2024 Bob Marshall Wilderness Open

I’m optimistic I can make it work for 2024. Either the CDT will serve as a critical portion of the route or I’d better brush up my boating skills!

Looking at 100 miles as the crow flies, roughly 150-160 miles by foot :)

Looks excellent! Crossing the Missions at the end will be a novel bonus

Very interesting. I haven’t walked the southern part of the Bob ever so this is tempting.

“Looking at 100 miles as the crow flies, roughly 150-160 miles by foot :)”

and since I don’t have wings…

always love following this on line. Remarkable adventures!

Hello from New Zealand, bit far for me to travel for this mission but I am a keen follower. I have tried to locate the finish point “Woods Bay FAS” using Google and what I came up with doesn’t feel right. Can someone provide with with further information please? Lucky I’m not considering signing up eh? Can’t even find the finish point, thanks in advance, Scott

Scott, I believe the finish is: 48.00068, -114.06469

Thanks Sandy

That is where I got when I Googled it. Just seemed a little too built up

Thanks again for coming back to me, I appreciate it

The finish on this one will be extremely tricky to keep within the confines of the rules.

Or one could just ignore that rule and do whatever seems fun (and not illegal).

What rule are you hoping to “ignore” Micheal?

staying in the course boundaries

Hahaha are you planning on leaving the state..

the rule I’m referring to is “No linear travel on the surface of paved roads.”

Speaking of following rules, can any Montana residents confirm if a Recreational Use License is required hiking/camping on state trust land?

The site below says yes, but it doesn’t look like an official state gov website.

https://discoveringmontana.com/state-forests/swan-river/ (https://discoveringmontana.com/state-forests/swan-river/)

Hey Tim,

You are suppose to have a use permit for recreation on state land. https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/statelandsrecreation

Just a heads up there is currently a logging operation in full swing on the back side of swan lake in direct line to what i would assume everyone’s path over the swan range would be.

There is no camping and almost no parking at the finish. It can get super congested with people and vehicles trying to load and unload boats especially on the holiday weekend.

Tom

I appreciate the insight from a local. Not just about the permitting, but the conditions along the route as well. Especially the Swan Range

Long time listener, first time caller. For those in that part of the state, how are snow conditions looking and any predictions for runoff this year? We are bone dry on this side of the divide. Weighing options in terms of route selection. . . any and all will require a big foot race at the start. I look forward to it

I won’t be making it back this year, but will be watching it avidly, and probably planning routes just for kicks. 2025 is calling my name though.

Tom, do you know the name of the timber job? I’d like to find some info about where it is and how big it is? Or you could just tell me :)

I’m Gonna try and make it back this year. Just glanced at a map but Looks like the CDT right off the start is appealing accept that it is all ridgeline high altitude stuff. With the lack of snow that could work this year if the trend continues. Otherwise i don’t see many options off the start except heading west on 200 for a ways and hop up some logging roads.

I’ll look closer for sure. If anyone is seeing a better route i’d be all ears.

Generalized snow report from Whitefish

It has been a warm spring for the entire flathead valley with warm temps much earlier this year than normal. We typically have 2′ of snow on our roof in April and all the snow had melted off the roof before the end of March.

Was at Polebridge April 12th .. coverage of the western facing slopes is roughly 50% of normal based on comparison photos of the peaks around Bowman

The last 4 weeks of skiing (alpine and XC) were lousy.

East of the Divide is roughly sitting at 45% of normal.  A cursory peek (via sat images) at the Bob Complex shows almost all snow gone below 5500′.  Badger Pass is at 28″, the lowest I can ever recall before May 1.

Just a note on the start.  John and Andrew were up there yesterday and it’s a trailhead, no campground.  They thought a person could probably get away w/ camping in a vehicle-sounds like the trailhead is decent sized and has an outhouse.  Alice Ck is ~ 10 miles from the trailhead and evidently has a lot of decent dispersed camping sites.  John thought there might be other camping possibilities a little closer on Forest Service, again dispersed.

Just got around to checking the distance on the map – 14 miles from Rogers Pass TH to the public land up Alice Creek Road.