In this July 24, 2014 photo, packrafters hike up Youngs Creek Pass on a packrafting trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness, in Mont. Ryan's has a spinnaker bottom though. Finally, The Bob offers packrafting for all skill levels. We bedded on buttercup-laced tundra. As we descend, we find ourselves bushwhacking yet again, winding our way down steep, chossy, limestone cliff bands. Product testing for the manufacturer of the lightest ridin’ shoes on the market! 2-3000 cfs on the South Fork is a good level, lower if you’re less experienced on whitewater. A great new perspective. Let us show you the beauty of the Bob Marshall Wilderness through one of our scenic horse-back wilderness pack trips, amaze you with blue ribbon trout fishing on the incredible South Fork of the Flathead River, Big Salmon Lake, Big Salmon Creek, White River, Youngs Creek, Danaher Creek, and many off-the-beaten-path … Instead, we’d travel up Mid Creek and cross the mountains into the Spotted Bear drainage. We are located on Youngs Creek, a major tributary of the South Fork of the Flathead River in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The Bob Marshall Wilderness Area is a Congressionally designated wilderness area located in western Montana in the United States. This was my first long backcountry trip where I relied exclusively on a Tenkara rod (read the review here). The latter, in particular, may be the finest Class I-II wilderness float in the Lower 48. You can find a link to the review here. So much so, in fact, that Backpacking Light and Tenkara are partnering to develop a brand new version of the Tenkara rod designed specifically for backpackers.". Another describes the 1.5 million acres as; "Land and rivers and mountains still pretty much the way that God had fashioned them." Youngs Creek is a creek in Flathead National Forest, Bob Marshall Wilderness, MT. We were faced with a difficult descent down a gully of razor sharp limestone scree and talus that tore at my shoes, my pants, my hands, and my pride. :). On the Flathead National Forest, in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex Area, the entire South Fork Flathead River drainage, as well as the Spotted Bear River and Dean Creek drainages, are closed to entry. The euphoric high did not last long, however. This length is exciting to me, because it means that I can do a long traverse (one hundred miles or more) of The Bob with a meaningful amount of miles traveled in a packraft. It is named after Bob Marshall (1901–1939), an early forester in the federal government, conservationist, and co-founder of The Wilderness Society. In addition to fighting off these noxious weeds, you will be putting some miles … RATBOB runners along Youngs Creek Trail in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Download the Backpacking Light Handbook to help you make intelligent decisions about gear, skills, ultralight philosophy, and reducing your pack weight. Maybe one of them spread their bedroll near here, too. The Bob is home to big, long, and wild rivers, one of the nation’s finest cutthroat trout fisheries, and 160 miles of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Fifty-two years later, on May 12, 2016, the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission una… Letters to the Editor The South Fork of the Flathead begins deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness at the confluence of Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek. July 16–19: Cabin Creek Camp: Fish the North Fork of the Sun. the "Bob" (Great Bear too) were my old (old as in 20 years ago) stomping grounds – looks like nothing has changed much (that's a very gratifying feeling knowing that in another 20 years it will still be about the same), a Middle Fork bull trout would really give your Tenkara a work out :). This one is a prototype that we hope to bring to market in 2010. Price: 5-6 Day South Fork Fly Fishing Package (Wade only) $2,800 per person – 6 people $3,200 per person – 5 people $4,000 per person – … ... Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex Regulations Flathead River … Youngs Creek Sunset Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana. @andreww – These photos were taken with the Sigma DP2, and I did have a small tripod with me – a cheapie Sunpak XL1000 (I think I bought it at Target a few years ago), weighs only about 6 oz after modifying it, and it has a height of 18 inches or so, which is nice for getting above the grasses. Thank you for the inspiration. There is a tremendous amount of deadfall in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Trail in Flathead NF, Lolo NF, Scapegoat Wilderness, Bob Marshall Wilderness in Lewis and Clark Co, Powell Co, MT. My shelter and sleep system on this trip consisted of a bivy sack and quilt and … that’s it, I suppose. Danaher Creek Trail. Youngs Creek Westslope Cutthroat Trout Broodstock Project . ... Youngs Creek, and S. Fork Flathead River in Flathead NF, Bob Marshall ... PLACE. Back on a high ridge, we have been off-trail for three days at this point. Bob Marshall averaged 36 miles a day during an epic hike in the northwestern Montana wilderness in 1928. Click Here for Summer Pictures. 2:08. 1 … Whenever I expected good fishing, I cut my dinner rations to two ounces of spicy potato breadcrumbs for trout cakes. Would a bunch of hippies make it through the border? 3 Miles An Hour - A PBS Documentary Posted on 12/26/2017 Why should I pick Bob Marshall Wilderness Outfitters for my summer adventure pack trip? Young's Creek is one of two creeks which come together in the central part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex to form the South Fork of the Flathead River. After twenty miles of floating, we pitched camp on a high bank overlooking the South Fork Flathead below its confluence with the White River. This was to be my final trip with my last remaining pair of Montrail Vitesse shoes. It's floatable at some water levels by some types of small boats, like one person rafts and kayaks. Entering the Amphitheater – one of my absolute favorite places on the planet. You took some great pictures here, very professional, with great color and depth of field, still shots (tripod?). I'm thinking of becoming a bivy user. I don’t dream a lot, but long after this trip was over, I still find myself waking up in a cold sweat thinking about this day. Bob Marshall Wilderness and The South Fork Acclaimed as one of Montana’s most pristine and remote rivers, the Wild and Scenic South Fork of the Flathead River originates in the south end of the flows northward to Hungry Horse Reservoir. Does the bottom abrade easily? FWP proposes to collect approximately 300 juvenile westslope cutthroat from streams within the upper Youngs Creek drainage (Powell County, Range 13W, Township 18N) in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The Bob Marshall is the largest wilderness in Montana and provides hunters a remote and exciting arena to hunt elk. As directed by the Wilderness Act of 1964, "The Bob", as it is informally known, is to remain…, Rocky Mtn. ... Southfork Fishing Trip (Windfall Creek, Moose Creek, Back to Ranch) 5 Days; Chinese Wall … Looks like an amazing area. The weather varied wildly throughout the trip (Montana proverb: If you don’t like the weather, give it five minutes. That's the one with the more durable bottom. Front Conservation Management Area. Altitude varies from 5000' to 8500'. I am so looking forward to the trek of my dreams starting at Gibson reservoir at the southern end of the Bob and then walking the CDT (for the most part) to the beginning of the milk river (St Mary's Drainage) on the east side of Glacier Park. The Bob Marshall offers three large rivers in particular (the South Fork Flathead, the Middle Fork Flathead, and the Spotted Bear) that collectively provide more than one hundred wilderness miles of outstanding packraftable water. I and my belly are happy to report that my gamble paid off. While hiking, I stowed my Tenkara rod into the handle of my packraft paddle. © Copyright 2001-2020 BEARTOOTH MEDIA GROUP, INC. | U.S. Library of Congress Serial Registration ISSN 1537-0364 Home › Forums › Photo Essay: A Traverse of the Bob Marshall Wilderness by Foot and Packraft, Photo Essay: A Traverse of the Bob Marshall Wilderness by Foot and Packraft, "My name is Ryan, and I'm a Tenkara addict. Packrafters hike up Youngs Creek Pass on a trip through Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness. Join Freeor Sign In. I can't wait! At this point, Danny simply closed his eyes and just listened. Hiking in the Bob Marshall Wilderness - Duration: 19:53. Our early rifle hunts in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness are an unforgettable way to hunt elk during the bugling season. In the 1930s while working for the US Forest Service, Marshall was largely responsible for designation of large areas to be preserved … In addition to the trek in July featured in this photo essay, I enjoyed the rhythms of living on nearby Flathead Lake for a week while at the Melita Island Boy Scout camp with my son, and I’ll return for another week of wilderness raucousness while participating in Le Parcour de Wild in October. View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. A guidebook says that, "The Bob Marshall Wilderness is 2,400 square miles of rugged, unspoiled wildness that could change your life forever." We specialize in Wild and Scenic Pack Trips in the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Montana. Soft evening light and the sound of the gentle riffles – it was an amazing experience in what might otherwise be a river corridor with roads and trophy homes, if not for the Wilderness Act of 1964. By ERIN MADISON - Associated Press - Saturday, August 16, 2014 BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS, Mont. In particular, I plan on using a bivy on bald peaks above treeline. This area is recovering from the 2017 Rice Ridge fire that killed one firefighter. Everything tastes better when cooked over a camp fire. I have some automation built into my imports, and they are customized for each camera/lens combination. I wish to do that kind of trip one day with my daughters and keep a record of possible trips. Outside of Alaska, options for wilderness packrafting in remote areas of the United States are limited. Regarding the new Tenkara Rod, it's a new model (their lightest yet!) In addition to the South Fork, the Middle Fork, and the Spotted Bear, I’ve floated the White, Dearborn, North Fork Blackfoot, Young’s Creek, Danaher Creek, Gordon Creek, Big Salmon Creek, Shafer Creek, Strawberry Creek, the North and South Fork Sun (and the West Fork of the South Fork Sun), and portions of other creeks even smaller than these. Can you tell us anything about the new rod? Having a fully inflated packraft far from any floatable river was a bit surreal, though my dry head was glad for the very slight shelter I managed to eke out. The terrain wasn’t difficult, by any means – we were walking on soft tundra meadows the entire time – but the magical remoteness of this place was refreshing, and we immersed ourselves in it. The fire, was located near Count Peak in the Bob Marshall Wilderness in the Flathead National Forest. On our way out, we passed this fellow coming in with his trusty donkey. upper Youngs Creek drainage in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. It is named after Bob Marshall (1901–1939), an early forester in the federal government, conservationist, and co-founder of The Wilderness Society. Through the years, however, I’ve learned to cope with reentry better. Youngs is small, clean, fairly technical, and absolutely gorgeous. I use a modified ice-fishing rig or hand lines. "I find it tremendously liberating," Bosse said of packrafting. The number of wilderness floats in excess of twenty miles are few and far between, and generally limited to America’s three largest wilderness complexes: the Bridger-Teton (Wyoming), the Frank Church (Idaho), and the Bob Marshall (Montana). Another describes the 1.5 million acres as; "Land and rivers and mountains still pretty much the way that God had fashioned them." ShastaBubba Adventures 366 views. • … Here, Bridger’s horse, like us, anticipates some trail time. “I find it tremendously liberating,” Bosse said of packrafting. ... Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex Regulations Flathead River Condition Reports; What do you think doable with two young children? BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS ... Scott Bosse, left, and Chris Solomon carry their packrafts around a logjam on Youngs Creek in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area. Our camp at Mid Creek was dark, chilly, and wet when we arrived. Mid Creek crashes into the South Fork amongst some of the most beautifully colored cobbles I’ve ever seen. Help keep the Wilderness wild, make an impact, and enjoy a week in the Bob! After four days of bushwhacking, we are relieved to be back on trail, if only to avoid the prospect of limestone cuts and sidehilling in soft shoes. I hope this essay conveys my passion for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and leaves you with a positive taste for wilderness travel. Sleeping under this pine was my favorite, reminding me of trappers and cowboys that may have traveled through here 100 years ago. The view upstream from my sleep site. In this July 24, 2014 photo, packrafters hike up Youngs Creek Pass on a packrafting trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness, in Mont. BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS (AP) — As Scott Bosse launched his packraft in Youngs Creek, it felt as if gravity disappeared. ), so I chose my campsites carefully. The South Fork of the Flathead in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. We felt like we were on the edge of the northwest ecosystem, with devils … Matt’s first time in a packraft. I'm trying to decide wheter to get one that is all eVENT or one with an eVENT top and more durable cordura bottom. Young's Creek is one of two creeks which come together in the central part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex to form the South Fork of the Flathead River. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River drainage remains open and is accessible from Highway 2 and from east side trailheads. The Bob Marshall is the largest wilderness in Montana and provides hunters a remote and exciting arena to hunt elk. There is nothing like hearing the bugle of a bull elk echo across a mountain canyon at first light. Find out what gear our guides recommend if you want lightweight gear that is durable and versatile. It’s certainly the longest: combined with several miles of Danaher Creek or Young’s Creek (its two major headwaters), a float of the South Fork in late June through mid-July to Meadow Creek Gorge offers an incredible forty plus miles of water. (I think that's the one you're using…). For once, guidebook palaver understates reality. Volunteers will be spraying and pulling knapweed and houndstoung in three different spots along Youngs Creek. Great adventure and brilliant photos. Our burn camp from the night before was well down the valley to the right. The number of wilderness floats in excess of twenty miles are few and far between, and generally limited to America’s three largest wilderness complexes: the Bridger-Teton (Wyoming), the Frank Church (Idaho), and the Bob Marshall (Montana). It is named after Bob Marshall (1901–1939), an early forester in the federal government, conservationist, and co-founder of The Wilderness Society. The Bob is located in Northwestern Montana on both sides of the continental divide and is well over 1.5 million acres of vast wilderness.