MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO

Under the hot noonday sun, I make it over the last crest of the dusty trail and finally find myself at my destination: the picturesque Saddleback Lakes. The lowest of the Saddlebacks has all the hallmarks of an idyllic alpine lake: sparkling blue-green water stocked with trout, a rim of verdant evergreen trees, and a rocky cirque leading up to rugged granite peaks capped with snow. What sets this lake apart, however, is Elephant’s Perch—a nearly vertical cliff face dramatically towering 1,200 feet above the surrounding forest, which has become a mecca for rock climbers. The locals call this place “Shangri-La,” and for good reason; this view represents some of the very best