Hot take: The 4-day loop in the Sawtooths is better done clockwise

I did the Alice-Toxaway loop in Idaho last month, going clockwise from Tin Cup trailhead. The climb up to Alice Lake felt brutal with a full pack, but the views opening up were worth it. My buddy swears the counter-clockwise direction is easier, spreading the elevation gain over two days. I think getting the big climb done first is better, ending with the gentle walk along Pettit Lake. The debate in our group got pretty heated over campfire coffee. Which direction do you think is the better way to hike it?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice24225d ago

emerychen makes a good point about the lighter food weight, that actually saved me on the Alice Lake climb. I did it clockwise from Tin Cup and honestly that first day felt like a huge wall of elevation right from the car. But for me, getting it over with meant I could chill at Alice Lake and not worry about the big climb hanging over my head. The payoff at the pass was worth the heavy pack pain, you know? I'd rather suffer once hard than have it spread out and nag at me.

emerychen2mo ago

Honestly gotta push back on the clockwise take. Going counter-clockwise from Pettit is the move. You get that long, chill warm-up along the lake first day, which is way better for easing into the trip. Then you hit the big climb up to Alice Lake fresh on day two, not right out of the car with a heavy pack. Ending with the downhill back to Tin Cup feels like a reward, not just a slog.

allen.cole2mo ago

Exactly, that first day along Pettit is basically a flat trail with killer views. Gets your legs ready without wrecking you. Then tackling the Alice Lake climb with lighter food weight is a game changer.