STANLEY, Idaho — Backpackers have had to change plans following the mudslide that destroyed Grandjean Campground and Trailhead in July, but even with fewer access points, solitude can still be found in the Sawtooths.
The Sawtooth National Forest has closed Grandjean for at least the rest of this year. Officials told me they have a team looking at what the best options are for meeting the recreation needs in the area.
WATCH | Check out the video to see our hike to Cramer Lakes and the devastation at Grandjean
So, I decided to backpack to Cramer Lakes using the Redfish Inlet Trailhead. The journey began with a boat shuttle ride from Redfish Marina across the lake, saving me six miles. Hikers can catch it both going to and heading back from the trailhead.
The boat captain told me it has been busier than usual this summer shuttling hikers and backpackers across the lake, but it has started slowing down as August has moved along.
The hike to Cramer Lakes is a unique one, by Sawtooth standards, because while it has around 2,000 feet of elevation gain, it is one of the more gradual hikes, taking seven miles to reach lower, middle, and upper Cramer Lakes.
The unique feature of these lakes comes with how the lakes drain into each other, creating waterfalls and cascades. I saw three other groups camping at the lakes on Sunday night.
One of the groups I ran into on the trail visited from Illinois. They started at the Tin Cup Trailhead, which now has a ten-dollar-per-day fee that went into place last summer.
They also told me Grandjean was a part of their plan, but they had to adapt because of a mudslide in July that destroyed the Grandjean Campground and the Grandjean Trailhead.
However, even with more people accessing the Redfish Lake Inlet Trailhead and the Iron Creek Trailhead, solitude and beauty can still be found in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area.
Hikers and backpackers need to practice Leave No Trace principles. Fires are not currently allowed because of stage one fire restrictions, but even when there aren't restrictions in place, people will need to have a fire pan. I also packed out all of my dog's poop during my one-night stay.
