I wrote a report on the loop last year under “Sawtooth ID report”.
Maybe I’m spoiled from the northern Cascades but I would probably not hike such a badly maintained trail again. Many of the beautiful alpine regions require ridiculously long (10 + miles) and choking hot valley hikes to connect to the next three miles of alpine views.
Trail conditions in the valleys were so bad that we were diving and pushing through bushes for entire stretches in which the trail was completely overgrown by large bushes, leaving us covered in lacerations and ticks. The steep ascend after the Grandjean TH had something like 40 blow downs to climb over and something tells me they are probably still there.
Maybe the Southern half is better but we left after half the loop, completely heat exhausted and cut to shreds. First time I’ve ever cut a longer trip short.
I’m really not trying to rain on your parade or discourage you but if I had to do it again and pack for 6 days, I’d pick a PCT section or the Winds or some other great region that keeps you in higher elevation and views.
From the topography I think I remember the lower section may not have those long valleys from the North so it may be much more enjoyable there.
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