montanapalooza 2002

“That other thread is getting a little unwieldy (keep the finger off the ...., Chief) so I thought I would start fresh. Could some HTML head reset the link to the GORP site describing the trail we are looking at? Here is Aero's email about the trip (I hope the tabs aren't messed up, it could be worse than Chief's ...):

This is an E-mail from Aero on 11-26-01

Hey Everybody,

I've finally gotten most of the email addresses listed from those who have expressed interest in the Montana trip (Montanapalooza 2002?)and it looks like about 30! That wouldn't be a backpacking trip, it would be an invasion!
It does seem kind of early to start thinking about this since the snow usually doesn't clear off the Beartooths until late June, but, if you have to make travel plans it's probably about right. It looks like most everyone has the week of July 15 in mind.

This was a proposed itinerary I recently threw out on TT. If anyone has some suggestions or other ideas, please let me know. This one is a good trip since it's on a fairly well-defined trail and you can string people along at different paces; you just all end up at camp at the end of the day. It takes in a good cross section of the Beartooth Uplift within the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and has lots of lakes, waterfalls, etc. The camping areas are generally at lakes along the trail and easy to spot. A 4-5 day trip would be fairly leisurely; it's about 27 miles, so at 5-8 miles per day it's easily do-able. I hate to plan things out too much since you'd
most likely want to explore a bit, but the trail is pretty straight-forward from points A to B with lot's of places for side-trips. You could add a day up there if the weather is really great or delete a day if it turns to crap.

Day 1 (Sunday?)-
Meet in Red Lodge, MT. Shuttle vehicles to East Rosebud, and head 60 miles over to Cooke City via the Beartooth Scenic Highway with two 11,000 feet summits. View alpine glacial geology and wild flowers. Look for mountain goats, marmots, picas and moose. This drive over the top is really worth it. There are several switch-backs on the way up and the scenery is awesome.There are places where you can look straight down nearly 3,000 feet!

Cooke City- Historic mining town and gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Good restaurants, bars and a few tourista shops. Must stops: Cooke City Bike and Espresso Shack and the Range Rider Bar in Silver Gate. Barbeque and spend the night at the Aero Cabin, 7,600 feet above sea level. Cabin sleeps 8 or so, but has unlimited camping and deck space.

Day 2- Meet at the Chief Joseph Trailhead. (5 miles from cabin) Head up the trail about 6-7 miles to Ouzel or Bald Knob Lakes near timberline. Good goat-viewing area and a couple good fly fishing lakes. The best places to camp are usually at or above the timber line where you get into the bare rock or tundra; better vistas, fewer bugs, no bears!

Day 3- Ouzel Lake to Fossil Lake (drainage divide on top of the Beartooths) or Dewey Lake. Fossil is open, 10,000 feet, tundra. Dewey is back down in the trees. Pass several scenic waterfalls on the way down. Fish, sleep, pop blisters, etc. About another 6-7 mile day.

Day 4- Press on to Rainbow Lake or Lake at Falls. Rainbow Lake can become a little crowded, but not bad. Lake at Falls is scenic, but has fewer camp sites. Whatever! Another 6-7 mile day.

Day 5- Cruise out, downhill, about 8 miles to the East Rosebud Lake Campground at Alpine. Regroup in Red Lodge ( home of the Crazy Creek Chair). Lot's of places to stay, from the Super 8 to the historic Pollard Hotel (my fav) downtown. Must see attractions: Snow Creek Saloon, the Snag Bar, Bogarts Pizza, Bull Moose Bistro, Sylvan Peak (gear shop).


Billings, Bozeman and to some extent, Cody, WY have fairly good airline connections. Billings has Delta, United, Northwest, Horizon (Alaska Air) so it's fairly easy to fly in to. We're not a hub so you have to go through Denver, Salt Lake or Minneapolis. If you drive, just get on I-90 somewhere and turn off at Columbus, MT (coming from the west) or Billings/Laurel (coming from the east) to get to Hwy. 212 to Red Lodge. Between Newgirl, Chief and myself, we could probably get almost everyone who flies in transported up to Red Lodge.

I hope this helps with your plans. If you have any questions, e.g., where to stay, gear, weather, other stuff-to-do, etc., please let me know. I'll stay in touch!

pepperDog back - I am totally jazzed about this trip. I figure if 50 people think about it now we could have 20 actually make it. There was discussion of two groups starting at opposite ends and swapping keys - we could do it if it gets too crowded.

So - let's keep dreaming outloud.”

“thanks pepperDog. It's still on as far as i'm concerned! I'll have to get another email out soon!”

“aero - please make sure I am on your list:

fritz_barnes@yahoo.com

Thanks, and hope you're on your feet again soon!”

“Excellllllllent Fritz! That says it all! gallons of lakes off the trail as well! Don't forget the barbequed Rocky Mountain Oysters! They might make an appearance!”

“I've got you on the list fritz. i'll send out an update soon!”

“OK, OK, I won't ever do that again!!!

Aero, did you read my post on the other thread about availability to help shuttle? If not, do. It was posted yesterday so you won't have to go back to the fooked up post.”

“Aero - Please keep me in mind for this trip. I haven't hiked a trip like this before, but there is always a first time! I think that a group of Michigan Hikers are thinking about coming as well. If I can swing this trip, I will be driving, so I can help with transportation for the Michigan crew, along with anyone else whose on the way. Email is on profile. Thanks!”

“why Aero, it's you! i thought there might have been a Destroylet incident or something...horrors!”

“Aero, I'm sooooo glad to see you. We were beginning to think you had disappeared into the deep wilderness. Also, I didn't want to disappoint everyone if I couldn't come up w/ something!!! HeHeHe! I'm excited and really hoping I'm up for the challenge.”

“I am very much looking forward to this trip.30 people now that is a bunch.............:)

Crazy Mike”

“Could get pretty wild, Iluv!”

“Wild?

I'm up for that...

Do I bring the whips, or the chains?”

“Let me tell you wild is part of my life so bring it......:)


Crazy Mike”

“I thought about this trip the whole weekend......Man July needs to get here fast.....:)

Crazy Mike....:|”

“Will we get to see Homer Simpson having cannonballs shot at his stomach at the Montanapoloosa?”

“Yes I think we will!!!!!!!


Crazy Mike

If not I will do it...:)”

“iluvbackpacking.........
me too”

“Solitary, I'm unsure about plans to watch Homer have cannonballs shot at his stomach, but I'm very sure it will be a good time. Hey Chief or Aero, when is the Festival of Nations? That could be the ticket Solitary.”

“August 2 thru 11 is the Festival of Nations. Here's the calendar:

http://www.redlodge.com/calendar/default.asp

There's a Harley deal (Iron Horse Rodeo) the weekend of July 19-21. It will be tough to get reservations at any motel or campground, unless you get them now.”

“I can't promise cannonballs, but cowballs are a distinct possibilty. I have to get my order in with a rancher friend of mine for a fresh batch of Rocky Mountain Oysters for the Cooke City pre-Montanapalooza Barbeque. BTW Homer and I graduated from high school the same year--really!”

“I used to think I would try anything once but I don't know about Rocky Mountain Oysters!! It would depend on how much beer was involved.”

“A college buddy of mine had a restaurant in Denver that sold Rocky Mountain Oysters. We visited around 1974 and saw them on the menu. After a few drinks too many we ordered some and ate them. My wife made the greatest comment, "If someone ever told me I would eat Rocky Mountain Oysters, I would have told them they were nuts". We still laugh about that one.

BTW. They were sliced, battered, and fried...tasted very good actually. Very tender too (duh!).”

“Aero brings the bull nuts, and I will bring the keg(s).

I have friends who save all the nuts for cooking. Elk, deer, antelope, etc. They save them all up until they have enough for a big fry. They really get 'off' on it.”

“If I never here another story about eating bull balls again, it will be too soon. Solitary, I forgot about Aero and Homer Simposon's unique connection (h.s. grads the same yr.), maybe he'll be able to work something out w/ Homer to make an appearance. HeHeHe!”

“What are the exact dates? I think we were planning to arrive Jul 14th? We can be flexible, just have to let them know as work (soon)

Anyone have info on a backpack in the Wind Rivers Area? Looking for 10 days, 100 miles would be nice? Shuttle trip or loop ok. We'll deal with getting a ride back if we have to. Open to other areas too if anyone has info.”

“Snownymph, I haven't done 100 miles in the Winds, but I have been to a couple pretty nice spots. I think gojo has been there also. There is a book called Hiking the Wind Rivers that has some good hikes in it.

You need to get the maps of the area and just decide from there. There is a company that makes a real nice waterproof map of the Winds, actually there are Northern and Southern area maps that cover everything. I did a trip report on a hike we did a few years ago that is on this site under Places (I think). In the mean time I will try to find where you can get those maps.”

“Snow, I'm back. Go to Articles, then Trip Reports, then more. My report is a Diary of a Hike.

After reading that go to Trails, Wyoming, Cirque of the Towers. Page down to the bottom. The book I told you about is shown at the bottom of the page.

If you start at where I did and take the same trip, when you get down to the Southfork Lakes (I think) you could spend weeks exploring and never see the same thing twice. You could easily do 100 miles in 10 days and not be dissapointed.

Once you get over Bears Ears Pass, and look down into that area I am talking about, you could get the map out and decide where you wanted to go from there.

The view from Bears Ears is spectacular to say the least.”

“Here's a link to a great Winds site:

A Week in Wyoming's Wind River Range”

“We ordered two books on the Wind River Range, so we should be getting them any day now. I read on the GORP site that there's a 6 night limit????

btw, thanks for the info guys. This area is new for us, so any info is appreciated.”

“I believe it is probably meant as six days in any 'single' spot.

There are other places on forest service that allow up to 14 days in a single spot. I also believe this is more aimed at horse packers.

I would suggest calling the forest service in Lander, WY.

This site might have the number

http://www.fs.fed.us”

“Are most of you looking at the 15th of July? That would work for me, but the 22nd would be better for several reasons; one being we'd have a better chance of trails being clear of snow. I'm also involved with the Big Sky State Games the 19th-21st, but I can work it out if need be. I don't know how far people are along in their planning and I don't want to mess this up!!

Let me know what you think out there! I think we're still looking at a 4-5 day trip. Also, If people want to extend their stay, there are plenty of other different loops to do after completing the Cooke City-Alpine trail.”

“This sounds like the best way to meet as many TT'ers as possible..”

“Ohhhhhhhhh ya it's going to be a BLAST!!!!!!!!”

“My holidays are booked for the week of the 15th, already. I'm as good as on my way”

“it is a good thing that i use eraseable marker on the lab leave calendar at work ...heh
luckily tho, i had another week and a half blocked off to wander into wyoming or more of montana.....
so....i have no preference on this.....whatever the group concensus ....just hope it gets settled soon, it may change initial destination and travel plan.....
hey, what are the big sky state games? can anyone play :)”

“Are we nearing a concensus on the 15th? I recall awhile back a few had looked into plane reservations around the 14-15, but I hadn't heard if they'd commited.

OM, the Big Sky State games are like the state olympics. Quite a few states have them and it's sanctioned by the US olympic committee. They have running, biking, swimming, and the rest. I've know a few out-of-staters sneaking in :>)”

“I'm driveing......”

“I would be down for anytime the group chooses. I'm off for most of the summer.”

“Chief, thanks for the info, thought we'd have to cut the trip short.

We're planning to be there the week of the 15th, then we'll probably do the Wind River Trip after. Still waiting on our books.”

“Chief, thanks for the info, thought we'd have to cut the trip short.

We're planning to be there the week of the 15th, then we'll probably do the Wind River Trip after. Still waiting on our books.”

“Just got our books! "Hiking Wyoming's Wind River Range" (R. Adkison) and "Climbing and Hiking Wind River Mountains" (J. Kelsey).

The photos look a lot like the Sierras!”

“Snow, the photos don't do the Winds, or any other mountains, justice.

The hike I did, was for the most part, above treeline. Start out at over 9000' and stayed 'high' the whole time.

On a dayhike to the South Fork Lakes, we ran in to a mom, dad, two kids, and they had three Llama's with them. I guess you can rent them over in Pinedale.

I would recommend going in from the East side (can't remember trailhead right now), out of Fort Washakie, as there are fewer people. The Big Sandy Trailhead is usually PACKED.

Go over Bears Ears Pass and you drop back down into a big basin. From here you could hike for days. Then come back out over Lizard Heads Plateau, into the Cirque of the Towers and back around to the trailhead.

You won't be sorry.”

“Looks like I may not be taking the three weeks I had planned in June, I'll have to keep an eye on this thread. How big is the group right now?”

“Don't worry, there's plenty of room out there.

We left the trailhead, and there were probably 30 vehicles there. We barely saw anyone until we were very near the East Rosebud Trailhead.”

“I love Montana, never had a chance to backpack there. "The Last Best Place", although "The Last Frontier" might argue with that. ;-)”

“That trailhead is called Dickinson Park. There is also a campground about 1 mile from the trailhead too. That makes it nice cuz you can get there and stay the night at the campground, get your pack ready that night, and head out early the next day.

If you decide to do that, let me know and I can give you some details as to where there are some good camp spots.”

“i luv it...you guys keep talkin'.......

aero...are those games like a triathalon? u can email me reply..”

“there's going to be SNOW, in July?? wowsa! i hope i can go!! :-)”