2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[skiJ]

my suggestion would be

don't trail ride solo in grizzly country
If you are not willing to be killed or mauled...

... there are other places to ride.


Respectfully. skiJ

[rideit]

I saw a 600 pound or so sow at the bottom of Little Wapiti. I had just climbed up it the day before...

[lifelinksplit]

Yeah I just try and avoid solo riding in certain areas like south of big sky, mile/sheep, etc. I used to ride fish camp, north fork and others quite a bit but especially after the recent mauling on ousel I've really dialed it back(hell I even get nervous riding mtn to meadow early season). When I did ride solo I would just yell a lot and very loudly and of course spray. Always entertaining running into people yelling like an idiot.

And yeah I'm in the bears are cool camp but we are quickly approaching a need for a management strategy.

[Hodgge]

I have one of these things - you either lock it and it's silent, or unlock it and it just jingles the whole time. I know there's some conflicting opinions on bear bells and what not, but it at least gives me some peace of mind and I don't feel the need to yell constantly.

https://www.rei.com/product/116730/t...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[toastybroski]

Has anyone been a volunteer ski patroller? Thinking of possibly applying at great divide.

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

I've heard rumors of a griz/cinnamon up around Leverich. Anyone seen/heard anything?

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I've never thought a bell would be nearly loud enough. I have always heard that bears don't have all that great of hearing to begin with. Smell is their #1 sense, no?

I yell way louder than any bell when riding solo anywhere near grizz country.

[Bunion 2020]

Has anyone been a volunteer ski patroller? Thinking of possibly applying at great divide.

I never work for free. That said being a vollie at a place like Big Sky looked to me like it sucked but they all claim they were having fun so to each their own.

For a place like GD, hell yeah. Great way to meet a lot of new folks in your new community.

[new yabyum]

PSA: I got a letter today from UDAP, the Butte bear spray company informing me they had a few complaints about canisters not performing as expected and to test fire for 1/2 second outside, away from people, pets and the like. If you are packing UDAP you may want to test fire your cannister. If there are issues contact UDAP.

This PSA better fits the black bear posts than Harry's bucolic MN lake scene. Sorry to be buzz kill.

This is a bit disconcerting, heading out to canyon to test.

[Hodgge]

I've heard rumors of a griz/cinnamon up around Leverich. Anyone seen/heard anything?

Yes, seen it on the road above Leverich, and know a few others that have seen it too on the other side above Kirk Hill. It's a grizzly, male apparently.

[Hodgge]

I'd agree on the bears having bad hearing thing. I yell a lot, but the bell has a bit of a peace of mind factor to it, and it's actually quite loud when you're hitting a lot of bumps

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

That's good to know. I'm riding Sourdough to Hyalite solo most days at sunrise. Might stick to that vs. come down Leverich. Although I just realized you were posting about this on the previous page and you saw it up there too. Huh.

[Talisman]

I have one of these things - you either lock it and it's silent, or unlock it and it just jingles the whole time. I know there's some conflicting opinions on bear bells and what not, but it at least gives me some peace of mind and I don't feel the need to yell constantly.

I use a small cowbell and duct tape the clapper to silence the noise. Before bear spray, "bear bells" were about it for dealing with bearanoia in the '70's. The old joke was the difference between black bear scat and grizzly scat was the grizzlies had bells in the mound.

[Hodgge]

That's good to know. I'm riding Sourdough to Hyalite solo most days at sunrise. Might stick to that vs. come down Leverich. Although I just realized you were posting about this on the previous page and you saw it up there too. Huh.

Saw it back in June I believe. No Kodiak brown but definitively a big bear compared to most bears you see around here.

[BobbyBill]

Saw this guy several years ago up Leverich. Was always confused as the the white markings on the chest.

[total_immortal]

Saw this guy several years ago up Leverich. Was always confused as the the white markings on the chest.

I used to live up by Leverich and I'm pretty sure my dog tree'd that bear a few times. Only black bear I've seen with white on the chest around here, but I'm sure there are others.

[Bunion 2020]

Healthy looking bear.

[S_jenks]

New article in the Missoulian (or the “Lee Enterprises newsroom”) talking about the increase in July visitation for YNP:

https://missoulian.com/lifestyles/re...2aacb1c97.html

So we all knew that visitation was up from the pandemic, pushing people into making trips to the national parks. But it’s interesting to see some numbers to back it up.

Hope the summer tourist season is staying tolerable for you all in that part of the woods

[mattman1543@gmail.com]

As an employee for a concessionaire in the park, let's just say Angry August came early this year...

Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk

[Hodgge]

I drove through the park to Cooke a few weeks ago and I was surprised at how quiet it seemed.

[yeahman]

Anybody else get the letter from T&T? Ended up in my spam folder. Not much of much note except they do plan to offer another chance to buy a pass. And they posted this video.

[Bunion 2020]

Not a bad letter.

[total_immortal]

Latest update on the Bridger rumor mill. Heard from a long time patroller that some sort of reservation system is on the table for this season.

[idahospud]

Interesting. Seems like that'd make Bridger the exclusive place to be this winter.

Touring all winter sounds more and more appealing.

[Talisman]

Anybody else get the letter from T&T?

Yes, I am on Tay-Tay's list and got the letter. Only 98 days until opening.