Most people said it was the most significant two minutes they’d ever experienced, and we’d have to agree. Despite all the build up, hype, and projections for massive influx of tourists, when the Great American Eclipse of 2017 finally happened, it did not disappoint.
For us at Sawtooth Mountain Guides, the eclipse wrapped up an extremely busy three weeks—possibly our busiest ever. But given the predictions of a congested backcountry and full trailheads, we backed off our reservations for the the actual eclipse—which proved a wise choice with many trailheads closed and backcountry campsites packed. But we still had a few groups out, in the Sawtooths as well as on Borah, and these folks experienced a once-in-a-lifetime event in some of the country’s most beautiful mountains.
With the eclipse come and gone and kids heading back to school, it feels like the summer is quickly decelerating. But we look forward to slowing down and reflecting on a summer that was almost too busy to comprehend while it was happening. I suspect after looking back on the several months of summer, it will be two special minutes that remained burned in our memory.
