How steep is too steep?

[Bulldawg]

When you are thinking about checking out new areas to hunt, what kind of grade are you looking at to determine if that's doable or not?

I'm looking at some areas that I'm sure will have some elk, but getting there is going to be rough if we make that decision, it would be a lot of climbing in a short horizontal distance, 1800 ft over 1 mile.

1 mile is not bad, but 1800 feet in one mile is quite a bit, rather straight up, some of my spots are 1800-2200 of elevation gain but over 2-3 miles.

I don't think what anybody says here will sway me one way or another, I'm gonna try to keep this area as my 3rd or 4th place of interest so we'll only go there if we can't find anything in the few days leading up to scouting some other areas.

Just wanted to see what some others are thinking when looking at new spots on a map. Also to note, there is no way around the steep climb, there's nowhere that we could start higher and go further. its straight up from the valley to the top of the ridge.

 

[WeiserBucks]

Doesn't really matter, if that's where they're at, that's where you need to go.

 

[grfox92]

1400 feet in .75 miles in the morning and back down to camp in the evening is something we did 3 days in a row every weekend in September, for the last 3 years.

Last year we brought a mule all the way up there. There is no trail and tons of blow down.

You will find a way. Its doable but you need to go there and find a route if there is no trail.

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[Marbles]

Short answer, it depends on you.

I have hunted places were standing straight up I can reach out and touch the hill side. In thick trees that is safe, on wet grass with mud it is scary. Then there is everything in between.

Only way to really know is to put feet on the ground. I have looked at maps and thought an area would be fine only to realize I didn't want to walk over it. I have also looked at maps and written an area off as too steep only to end up using it as an access route.

It also depends on your fitness. If it sounds like an ass kicker in your head, then probably should plan a hunt over it. To me, that elevation gain sounds workable and I would not worry about it if the footing is good.

Remember, you will hopefully be coming down it heavy.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I normally make that call about the time i'm in the bottom and fully committed.

When you notice that you are talking to yourself. Saying things like "dont look down there, you might see something" "wtf are you doing dude?" "oh, this is goona suck so bad"...Might be worth pausing and thinking about it for a few

 

[Marbles]

I normally make that call about the time i'm in the bottom and fully committed.

When you notice that you are talking to yourself. Saying things like "dont look down there, you might see something" "wtf are you doing dude?" "oh, this is goona suck so bad"...Might be worth pausing and thinking about it for a few

What if you look at it and say "I probably won't die on that today" or "I think I can catch myself with the axe before going over that cliff." You have to keep the self talk positive after all.

 

[Blackbird]

When looking for new areas to hunt like this on a map I want to ground truth it once again physically there try and find a way to glass into the area before hand. Then you just have to make a game plan and get to work.

 

[Poser]

Its often the case that you can reasonably pick your way up and down a lot of terrain in the 30-39 degree slope angle. Around 40 degrees is where it often becomes unreasonably steep for hunting purposes unless you are hunting goats. In that case, you may have to expand your tolerance a bit more.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Also depends on the ground. Its really neat when there are tree's to grab

 

[roosiebull]

It depends on how bad I want to check it, and the lay of the land around it, and what part of the season it is.

If I bugle down a vertical hillside that’s solid salmonberry as far as I can see and I get an answer, I will usually make a rule… if he answers me again, I’ll figure out getting back up this later

If it’s not a long distance and just a super steep mile and you’re there, I’m probably not going to think much about it

If it’s 1k straight to the bottom and all I can see is brush and it looks pretty good at the bottom on the topo, I will likely try to find a better way or keep it in my back pocket. Around here there is steep, but often it’s steep and solid dense 15’ tall salmonberry the whole way, and it is legit nearly impossible to make forward progress empty, I’m going to need a good reason to go down there, and I will assume I can find a better way back up which isn’t always the case

It just depends on what my options currently are, and if I think it will be worth it.

 

[Chris in TN]

Tagged.

I have wrestled all summer with the idea of one particular spot that just screams 'elk' from the aerial photos. It's six miles in, you go maybe five miles to drop to 9000' then have to climb to 11000' in the next ~mile and I honestly think the whole thing is very do-able but there's no way to be sure without a four-mile hike just to get a glimpse of the base of the hill.

We'll probably skip it. Of course, if it looks so elk-y from the aerial photos, it's probably the same spot OP is looking at.

 

[braydencase7]

I've never thought about it like that, my only deterent has been getting cliffed out

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[LCguy]

Very situationally dependent. If I know I'll have to come down a hill with a very heavy load, probably 35 degrees is the max. If I just need to get to the top of something in a straight line, with good footing, and an easier way down, I'll push it as much as needed. Going up sucks, coming down with a load can be downright dangerous on a very steep hill and there is no game animal worth dying for.

I also do not, and have no intention to, hunt sheep but I'm assuming I'd push it much steeper if I did.

 

[GunsAreFun]

I’ve been utilizing slope shading layers to plan routes this year. It has worked wonders.

20-25° can be tiring but is very doable. 25-30 is a good bit worse. 35+ you should try to find a route around even if it is longer. We were able to almost completely avoid anything that steel. It is borderline dangerous, especially with a heavy pack and/or one hand tied up with a bow.

And good point above that you can suck it up and go up 35+. Going down isn’t worth it. The rocks and things you may step on give away and you’re in a world of trouble.

 

[199p]

Sounds like a great spot to go cheek out, High on my list of areas to cheek out is spots that the regular hunter wouldn't bother with.

 

[dirt_nap]

If there is game in the area, try and use existing trails to sidehill. One area we found this year had a game trail that cut through a steep scree field that according to onx had a 35-40% angle. That trail was so well used it was like walking on flat ground, and looked like it had been manmade and maintained. Made working our way through avalanche chutes much easier than scrambling up blindly.