Hi, I’m…
Challis Sanders.
I’m an Idaho native and backcountry explorer. For me the outdoors is more than a pastime, it is a lifestyle. I enjoy anything the mountains have to offer including backpacking, trekking, mountaineering, caving, snowshoeing, canyoneering and general exploration.
Disappearing into the woodlands makes my heart happy. This website is a humble life record of some of my Idaho wilderness adventures.
I don’t keep up on many social networks but you may find me on Instagram. Feel free to connect with me there as well.
Gem of the mountains.
Idaho is, what America was.
Among the peaks and valleys of Idaho’s most stunning mountain ranges, new worlds of beauty are waiting to be explored. With over 80 ranges rising and falling throughout the state, escaping into Idaho’s beautiful mountains typically doesn’t take much driving, but nevertheless, you’ll feel worlds away from the mundane, day-to-day grind.
You can’t sit on the couch. Only boots on the ground can make you realize just how big, beautiful, vast and spiritual Idaho’s wilderness areas truly are.
“Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty. It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language.” ~Aldo Leopold.
The backcountry experience.
Truth. Consciousness. Bliss.
My heart lives for exploring this state’s great wildlands. I am named after the Challis National Forest, a forest known for its rugged and remote expansive forest providing hiking trails, campgrounds, hunting and whitewater rafting. For me truth, consciousness and bliss are all found in deep stretches of wilderness of granite.
View my photo gallery.
It can get weird out there.
Idaho is strange.
I also enjoy researching Idaho’s strangeness. My overall mission is multifaceted, but I essentially seek to investigate the mystery of cryptid sightings, paranormal events and high strangeness in Idaho. This goal is pursued through exploration in the field, the proactive collection of reports and by means of activities designed to promote an awareness and understanding of the nature and origin of the anomalous evidence. Check out my “investigating Idaho’s high strangeness” website via the link below.
Along with me on every trip.
Meet My Trail Dogs
Both of my dogs are Hangin Tree Cowdogs. This breed is 3/8 Border Collie for their intense herding instinct and intelligence, 1/8 Catahoula for their toughness and slick hair coat, 1/4 Kelpie for endurance and short hair and 1/4 Australian Shepherd for their eagerness to please.
Forest
Forest is an experienced trail dog who covers twice the mileage as me on every hike. He has seen more adventure, wildlife and remoteness than most native Idahoans.
Timber
Timber is incredibly smart, biddable and ready to explore. She is learning how to be brave and bold while following Forest’s lead and from coaching from myself.
Recent Trips & Posts
Read some articles and watch some of my most recent Idaho backcountry videos including and overview, some trip pictures and a map to the location.
Have a question or comment? Are you a long lost friend? Send me a message and I'll get back to you ASAP!
