Well we usually use google docs for planning upcoming and potential trips. We may as well just do it here instead. Maybe they can serve as inspiration, guidance, how to’s for aspiring adventurers. I’m just going to post some future trips we are interested in along with some rough planning and resources.
Sawtooth Loop Trail
Location: Sawtooth Wilderness area and Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho
Best time: July – September
Start: Grandjean Campground
End: Grandjean Campround
Length: 67.6 miles, 3-4 days
Total Elevation: 12,831 ft
Logistics: It’s a loop so it ends where it starts. A free Sawtooth Wilderness permit is needed and can be gotten at the trailheads. Likely flying into Boise. This would probably be a 4 day, 3 night trip.
Update: It wasn’t quite this loop, but we did an awesome traverse of the Sawtooth Range in 2024!
Middle Fork of the Salmon River
This is also in Idaho and near Boise so potentially a good combination with the Sawtooth Loop!
Update: It wasn’t exactly the section we had in mind when writing this post, but we packrafted a section of the Salmon River in 2024!
Sauk River Packrafting
This looks like it’d be an awesome rafting trip combined with a bike shuttle back to the start. It comprises of up to Class IV whitewater and amazing views of the North Cascades.
Location: Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington
Best time: April – July
Packraft Start: Bedal Campground
Packraft End / Bike Start: Faber Ferry North Boat Launch
End: Bedal Campground
Length: 39.13 miles rafting, 39.1 miles biking (1841 ft ascent, 732 ft descent), 2-3 days
Route (links include all details including flow rates):
Optional Super Spicy Section 0
Logistics:
Looks like you’ll need a Northwest Forest Pass and possibly a Discover Pass. The America the Beautiful pass will cover the Northwest Forest Pass but not the Discover Pass. Likely we’d fly into Seattle, drive to drop our bikes around the Faber Ferry Boat Launch, and then drive to the start at Bedal Campground. We’d figure out where to camp on the fly as we’re rafting down the river.
Many Glacier Loop
Last time we went to Glacier during COVID, this entire section of the park was closed. We could go back and hike that entire section in one go.
Location: Glacier National Park, Montana
Best time: July – September
Start: Ptarmigan Tunnel trailhead
End: Ptarmigan Tunnel trailhead
Length: 55.5 miles, 2-3 days
Total Elevation: 13,926 ft
Logistics: It’s a loop so it ends where it starts. We’d need to get campgrounds. Likely flying into Kalispell.
Middle Fork of the Flathead River
You can read about our failures at rafting this river here. But if at first you don’t succeed, try try again. The coolest thing about this trip is that we can combine it to be hiking, rafting, and biking!
Location: Glacier National Park, Montana
Best time: June – July
Hike Start: Morrison Creek Trailhead
Hike End / Packraft Start: Schafer Meadows
Packraft End / Bike Start: Essex Creek Takeout
End: Morrison Creek Trailhead
Length: 13.3 miles hiking (549 ft ascent 1463 ft descent), 35.5 miles rafting, 26 miles biking (2638 ft ascent 791 ft descent)…quite an ascent, Lander to Bruce Bridge bike ride on this trip was only 1700 ft up
Route:
