A Long Way

[chucko]

It all begins again Monday August 5 . I fly from Juneau to Anchorage via a 737 then from Anchorage to Kenai via Cessna 208 to meet up with my sheep hunting partner and his daughter Harper Walton the famous sheep huntress of Harper Mountain she is 12 now 2 years older than her last ram .We immediately get Mochas and she begins to coach me on secret sheep hunting tactics like Mr Bings Chili crisp in your Top Ramen and Natural cheese Cheetos . We make it through the day discussing important aspects like sprinkles on Mochas and whether or not donuts should be plain or powdered with sugar . Tuesday August 6 planned departure is at 10am actual is 1pm right on schedule . We make the leisurely 3-1/2 hour drive to Anchorage and stop at REI for any last second supplies . I remain in truck only to have 2 criminals try and rifle through truck with me in it I run them off with my trekking pole and decide I like juvenile brown bears more . We get pizzas and make to Delta Junction at 1130pm where a nice flat piece concrete awaits us .Wednesday August 7 wind gusts to 70 no fly day time for mochas and breakfast . First mochas not very good plus the sprinkles were old .We quickly find out that Wednesday is some weird cult day and no breakfast anywhere in town .We drive around in the 70mph wind trying to blast the bugs off windshield everything uneventful we take naps and repack again .Thurday August 8 after a mild 5 hour delay we fly to strip with too much crap and begin 7 mile walk in the rain to camp number 1. Friday August 9 greeted by heavy rain and fog it is decided to sleep and eat at least the tundra is better then concrete .Saturday August 10 opening day only 8 miles to go and luckily we have only 2 glacier moraines a couple hundred crevasses and 1 large glacier to cross but we are seeing sheep which should be easy to get to with a Army Blackhawk and some Nepal sherpas. Sunday August 11 we are now viewing sheep just a mere 3 miles away. Luckily we only have 3 more moraines and a glacier crossing to complete so they can see us better .It is decided to go on a 8 mile hike in the opposite direction with wet feet and did I mention it rained snowed then got sunny .Tuesday August 12 we make our next move sleep in and nap in between trying to dry our wet gear out in the fog .Wednesday August 13 The Valley of Death .We make a 5 mile march through a glacier moraine next to the toe of a cliff face which is throwing rocks at us from 3000 feet above at least their is large crevasses to preserve our bodies well .We know there are rams just a couple of more miles away only to be greeted by a sublegal that keeps us pinned down for couple of more hours. We finally make by the lone ram and continue on to the end of the world . As I am laying prone in a pile of sheep shit we spot our target rams ascending the stairway to heaven under a calving hanging glacier only a 1000 yards away .Just as they round the corner out of sight we hear a large ice slash rock slide and fear the worst .It is getting dark now so we filter water out of a squirrel colony and descend over the moraine to find a spot to bivy . Of course we find nothing so ascend back up over the moraine to sleep at the bottom of a rockslde .Thursday August 14 I awake from shivering and the grizzly bear of a man snoring next to me only to witness the most incredible sight that God has to offer sunrise over 14000 foot mountains .We lay ther till noon and have a Top Ramen breakfast . It is now decided that we should climb a near vertical rock chute to see if we can find the rams from yesterday. 3/4 of the way up we see 1 of the target rams on a rock spire 1/2 mile above us . I carefully lay my pack in a ram bed to rest and replan only to find out that my pack now smells like ram urine .It is decided of course to climb higher . After a few sketchy moves we reach the ridgeline and I lay next to my pack which now mells worse then a dirty litter box. All of a sudden I see Will frantically coming my way telling me to get my rifle . We crawl over the ridgeline to watch a full curl but only 7 year old ram at 15 feet broadside I think being covered in sheep piss kept him at ease nonetheless we let him walk and begin our 50 degree downclimb to to our bivy site . Friday August 15 I arise at 4.45am and walk to the end of the known world to try and locate the target rams I make it back to bivy site and sleep till 11am only to be awakened by the tarp blowing down by the time we pack up it is now gusting 60+ . We start our hike back and as we round a corner Will spots 3 good rams . We are able to close the distance to 550yds but the wind is just blowing to hard to even try from here plus it is way out of my comfort range. We sneak up over lip to see a small ram walking uphill as I look above him I see another ram 750yard up on a rock spire staring at us . We have seen this one before in 2023 so I know he is good plus he looks like the 1 from yesterday . I ask Will if I can go up and shoot this ram and he says sure . We both figure my chances are slim as he is clearly fixated on us . I am able to crawl out of site while Will remains in full view of the ram I turn perodically to get hand signals and crawl my way up the mountain and around a rock outcropping I now see the ram still fixated on Will . I am laying prone now 250 yards from my dream waiting for break in the wind and just a little movement as I can only see from the top of his shoulders up. Finally he turns and my shot is perfect he launches into space and comes to rest in a gnarly rock chute 1000 feet above the glacier .Recovery is not to difficult if you consider a 50 degree rock chute safe . We part out the most magnificent animal on the planet only to have winds pick up in excess of 70 .We now begin our 4 mile stroll through the glacier moraine and hope to reach base camp by dark . As we reach the toe of the mountain the wind is so strong it is blowing rocks off the mountain face and creating rock slides so the only way through is by traversing the glacier and dodging crevasses in the dark to reach a tent that we can only hope is still there . All goes fairly well and we reach the tent intact and climb in wet into our sleeping bags as the tent is bending to within inchs of Will,s head.Saturday August 16 I finally get up at 11am due to massive dehydration and make the climb up and over the moraine to get water the wind is still gusting to 60+ so it is a fun walk .We decide top wait till 5 pm to attempt the glacier crossing we know we can do this as it usually takes only 5 hours to cross . All is good and we begin our crossing right at 5pm only to reach the glacier and have the fog of all time descend on us and reduce visibilty to 5 to 10 feet perfect for crevasse dodging. Once again Will,s precision navigation gets us through and we ascend the last 700feet in the dark to base camp 2 arriving at 1245am I am just too tired to get water but Will walks another mile r/t in the dark to obtain it we now drink water and rest since it is now 130am .Sunday August 17 650am we recieve a text from our pilot to hustle and make to strip by 1130am as there is more bad weather on the way and it could be several days if we miss the window. We now begin the 7 mile stroll with loaded packs and it all starts to come home .The walk is easy now and the heavy packs feel good plus the weather is enjoyable our planes arrive on time and I leave first with tears in my eyes .I say nothing on the flight back and just let it soak in the cramped back seat of the super cub actually doesnt feel to bad . I land get out and then Will arrives shortly thereafter . We are immediately treated like rock stars anyone who knows anything knows of the difficulty of our adventure .I am deeply humbled by everything knowing it took me 4 years to accomplish . All of my sheep hunts have been special some with just more sweat and pain then others. I sheep hunt to experience the beauty of the wonderful world they live in and the adventure it provides . I have learned alot and got alot more to learn . It is our duty to protect this resource to only harvest mature rams and not just the first legal ram you encounter. My suggestions for anyone . If you find a good sheep partner keep him or her for life as they will become your eternal brother .These kind of adventures should be life changing and if you want to do it start now. If you drink too much stop if you smoke stop if you are not in good shape fix it until you think you are there then double down. If money is a problem drive a old car cut cable do whatever it takes it can happen . I will be going back again and again of course cause Harpers sheep is still bigger then mine as she is quick to remind me this hunt took place in 2024 and is rambling as I skied my through writing class so thanks for reading and my photo postings suck but if Will reads this he can do it better as he the finest human that I know !

 

[ProRoad]

Nice Sheep! Glad you had a good trip.

 

[survivalistd]

Excellent write up and beautiful sheep.

 

[Paladin]

Beautiful ram and awesome write up! The finest misery.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Holy cow, what a ram!!! Congratulations.

 

[waspocrew]

Ram of a lifetime right there!

 

[elkguide]

Wow! What fun. Thanks for taking us along.

 

[eamyrick]

Awesome awesome. Thanks for sharing.

 

[dgfavor]

Bravo! Love it!

Well done and congrats!

 

[RCL]

Congratulations.

Great write up.

 

[VernAK]

You lucked out! Delta Jct restaurants were closed. That's a good thing!

Great hunt and I'm glad you enjoyed Delta's wind.