High Country Route Planning

[CamoOrangutan]

Hi All,

I wonder what strategies people execute when planning their travel route into the high country. My goal is not just to go bumbling through the bottom of a basin I want to hunt but instead plan to get up high to where I want to camp and glass. Do people take longer roundabout ways to get to their hunting areas? Is anyone just climbing straight up the back side of their hunting grounds? Would afternoons be a better time to hike in because of the thermals?

 

[armedhiker]

I've got a hunt ID coming up and was wondering more less the same questions? I was planning take a longer route that will get me on top and then ridge walk over to the spot.

 

[CamoOrangutan]

I've got a hunt ID coming up and was wondering more less the same questions? I was planning take a longer route that will get me on top and then ridge walk over to the spot.

That is the conclusion I have come to at this point. Start an extra mile or two away fro where I want to hunt. Get up high as quickly as possible and then ridge run to my camp and glassing areas.

 

[Marble]

The best approach is the one you know will work under multiple circumstances. Meaning, you have been in the area enough to know what the wind does, the animal movements and what the best route is.

If I venture into an area and it is somewhat unknown, I give a very large cushion to the critters so I don't spook them.

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[Indian Summer]

You don’t just “climb up the backside” You find a secondary ridge branching off of your main ridge and run that up. If the elk are left of it stay right on the back side of that or vice versa. Also…. Instead of climbing really early go up late morning into mid day when the elk are bedded over the top somewhere in the timber.

If you have to take a long way around do it. Do whatever you can to avoid getting busted because if that happens your next question will be “How far do you think they went”

 

[HighCountryHill33]

I always get on Google Earth, lay down a couple of routes, save them and compare the route profiles. It will give you elevation gain, distance and the incline percentage of any point on the route. It has saved my butt more than once from wasting precious time on out of state hunts.

 

[CamoOrangutan]

You don’t just “climb up the backside” You find a secondary ridge branching off of your main ridge and run that up. If the elk are left of it stay right on the back side of that or vice versa. Also…. Instead of climbing really early go up late morning into mid day when the elk are bedded over the top somewhere in the timber.

If you have to take a long way around do it. Do whatever you can to avoid getting busted because if that happens your next question will be “How far do you think they went”

Fair points all! I'll be mostly Mule Deer hunting and I know they like to bed high so the best I think I can do is stay across the basin where I can watch them until I know how I want to approach. I have heard a lot of guys talk about people camping right where they want to be or just above them and never even knowing they had deer in their vicinity.

 

[maxriver]

From a backpacking point of view, find the easiest way to the top of the ridge and just running the ridge works best for me. Hunting you need to worry about different factors like scaring the animals you're chasing. In the past searching hiking apps like all trails has allowed me to find trails that can make reaching peaks easier. If making your own trail don't be afraid to back off if country gets too steep and finding a new route, mountains get dangerous.

 

[Marble]

I'll also add..my elk mentor taught me several 20 years ago the following:

We bedded agreat bull with about a 300 yard shot. The ridge was a mile long with 5-6 ridge going down. He had me climb up two ridges over from where the bull was, got on the level he was on and then side-hilled to the ridge nearest him. I creeped over the last ridge and found him in his bed at 300 yards.

The point is that I prevented the wind from swirling to him, his ability to see me and noise was 700 yards from him.

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