Backpacking Trips

Scouting trips within a few hours of Boise. Top contenders so far:

Seven Devils

Rugged range above Hells Canyon, west of Riggins. Big payoff views straight down into the canyon. Popular loop is the Seven Devils Loop (~19 mi) past Dry Diggins Lookout and the Devils Farm/Baldy Lakes basins. Trailhead is a longer drive from Boise (~3.5-4 hrs) but less crowded than the Sawtooths.

Sawtooths

The classic. Alice-Toxaway Loop and the Sawtooth Lake trail are the big ones. Closer to Stanley (~2.5-3 hrs from Boise). Permits/quotas may apply for some trailheads in peak season — need to check.

White Clouds

Adjacent to the Sawtooths, less trafficked. Castle Peak / Chamberlain Basin area is the highlight. Access via Stanley or the East Fork Salmon River side. Worth it if Sawtooth trailheads are too crowded/permitted out.

McCall area

Ponderosa/Payette National Forest access, includes stuff like Loon Lake and the West Mountains. Shorter drive (~2 hrs), good backup or shorter-trip option, less alpine than the other three.

Trip report: White Clouds Loop (modified)

Went with the White Clouds. Route:

  1. Fourth of July trailhead — start
  2. Born Lakes — cutthroat
  3. Four Lakes Basin — fished Quiet Lake and Noisy Lake; best alpine berries I’ve ever had coming out of Noisy Lake
  4. Baker Lake — overnight; cutthroat and possibly bull trout
  5. Chamberlain Lakes — up and over; multiple groups of mountain goats and deer
  6. Out

Fishing notes

  • All fish caught were small (Fish and Game gave the go-ahead to keep a fire and eat what we caught, for the sizes/growth we were seeing).
  • Baker Lake had a lot of deadfall in the water — excellent trout fishing, also excellent snags.
  • Best flies: elk hair caddis and an Adams, both small — size 18 max.

Other notes

  • No moon out, so the stars were incredible.

Map & mileage

Pending — someone tracked daily mileage, elevation gain/drop, and pace for this trip. Once we have that data, drop it in here and we’ll build a proper route map and stats table.

Packing checklist

Reusable list — check off before each trip, adjust per trip length/season.

Shelter & sleep

Two options — tent or hammock:

  • Tent setup: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow
  • Hammock setup: hammock, straps, paracord, fly, pad, carabiners, sleeping bag or underquilt, blanket, pillow

Kitchen

  • Stove
  • Gas
  • Bowl/cup
  • Spork
  • Electrolyte bottle (16 oz)
  • Water bottle (1 L)
  • Water filter
  • Water purifier bag (dirty water reservoir)
  • Bear canister/hang bag
  • Lighter/matches

Clothing

  • Beanie
  • Puffer
  • Hiking pants
  • Hiking long sleeve
  • Long socks
  • Boots/trail runners
  • Camp shoes
  • Night clothes (gets colder at night than you think)
  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Gloves
  • Buff/neck gaiter

Hygiene & health

  • Sunscreen
  • Bug spray
  • Toilet paper
  • Trowel
  • Wipes
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Soap
  • First aid kit
  • Moleskin/hydrocolloid sheet
  • Aquaphor
  • Towel
  • Trash bag/ziplocks (pack it out)

Navigation & safety

  • Map
  • Compass
  • Paper + pens
  • Knife
  • Headlamp + spare batteries
  • Backup light
  • Whistle
  • Emergency blanket
  • ID, cash, permits
  • Fishing license
  • Bear spray

Pack & camp

  • Backpack
  • Pack rain cover/liner
  • Trekking poles
  • Camp chair
  • Dry bags/stuff sacks
  • Repair kit (tape, cordage)
  • Extra fuel canister
  • Power bank + charging cables
  • Satellite communicator (inReach) — no cell signal out there

Fishing gear

  • Rod
  • Reel
  • Leader
  • Tippet — 4x, 5x, 5.5x/6x
  • Flies — elk hair caddis, Adams, ants, leeches, PMDs, dragonfly, nymphs (size 18 and down worked well)
  • Floatant
  • Net
  • Polarized glasses

Trip favorites

Running list of stuff we’ve brought and genuinely liked — add to this after every trip.

Food & drink

  • Tea
  • Nice coffee
  • Smoked oysters
  • Jello
  • Mountain House granola breakfasts
  • Hard cheese
  • Jolly ranchers
  • Trail mix
  • Candy
  • Electrolytes
  • Meat sticks
  • Carb dinners — couscous, quinoa, pasta (dehydrated)
  • Fruit snacks — layer sticks, cherries and berries

Gear

  • Garmin inReach — great for peace of mind with zero cell signal
  • Portable charger/power bank

Banger ideas to try

Untested, high-upside stuff — inspired by the jello setting perfectly in a cold river.

Cold-river/snowmelt chilled

  • Instant pudding — same trick as the jello
  • Cold brew concentrate — sink the bottle, pour over ice-cold “ice” from the stream
  • Canned cocktails/hard seltzers, chilled the same way

Meal upgrades that punch way above their weight

  • Mini bottle of good olive oil for finishing dehydrated meals
  • Packet of parmesan or nutritional yeast
  • Mini hot sauce bottle
  • Fresh herbs in a ziplock (basil/cilantro) — lasts a couple days, huge flavor lift
  • Freeze-dried cheesecake or cobbler kit for a dessert night

Camp comfort

  • Small inflatable solar lantern (Luci-style) — way better ambient light than a headlamp beam
  • Foam sit pad for lounging on rocks/logs
  • Cribbage board or deck of cards for camp downtime

Field tested, still not fully believed until it works: jello set in a river = banger. See what else sets/chills the same way.

Open questions

  • Dates and group size for the next trip
  • Permit/quota requirements — check for Sawtooths trailheads especially
  • Bear canister requirement — confirm per destination