2020 Bob Marshall Wilderness Open

At first glance this has me giddy with excitement on possible routes!!

That final section of the Sun is either going to have me sitting in a boat wondering if it was worth hauling it over the mountains, or slogging along the trail wishing I had a boat. Now to spend the next few months second guessing myself…

Looks fun, a lot of new areas for me potentially. Can’t wait.

I doubt it’ll work with most people’s routes, but if anyone wants to paddle meadow creek gorge with me I’ll carry your drysuit over the swan range :) I’d like to give it a shot as long as the SF is below 8-10k, but it  probably wants a partner. I’d sure like someone with a throw rope at the bottom of Thor’s Hammer.

I’ll get my obvious route dialed in and then ignore it for the next 5 months while I look at what seems like fun.

Here we go again ! What keeps us coming back ? I’m sitting here grinning like a jack-o-lantern all by myself in a coffee shop !

This will be my first time at the Open.  Question re logistics.  I’ll be flying in from out of town so need to buy airfare.  does flying out on Tue sound reasonable?  How long does it take the average person to finish?

It’s pretty variable with so many different possible routes and then add in blowdown, unknown snow conditions, trouble crossing creeks/rivers, having to reroute, etc

Anyway to get a ticket that only charges a small fee if you have to change flights?

Might be safer to go with Wednesday; if you get out earlier- plenty of sightseeing nearby :)

Wansun,

I think anyone that toes that line is above average. I think Tuesday would be reasonable depending on conditions, skill level, etc.  Where are you planning to fly out of on Tuesday great falls, kalispell, or missoula?

Thanks guys.  Will consider Wed to be safe.  Don’t want the added stress of missing a flight.

Tom, I was thinking of flying into Missoula. Could get a pretty good deal right now with Alaskan Air

Wansun,

Lets say you finish Monday afternoon/evening. Gibson back to Missoula  is a Loooong drive maybe 4-5 hours?? I think Wendsday is a soon as you’d want to schedule anything and make it late in the day as possible. Can you personally string back to back to back 30 mile days together on a good weekend is the question. Some guys on here can, I am not one of them, as years past have shown it results in failure for me personally. I tried to just take a few days off the first year and push hard, Now I just take the whole week off and relax if I have to bail.

Thanks Scott.  didn’t realize it was a long drive back.

I’m now mulling over whether I want to explore the Sierras and make the logistics easier.  Drive vs flying.

definitely tempted by the Open.  sounds like a good suffer fest.

@songsta,

depending on where your coming from driving could be an optition or just make the return flight till a later date (if you can afford it) and that way you don’t have to stress and you can always bump up your return flight if needed.

for me it’d be a 25hr drive to missoula…. if/when i get the chance to do the open i plan on flying, more than likely make my return ticket for the following friday and make a week out of it. if i bail or i finish early i can always bump up my return flight to an earlier one or just take the next day to recoup depending on how i feel.

Just a friendly reminder. Officially 100 days to go!! ;)

“Just a friendly reminder. Officially 100 days to go!! ;)”

Woohoo!  :)

while you would never know it by looking out your window in almost any town in Montana, snowpack around the state is at or above normal; specifically germane to the Open- the Flathead is 120% of normal, the Sun/Teton 122% of normal

will be interesting to see how/when it comes off :)

to packraft or not to packraft…that is the question!

<- Leaning no raft.

I’ll carry someone’s paddle for them if they let me use their raft at Gibson :)

snowpack is shaping up nicely. Not only is there good depth there is  above average water content. The forcast looks like more snow on the way with colder than average temps. It looks like some males are out on the prowl on the east side already.

Another friendly reminder 60 days to go!!! Mike M. and I have been doing our due diligence. The Bob was a little spicy :) this weekend but fabulous.

Spicy as in the safety on my bear spray got knocked off bushwhacking and then inadvertently fired it off!  As near as I can tell, bear spray seems to work pretty well :)

Some could possibly call this Ultra Social Distancing

Mike I know a ton of people who have had bad experiences with bear spray.  I’m of rigging up some improvised padded holsters for the kids to use. Something to protect it more.

hindsight being 20:20, I had a small bottle of Bronner’s soap that I should have broken out- OC is is oil based and probably would have a little better luck w/ the soap vs snow/water

just another funny note, my pillow had a slow leak- lasted maybe 40 minutes before going flat; I’d fiddle with the valve to open it, blow it back up and my lips would go numb with the lingering OC spray on my fingers :)