like that one too.

[@tweedytreks]

Starting from Atlanta and exploring in that area is actually what I would do precisely. Given that I experienced most of the other section. I haven’t hiked that southern portion at all. Could happen even next year potentially. The spangle lakes were very nice. Then again, there’s soooo many lovely lakes out there. Hard to pick a favorite.

[@SoloSchmitty]

You bumped this hike way up my list! Great work, subbed!

[@tweedytreks]

Hell ya Schmitty. This hike will not let you down. Appreciate the support.

[@SoloSchmitty]

@@tweedytreks out of curiosity. How do handle filming and using trekking poles. I never use them because I am always carrying a camera/tripod. Just curious as I have a big hike coming and considering using some poles. Thanks again!

[@tweedytreks]

@SoloSchmitty yeah, it’s not easy/a perfect process at all but here’s what I do. 90% of the miles I’m doing, I’m holding the tripod (not-collapsed and usually horizontally) in one of my hands. Sometimes I use it like a single pole. In the other hand, I’m holding both trek poles and using them like one singular pole. So I hold the actual cork handle on one and then the actual pole itself just right under the handle on the other pole in one handful. This makes it to where the grasp in hand is still quite similar to just holding one pole in a hand. I rotate hands/arms with this technique as fatigue occurs. Shockingly, it works pretty well. A bit goofy finding your own groove but once you get your rhythm and feeling down it works well. Of course, I also will collapse the tripod and use both poles. I typically do this during significant incline/declines.

[@SoloSchmitty]

@@tweedytreks cool, appreciate you laying it out to me. May have to give that a test run to see if it is worth it to me. Thanks again and look forward to watching more of your videos!

[@tweedytreks]

@SoloSchmitty of course man. Always happy to share a tip or two.

[@Jstolenn]

I did only the first day portion of this hike last year. Can’t wait to come back and do the whole thing

[@tweedytreks]

Wow. There's A TON of meat on the bone left to be had. As you can see. I highlyyyy recommend making time for this complete loop at your appropriate pace. Let me know if you have questions regarding any of it. Happy to help.

[@salvatorepalazzo4754]

I love the Sawtooths!!! So I know how you feel about them. Can't wait to get back this summer for the Alice Toxaway loop and Imogene Lake trip we have planned. Great video! Kudos to you on the solo trip! I need to get the courage to do it myself! Thanks for the video!

[@tweedytreks]

They’re amazing! Glad you enjoyed! I definitely want to do the Alice Toxaway myself someday. I’ve been to Imogene. It’s a flawless lake. I highly recommend going up the lake basin at the SW end of Imogene as a side trip. The first lake is mushroom lake and I think the rest unnamed. That little spur trail up there has a few wonderful lakes that most people skip. As for solo, I do it a lot. The first time or two the nerves are a little higher but it’s absolutely worth doing. I look forward to solo trips just as much now a days. Cheers again!

[@salvatorepalazzo4754]

@@tweedytreks thanks for the tips I will look into that side trip for sure! As far as a solo trip, I will look for a shorter trip to do solo to get the nerves out! lol thanks again. I look forward to seeing some of your other videos! Thanks!

[@tweedytreks]

@salvatorepalazzo4754 you got the right idea! Yes sir. Just dropped another video 2 days ago and working on another! Cheers!

[@okusel1994]

Beautiful! Great job 😊

[@tweedytreks]

Thanks my dear friend! Glad you liked it.

[@johnsmith-oz5kj]

Best place in America.

[@tweedytreks]

Hard to argue

[@radioactivemike1]

Nice video. Most of this trail has burned this summer. It might be a bit before it’s ready for hikers.

[@tweedytreks]

Yeah, it's quite unfortunate. I've been following the two fires in this wilderness area all summer and this Wapiti fire has become significant. That entire lower section within 20 miles of Grandjean appears to be toasted. Very sad given how cool the woods in this area were. It'll certainly be a few years at this rate.

[@radioactivemike1]

@@tweedytreks I hate to admit I’m old enough to remember the last 2 fires in this area. It will be a different kind of experience, but still an interesting one.

[@polemera]

Great video! Beautiful scenery and the music pairs nicely. What time of year did you hike this? Thanks!

[@tweedytreks]

Appreciate it! I spend a wild amount of time trying to find just the RIGHT songs for each video. I always find that’s kind of the cherry on top. This trip was done 7/29-8/2. I had flawless weather each day. Although, the day I got out, was the first day of what would turn into 4-5 days of heavy rain in the greater area. I shot all that moody drone footage on the day I finished, the 2nd, and right as I was leaving the downpour was starting. Perfect timing really.

[@baldmi3603]

Beautiful place. Beautiful video. I plan on hiking next year late August or early Sept. I was wondering about the dirt road leading off of the Ponderosa Pine Scenic Route to Grandjean. Is it bumpy? Could I easily drive an economy car to the trailhead?

[@tweedytreks]

Thanks friend! Glad you enjoyed. You’ll love the area - hard not to. Yes, the road to the Grandjean TH is a breeze. You’ll have standard bumps, pot holes etc. but any vehicle can confidently get you to this TH. An added benefit is that the highway itself has some stunning views.

[@karukun0212]

Like you were, trying to figure out if I want to do this one. I like the haunting isolation I am feeling here.

[@tweedytreks]

This trek is outstanding. While you'll find ample solitude, you'll also see a good amount of people. There's an immense amount of day trip oppts. from numerous different trailheads along this loop AND great 1-2 night backpacking oppts. for folks with less time available...so you'll see plenty of people. That said, the western side of the loop, Edna lake area back to Grandjean...I probably saw 1/5th of the people as the other side. Hope you enjoyed the video!

[@karukun0212]

I did enjoy it. Great info--I will be looking into this one, and will check your other work out.

[@tweedytreks]

@@karukun0212 reach out if you have questions. Happy to help.

[@kasai1575]

Beautiful video! The sawtooths are well known by now, but there are so many great places in Idaho that have gone unnoticed. Will you be making a video on your White Clouds trip too?

[@tweedytreks]

Hey thanks friend! Agreed. It’s certainly no secret place. Idaho, collectively, is still quite remote though. Unfortunately, and fortunately, the white clouds fell through due to the weather. In fact, the day I finished the sawtooths was the first day of what would be 4-5 heavy heavy days of rain. The moody drones shots in the opener were all filmed that final day there so you can get the sense of the weather that was coming in. The white clouds will happen again though. I love that place. The 6 of us wound up doing a great 30 mile loop in the Eagle Cap Wilderness of Oregon. I didn’t film that though. Different agenda that trip. That said, I have two more long form trip videos like this coming that are as good or better. The wind river range of WY (working on it as I type this) and the Brazeau Loop of Jasper NP in Banff.

[@kasai1575]

@@tweedytreks Great! Can't wait to see those other trips. A lot of your videos cover places I've been meaning to visit. Thanks for inspiring me to get out there!

[@tweedytreks]

@@kasai1575 that’s awesome. I’m a major advocate for people believing in themselves and getting out there and doing it. Do the proper research and preparation, then get out there.

[@whistlepig]

I love this. What a beautiful way to capture a spectacular loop. My friends and I did this loop in 2015. You've reminded me that it's time to return. What type of camera equipment are you using?

[@tweedytreks]

Well thank you. Glad you enjoyed and I could help spark something up for you again. Using all sorts of things for capturing all this, but the core gear is a Sony A7IV Camera, Sony 20mm G F 1.8 and a variable ND filter. I’ve been quite happy with the quality this year. I’ve still got a TON to learn and grow from here also. Only up from here!

[@bkbland1626]

I guess it's ok. I wouldn't call it best. There are plenty that equal that.

[@tweedytreks]

What do you prefer? Particularly for a longer trip.