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2025 Bob Marshall Wilderness Open

This topic has 46 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 1 week ago by Kyle P.

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Jan 8, 2025 at 8:26 am #3825953

Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell

Let the mapping begin……

The 2025 Open will start at 0800 MDT, Saturday May 24th at the Swift Reservoir TH, and end at the Lincoln Ranger Station parking lot (in downtown Lincoln). Course area is all public land in Montana. The usual guidelines apply.

-This is not a race.

-You must be entirely self-supported and self-contained. Take everything you need, and leave nothing behind but footprints. Any pre-planned assistance of any kind is forbidden.

-Any form of human-powered locomotion is allowed within the identified course area. No linear travel on the surface of paved roads.

-You are responsible for you. Come prepared for challenging conditions which can easily, with improper luck or preparation, turn life-threatening. Any and all contingency and emergency plans must be arranged in advance by each individual.

Jan 8, 2025 at 1:58 pm #3825985

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

It’s a looooong one :)

Jan 8, 2025 at 2:59 pm #3825991

John N
BPL Member

@airlocksniffer
Locale: Montana

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

Jan 8, 2025 at 3:03 pm #3825993

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

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!

Jan 9, 2025 at 9:21 am #3826109

Jacob R
Spectator

@jrexmt

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?

Jan 9, 2025 at 9:23 am #3826110

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

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!

Jan 9, 2025 at 10:20 am #3826118

jscott
BPL Member

@book
Locale: Northern California

“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.

Jan 9, 2025 at 10:50 am #3826120

Tom M
BPL Member

@twofeathers
Locale: Kalispell

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

Jan 9, 2025 at 12:25 pm #3826130

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

“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 :)

Jan 9, 2025 at 1:54 pm #3826142

John N
BPL Member

@airlocksniffer
Locale: Montana

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

Jan 9, 2025 at 3:33 pm #3826149

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

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

Jan 9, 2025 at 5:57 pm #3826166

jscott
BPL Member

@book
Locale: Northern California

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.

Jan 10, 2025 at 10:35 am #3826215

Pat Honsinger
Spectator

@phonsinger

Does anyone have experience floating Landers Fork?

Feb 2, 2025 at 6:39 pm #3827689

Daniel F
BPL Member

@dfladager

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.

Mar 19, 2025 at 11:07 am #3830587

Jacob K
BPL Member

@jacobian

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 …?

Mar 19, 2025 at 12:33 pm #3830601

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

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.

May 5, 2025 at 7:34 am #3834486

Rob
BPL Member

@alpine_sailor
Locale: Missoula

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?

May 5, 2025 at 8:01 am #3834492

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

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

May 5, 2025 at 10:27 pm #3834519

Kyle P
BPL Member

@pucko25
Locale: Missoula

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.

May 6, 2025 at 7:15 am #3834524

Mike M
BPL Member

@mtwarden
Locale: Montana

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.

May 6, 2025 at 11:41 am #3834536

TheMountainRabbit
BPL Member

@themountainrabbit

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

May 6, 2025 at 2:51 pm #3834547

Kyle P
BPL Member

@pucko25
Locale: Missoula

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.

May 13, 2025 at 1:41 pm #3834876

David Chenault
BPL Member

@davec
Locale: Queen City, MT

May 13, 2025 at 1:44 pm #3834877

David Chenault
BPL Member

@davec
Locale: Queen City, MT

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!

May 15, 2025 at 9:42 am #3834981

Jacob K
BPL Member

@jacobian

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.
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