2023 Bob Marshall Wilderness Open * Updated with report & pics*

mtwarden

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From the website

The 2023 Open will start at 0800 MDT, Saturday May 27th, at the Owl Creek TH on Holland Lake, and finish at the obelisk at Marias Pass. Course area is all public land in Montana. The usual guidelines apply.

-This is not a race.

-You must be entirely self-supported and self-contained. Take everything you need, and leave nothing behind but footprints. Any pre-planned assistance of any kind is forbidden.

-Any form of human-powered locomotion is allowed within the identified course area. No linear travel on the surface of paved roads.

-You are responsible for you. Come prepared for challenging conditions which can easily, with improper luck or preparation, turn life-threatening. Any and all contingency and emergency plans must be arranged in advance by each individual.

This will be my ninth year "toeing the line". Each the start and finish change- how you get from start and finish is completely up to you; no set route. No t-shirt, no trophies, no mugs- just some beautiful country with not a soul in it and usually a healthy share of pain thrown in for good measure :)

Water is usually the crux of this event. Water is always high late May, sometimes it's simply too high (had to bail two different years due to not being able to cross a stream). With three rivers to ford this year (and numerous larger creeks) it will be the crux again this year. Some years a lot of snowshoeing is involved, this year it appears there won't be. Always a lot of blowdown to contend with, I'm expecting no different this year.

Last year we only had nine folks show up, this year looks like it could be 20-ish.

My route is a little over a 100 miles (with a shit ton of climbing/descending), hoping to finish in three days, but bringing enough food for 4.5 days :ROFLMAO:

I'm packing up now and heading out tomorrow for Owl Ck, I'll post a full report up when I'm back!
 

Walkstoomuch

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This sounds like an excellent adventure! I have a crew of people where I live that put together similar non races that are always a highlight of my year. Perhaps pack a Speedo for the river crossings? Good luck!
 

7mm-08

WKR
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Hope you have a grand time and (as always) I look forward to seeing your writeup on the adventure. Got to be straight with you, the high water obstacles would dissuade me.
 
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mtwarden

mtwarden

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Thanks Gents!


This sounds like an excellent adventure! I have a crew of people where I live that put together similar non races that are always a highlight of my year. Perhaps pack a Speedo for the river crossings? Good luck!

yeah unfortunately they don't sell Speedo's in Montana :ROFLMAO:
 

307

WKR
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She may have meant that they don't have them FOR YOU. Not sure why that might be...

Water sounds cold. Definite shrinkage conditions.
 

LeftyWilbury

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good luck!

i steer clear of anything that politely warns you it isn't a race...
i'm ok with losing things called races.
especially if i get a decent t-shirt out of it.
 
Joined
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north idaho
river runner here.
The peak runoff has already occured. the water will be high, but not unusually so.
our winter was not as epic as the internet made it out to be and going from winter to summer and skipping spring has depleted the snowpack considerably. yes, there will be runoff, yes it will be cold, but it won't be peak runoff that typically occurs memorial day weekend or the first week end of june.

hope that helps the mental side of things.
 
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mtwarden

mtwarden

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Thanks Guys!

^Yeah the rivers appear to be off of their peak here, but still flowing above median- definitely a downward trend though and with a little cooler weather, hoping they drop just a wee bit more :)

Sad to see near normal (a few drainages above normal) snowpack across Montana just 2-3 weeks ago and now we're sitting at below 50% of normal and some areas only 25% (or even lower!). It's the quickest I've seen the snow go in 40+ years :(
 
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From the website

The 2023 Open will start at 0800 MDT, Saturday May 27th, at the Owl Creek TH on Holland Lake, and finish at the obelisk at Marias Pass. Course area is all public land in Montana. The usual guidelines apply.

-This is not a race.

-You must be entirely self-supported and self-contained. Take everything you need, and leave nothing behind but footprints. Any pre-planned assistance of any kind is forbidden.

-Any form of human-powered locomotion is allowed within the identified course area. No linear travel on the surface of paved roads.


-You are responsible for you. Come prepared for challenging conditions which can easily, with improper luck or preparation, turn life-threatening. Any and all contingency and emergency plans must be arranged in advance by each individual.

This will be my ninth year "toeing the line". Each the start and finish change- how you get from start and finish is completely up to you; no set route. No t-shirt, no trophies, no mugs- just some beautiful country with not a soul in it and usually a healthy share of pain thrown in for good measure :)

Water is usually the crux of this event. Water is always high late May, sometimes it's simply too high (had to bail two different years due to not being able to cross a stream). With three rivers to ford this year (and numerous larger creeks) it will be the crux again this year. Some years a lot of snowshoeing is involved, this year it appears there won't be. Always a lot of blowdown to contend with, I'm expecting no different this year.

Last year we only had nine folks show up, this year looks like it could be 20-ish.

My route is a little over a 100 miles (with a shit ton of climbing/descending), hoping to finish in three days, but bringing enough food for 4.5 days :ROFLMAO:

I'm packing up now and heading out tomorrow for Owl Ck, I'll post a full report up when I'm back!
This is so cool. Safe travels.
 
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mtwarden

mtwarden

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Thanks guys!

Headed out shortly - going to camp with my wife (and Tiny Elvis) near the start (Holland Lake)

ZCDSGqa.jpg
 
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mtwarden

mtwarden

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I'm out and safe. We had to bail late afternoon of day two- one of group had a knee injury and we seriously questioned our ability to ford two major rivers (without bridges). We covered 52 miles in a little over a day and a half- pissed rain on us for most of day 1 (which further swelled already swollen streams). Got swept on one of fords the afternoon of day 1, wet up to my neck- that throughly sucked.

I'll post up a short trip report with some pics in the next day or so.

I am one sore SOB!
 
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