Sawtooth Mountain Guides is a year-round guide service and outdoor activity outfitter specializing in climbing, backpacking, hiking, and ski touring and mountaineering in Stanley, Idaho, near the Sawtooth Wilderness of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. It is 60 miles north of Sun Valley Resort and three hours from Boise. The outfitter also partners with other area businesses to offer additional activities, including whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and horseback riding. The company curates custom programs for groups looking to bond in the fresh air.
“Sawtooth Mountain Guides operates on public land throughout the state of Idaho using a variety of special-use permits issued by the U.S. Forest Service and the State of Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation,” says Erik Leidecker, co-owner, operations manager, and guide at Sawtooth Mountain Guides. Additionally, Sawtooth Mountain Guides is licensed by the State of Idaho Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board and also is accredited by the American Mountain Guides Association. Among the areas Sawtooth Mountain Guides operates in includes the mountains of central Idaho—which span the Sawtooth, Boulder, Pioneer, Lost River, and Smoky Mountain ranges—near Stanley, Ketchum, and Sun Valley.
“Growth, learning, realization, and epiphany occur when people live outside their comfort zone, so to speak,” says Leidecker. “Participating in adventure sports, especially in a wilderness setting, serves up plenty of discomfort—but discomfort is code for ‘type two’ fun, the kind that happens through hard work and by overcoming obstacles both real and perceived.” Group programs range from one day to 10 days in length, customized to interests and goals.
