The 2012 High Country Adventure Trips are now available for sign up. We have included some video clips from last year's trips too. Looking forward to seeing you!
The Grand Southern Traverse
Holland Lake to Crown Mountain
Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana
July 2-13, 2012 (12 days, 11 nights)
Video of last year's 2010 trip above, 2012 trip description below. Each year, our routes are different.
Gateway City: Great Falls, MT (for those flying) or Choteau, MT (for those driving). Note: Guests will stay in Choteau the evening of July 1 and in Great Falls the evening of July 13. High Country Adventures will make motel arrangements.
Price: $1545 if you bring your gear. Rental packages (sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack, cover, two-person tent) are available for $75. The price includes all food during the backpack, a food drop to reduce pack weight, community gear, trip planning, permit fees, route map, trip and equipment information, guiding, travel to and from the trailhead, airport shuttle service to Choteau and back to Great Falls, and DVD of our trip. A nonrefundable deposit of $400 is needed to hold your reservation.
Trip Description: From the soaring ramparts of the Swan Range to the deep, crystal clear pools of the Flathead River’s South Fork to the stark limestone reefs of the Rocky Mountain Front, this 65-mile point-to-point backpack expedition traverses much of what makes the sprawling 2.5-million acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex the Flagship of America’s Wilderness Fleet. Several of our pack days will be long and challenging but the average pack distance is a reasonable 8-9 miles with enough non-pack days for non-technical climbs of some of the most spectacular isolated peaks in the Bob: Una Mtn (8580’), Gordon Mtn (8369’), Jumbo Mtn (8284’), Sugarloaf Mtn (8698’), and Crown Mtn (8401’). Along the way we’ll traverse a wonderland of jagged summits, verdant old growth forests, clear trout streams, and wildflowers at their early summer peak. Snow-bound passes and high water during early July will put us well ahead of most horse parties just as streams are clearing up for fly fishing. The centerpiece of this incredible through hike is the upper South Fork Flathead River with two base camps to enjoy this wild trout stream and surrounding high country. Early July is also prime time to view wilderness denizens, such as mountain goats, sheep, and elk migrating to high lush meadows. We’ll cross the continental divide at Observation Pass near Sugarloaf Mtn where we were treated to a rare wolverine sighting several years ago. Our journey to the Front Range continues across the southern slopes of massive Crown Mtn and on down the rugged canyon of Whitewater Creek to our exit trailhead.
Maps: The 1:24,000-scale topographic maps covering our route are “Holland Lake-MT,” “Shaw Creek-MT,” “Una Mtn-MT,” “Pilot Peak-MT,” “Trap Mtn-MT,” “Benchmark-MT” “Wood Lake-MT,” and “Double Falls-MT”.
Difficulty: Strenuous. Minimum Age: 14. Backpacking experience necessary.
Guides: Bill & Polly Cunningham (406-466-5699, email: billpoll@3rivers.net).
“. There is exultation . . .in subsisting . . . miles from the closest human being, which adds tone, vitality, and color to the entire functioning of life.” --Bob Marshall
BIRCH CREEK-TETON RIVER POINT-TO-POINT
Walking with Stock
BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS—MONTANA
July 16-22, 2012 (7 days, 6 nights)
This trip is fully booked for 2012!
Gateway City: Great Falls, MT (for those flying) or Choteau, MT (for those driving). Note: Guests will stay in Choteau the evening of July 15 and in Great Falls the evening of July 22. High Country Adventures will make motel arrangements.
Price: Rental packages (sleeping bag, sleeping pad, two-person tent) are available. The price includes all food during the trip, community gear, packstock to carry our food and gear, travel to and from the trailheads, Great Falls airport shuttle to and from Choteau, trip planning, route map, trip and gear information, guiding, and a video and photo DVD of our trip. A non-refundable deposit of $400 is due with your reservation.
Trip Description: Throughout this varied exploration of the remote northeast corner of the vast Bob Marshall Wilderness we’ll be surrounded by stark limestone massifs, riddled with countless caves and alcoves, soaring thousands of feet above hidden hanging valleys. With our trusty horses and mules carrying most of the weight we’ll explore a wonderland of slot canyons, deep chasms, rushing streams, roaring waterfalls and serrated summits. Mountain goats, bighorn sheep and elk far outnumber human visitors in this lightly used wildland. We’ll begin our 44-mile journey up the rugged North Fork of Birch Creek, ending up in the North Fork of the Teton River. Along the way we’ll have two base camps in the high country that will allow us to wander classic “Sound of Music” country along the continental divide, Backbone of the World. This route is one of the most scenic and diverse point-to-point treks in all of the Bob.
Maps: The 1:24,000-scale topographic maps covering our route are “Swift Reservoir-MT,” “Gooseberry Park-MT,” “Gateway Pass-MT,” “Porphyry Reef-MT,” and “Mount Wright-MT”.
Difficulty: Moderate. Minimum Age: 12.
Guides: Bill & Polly Cunningham (406-466-5699, email: billpoll@3rivers.net).
“Climb the mountains and get their glad tidings; Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine into flowers; the winds will blow their freshness into you and the storms their energy, and cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” --John Muir
PENTAGON-TRILOBITES-NORTH CHINESE WALL LOOP
Walking with Stock
Bob Marshall Wilderness
July 25 - August 1 (8 days/7 nights)
As of Feb 22nd, only one spot remains!
Price: $1580 if you bring your gear. Rental packages (sleeping bag, sleeping pad, two-person tent) are available for $40. The price includes all food during the trip, community gear, packstock to carry our food and gear, travel to and from the trailhead, Great Falls airport shuttle to and from Choteau, trip planning, route map, trip and gear information, guiding, and a video and photo DVD of our trip. A non-refundable deposit of $400 is due with your reservation.
Trip Description: With horses and mules carrying our food and gear we’ll enjoy this diverse 58-mile “lollypop” loop while carrying only a lightweight daypack. Our route takes us to a wild and rugged complex of reefs and peaks in the spectacular heart of the Bob—the north end of the North Chinese Wall, lofty Pentagon Peak (8873’) and the remote Trilobite Range. This is truly the “best of the Bob” without the crowds. During our hike we’ll travel through a series of overlapping wildfire burns, the largest of which is the 60,000-acre 2007 Fool Creek burn. Our first crossing of the Great Divide is via the stark, wild gateway of Switchback Pass. We’ll base camp at a sparkling alpine lake at the base of Pentagon Peak giving us time to climb this distinctive apex. The 360-degree wild panorama is overwhelming. We’ll also have a two night base camp below the fossil-rich Trilobites with a chance to explore secluded lake basins frequented by elk and mountain goats during mid-summer. Our camp will be close to the upper reaches of the pristine Middle Fork Flathead River—one of the premier wild trout streams in the Wilderness Complex. Our return leg re-enters recent burns to Teton Pass, from which the continental divide intersects the Sawtooth Range. As we descend the West Fork Teton to our exit trailhead we’ll pass by spectacular waterfalls and Mount Wright—one of the monumental peaks of the Front.
Maps: The 1:24,000-scale topographic maps covering our route are “Mount Wright,” “Porphyry Reef-MT,” “Pentagon Mtn-MT,” and “Gooseberry Park-MT”.
Guides: Bill & Polly Cunningham (406-466-5699, email: billpoll@3rivers.net).
Difficulty: Moderate. Minimum Age: 12.
