Nick...Awesome hunts. That mountain in the first picture is familiar...Spent a bit of time glassing near their last August. As far as snow shoes go, I spend more than 100 days a year on snow shoes up here. I have Atlas 12/35's, MSR Lightening Ascents, and Main Guide Woodies. Bigger is almost always better. The MSR's are great on ice, snow pack or elevation. The woodies can't be beat in powder, the Atlas are just great all around snow shoes with awesome bindings. With that said, I'll be bring myMSR's up there with me in a couple weeks as they travel best. Can't imagine doing a hunt like you did without snow shoes. I live in snow shoes coyote hunting up here all winter. Any snow is easier with snow shoes. Shoot me a PM if you want to talk snow shoes. Pay particular attention to bindings when looking at snow shoes. The better/easier they are, the more you'll use them...