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2021 Bob Marshall Wilderness Open

This topic has 124 replies, 23 voices, and was last updated 3 years, 5 months ago by Seth Cunningham.

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Mar 3, 2021 at 8:57 pm #3702561

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

Scott best bet is to call the Choteau Ranger station and see if anyone has been up there. Snowpack is pretty good right now (Badger Pass is over 120″) so could be tough getting all the way to the trailhead.

Kind of depends on where you want to get into. On the south side, Monture Ck TH should be accessible, but I’d bring skis/snowshoes to head up it. On the east side, they usually plow the road to the dam at Gibson.

Still worth a call to the ranger station, the road could possibly be open.

Mar 4, 2021 at 9:36 am #3702648

David Chenault
BPL Member

@davec
Locale: Queen City, MT

Time for the annual March snotel check in: the all-important Badger Pass snowpack is exactly where it was this time during 2011. Of course, 2011 (which set flow records all over the Bob well into July) was unusual in that the snow just kept coming after the usual peak in early May. Point being, we have the potential for an exceptionally wet spring and summer, and the balance of probability is that the boating year will be at least above average. What actual flows are come Memorial Day has far more to do with the weather in the weeks prior.

Plenty to be excited about.

Mar 4, 2021 at 9:39 am #3702652

David Chenault
BPL Member

@davec
Locale: Queen City, MT

I’d say nonexistent, as that road gets a decent amount of snowmachine traffic which compacts the snow and hinders meltoff. You could probably drive to a ~mile past the Nature Conservancy ranch.

Teton Pass ski area is open again this year, so they’re plowing to their parking lot. Good access to the North Fork Teton and associated drainages.

Mar 4, 2021 at 10:25 am #3702658

Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell

Mike,

Badger is at 75″ I think you were looking at the SWE.

Mar 4, 2021 at 11:55 am #3702681

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

^ crap- you’re right, not sure what the hell I was looking at; I’m old so have an excuse :)

Mar 8, 2021 at 9:20 am #3703226

Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell

Just a friendly reminder :

84 Days and counting!!!

Mar 18, 2021 at 8:09 am #3705174

Seth Cunningham
BPL Member

@seththesailor

Just popping in to say howdy! I’m pretty excited about a long walk in the Bob come May and will be road tripping up to the start line from Texas this year after not lining up since 2016. I’ve been on a bike racing tangent for the last few years, but it has been a fun spring so far putting in the miles on the feet.

Time to start watching the snowpack and dialing in the route beta…

Apr 13, 2021 at 8:52 am #3708778

John N
BPL Member

@airlocksniffer
Locale: Montana

Sad to say I won’t be participating this year due to conflicts with kid stuff. I’ve finished 3 of the last 5 routes so have definitely experienced the blissful misery of the Open. Good luck to all!!

Apr 13, 2021 at 9:10 am #3708779

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

You’ll be missed; who’s going to keep Thad in line?

Apr 18, 2021 at 8:47 am #3709330

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

a little more scouting

Apr 18, 2021 at 9:00 pm #3709409

Dan M
BPL Member

@danqm

Mike, what a gorgeous day !!! and back here in mich I did 10 miles in the sand dunes —

Apr 19, 2021 at 6:41 am #3709442

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

About 3-5″ of new snow Thursday on the eastside low, probably double that higher. Just woke up to 2-3″ of new snow in town today, so guessing the mountains saw more. It’s snow we needed so no complaints.

May 2, 2021 at 10:55 am #3711211

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

little more scouting

May 4, 2021 at 3:07 pm #3711477

Jessica K
BPL Member

@jdk610

Hi all, Getting excited to participate in this year’s Open! Although my friend and I have plenty of backcountry experience, we have never been to the Bob. I’d love to get some input from those familiar with the area about the feasibility of our route. Would anyone be willing to share some beta? I live in the North Cascades of WA state and would be happy to share similar info about trails over here if that helps…
Thanks in advance!

May 4, 2021 at 3:27 pm #3711484

Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell

Jessica,

I would be happy to share beta. I just got out of the Bob and I will say that the trip reports will have a general theme.

May 4, 2021 at 3:36 pm #3711487

Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell

Free beta:

Anyone floating the North Fork Blackfoot (your crazy!!!). The two stock bridges were replaced and the one closest to the trail head it looks like they dumped some of the bridge into the river and also there was an avalanche covering the river downstream of the same bridge.

May 4, 2021 at 3:42 pm #3711489

Jessica K
BPL Member

@jdk610

Thanks Tom, I just sent you a message.

May 5, 2021 at 7:54 am #3711549

Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell

Free beta:

There out in the bob…

May 6, 2021 at 7:43 am #3711629

Seth Cunningham
BPL Member

@seththesailor

Very jealous of you Montana locals with access to the Bob to train. I spent 5.5 hrs walking around the city in the rain last Saturday because all the trails are too muddy… I’ll just have to live vicariously through the pictures until memorial day.

Tom

I’m not sure how far up the Blackfoot drainage you made it, but I’d be interested in your observations. Piecing together what conditions will be like is becoming a bit of an obsession absent real mountains close to home, but there is nothing quite as good as eyes on the ground.

May 6, 2021 at 8:53 am #3711637
Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell
Seth,

This was our route:
- Monture T.H.
- Hahn pass
- Young’s creek put in rafts (swim and a shredded boat in youngs creek canyon)
- Danaher valley
- Dryfork divide
- North fork Blackfoot out.
conditions seem to be normal with lots of high elevation snow still holding on.
May 6, 2021 at 9:00 am #3711638

Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell

Hahn pass approach.

May 6, 2021 at 9:27 am #3711643

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

probably worth mentioning that while always an issue in the Bob, a historic (and widespread!) wind event has really reeked havoc on and off trail with blowdown

May 9, 2021 at 8:10 pm #3711956

Dan M
BPL Member

@danqm

any plans for friday dinner ?

May 10, 2021 at 6:31 am #3711973

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

We’re probably going to stop in at the Log Cabin in Choteau around 5-ish for a burger

May 11, 2021 at 4:14 pm #3712193

Aaron Mills
BPL Member

@hershey
Locale: Montana

The big weekend is fast approaching . Does anyone have any thoughts or experience going over headquarters pass on Memorial weekend?
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