Idaho Temps / September 29th through Ocotber 6th @ 9000 feet

[PowellSixO]

Doing the last bit of preparation for my brother and I's Idaho hunt. We'll be flying into the Frank Church Area. Trying to weed out anything that I don't need, to get my pack as lite as possible. So my question is, what do you guys think the temps will be sleeping and hunting at the 9000 foot mark? I've looked at weather predictions for the surrounding areas, but can only find temps for towns in the 5000 foot range. They mostly show 30's for the lows, and mid to upper 60's for the high. I'm guessing it will be at least 10 degrees cooler up there. So would I be right to expect low 20's and high 50's for the hunt? Thanks for you help.

 

[N Corey]

I’d say you’re close on temps. The rule of thumb is 3.3F/1000ft. These are big mountains though and weather can change quickly so I’d expect the unexpected and hope for the best.

 

[PowellSixO]

I’d say you’re close on temps. The rule of thumb is 3.3F/1000ft. These are big mountains though and weather can change quickly so I’d expect the unexpected and hope for the best.

Thanks for that. I've never heard that before, but makes sense. Guess I won't be leaving the underquilt at home.

 

[robby denning]

I’d say you’re pretty dang close, but it can change drastically depending on where you camp too-camp under a north face of a Big mountain and you can get way colder than even the temperatures on surrounding hillsides. Id plan for anything down to 20°. and then if a warm streak comes in it can be 80° plus on some of the south facing hillside. Don’t overthink it though, you’ll be fine.


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[idahohikker]

You got good info for the area. Plan for how you're going to gain the elevation from the river up to the tops of the mountains where most of the game is. Some strips that's like 3,500-4,000 which is no joke. Many guys can't get up to the game and have a crappy time down low by the river. They could be at 6,000 feet too but plan to look high. I'd pay attention to where the outfitters from the private ranches run. Call the forest service. It's suck to plan for soliditude and be playing tag with the outfitters.

 

[PowellSixO]

Thanks for the info guys. Yeah I hope we're ready for it. We've been researching this trip for over a year now. We've both been working out for the last year religiously. I have both of our rifles dialed in. I feel like we're hiking in to a good area. It will be roughly a 9 mile hike from the air strip. Even with all of our planning, I realize that the deer numbers are likely going to be low, and we may not see a single deer. But we're prepared for that. We just wanted a fun and challenging hunt. Ever since my little brother moved to Idaho, hes been wanting to do this. I'm getting pretty excited. We dont have wilderness areas like this in Arizona. Well, anyways wish us luck. I'll be sure to post pics and a story of the whole hunt when I get back. If anyone has a few last minute pointers, we would appreciate it. Thanks again for the help.

 

[Ben RT]

When I'm looking for an idea of Idaho backcountry/mountain weather, I typically look at the weather forecast for Stanley and then plan for it being maybe a little bit more harsh than that. Stanley is notably the coldest town in idaho. I'll also click on the exact location on NOAA's map (National Weather Service), by it's never very accurate for temps, but gets me a halfway decent idea of precipitation outlook.

I'd say you are probably right to assume temps will be 20s to 60s... Probably.

You may already do this, but I try to have a contingency plan if the weather catches me off guard. If I'm packing light I'll still carry a garbage bag as a makeshift poncho and start a warming fire so I don't freeze to death. Only you can decide how much clothing you want to drag up the mountain, and 9 miles in the Frank Church might feel more like 29.

Good luck! I hope you guys have a blast.

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[PowellSixO]

One more quick question. How important would a pistol be in the Frank for Bears or Wolves? We've got a long hike, and a lot of weight to pack. I'm trying to get rid of every ounce off my pack that I do not need. If I don't need a pistol, I'd rather not pack it with me. Thanks.

 

[Ben RT]

I imagine you will at least see wolves, but it's very unlikely you will need to defend yourself from them. Also, you might ask yourself if you are already bringing something along with you that could serve that purpose ...such as a rifle?

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[PowellSixO]

I imagine you will at least see wolves, but it's very unlikely you will need to defend yourself from them. Also, you might ask yourself if you are already bringing something along with you that could serve that purpose ...such as a rifle?

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Haha. Yeah I realize that. Just didn't know if it was a necessary item to have on you at all times, like in Grizzly Bear country.

 

[idahohikker]

Very very unlikely to see wolves. Outfitters hunting them daily see a few a season.

There are some black bears and very occasionally they cause trouble. They don't worry me much back there.

It's your call but plenty of guys go without the pistol back there.

You're right to be worried about weight.

 

[PowellSixO]

Very very unlikely to see wolves. Outfitters hunting them daily see a few a season.

There are some black bears and very occasionally they cause trouble. They don't worry me much back there.

It's your call but plenty of guys go without the pistol back there.

You're right to be worried about weight.

I tried replying to your last PM, but it says your box is full and you cannot receive any new messages until space is cleared. Fyi.

 

[Salmon River Solutions]

If you go to the national weather service website you can get detailed forecasts for that specific area by clicking on the map. It works very well, and has been surprisingly accurate for something that is government funded. I will be hunting the same dates around 7-8k of elevation probably about 50 miles north of you in the selway. My latest forecast shows lowest temp of 22 degrees on a clear night. sunday, snow, then more snow, followed by snow, and ending with more snow. If the snow hits hard enough, they will be in panic mode eating out in the open all day. We got a 6x6 last year that way.

 

[PowellSixO]

If you go to the national weather service website you can get detailed forecasts for that specific area by clicking on the map. It works very well, and has been surprisingly accurate for something that is government funded. I will be hunting the same dates around 7-8k of elevation probably about 50 miles north of you in the selway. My latest forecast shows lowest temp of 22 degrees on a clear night. sunday, snow, then more snow, followed by snow, and ending with more snow. If the snow hits hard enough, they will be in panic mode eating out in the open all day. We got a 6x6 last year that way.

Thanks for that tip. Yeah it looks like 3 days of snow. I agree about hunting in the snow. Some of my best deer and elk have come during the snow. I just hope that fog doesn't roll in.

 

[JohnnyR]

How was the hunt?

 

[Dioni A]

I'd be sure to bring long Jon's or puffy pants and a jacket to bolster your sleeping system. It seems like every year we get a good 3 day storm in September or early October and you could see single digit temperatures. Typically it's not a big deal if your prepared for that little extra cold snap.