Sunrise Over Idaho's El Capitan

Horizontal orientation. Canvas prints are available with optional barnwood or hardwood floating frames hand-crafted by the photographer, making a truly unique and one-of-a-kind piece of art. Please see images for details.

The magnificent Sawtooth Mountains in central Idaho are popular for photography, as well as hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. The Alice-Toxaway Loop is one of the most popular hikes in the Stanley area, beginning at the Tin Cup Trailhead and passing Farley, Toxaway, Twin, and Alice Lakes along the way. I backpacked the loop the last week of July 2026, taking 2 nights and 3 days. My wanderings to photograph waterfalls, creeks, lakes, and wildflowers made the 19-mile hike into a little over 33 miles! I stayed my second night at Alice Lake and enjoyed a beautiful sunset and sunrise there. I packed up my campsite early so that I could be at some great spots when the sun was rising. Just before 6:30 the clouds began changing to fiery orange and yellow colors, but I was not yet in position to get an unobstructed view of El Capitan, so I kicked it into gear and hustled with my 35 lb. pack to a better viewpoint. The color rarely stays for more than just a few minutes, and it was already starting to fade by the time I arrived, so I set up my tripod and camera as quickly as possible and got in a few good shots before it faded. This is one of my favorites.