2021 Bob Marshall Wilderness Open

Several folks went over headquarters pass in 2012 in a snowstorm.  By all accounts it was spicy.  It seems a little too early to tell this year and I think will depend on the weather in the next few weeks.  Given an 8:00 am start, it may be a race to get over the pass before things soften up too much unless there is a good freeze overnight.

Not having eyes on the ground, I’m trying to keep an open mind on route selection if things aren’t right despite really, really wanting to float the NF Sun.

I’m 50/50 on making it this year- it depends on how the paddling season elsewhere shakes out- but I’m still enjoying thinking about routes. Does anyone know how high up toward Sun Lake and scapegoat plateau the SF Sun trail is cleared (this year’s deadfall notwithstanding)?

Also is anyone else planning on paddling the Class IV (might be more like IV+/V- that time of year) section of the NF Blackfoot? Assuming I make it out this year I’ll be shooting to put in on Dry Fork NF Blackfoot midday on Sunday unless the water is catastrophically high. It would be a nice section to partner up for if anyone else has a similar plan.

Will

I’ll be aiming to put on the dry fork around the same time but plan to take out before the entrance rapid before the footbridge.  If you run it, good luck and kudos to you.  That’s above my pay grade.  It is almost tempting as a brand new Alpacka wolverine with all the goodies should be arriving on my doorstep in the next few weeks, but I haven’t done any serious boating in the last few years.  Plus, I have no interest in carrying a drysuit…

Andrew

I’ll be interested in your report.  Memorial day is getting close!

Also interested to see what the SF Sun trail is like, but it looked to me like there wasn’t a good option for dropping off the south side of Scapegoat Plateau; seemed to cliff out pretty bad. I’m hoping Observation Pass to Observation Point is as doable as google earth suggests.

I’m also planning to put in on the Dry Fork, but skip the big time rapids. I was hoping to time that portage with a sleep at the end of day 2

Is the concern with Headquarters Pass the cliff band that needs to be climbed before reaching the Pass proper? To me this looks like it will be sketchy if there is a lot of snow, but I have no idea what the snow situation is. I’m thinking snowshoes might not actually be a liability here and this route might need require proper traction and the ability to self-arrest, assuming the snow is firm. Initially I wanted to go over the saddle above Our Lake but that doesn’t look possible, or at least not very safe. Curious what others think…

but how do you determine if it’s viable before getting there?
Are you feeling lucky?

That is part of the point of the backcountry: there are no guarantees.

Cheers

Packrafters unite! I’m planning on NF sun, up and over white pass, down to south fork, up Monture and floating Monture from the Cabin to the Missoula Higgins Street Bridge.

Just kidding, it I’ll be in the adventure with everyone else on Dry Fork and NF Blackfoot :)

Re: Hazards in water: I sometimes find Google Earth can be useful in telling you when the water gets constricted vs floating through flats. Also devour other trip reports and river reports people have given. NF Blackfoot is a good example of that. Plan for plenty of on-snow travel with no trail.

Rob, I’m also leaning toward something spiky for HQ pass. The 2012 trip reports provide some good insight into what might be ahead for anyone choosing that direction. I’ve got a couple plans after floating NF Sun but likely taking the path of least resistance over Stadler. Nice photos of the pass itself. Going to be a bit Western! Dan went up onto Scapegoat Plateau in 2018 via NF Blackfoot and down Greenfork to float Straight Creek so it’s possible, but might not be where you want to drop.

Will, I’m also out for that stretch.

Lastly, I might be late to the “hitching-a-ride” game, but anyone heading toward Choteau from Missoula on Friday with room in their vehicle?

Today I hit the NF Blackfoot down from the bridge below the campground. No wood concerns at all. The river was at 1200 cfs today and was easily approachable at my beginner competency. It’s definitely splashy for the first few miles. I scoped out the canyon around the campground and was tempted, but the consequences are a bit higher on that stretch.

“A complete newbie question but for rafting how can you tell where to avoid and what the rapids will be like before getting there?”

Look downstream.

Get out and stand on a rock to see better.

Sat photos are also handy.  Ideally use a mapping tool that tells you how old the sat photos are.  Keep tabs on the past 12 months flow patterns in the area, especially this spring since melt off started, and reference those patterns to average patterns.  Big flows, and especially sharp pulses, tend to move wood around and create new hazards in new places.

Know the local geology and what sorts of rapids (bedrock ledges v. boulder gardens v. alluvial hazards) are most likely at given aspects and elevations.  Similarly, know the local soil and flora and know which kinds of trees tent to erode under which conditions.  Watch for freshly eroded trees on the outside of bends, fresh driftwood on the inside, etc.  If a fresh channels heads straight into the spruce be super heads up and get ready to portage.

Big picture, you are not learning much of the above without a lot of practice, and the Bob in May is a less than ideal time to get that.  Wilderness packrafting tends to combine rudimentary to intermediate paddling hazards to PhD level risk assessment and decision making.  In the past year I’ve paddled with a few kayakers whose skills are significantly above my own, but have never run a river or creek with no beta at all.  Packrafters must need a very different frame of reference.

Good luck to everyone next week!  I won’t be coming out this year (actually out west now trying to close on our retirement land in NE Washington!).  I hope to see everyone next year.

I imagine the dinner will move to the Buckhorn.  Unless Augusta got a hot new place recently.  Need to do some route retuning, although I’ve got some non-negotiable work obligations the next week which should be easier to make it back for now. I’d been looking at potentially having to end at monture with a dreadful DNF next to my name.  Gonna miss a stroll through the NF of the Sun, but I’ll just have to pack the kids in later this year I guess. Look forward to seeing everyone Friday!