Route: Grandjean Sawtooth Lake Loop (ID)

Submitted by Johnny Tundish on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 01:40pm
Location
Idaho, US
Distance
20.5 mi
Vertical Gain
4,022 ft
Description

Grandjean Sawtooth Lake Loop is a 20.4 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Lowman, Idaho. The trail goes from Grandjean Campground along Trail Creek, loops up around Sawtooth lake via the North Fork Baron-Sawtooth Lake trail, before turning back towards Grandjean trailhead along Baron Creek. A fun loop only a couple hours outside of Boise. 

Comments

I ran this on 7/30 with the idea that it would be a good recon-route, thinking I'd try for the FKT at some point. I knew that our friend Joelle Vaught had ran this in 5:15:34 on 7/21/2022 (https://www.strava.com/activities/7522869131/overview), and assumed that was the fastest time. Excitedly, I noticed that I was on track to beat this time on our little family adventure, so I pushed to the end to come in at 4:55:13 (https://www.strava.com/activities/9552711434/overview). My first thought was "Yay!!". My second thought (since I know Joelle), was "there's no way lol." I guessed that she must have done this faster at some point.

I found that David Faught ran the loop in 4:26:59 on 9/27/2020 (https://www.strava.com/activities/4121763944/overview), and saw in photos that Joelle Vaught was with him (though she doesn't have her own Strava for that day). I think this means that the women's fastest known time for this route is Joelle's, in 4:26:55. In my sleuthing, I also found that our friend and local Boise crusher Gus Gibbs has run the loop in the opposite direction in 3:43:31 (https://www.strava.com/activities/7980095739/overview) on 10/17/22. 

I thought I'd leave these comments here for aspiring FKT'ers to know where the bar is. Joelle, love you, and I'm coming for you! ;)Â