Walking on Tundra Hussocks

[mooster]

I haven’t hunted the haul road. I have only read about the nightmare of hiking across the tundra tussocks to get in to the 5 mile rifle zone.

Anyway im sure it’s been tried, but would a snowshoe would work for walking on it?

 

[soggybtmboys]

I haven’t hunted the haul road. I have only read about the nightmare of hiking across the tundra tussocks to get in to the 5 mile rifle zone.

Anyway im sure it’s been tried, but would a snowshoe would work for walking on it?

Uh, I don't think so. I'd be afraid of getting twisted up, a knee or an ankle. Figure 1 hr of walking per mile in that stuff, give of take a little all depending.

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[soggybtmboys]

This was pretty much the entire groups sentiment after 10 days in it. If you can find gravel bars to traverse, they are golden.

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[Ray]

Snowshoes spread your weight out over a larger surface area to reduce the amount of sinking you experience in a poorly consolidated but uniform media. That is not the issue with arctic tundra. Its not uniform, and it is of variable density.

 

[Beendare]

Yeah, just take your time and use boots with very good ankle support.

 

[Akwoodchuck]

Maybe a very large catapult....and a parachute....

 

[OXN939]

I haven’t hunted the haul road. I have only read about the nightmare of hiking across the tundra tussocks to get in to the 5 mile rifle zone.

Anyway im sure it’s been tried, but would a snowshoe would work for walking on it?

No

 

[Redmtnhunter]

If there is a bunch of snow then yes, otherwise no. If you plan to do the 5 mile trek the easiest thing to do is just embrace the suck. It's slow and wet in a lot of spots making it a big mental game. I've done the 5 mile march roughly 10 times and haven't came up with an easier way other than putting 1 boot in front of the other.

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[mooster]

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[OXN939]

Hip waders seem to be a good choice that allows you to cover almost all the ground you'll find without lots of change outs. Whether you go with those or knee boots as your primary footwear, the investment in that piece of gear is probably more important to a hunt on the North Slope than all 5000 threads in the section dealing with firearms minutiae.

 

[Redmtnhunter]

Hip waders seem to be a good choice that allows you to cover almost all the ground you'll find without lots of change outs. Whether you go with those or knee boots as your primary footwear, the investment in that piece of gear is probably more important to a hunt on the North Slope than all 5000 threads in the section dealing with firearms minutiae.

Staying dry is a challenge. I have used gaitors and my scarpa's and stayed mostly dry. 1 big issue with rubber boots or hip boots is ankle support. May work to get ankle braces but 5 miles out on that stuff would not be a fun spot to roll an ankle.

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[Kevin Dill]

Biggest things that make me miserable regarding tussocks:

The ankle-twist / knee-sprain factor. Some tussock fields are tightly bunched and you can't go through them without stepping directly on the highly unstable clumps. The unpredictable result is something like walking blindfolded through a tire dump. Every step is a threat to ankles and knees.

The fatigue factor. Walking though a tussock field probably requires about double the energy of normal terrain. It's hard as heck on leg muscles, hips, thighs and even back muscles. Add an 80 pound meat-loaded pack to the deal and things go from bad to very bad in terms of fatigue.

I've wondered whether very stiff mountain boots combined with waterproof knee-high gaiters would be a good combo for tussock terrain. Maybe. Just don't forget to bring ibuprofen and stuff for blisters.

 

[mcseal2]

I’m debating between taking my simms waders and boots or my kennetrek mountain extreme boots and gaiters. I might take both if I can swing the weight. We are in the process of booking for 2020. I wear cowboy boots every day and have flexible ankles that need support when sidehilling in the mountains or packing weight.

 

[Beendare]

Kevins description is right on the money.

Some areas in AK are just a different animal than in the lower 48. Some of that country its nice to be wearing a solid boot...but then you come across a swampy section...or stream crossing...where hippers are key.

It can be frustrating for us hunters that see a spot off in the distance and think "I can be there in 1/2 hour"....Ugh no. Then there are those black streams that look easy to cross...sheesh. My last AK trip I did a big loop from camp- some swampy ground, some hilly high ground thinking I would return to camp by a different route that I glassed from up high- looked easy- so I could cover more ground.

Sometimes I just wear LJ's with rain pants over those and Mtn boots with gaiters. If its not too swampy this outfit can keep you fairly dry...but "Dry" in AK is a relative term /grin/ Damp is more like it.

So its fairly dark as I'm 1/2 mile from camp and the 'Easy' route was swampy muck. The little stream I though I could step across....was a watery delta that I had to wade in just to get to the stream. I didn't have my trek poles....and there was not stick or branch to reach out and check bottom.

It didn't appear to have much current...and was only 8' wide. ...a little too far to jump across especially since I was already in swampy 18" of muck. How deep could it possibly be? (Ha.)

Wading in I quickly realized as I lunged for the other side it was over my head....and there was a lot more current there than I thought...think, jumping in a swimming pool with all of your hunting gear on. It was all I could do just to climb out. That black water is a fooler. If you learn one thing from this idiot....pack your trek poles! Those make it easier on those Tussocks too.

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[Brightwhite]

I scrapped the knee high muck boots before we ever even finished setting up camp after a fly in. Good boots with good support + gaiters is what I did and I wouldn’t suggest doing anything else. My feet got wet evrery day, but as others said, the alternative is an injury. Get on top of the little knobs, look for game paths even if they zig zag to stay on a more beaten path, and if you hit long patches of water I would just go straight and fast.

Trekking poles are key for balance, but more importantly to use to sort of stab around in front of you to check for holes and pits...those hidden holes can ruin a trip quick! That tundra is no joke, you have to be aware and careful on it.

I also second beendere’s thought on rain pants over a base layer, I did that on both my tundra trips and it’s the on,y way to go. Sitka core light weight with dewpoint pants over the top was very comfortable and worked well in cold rain and warmer clear weather.

 

[mcseal2]

I wondered if I should even take my pair of Sitka Mountain pants or just rain pants. I have Kuiu Yukon rain pants that aren't bad to hike in with the zippers to vent.

I have trekking poles I never leave at home when I hope to be packing meat on my back. Those are a gamechanger for sure.

My Kennetreks are a leather boot but I keep them treated up good with the Kennetrek wax. I keep hearing good things about the synthetic boots like the Scarpas that dry faster. I really don't want to spend a bunch of money on another pair of good hunting boots until the Kennetreks need replaced though. Good boots are priceless on a hunt, but they aren't cheap! I also know the Kennetreks fit my feet, never tried on Scarpas.

I have a pair of these Rigeline supply boots with Yoder chaps I have used on the river around home. They are pretty light for what they are at 47oz for the pair, way lighter than either my waders or wading boots. They are decent camp shoes with the tops folded down and make a packable way to cross bogs. Depending on the terrain they might be worth taking instead of chest waders and boots or might not. We will be hunting along a river in unit 26 I think so the waders might be well worth the weight. Depends on if I'll be living in them like the moose hunt or just needing to cross water a few times a day and then going back to the Kennetreks/gaiters The boots are heavier but much more durable than Wiggys.

https://ridgelinesupply.com/product/tingley/

Once we are finalized on booking I'll be asking the transporter what they recommend and go from there.

 

[Beendare]

I wondered if I should even take my pair of Sitka Mountain pants or just rain pants. I have Kuiu Yukon rain pants that aren't bad to hike in with the zippers to vent.

Once we are finalized on booking I'll be asking the transporter what they recommend and go from there.

...

Yeah, your transporter is the best bet.

I've done hunts where we lived in our hippers...and others where I never put them on....just depends.

Wearing those good full zip Rain pants with LJ's is a versatile setup for lots of rain but solid ground hunts, IMO.

A guy can even use some tape to wrap around the bottom or on your gaiters to seal them a little better.


....

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I found a really good option is the Simms Guide boots with wading pants. They allow me to sit on the wet tundra, and give way better ankle support than even ankle fit hip boots.

 

[Redmtnhunter]

What I have done is just carry a toe shoes water shoe and strip down to my underwear when crossing deeper water. They are light and strap to the outside of the pack easy. I don't like putting wet waiters in my pack and they are bulky, that is the big reason I have opted to water shoes.

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[mcseal2]

I found a really good option is the Simms Guide boots with wading pants. They allow me to sit on the wet tundra, and give way better ankle support than even ankle fit hip boots.

I tried the pants but couldn't find a pair that I liked the fit on. I ended up having custom waders made. They fit great. Going to the size I needed meant stepping up to the bigger foot and it didn't fit well. I ended up being glad to have the chest waders for the moose hunt with the water depth in places.