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Here we go!! Indian Meadows to Marias Pass:
https://bedrockandparadox.com/bob-marshall-wilderness-open/
First route is already mapped….;)
Right now I’m planning on participating. Hopefully with a packraft (and not just the paddle I’ve already purchased).
Though Colorado FEELS closer to Montana than Minneapolis, the drive is only shortened from sixteen to thirteen hours. Hopefully I’ll be in better backpacking shape so that I can still have some post-Bob fun in GNP the following week.
I tried to make the boat or not choice as even as possible this time.
Folks out off by 140+ miles on the ground, or who might not have the time that will demand, shouldn’t hesitate to plan an exit at Swift or even Gibson.
Question for those more familiar with area- would this be a good year for packraft? Flowing right direction ? How many miles would you think could be floated?
it might not be the most ideal Open route for floating, but there is certainly a option for a long float- this would put you heading to the finish from a different direction than most on foot
I chatted with Dave over beers the other day and floating isn’t just about time shaved, it’s also time off of your legs, which imo is a huge advantage on a long trek
Finally digging in to the route planning. There’s more neat route options that I initially thought. Very cool.
Seems like the Badger Pass SNOTEL is on the fritz. Elsewhere the snowpack looks about average though.
Looks like 130 miles for my current favourite route. 3 days is the goal.
I’ll try not to lose my camera this time.
3 days this year would be a heck of an effort to be sure :)
Yeah not sure what happened to Badger Pass, but it’s been out for at least two months
Is paragliding allowed?
130 miles long makes waiting for the weather window to fly to Marias Pass, potentially the Dick Griffith move of the BMWO
I don’t think that contravene’s the wilderness rules, so yeah I think it’s technically allowed.
Which peak are you taking off from?
East of Arrastra. Fly the valleys once gaining elevation, just maybe
Edit to add: Prohibition 18(b) of the BM wilderness rules makes this idea illegal
Looking forward to this, trying this Again. I’m committed this year regardless of weather. I’ve got a week off work (it’ll probably take me 5-6 days) so no time constraint this year. As long as I don’t need back surgery before then, I’m in!!!!
It looks like you could take a fairly conservative route along the CDT for a large portion of this. Take a day or two along China Wall could be cool, which i’ve wanted to check out for years. Packraft Danaher all the way down the south fork Flathead is enticing as well.
Can’t wait to really look into the logistics.
Is it snowing in Montana? I’m not seeing big increases on the SNOTEL gauges.
almost the entire state is in the 150-ish % range, with more snow falling :)
Hmm…indeed it is snowy in Montana. I had a better look at SNOTEL (previously I just looked for a big increase the last day, not at the totals versus the historical average), and sure enough you guys aren’t lying.
Great to hear. Fantastic news.
I recommend the Voile Objective BC’s if you guys are in the market :)
109 inches of depth on 2/18. That is a (potentially) massive number.
For comparison, during the record-setting winter of 2010/11 Badger had 71 inches of snow by the end of Feb, peaked at 129 inches in May, and still had 48 inches in July (!!)
In 2014 it peaked at 104 inches in April, and still had 11 inches in July. I went N-S over the actual pass (a bit west and lower than the Snotel) during the Open that year and the Bob boundary sign up in a tree well under the level of the snow.
The magnitude of storms in March and how warm and sunny April is will both change things significantly, but the potential for huge snowpack and/or huge rivers come end of May is certainly there.
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