The big Payoff

[magic_game03]

The Payoff

For many years I was just a hiker but I had bigger dreams. I enjoyed immersing myself in the splendid wonders of nature. Listening to the wind howling past on a high mountain, digging snow caves, watching all the animals of the forest, envisioning the life of the trees around me, being fascinated at how alive the desert was, and being at peace without all the wizzing and wonders of urban life. Yet I am always trying to draw out more from the wilderness environment.

Two great developments happened over the last two years. First, I took up fly-fishing. Second, I bought a packraft.

So last summer (2017) I incorporated the three (hiking, fly fishing, and packrafting) and finally the big payoff happened. For the first time ever I used hiking as a platform for my wilderness experience without it being the highlight.

So here is the outline of the experience. I wanted to packraft the Flathead River through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. I began at Lake Holland and hiked the 25 miles into the Bob to the headwaters of the South Fork Flathead. Floated the packraft to the White River. Set up a lower camp and then hiked up to the Chinese Wall and back down. Floated from the White river to Spotted Bear. Yes I did Meadow Creek Gorge solo (yes, I do have some beta to prove it). Hiked from Spotted Bear over Whitcomb Pk. to Schafer Meadows. Then floated from Schafer Meadows to Bear Creek take-out.

The trip was chocked full of highlights, way too many to detail. Everything from the Chinese Wall, to bull trout that were 30” easy, to running Meadow Creek Gorge. Total trip miles (hiking and floating) was about 180 miles. Total time was 10 days.

Headed back to the Bob in July 2018 to do it again, in bigger water, for another payoff!

[rocketsocks]

The Payoff

For many years I was just a hiker but I had bigger dreams. I enjoyed immersing myself in the splendid wonders of nature. Listening to the wind howling past on a high mountain, digging snow caves, watching all the animals of the forest, envisioning the life of the trees around me, being fascinated at how alive the desert was, and being at peace without all the wizzing and wonders of urban life. Yet I am always trying to draw out more from the wilderness environment.

Two great developments happened over the last two years. First, I took up fly-fishing. Second, I bought a packraft.

So last summer (2017) I incorporated the three (hiking, fly fishing, and packrafting) and finally the big payoff happened. For the first time ever I used hiking as a platform for my wilderness experience without it being the highlight.

So here is the outline of the experience. I wanted to packraft the Flathead River through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. I began at Lake Holland and hiked the 25 miles into the Bob to the headwaters of the South Fork Flathead. Floated the packraft to the White River. Set up a lower camp and then hiked up to the Chinese Wall and back down. Floated from the White river to Spotted Bear. Yes I did Meadow Creek Gorge solo (yes, I do have some beta to prove it). Hiked from Spotted Bear over Whitcomb Pk. to Schafer Meadows. Then floated from Schafer Meadows to Bear Creek take-out.

The trip was chocked full of highlights, way too many to detail. Everything from the Chinese Wall, to bull trout that were 30” easy, to running Meadow Creek Gorge. Total trip miles (hiking and floating) was about 180 miles. Total time was 10 days.

Headed back to the Bob in July 2018 to do it again, in bigger water, for another payoff!

beats the heck outta collecting cookie cutter trails.

[Dogwood]

That's a great scenario. The BMW multi activity trip is so refreshingly organized. Yes, it's exciting out of the box thinking. Wish I knew the Bob better to better understand all the segments of your trip. BMW maps are in storage.



I like your wording "The Big Payoff." How appropriate. So, grasp the validity trips organized in such a way with backpacking/hiking at the core but not solely about hiking have a much greater diversity of enjoyed experiences.



30" Trout. Whew.


Renting a yak on a Channel Islands NP hiking/paddling trip and a light canoe on a Isle Royale NP hiking/paddling/fishing trip got me hooked on combining activities. So worth it! Currently have two paddling(light yak touring boat) hiking trips in the works. A short Congaree NP float/hike in Columbia SC and a longer MST thru paddling 200+ miles of the Neuse River.


Have you looked at bike packing/packrafting combinations?


RU still based out of CH NC?

[magic_game03]

Have you looked at bike packing/packrafting combinations?

RU still based out of CH NC?

If I had more time I'd consider the bike option but unfortunately I have a 2 year-old and a 4 year-old and they limit how much time I can take off.

Yep, closer to RDU airport though. I have a river raft with a casting platform that I take on the Nuese every now and then just to keep my casting arm loose.

beats the heck outta collecting cookie cutter trails.

Yeah, I never realized it until I broke the mold. It's going to be hard the next time I go backpacking not to take the Alpackaraft. The fly rod had been dragging me down for two years now, but the raft is going to break me.

[rocketsocks]

If I had more time I'd consider the bike option but unfortunately I have a 2 year-old and a 4 year-old and they limit how much time I can take off.

Yep, closer to RDU airport though. I have a river raft with a casting platform that I take on the Nuese every now and then just to keep my casting arm loose.




Yeah, I never realized it until I broke the mold. It's going to be hard the next time I go backpacking not to take the Alpackaraft. The fly rod had been dragging me down for two years now, but the raft is going to break me.

Now study Astronomy, Geology and Botany and see how much fun you can have...it’s endless.

[magic_game03]

Now study Astronomy, Geology and Botany and see how much fun you can have...it’s endless.

A bit presumptuous in my lack of education, are you?

[rocketsocks]

A bit presumptuous in my lack of education, are you?

perhaps, but hey, sounds like your half way there.

[magic_game03]

perhaps, but hey, sounds like your half way there.

You came here to hijack my thread and you can't even get your grammar correct.

your -> you're

[rocketsocks]

You came here to hijack my thread and you can't even get your grammar correct.

your -> you're

Huh, I promise you, if you quit quoting me we can be done.

[magic_game03]

Huh, I promise you, if you quit quoting me we can be done.

Lol.

Rocketsocks, you have to realize I'm an outcast to the whiteblaze community. I argue with everyone so don't take it personally, it's just built into me. So when you said I need more education you cracked the door. I'm the kinda guy that goes out looking for a bar fight. Angst is what drive me.

Only A rare few here know the (Meadow Creek) gorge. The last person I met going into it said, "are you running the gorge? I'll pray for you son." That's what drives me. That's what make me a #1 NOBO. I love to confront.

Magic 'hellcat' Dinsmore

P.S. I can't stop quoting, it's who I am so don't take it personally.
P.P.S. I grad Summa cum laude with geology, astronomy and botany in my transcript.

[rocketsocks]

Lol.

Rocketsocks, you have to realize I'm an outcast to the whiteblaze community. I argue with everyone so don't take it personally, it's just built into me. So when you said I need more education you cracked the door. I'm the kinda guy that goes out looking for a bar fight. Angst is what drive me.

Only A rare few here know the (Meadow Creek) gorge. The last person I met going into it said, "are you running the gorge? I'll pray for you son." That's what drives me. That's what make me a #1 NOBO. I love to confront.

Magic 'hellcat' Dinsmore

P.S. I can't stop quoting, it's who I am so don't take it personally.
P.P.S. I grad Summa cum laude with geology, astronomy and botany in my transcript.

Well good to know! I don’t offend to easy. I only dabble in those areas, but they’ve always held my interest, and to this day I search for the unified hiker theory...and pack rafting just may be at the center of it all, or at least another tool to fun town.

[rocketsocks]

But seriously, and as you already know, so much more to do out there than just log miles.

[Hikingjim]

Lol.

Rocketsocks, you have to realize I'm an outcast to the whiteblaze community. I argue with everyone so don't take it personally, it's just built into me. So when you said I need more education you cracked the door. I'm the kinda guy that goes out looking for a bar fight. Angst is what drive me.

Only A rare few here know the (Meadow Creek) gorge. The last person I met going into it said, "are you running the gorge? I'll pray for you son." That's what drives me. That's what make me a #1 NOBO. I love to confront.

Magic 'hellcat' Dinsmore

P.S. I can't stop quoting, it's who I am so don't take it personally.
P.P.S. I grad Summa cum laude with geology, astronomy and botany in my transcript.

You seem to be intense and keen to share about your adventures. Hopefully you find other avenues larger than white blaze to serve as a platform...

Not sure how many people want to hear about honours and transcripts though, so you might want to file that line away.

[magic_game03]

You seem to be intense and keen to share about your adventures. Hopefully you find other avenues larger than white blaze to serve as a platform...


Not sure how many people want to hear about honours and transcripts though, so you might want to file that line away.

Ha, another troll. (I love trolls. gives me a personal satisfaction of putting you into your place.)

First, "You seem to be intense and keen to share about your adventures." Uh, yea. That's what people are doing here. Sharing there adventure.

Second, "Hopefully you find other avenues larger than white blaze to serve as a platform..." What a hypocrite. You have more than 700 post in 5 years. I have about half that many in 15 years being here. I think you need a different platform.

Third, "Not sure how many people want to hear about honours and transcripts though..." I think most people are interested in achievement. The ones without it are here trying to figure out how to obtain it even if they can't admit it to themselves.

...So keep trolling, and hating, and being jealous.


P.s. Yes, I bite. No, I do not play well with others. And yes I am a mean, nasty, arrogant but-munch. SO GET OVER IT!

[rocketsocks]

How bout some photos of the rafting trip, Thad be cool.

[magic_game03]

Ok, first though. I make no claim to have any video or photo expertise. These were taken on an old Samsung S4. Since I had only one charge (on the phone) I took what I could. Just purchased a Gopro Hero 5 so this July (next Bob trip) I should get some much better video.

First photo: Big Prairie Ranger Station pack bridge. Under the bridge is my green Alpackraft.

20170830_105233.jpg

[magic_game03]

Second photo: South Fork before Mid-creek take-out.
Third photo: South Fork after Mid-creek take-out.

20170903_154035.jpg
20170903_154035.jpg

[magic_game03]

Well that didn't work so well. This one should be the photo # 2: South fork before Mid-creek take-out.
20170903_120430.jpg

[magic_game03]

Fourth photo: Getting closer to Meadow Creek Bridge. This is a large (perfectly round) suck-hole that I estimated to be around 12' in height and about 6 feet in diameter. You can't see the dimensions of the suck-hole from this angle but let me say that there was an enormous tree sticking out of it like a straw. The suck-hole is right in the middle of the photo where it looks like some rapids.

Screen Shot 2018-01-23 at 1.57.08 PM.png

[magic_game03]

Fifth photo: These are some of the gorge walls. These are only about 30'-40' high. Once you go under Meadow creek bridge these walls shoot up to 100'-150' high.

20170903_153831.jpg20170903_153831.jpg