BPL Montana Winter Rendezvous

This is looking more and more doable for me in terms of the dates.

I was checking out the route on my USFS map, and I will definitely be picking up the Cairn Carto map today.

Looking good. Thanks again for starting this Dave.

Food, beer, and camping the night before in Missoula sounds good.

I'm still looking at my spring vacation schedule and family budget…Should be able to commit (or not) within the next few days.

How hard is it to fly with a full pack? Never gotten on a plane to go backpacking before…
I'm assuming I'll load it, strap snowshoes, etc. to the outside, and then pack the entire thing in an xlarge duffel and check it….

Craig- that's what I did when my wife and I flew to NM- instead a duffel we used those eagle creek pack covers and bought TSA locks for them- they are approved by TSA as they can open them if need be, but keeps baggage handlers and the like out

Mike

Craig, I recommend carrying your gear on the plane, as opposed to checking it. Twice my friends have flown out here to hike with their gear ending up in Seattle. It sucks going to bed knowing that your hitting the road at 6am and one of you doesn't have his stuff. Luckily Seattle is close and it came in the early AM both times. You never know, though

a lot of packs won't make it as carry on, snowshoes w/ crampon style bindings might be frowned on, as well astrekking poles and a whole lot of other things that are TSA non-friendly

Craig, alternately you could mail me your non-carry on gear in advance.

Folks,

I won't know for another few weeks if I can come along as things are up in a heap at work at the moment
I was also hoping to get out for a practice snow shoe overnighter next weekend but all the snow within 3 hours of here has melted, damn :-(

Cheers,

Stephen

I'm still thinking about this, though not sure I can afford it yet. Airfare has come down a bit, so we'll see….

Craig- I'm seeing prices going up (both from Billings and Missoula to LAX or Ontario) for Joshua Tree- any secrets I'm not aware of?

Looks like Allegiant will be servicing LA, they're cheap, but they don't start that route till June :(

thanks

Mike

Can't make this. Too fat, too out of shape.

Too bad, sounds like a great time.

This trip sounds like a lot of fun and great opportunity to brush up on/improve winter camping skills.

I've been watching the thread with interest from the beginning but hadn't really given much thought to trying to attend until recently.

It's still very much up in the air for me, maybe 50-50 at this point, but I've looking at airfare, checking my co-workers vacation schedules, etc. I'm out by Craig W, so I'd be coming from LAX and would be reliant upon others for a ride to/from the airport in Missoula or Bozeman or peraps teaming up with others for a rental or something like that.

Anyway, just wanted to throw it out there that this is on my radar (assuming there's still room for me).

-Nick

Nick–I'm probably 60-40 toward coming, and I'll be driving in from Kalispell. I should have room so long as I can make it.

Looks like I'm out on this one- too much going on, too little time and not enough leg power this early in the season (or late as the case may be).
I really wanted to do this one!
Hey, maybe I will go as far as the first fishing hole and stay there for the whole trip.

I can take a few people from either Bozeman, where I live, or Missoula, which can be along the drive to the trailhead.

Dave, I'm far more comfortable on tele skis than Nordic, but they're heavy and would probably slow me down to the point of not being able to keep up. (Like Doug, I'm old and fat.) Do you plan on more than one group to take account of differing fitness levels?

Richard

The picture will become clear once we get closer to the date and people commit, but I'm assuming we'll have fixed campsites and multiple groups going their own pace, then meeting up in the evening. In short, bring the oversnow gear you're most comfortable with and don't worry about it.

I don't even own snowshoes at the moment, and will decide on ski/boot combo the week of when conditions become clear. Might even be some dry dirt walking in the Dry Fork Valley.

Guys,

I am going to have to pass on this because of work.

Have a great trip.

Stephen

sorry to hear that- next time! :)

Cheers Mike,

I will try my best for the next trip.

I wish it was one day later…It really looks bad calling a substitute teacher on the Friday before a two week break begins. With further thought, I just can't take that day off without catching some flak.

I mapped the route out on Hillmap.com (linked here). It looks like it will be right at 26.6 miles give or take.

Double-check me–did I get it right?

that sounds about right, I think I came up w/ 25.8, so definitely right in the ballpark :)

Craig you should just come out do the Bob Open in May. I'll take the week off and we can do the grand scenic tour.

Clayton, that map is dead on. Nice.

My tentative plan is to have everyone meet at the Monture TH Saturday AM. Figure out and run the shuttle (i.e. leave one car there) and get hiking. Probably camp at the confluence of the main North Fork and Dry Fork. Should be dry dirt, flowing water, and the side trip to North Fork Falls is worthwhile. Second camp should be at Canyon or Camp Lakes, which I'm sure will be frozen. Count on melting snow that night, but most of that forest burned in the last decade so there should be wood to harvest for fire. Early start for the journey over the pass and back to Monture. The only avy exposure will be crossing a few chutes on the far side of Camp Pass. We won't be in a trigger zone, and it would have to be a huge event to run that far, so being on the move in the cool of the morning almost guarantees zero exposure.

Final head count?

So, according to Cairn topographic map, it will be about 10.5 miles to the first camp with 600-700 feet of elevation gain over those miles. From there, it looks like it's another 5 miles to Canyon Lake and 2 miles beyond that to Camp Lake. Camp Lake seems like the best choice, especially as it's about 500 feet higher than Canyon Lake, giving a better start in the morning up to Camp Pass.

At this point I'm about 70-30 toward going. I've got some work things to resolve (the Quarter ends that Friday, and my kids will have essays due around that time). That seems to be the main thing holding me up, but I'm hopeful I can work it out.

What condition will the roads to the trailhead be in? If I drive, it will be in a Toyota Prius, and while I've gotten it into a lot of places you'd never expect a Prius, it's not a 4×4.

barring an emergency my wife (Jan) and I will be going

I've got a 4 door Tacoma that can hold 4 comfortably, 5 in a pinch

The confluence is only 6-7 miles in, so the first day will be shorter.