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Stanley Sundog Travelogue

Ranger_Tim
Explorer
Explorer
So we packed up the gear in the camper and took off to Stanley, Idaho for the weekend. Last summer we fell in love with the Sawtooth Mountains and I thought it would be a great way to avoid the inevitable cell phone calls from work. Plus, I wanted to test the truck/camper combination on a fairly challenging high pass climb and knew Galena Summit was the highest around at more than 8000 feet. The forecast was calling for cold temps on Saturday night so I thought the crowds would be minimal
and I was right, except for some crazy Sawtooth footrace.

After a fairly uneventful interstate drive we passed through the Hailey, Ketchum, SunValley area and began the ascent. My truck has had a lot of work done lately. It is a Ford 6.0 diesel and has had a tough time of it recently through no fault of its own. I had some bulletproofing done and there were parts dropped into intakes and pistons beat up -- it gets really ugly so I will spare you the grief. Suffice it to say that it is back in one piece and is in better running condition than ever.



This is the first overlook once you cross over the pass to the Stanley side. Note the snow on the peaks and the clouds. It was a warm day in Twin Falls (85 degrees) but two hours later we were in 65 degree weather. Throw me in the briar patch! Sorry for the obscene amount of pavement included in the shot.
Ranger Tim
2006 F-350 Super Crew King Ranch SRW Bulletproofed
2016 Wolf Creek 840
Upper and Lower StableLoads
21 REPLIES 21

jefe_4x4
Explorer
Explorer
I've got to love the neophyte perspective. It's like every day is brand new.
Congrats on sorting out the potential woes of TC-ing in advance. FWIW, most of us took lots of pics of our new mobile domicile at the beginning.
jefe
'01.5 Dodge 2500 4x4, CTD, Qcab, SB, NV5600, 241HD, 4.10's, Dana 70/TruTrac; Dana 80/ TruTrac, Spintec hub conversion, H.D. susp, 315/75R16's on 7.5" and 10" wide steel wheels, Vulcan big line, Warn M15K winch '98 Lance Lite 165s, 8' 6" X-cab, 200w Solar

sharkman
Explorer
Explorer
Good pics, thanks for sharing.
Camper: 2005 Lance Lite 815
Truck: 2003 Dodge Ram Loramie 3500HD, CTD, DRW, Q/C, L/B, Draw-Tite Front Hitch
Boat: 1985 Alumacraft Trophy 175 - Evinrude 90 HP

cewillis
Explorer
Explorer
Great pictures of a fantastic area. Thanks.
Cal

jmckelvy
Explorer
Explorer
Nice trip report. Thanks!

That is a beautiful area. I was up that way last year while my DW and oldest daughter (lives in St Anthony) and family were in Hawaii.
06 RAM 3500,Dually,CTD,Auto(ATS Stage 1),QC,4X4,PacBrake,Spyntec Freespin Hubs,60 Gal Titan Tank,EFI Live, Line-X,Torklifts and SuperHitch,Fastguns
2013 Arctic Fox 990, 275 Watts Solar, 2 Grp 31 AGMs
US Navy 1964-1968, 2-Tour Vietnam Vet

murphysranch
Explorer
Explorer
Loved this! thanks.
Empty nesters
2 cats
2 cattle dogs too!

Clarryhill
Explorer
Explorer
Nice job, Tim. As far as having the TC in every pic, got to say, I'm lovin it. You got some beautiful country out there, my friend, and you appear to be enjoying it from the pics. Many thanks for sharing.
2014 Ford F450 PSD
2017 Lance 1172

_DJ_1
Explorer II
Explorer II
I love the Stanley area. Haven't been up there for a few years, thanks for sharing.
'17 Class C 22' Conquest on Ford E 450 with V 10. 4000 Onan, Quad 6 volt AGMs, 515 watts solar.
'12 Northstar Liberty on a '16 Super Duty 6.2. Twin 6 volt AGMs with 300 watts solar.

Naio
Explorer II
Explorer II
Thank you! Lovely pics, the ones I can see. Some are not coming through right now.
3/4 timing in a DIY van conversion. Backroads, mountains, boondocking, sometimes big cities for a change of pace.

Ranger_Tim
Explorer
Explorer
Yeah, typo or mental mess up. Brake clean is what I meant! My editing skills are rusty.
Ranger Tim
2006 F-350 Super Crew King Ranch SRW Bulletproofed
2016 Wolf Creek 840
Upper and Lower StableLoads

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
Ranger Tim wrote:
...On closer inspection I found gear oil beginning to exit the front of the differential where the drive shaft enters. NOT GOOD! .... The daubers had plugged up the vent causing the lube to push out past the seals. With the weight of the new camper on a long trip home from Boise it all made sense. Some brake lube...


Brake Clean might work better than brake lube
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
Nice pics! Having the TC in pics is fine with me although my wife wonders about me sometimes. ๐Ÿ™‚

I feel for the dropped parts by a mechanic. My wife used her mom's mechanic instead of our normal mechanic once. He left a loose bolt inside the timing cover. After about 1000 miles, the Lexus engine blew up when the timing belt cut off. Funny enough, you couldn't hear the bolt doing it's damage. We were lucky and found an even better normal mechanic to do the engine swap.

Oh well, stuff happens.

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

Ranger_Tim
Explorer
Explorer
I just noticed how every shot has the TC in it. Can you tell I'm in love? I'll try to bring more variety next time!
Ranger Tim
2006 F-350 Super Crew King Ranch SRW Bulletproofed
2016 Wolf Creek 840
Upper and Lower StableLoads

Ranger_Tim
Explorer
Explorer
Alas it was time to boogie home and feed the water to the garden. We still immensely enjoy the travel through Arco and out onto the high desert where the antelope and lava rocks play. That journey is a good place for the Admiral to get a nap and for me to breathe in the fresh radioactive air from the Idaho National Labs. There is a tour of an early reactor there that we will have to visit one day, but we never seem to make time. Craters of the Moon or the Sawtooths are too powerful of an attraction.

Hope you enjoyed the travelogue and hope to post another soon. This new TC is just the ticket to get my writing off to a great start. Toodle-ooo!
Ranger Tim
2006 F-350 Super Crew King Ranch SRW Bulletproofed
2016 Wolf Creek 840
Upper and Lower StableLoads

Ranger_Tim
Explorer
Explorer
You know, there are all kinds of awesome mountain ranges in central Idaho. We chose to exit the Sawtooths to the east and travel down the Magic Valley from Challis to McKay (pronounced mackee). This would take us down the Salmon through its rocky gorge and up into the highlands of some really tall stuff. The highest point in Idaho, Mt. Borah (12,000 feet plus) is easily spied from the roadway and even has its own interpretive sign. These pictures do not do it justice. For those who are motivated, (ahem) younger, and have not lost their elasticity the summit is but a 6 hour hike and is rather easily accessible. Some rock scrambling is involved and it is not for the faint of heart. Just google the name and watch the videos of folks that have done it.

Ranger Tim
2006 F-350 Super Crew King Ranch SRW Bulletproofed
2016 Wolf Creek 840
Upper and Lower StableLoads