2025 Bob Marshall Wilderness Open

It’s a looooong one :)

First route I mapped looks about 130 miles/16K elevation.  I’ve been wanted to get back through Gateway Gorge since 2015 BMWO so this route looks pretty good to me.  I have fond memories (and photo proof) of Mike crossing a log at Strawberry Creek and damn near falling in

That was pure luck I didn’t go into the drink and have to swim for my life!  That was our first year, waaaay back!

Howdy friends. Does anyone have an exact idea where the finish is (i.e. coordinates)? I was assuming he meant the ranger station about a mile east of town, but I’m not sure if there’s another parking lot that’s more in town?

You’re correct, it’s the USFS building ~ 1 mile east of town.  If you make and they are open, check the full mount grizzly in there—it’s a brute!

“damn near falling in”. If Mike had gone in towards the upstream side it appears this would have been a strainer. With that pack on, getting caught under the logs could have been a real disaster. As Mike knows.

Wet logs on a fast and deep river….not my favorite thing.

Great pic John and a good reminder that Strawberry is the middle fork and during certain run off a pia to get across.

“damn near falling in”. If Mike had gone in towards the upstream side it appears this would have been a strainer. With that pack on, getting caught under the logs could have been a real disaster. As Mike knows.

Wet logs on a fast and deep river….not my favorite thing.

Definitely a dicey situation.

I will say that John had a dry log when he crossed, no so much when I went across—always go first :)

I think Kevin eschewed the log crossing but was about nipple deep in Strawberry during the ford.

True and we watched as he was a hair’s breadth of getting swept; that made the log crossing seem much more appealing :)

Of course there was that one time Thad found the fresh cottonwood….. :D

I’ve been known to get down on all fours across dicey logs. Not pretty,  and in fact not always the better approach.

Note Mike’s right toe on the log. He looks like a ballerina. Nice! Seriously, this is skill in action. Excellent form and focus. I’m guessing he was thinking: “Holy effing crap! get me over!”.

I once found myself spontaneously singing a gospel hymn when the river I was crossing proved deeper than I expected, and there was a falls just below. I don’t really know any Gospel hymns. But it took three verses to get across.

Does anyone have experience floating Landers Fork?

Interested in making this my first year after many years of thinking about it. Not a lot of packrafting experience, but looking for hiking/running heavy route options.

After years of thinking about it, I’ll be trying the Bob for the first time this year. Has anyone starting thinking through the logistics of getting between the start and finish? Do folks usually carpool or …?

As it gets closer, I think you’ll be able to get ride carpooling.  A lot of folks will drop a vehicle off at the finish and then shuttle another to the start.

Keep in mind, that not everyone finishes (for various reasons) and you may ultimately have to find a ride from another trailhead.

Who’s getting psyched?! I’m going boatless this year to switch things up. I’m also considering bringing my dog. Has anyone ever finished with a dog?

I know a few people that didn’t finish with a dog; it’s possible someone did, but don’t recall

Didn’t someone find a dog one year? Does that count? Rob: the countdown is on. Getting psyched indeed. It’s a long one with a boat. And a long one without a boat. I’m leaning no raft at this moment in time based on total percentage of miles floating vs walking, but that doesn’t take into account the glorious off-feet travel a raft provides.

John and Thad found a dog that was starving. They had planned an extra day to fish Big Salmon when the dog showed up. They fed him fish and he hiked out with them.

Thad found out who the owner was and called him. The guy said you can keep him. Pretty sure the guy abandoned him on purpose.

Thad kept him and named him Bob.

I’m hoping to join for the first time this year – anticipate going boat-less myself.

TheMountainRabbit: awesome! Hope to see you up there.

Also for anyone that needs a place to crash in Missoula pre-post Open: they’re welcome to do so at my place. I’ve got a basement studio apartment previous open participants have crashed in years prior.

Conditions are looking kind; a decent amount of snow up high, melting out quite thoroughly at mid elevations.  Above is the summit of Rocky Mountain Peak looking WSW a few days ago.

Landers Fork is worth floating, esp compared to road walking!

Great to hear that Landers Fork goes, I’ve been looking at that one for a while trying to figure out if it was doable. Any other beta you’d care to share? From sat photos, it looks like there’s quite a bit of wood higher up, but it looks pretty clear below about 5400′, around the wilderness boundary, so that’s where I was thinking I’d put in.