Jon Boy
WKR
Logan nailed it. It's tough country. And for that I love it. But I'm not going in 8 miles and planning on packing an elk out any time soon.That area is my 2nd home.... those hills will eat up anyone who is hunting, especially after being that far back in already... especially solo, even more so on foot. Steep is an understatement, and someone with little backcountry experience (not saying "you" at all, just reading your line about not having a ton of experience) is in for a very hard hunt - physically and mentally.... and they don't get easier over time there either, with the trees coming down and undergrowth coming up. I'm not trying to discourage you from that area, just letting you know how it is. If you take stock, you darn well better have a good saw for cutting trees off the main trail, and I'd recommend a good saw for going in on foot back that far. The blow down is crazy and only getting worse, and it is common for a lot of trees to be on the trail on the way out, that weren't there on the way in. It's sad, but realistically it probably won't be too much longer before the only way to get around in there will be to wait until after another fire rolls through.