10mm glock for bear protection?

[MontanaRifleman]

That sounds about right. I usta go 3 miles in an hour, pretty easy.

I can't see the 60 lb. pack though, unless I'm packin meat.

Backpack camping is something I never got to do enough, of.

What Lujon may be referring to, is that "off the beaten path", up here can be difficult, or even impassible due to the terrain. It can reely slow you down, to say the least. Of course, I dunno how that compares with Montana.

Smitty of the North

You're right Smitty, bushwhacking slows ya down big time. What I meant by "off the beaten trail" was off the driven road. There is a very good trail down Slough Creek, in fact it's a 2 track dirt wagon road used to service the Silver Tip Ranch which is just outside the Park boundary and only accessible via the Slough Creek Trailhead. Easy walking. Now when I go up in the Beartooths, I plan longer stays and part of the travel is by trail and part off trail. The 60 pound pack is for all my needs for usually a 4-5 day stay including fishing gear. Going to Froze-to-Death Lake is an 11 mile trek that starts at about 6600' and goes up to 11,200 the first 9 miles then down another 1000' the last 2 miles. That takes me about 8 hours with pack and about 4 miles of it is off trail, but fairly easy off trail above timberline.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

The ground is a lot flatter down there. Think about walking around the state fair all day and that is probably what it is like down there.

Yup Matt, Montana is flatland country. You're very welcome to check out my facebook page and see some flatland pictures

 

[Smitty of the North]

You're right Smitty, bushwhacking slows ya down big time. What I meant by "off the beaten trail" was off the driven road. There is a very good trail down Slough Creek, in fact it's a 2 track dirt wagon road used to service the Silver Tip Ranch which is just outside the Park boundary and only accessible via the Slough Creek Trailhead. Easy walking. Now when I go up in the Beartooths, I plan longer stays and part of the travel is by trail and part off trail. The 60 pound pack is for all my needs for usually a 4-5 day stay including fishing gear. Going to Froze-to-Death Lake is an 11 mile trek that starts at about 6600' and goes up to 11,200 the first 9 miles then down another 1000' the last 2 miles. That takes me about 8 hours with pack and about 4 miles of it is off trail, but fairly easy off trail above timberline.

Knowing what you can do, is a safety factor.

I used to run Marathons, and I did it for quite a few years. I could do 12 miles in an hour and a half, on wooded trails, which were the most interesting places to train.

LOTs of times I would get up early on a Sunday Morning, and run what I estimated to be 12 miles, on a gravel road, up a mountain, and back. It was slow goin, like hard to keep actually running, on the steepest part, goin up. But comin down, was almost like resting. When I got home, I'd take a shower and get ready to take the family to church.

Oh how, I'd love to do that, to be able to do that, again. There are some legitimate reasons why I can't, no more, and some not.

As an aside, towards the last, bears became so much more plentiful, I started carrying Bear Spray. At the beginning it wasn't even available, or in common use.

The problem with packing a gun, or ANYTHING HEAVY when running, is that it bounces. Even a cell phone, of the day, was an issue. That's why I hadda make do, with the Bear Spray.

I never had the need to use it, but it gave me some sense of security, at least, until I discovered it didn't work.

I usually carried some stuff in a fanny pack too, if I was goin into the woods and swamps.

Running of course, is vastly different from backpacking. If you're running, that's basically all your doin. There is the sense of achievement, and conditioning, but Backpacking is more leisurely, and it allows so many other activities.

Smitty of the North

 

[Snyd]

The ground is a lot flatter down there. Think about walking around the state fair all day and that is probably what it is like down there.

While your walking around Palmer, look at those mountains. That's what western MT (1/3) of the state looks like.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Knowing what you can do, is a safety factor.

I used to run Marathons, and I did it for quite a few years. I could do 12 miles in an hour and a half, on wooded trails, which were the most interesting places to train.

LOTs of times I would get up early on a Sunday Morning, and run what I estimated to be 12 miles, on a gravel road, up a mountain, and back. It was slow goin, like hard to keep actually running, on the steepest part, goin up. But comin down, was almost like resting. When I got home, I'd take a shower and get ready to take the family to church.

Oh how, I'd love to do that, to be able to do that, again. There are some legitimate reasons why I can't, no more, and some not.

As an aside, towards the last, bears became so much more plentiful, I started carrying Bear Spray. At the beginning it wasn't even available, or in common use.

The problem with packing a gun, or ANYTHING HEAVY when running, is that it bounces. Even a cell phone, of the day, was an issue. That's why I hadda make do, with the Bear Spray.

I never had the need to use it, but it gave me some sense of security, at least, until I discovered it didn't work.

I usually carried some stuff in a fanny pack too, if I was goin into the woods and swamps.

Running of course, is vastly different from backpacking. If you're running, that's basically all your doin. There is the sense of achievement, and conditioning, but Backpacking is more leisurely, and it allows so many other activities.

Smitty of the North

Sounds like you've had your share of memorable moments with bears. I tried yelling at a black bear in my driveway once but I was only 1 step outside the door. And I can tell ya, he was not in the slightest impressed. That's the same one I fired the shot over his head a little later on. I usually take the silent, careful, don't rile'em up approach when there's no where to go

Yeah, there is a vast difference between running and backpacking, but I'm not sure I would call being being your own pack mule leisurely. After camp is set up then you can be leisurely. And there's good news for you... you can go back to running cause UDAP works.

Hey, do ya think they mind that we hijacked a 5 year old thread??? There must be a 10mm somewhere here in my pack?

 

[HUNTERKJL]

While your walking around Palmer, look at those mountains. That's what western MT (1/3) of the state looks like.

I have put some serious strain on a Dodge 3500 Cummins pulling a 40 footer through MT a few times, lots of mountains. Very pretty country down there. Would love to hunt and fish it some day. Would even make it a better experience for me if I had a nice 1911 10mm in a good leather holster!

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I have put some serious strain on a Dodge 3500 Cummins pulling a 40 footer through MT a few times, lots of mountains. Very pretty country down there. Would love to hunt and fish it some day. Would even make it a better experience for me if I had a nice 1911 10mm in a good leather holster!

Ya Know, my two favorite states are Montana and Alaska. I've spent some time up there with the Air Force, maybe about 4 months on a few different occasions and saw winter, summer and fall. Never got a chance to venture far from Eileson/Fairbanks and Elmendorf/Anchorage much, but I saw quite a bit of the Great Land from the air, including some 360's around Denali. I wish I could have dual citizenship, but Montana is where I choose to plant myself, probably because I'm a wussy and you can bugle at elk, and I HATE those loooong winter nights. Don't care for the skeeters either. But man, how I would love to do the fishing and hunting, especially Char on the North Slope and Coastal Brownies and Dalls.

 

[Snyd]

Ya Know, my two favorite states are Montana and Alaska. I've spent some time up there with the Air Force, maybe about 4 months on a few different occasions and saw winter, summer and fall. Never got a chance to venture far from Eileson/Fairbanks and Elmendorf/Anchorage much, but I saw quite a bit of the Great Land from the air, including some 360's around Denali. I wish I could have dual citizenship, but Montana is where I choose to plant myself, probably because I'm a wussy and you can bugle at elk, and I HATE those loooong winter nights. Don't care for the skeeters either. But man, how I would love to do the fishing and hunting, especially Char on the North Slope and Coastal Brownies and Dalls.

I here ya. I'm an ol Montana Boy myself. Born in Whitefish and grew up in Missoula/Whitefish. Moved here to Fairbanks in 1991 at the ripe young age of 31. I still have family in MT. It sure has changed in 20 years. More people and wolves! My buddy in Missoula said the wolves have had a big impact where he hunts deer and elk, well...used to.

I love Alaska but miss things about Montana as well. I think if we were to leave, I'd probably miss sheep hunting the most, hands down out of hunting and fishing that is. There are other things I like about Alaska though.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

I here ya. I'm an ol Montana Boy myself. Born in Whitefish and grew up in Missoula/Whitefish. Moved here to Fairbanks in 1991 at the ripe young age of 31. I still have family in MT. It sure has changed in 20 years. More people and wolves! My buddy in Missoula said the wolves have had a big impact where he hunts deer and elk, well...used to.

I love Alaska but miss things about Montana as well. I think if we were to leave, I'd probably miss sheep hunting the most, hands down out of hunting and fishing that is. There are other things I like about Alaska though.

Whitefish is beautiful country, but then so is most of Montana, even the plains. Yup, the wolves are changing things here alright and there's a lot people quite upset about it. There's a herd of about 200 elk down from the Gallatins wintering in a grain field about a mile form where I live. this is the first time in the 10 years I've lived here that I have seen them in this location because they are in the middle of several housing developments. I've been wondering if the wolves have pushed them there?

 

[Snyd]

...There's a herd of about 200 elk down from the Gallatins wintering in a grain field about a mile form where I live. this is the first time in the 10 years I've lived here that I have seen them in this location because they are in the middle of several housing developments. I've been wondering if the wolves have pushed them there?

Funny you should mention that. My buddy has changed his hunting tactics. Instead of heading up in the 9 Mile country like he used to. He hunts real close to town closer to rural housing developments. He's getting elk that way. He is seeing elk where he never used too, he thinks their pushed down because of wolves.

 

[MontanaRifleman]

Funny you should mention that. My buddy has changed his hunting tactics. Instead of heading up in the 9 Mile country like he used to. He hunts real close to town closer to rural housing developments. He's getting elk that way. He is seeing elk where he never used too, he thinks their pushed down because of wolves.

Interesting... I'll tell ya what... we are close to a revolt here. A whole way of life and culture is being attacked.

 

[saint_nick3]

Interesting... I'll tell ya what... we are close to a revolt here. A whole way of life and culture is being attacked.

That is about an understatement. I just came from Montana last year. Elk movements are nothing like they were when I was a kid....and I'm only 25