Simon Akam

Photography: Mountains: Idaho

In March 2009 I travelled to Idaho on an assignment for the Guardian newspaper. The purpose of the trip was to go ski mountaineering in the remote Sawtooth Range. Wilderness regulations forbid permanent construction in these mountains, and so skiers base themselves in temporary structures - huts and Mongolian-style yurts that are erected each winter and collapsed with the coming of spring. During the trip we climbed the highest peak in the Sawtooth Range and I also visited Ernest Hemingway's grave, in the old mining town of Ketchum. My story (available here) ran in the Guardian in November 2009.

(L-R) Russell Schubert and Brian Vaughn traverse a frozen lake beneath the 3139m (10,299 ft) summit of Mt. Heyburn during a ski tour of Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains. The isolated Sawtooth range offer outstanding possibilities for backcountry skiing. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
There are no ski lifts in the Sawtooth range, but adventurous skiers can use touring equipment to take advantage of the abundant dry snow that falls each winter on the jagged granite peaks. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
The distant summit of Mt. Heyburn rises above heavily laden ski mountaineers heading for the Sawtooth range. The 3139 m (10,299 ft) peak is named for Weldon Heyburn, a US Senator for Idaho from 1903-12, and its steep gullies offer extremely challenging skiing. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
     
  
(L-R) Brandy Sample and Brian Vaughn relax in the Bench hut, high in the Sawtooth range. Wilderness regulations prohibit the construction of permanent buildings in the mountains, so skiers use temporary shelters instead - huts and yurts erected each winter and collapsed with the coming of spring. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
  
As the only source of water is melted snow, outside the shelters different banks of snow are reserved for different purposes to avoid contamination. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
In flat afternoon light, Brian Vaughn skis ahead across a frozen tarn beneath the summit of Mt. Heyburn to conduct a snow stability test. As is the case in all wild mountain environments, an awareness of avalanche hazards is crucial in the Sawtooth range. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
     
  
In the late afternoon Russell Schubert climbs the final slopes to a high col beneath the summit of Mt. Heyburn. Due to their position in the west of the Mountain Time Zone (two hours behind the Atlantic seaboard), even in March daylight in the Sawtooth Range lasts until around 8pm. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
The Fishhook yurt lies close by a meandering brook in a spectacular location in the Sawtooth Mountains. At the end of the valley rises Thompson Peak, the highest in the range, and the yurt is equipped with a wood-fired hot tub to reinvigorate tired skiers. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
Roofed with a parachute, warmed by a woodstove, and equipped with wooden bunk beds, the yurt is a snug place to spend the night. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
     
  
A translucent dome allows daylight into the yurt too. (Simon Akam)
   
Ski tourers traverse a high ridge in the Sawtooth Mountains. Like many peaks in the isolated range, these summits have no official names - although local guides have christened the leftmost outcrop 'The Hunk.' (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
When travelling uphill ski tourers burn so much energy that they often strip down to a single thermal base layer to avoid overheating. But at any break it is important to muffle up to avoid getting cold - here Russell Schubert, pausing for lunch on a high rock outcrop, dons a lightweight goose down jacket. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
     
  
Brian Vaughn carves through untracked snow beneath the shattered summit ridge of Mt. Heyburn. This kind of wild skiing is totally divorced from the typical resort experience. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
During an ascent of Thompson Peak, the highest summit in the Sawtooth range, Brian Vaughn skis towards the mountain's imposing east face, which rises 520m (1700 ft) above a high tarn. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
Beneath the 3277m (10,751ft) summit of Thompson Peak, Brian Vaughn caches his skis. The mountain's steep final slopes, often stripped bare by the wind, are better ascended on foot with ice axes. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
     
  
The summit of Thompson Peak offers spectacular views of the surrounding Sawtooth Mountains and their high snowfields. (Simon Akam/The Guadian)
   
Brian Vaughn shoulders his skis to traverse a rocky slope to a high col beneath Thompson Peak. True ski mountaineering often requires a willingness to carry equipment over impassible terrain. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
Climbing skins hang to dry in the Fishhook yurt Originally sealskin, they are now made from nylon and mohair, but their purpose remains the same. Stretched onto the base of skis, the nap of their fur allows ski tourers to travel uphill without sliding back down. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
     
  
An avalanche transceiver is an essential piece of safety equipment for backcountry skiing. Worn strapped to the body, it transmits a radio signal that rescuers can use to locate a skier buried by a snow slide. Switched to 'search' mode, each device can also be used to locate a trapped companion. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
Backcountry touring requires a different skill set to resort skiing - in particular the ability to negotiate ungroomed, varied snow while carrying a pack. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
   
However, the rewards are much greater too. During this descent of the 'Steps of Paradise' valley beneath Thompson Peak there were no other skiers to disturb the magnificent surroundings and snow conditions were excellent. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)
     
  
The Fishhook yurt is decorated with both antlers and Tibetan prayer flags. (Simon Akam/The Guardian)