At Sawtooth Mountain Guides, your experience is what matters most. We pride ourselves on providing a mountain adventure that exceeds your wildest expectations. Don't take our word for it, read what others have to say!
Camping out in the mountains next to a Lake was on my 60th year of life adventure list. Check it off! Thanks to the amazing team at Sawtooth Mountain Guides, our hiking/back-packing/camping experience was everything we hoped it would be and more! Rachel and Chris were great with prompt and courteous communication from my first call thru to post-trip follow-up. I told them what we were looking for and they customized a trip that would fit our time schedule, experience (or lack there-of) and meet my goals. They were excited about my "60's" list and eager help make it happen. So sweet! We felt safe, cared for, entertained, equipped and well fed (thanks for the homemade cookies, Rachel!) Our guide, Erik, was an expert, yet so patient and fun with us novices. It was like hiking with a great buddy--relaxing, story-telling, memory-making. Our experience with SMG was fantastic! Trust this company to facilitate your outdoor adventure and prepare to be impressed! We had the BEST. TRIP. EVER.
The teens went climbing on the slab with a guide from Sawtooth Mountain Guides and had a great trip. The guide met them promptly at the lodge and they all hopped onto the ferry and went on their merry way. The only downsides were the guide forgot his own helmet (oops!) and he seemed determined to get back by 4 instead of 5 so it seemed that the kids didn't have as much time to eat their lunches. Overall, it was a great adventure for them and they learned a lot about climbing.
Spent a fantastic day climbing Mt. Borah with Sawtooth Mountain Guides' Matt Scrivner. Can't say enough about Matt! He was fantastic in every aspect of guiding. Thoughtful, aware of his client's conditioning and pacing needs and always..safety first! For many locals and High Pointers, roping up for the Class III scramble on Chicken Out Ridge is no big deal but Matt's attention to safe route finding and client safety was a big comfort to my brother and me. Thanks Matt for getting us up Borah safe and sound. You're a class act and a first class guide.
Had an excellent experience with Sawtooth mountain guides climbing Mt McGown. This was a training climb for our trip to Mt Rainier next week. Our guide (Marc Hanselman) was knowledgeable and safety was a priority. We have done quite a bit of mountaineering and it was clear the guide was outstanding and we were in good hands. We could enjoy the day and celebrate our 13th Anniversary at the summit. Beautiful view over the Sawtooth range.
My two adult children and I just completed the four day traveling light hiking trip and it was terrific! Our guide Sara, one of the SMG owners, was knowledgeable and caring, and a delight to be with. The trip itself is a spectacular 30 miles through the Sawtooth Mountains in a variety of habitats. Sara and our 2 porters took care of all the food, tents, and logistics while we three 'guests' just needed to strap on our daypacks and hike the itinerary each day. SMG is highly recommended.
We came from out of state with a youth group comprised of varying interest levels and abilities when it comes to rock climbing. Everyone I dealt with from the set up of the trip to payment to the actual guides out on the day of the event was professional and friendly and competent. They set up several lines to climb, from easy enough for the grandparents in our group to climb to difficult enough that the youth really felt accomplished when they made it to the top. The guides were awesome---they gave useful tips about climbing basics (like smearing) and gave enough help while belaying that everyone who wanted to reach the top was able to. We can't say enough about how great everyone at SMG is!
I took a level II avalanche course from SMG and thought it was a great course. The instructors are top-notch and have a TON of experience. And the mountains are incredible! Stanley is a cool little town too. Check out the Sluice for beers and burgers! Thanks Chris, Sara, Kirk, and Erik!
Had a very good climb yesterday with SMG. The guide is very knowledgeable (Drew Daly) and everything was organized very well. I am looking forward to coming back for a next trip, and will recommend Sawtooth Mountain Guides to my adventure seeking friends.
We booked the Family Adventure Trip months in advance with high expectations. I can honestly say that the three day Adventure surpassed our discriminating expectations.
Our group consisted of my wife and two boys, ages 10 & 12. Our guide, Marc, is a seasoned rock climber and all-around outdoor adventure pro. To kick-off day one, we opted for a half day of instructional rock climbing at Red Fish Lake. Marc was very patient with us and we always felt safe. As we built-up confidence in our abilities, Marc increased the challenge one step at a time. Afterwards, we walked down to the incredibly scenic beach and cooled off in the lake's crystal clear water. In the meantime, Marc prepared a delicious lunch. I'm a vegetarian, but my kids are not. They catered to our needs by offering hummus or turkey, bagels, cheddar cheese with fresh fruits and veggies.
After lunch we took a short boat ride to the far side of the lake. That's where we picked up the trailhead leading into the Sawtooth Wilderness. The trail we took to their base camp was breathtaking! Once we reached the valley, the scenery was every bit as majestic as the Teton range in Wyoming. After about a 1.5hr hike we reached the base camp. What a location to call home for two nights. Stunning is all I can say. While we were getting unpacked and settled into our very spacious and cozy tent, Marc was preparing a gourmet dinner for us. Hot, heaping bowls of fresh basil pesto pasta with sun dried tomatoes, chicken or portabella mushrooms, topped with toasted pine nuts. The baby kale and beet salad was also a welcome surprise. The warm pasta hit the spot as the temps drop considerably once the sun disappears behind those tall Sawtooth peaks. The sun sets late in that part of Idaho so we went to bed at sunset, about 9:45pm. They provided a thick, yet cushy inflatable pad, a high quality sleeping bag, a fresh sleeping bag liner and a small pillow for each of us.
The morning found Marc preparing coffee and Huevos Rancheros for us. A great way to start the day before we hiked to a spectacular alpine lake. We spent a few hours at the lake, cooling off and then warming ourselves on the sun drenched boulders surrounding the lake.
That night we were once again treated to another superb dinner, an asian noodle dish with fresh veggies etc...
On the third day we had breakfast and hiked out of base camp just in time for our final leg, a half day of white water rafting down the Salmon River. Needless to say our two boys loved the trip. We created incredible memories that will last a lifetime. We hope to return be day.
I recently attended a four-day Spring Ski Mountaineering Camp with Sawtooth Mountain Guides. This trip exceeded my expectations in every way. I found the course very informative, the accommodations and food were excellent and the guides/instructors very knowledgeable. The skiing was phenomenal and we had a lot of fun.
We stayed in yurts located in the very scenic Sawtooth Mountains. The first day getting to the yurt was a little challenging but not as grueling as other locations I’ve visited, and we had great skiing access right outside the door. We were housed in two yurts, one had the kitchen and the other was just sleeping quarters. They each slept six to eight people to a yurt in bunk beds and they were both well equipped and warm and comfortable.
Chris and Matt, our guides, are extremely knowledgeable about the Sawtooth Mountains and backcountry skills and safety. They did a great job of passing those skills along, were very thorough with their explanations and demonstrations, and receptive to questions from the group. The Sawtooth Mountains are the gem of Idaho, with a wide variety of ski terrain and amazing access to steep chutes and couloirs. The guides have obviously spent a lot of time in this area and knew the best terrain and snow conditions.
Meals were prepared by Mike, who is an amazing chef. They were prepared with fresh ingredients each day and his breakfast and dinners were an excellent start and end to the days’ activities. We even enjoyed delicious desserts, while being entertained with Mike’s stories of his work in heli skiing and river rafting.
It was great to meet other adventurers from around the west and to share our experiences. I forged many friendships and hope to meet up with people in the future.
I felt that this trip was an excellent value; the expertise, ski terrain, accommodations, food and spectacular location were worth far more than the cost for four spectacular days. I highly recommend Sawtooth Mountain Guides and hope to attend future adventures with them.
