2012 Montana Conditions, Stoke and Whatev Thread

[concretejungle]

Front Range of Colorado is actually a pretty decent place right now - moderated temps, wildflowers in the foothills starting to pop, lots of trails. Just don't plan to hike on the weekend. Or after work hours.

Or days that end in "y."

[lifelinksplit]

There's a raft there...

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[skaredshtles]

Or days that end in "y."

I mean... a weekday hike around here definitely gonna feel different than a weekday hike in MT. That's for sure.

Oh - and if you do come down, pick up some poop-bags, will ya?

[Bunion 2020]

There's a raft there...

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Probably a great day to be on the Smith river, about 20 miles in.

[byates1]

Damn re: 10". Woke up to 5" at bbowl.

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[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Ehh, I will always love my time living on the Front Range but don't really see myself traveling back there to hike anytime soon outside of high alpine in the IPW. Is that totally having trains run on it now too?

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[yeahman]

Ehh, I will always love my time living on the Front Range but don't really see myself traveling back there to hike anytime soon outside of high alpine in the IPW. Is that totally having trains run on it now too?

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City of Rocks in southern Idaho is a cool place if you've never been there. Maybe 6 hours away? Forecast looks reasonably warm next week. I've mostly climbed there but there's hiking there and at nearby Castle Rock.

[toast2266]

Been asked a million times: Is there anywhere less than 10 to 12 hours away to get some nice warm weather and hiking in? Can't ride bikes. Haven't really been on vacation in quite some time. Busy as fuck. GF has a 5 day window before she starts a new job. My go to is always S. UT. this time of year. Somewhere else???

Central Washington (Wenatchee, Leavenworth, etc.) is fairly warm for the foreseeable future. 70's and 80's.

Not sure it's better than Utah for hiking around, but it's at least different. And less crowded than the front range.

[singlesline]

City of Rocks in southern Idaho is a cool place if you've never been there. Maybe 6 hours away? Forecast looks reasonably warm next week. I've mostly climbed there but there's hiking there and at nearby Castle Rock.

City of Rocks is pretty sick. Even if not climbing for real, there are tons of fun rocks to scramble up without gear or much risk. There are some hot springs nearby and the neighboring Castle Rocks state park offers more hiking.

Probably still gonna be getting pretty chilly at night though.

Some pretty nice sites in the park, but if full there's lots of BLM land nearby...or we were able to poach a site from someone who had clearly already left but their placard still showed time left on the reservation (but it was wildfire season so the air was probably sending a lot of people home early).

[swimmy]

Awesome morning

[byates1]

That sheep look hungover and been smoking too many cigs. Montana hard life

[gaijin]

Beautiful pics, Swimmy.

[singlesline]

We accidentally washed and dried a bear spray last summer. Fucked up some clothes. I figured it out while 20 minutes into 90 minute hot yoga and the towel I was laying on turned to lava lol. That was, uh, interesting.

Then Superior and I were on a long MTB ride a week later and 6 or 7 miles in my chamois turned to lava. Good times.


Been asked a million times: Is there anywhere less than 10 to 12 hours away to get some nice warm weather and hiking in? Can't ride bikes. Haven't really been on vacation in quite some time. Busy as fuck. GF has a 5 day window before she starts a new job. My go to is always S. UT. this time of year. Somewhere else???

Hood River area?

Might be cooler in the woods, but the southern aspects are positively toasty today:



edit: ugh, seeing this on a big screen reminds me how much I hate the iphone's image sharpening.
Was still fun ride though! Usually when driving to see the mother-in-law in portland I get a Post Canyon shuttle drop on the way, but yesterday opted for pedaling Syncline instead as it wasn't blown out yet. Fun stuff on that side of the river, bit of wildflowers still blooming, "Little Moab" does in fact kinda feel like riding Porcupine Rim.

[swimmy]

That sheep look hungover and been smoking too many cigs. Montana hard life

I counted 8 rams. That one was definitely the elder.

Sheep are the derpiest of all the mammals we have here

Beautiful pics, Swimmy.

Thanks!

Speaking of pics, shoutout to to BobbyBill. He introduced me to the photo editor of Outside Bozeman and I found out this week that one of my images has been selected to be featured in the Summer edition that will be out soon.

I do this for fun but really stoked to get this kind of recognition.

[Djongo Unchained]

City of Rocks in southern Idaho is a cool place if you've never been there. Maybe 6 hours away? Forecast looks reasonably warm next week. I've mostly climbed there but there's hiking there and at nearby Castle Rock.

As I recall it's about 5 hrs from JH so maybe more like 7+ from there. I bet it's still really quiet out there and cool nights are a plus. It can get fucking brutally hot there come summah.

It'd be cool to drive over to Craters of the Moon, camp a night, then go backroads south through the lava fields towards Burley, then south to City of Rocks. Tons of sweet hiking, easy up and over routes through the lower fields. Sweet traverse over by the Twin Sisters campsites...All walkable or a shitton of easy dirt road, one armed biking too.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I think we'd all look a little haggard if we spent 24/7 outside chewing on rocks.

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[swimmy]

Buddy of mine just shared this with me.

[BobbyBill]

Stoked for you, Swimmy!

[yeahman]

Speaking of pics, shoutout to to BobbyBill. He introduced me to the photo editor of Outside Bozeman and I found out this week that one of my images has been selected to be featured in the Summer edition that will be out soon.

I do this for fun but really stoked to get this kind of recognition.

Right on. Long live print journalism. I don't even live in Bozo but never miss an issue of OB.

[byates1]

Buddy of mine just shared this with me.

Fatter than anytime during the season looks like. Damn

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[Trackhead]

Snotel site in the Big Belts, nice hail mary from mother nature.....


Wife has been watching a nest of three owlets all spring who are now exploring their big new world.

[swimmy]

Those olws are cool.

[yeahman]

Completed the Helena Ridge Challenge yesterday evening and today with my wife and friends. Started at Eddye McClure East Trailhead and ended our hike at the Blackfoot Brewery for our free beer (plus a couple more lol). Just under 20 miles according to GPS. Not hard but not nothin'. Glad to get it done, had a great time. Kind of made me look at the south hills trails from a different perspective.

[evasive_MT]

I’ve been talking about a four-ridge ride for years, and then Eddye was added to the system. Still never got around to it. Big props to Tim @ BFRB for making it a thing and getting us out to finally do it. We knocked off one route, but I have a couple more in mind.

[Norseman]

couple phonepix from flowerville