The American River Hot Shots operate out of Forest Hill, California, and have been carrying the Hot 3 since 2010. Designed and built specifically for the long days, heavy loads, and intensive labor that are givens in the job, our packs can now be found on the majority of the Nation’s 110 Hotshot Crews, logging countless hours on the Fireline.… READ MORE >
Monumental Elegance
Featuring: Trance XXX
The desert has always inspired me with its clean crisp air and the stark contrast between the iron red dirt and cerulean sky. A time in my life existed where I would go to places like these for weeks at a time, climbing and soaking in the surroundings, while living virtually on pennies. Though it was a simple existence, it burned into my memory as a time of focus and reflection- – a period when I could breathe unobstructed by the constrictive ways of modern life. When each morning you would wake to the sunrise screams of Peregrine Falcons echoing from high sandstone walls, and observe the almost defiant way the desert sirens its guests in with an unnameable beauty, and stillness. Recently I had the chance to visit some of these places again with my friend Justin Griffin, a strong and talented climber from Bozeman with a lust for life. We had a week to soak up the sun, climb, and maybe get a chance to breathe.
Stop 1: City of Rocks
Eager, with the car ride taking a toll, we decided to stop for a quick pump in Idaho’s City of Rocks. Granite sport climbing seemed a great precursor … READ MORE >
Posted in Mountains & Trails, Mystery Ranch Employees, Trip Reports, Uncategorized
Tagged Trance XXX
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The Wolf Days of Winter
Featuring: NICE Crewcab
BY: MATT CLYDE
Randy Newberg, of On Your Own Adventures, called and asked if I would be a guest hunter on his show for a Montana wolf hunt. I was excited and thankful that he would call me to join him, especially considering I had zero wolf hunting experience. Randy and I talked, and we both understood this hunt wasn’t likely to end with much in the way of wolf footage, and even less likely to end with a dead wolf.
But Randy and I both have the same philosophy when it comes to hunting: The odds might be stacked against you, but the odds drop to zero if you don’t at least give it a try.
We spent five straight days hunting for one of Montana’s most elusive creatures. Our expectations were low, so we were thrilled when we spotted our first two wolves late in the afternoon of the first day. Under normal circumstances, we would have had a shot at them, but the camera guy was unable to locate the animals in his viewfinder, so I had to pass on the shot. I was learning, painfully, that trying to capture the harvest on film adds a significant level of difficulty.… READ MORE >
6500 In A Year
BY: MARCUS HOCKETT
After winning the Mystery Ranch 6500 in the BAYED contest on On Your Own Adventures Forum – Hunt Talk, I’ve been trying to give this pack the workout it deserves.
Immediately, this pack became my go-to pack while shed hunting and bear hunting in the spring and carrying the spotting scope and other goodies.
Over the summer I took it everywhere with me. The 6500 carried my gear deep into trail-less areas several times, on quests for cutthroat and golden trout.
Trying to get away from the crowds while paddle-fishing on the Missouri, I got a chance to haul out my first critter for the pack.
The pack even got to come to work with me a few times. Working on the Charles M. Russell NWR, I helped dig out a 75 million year old Elasmosaur fossil. I packed in bags of plaster and five gallon water jugs for the crew using the NICE Frame and Load Sling. I even packed out the skull of the beast encased in rock and plaster. It was the heaviest load I’ve ever carried. The pack did great!
August through November the pack never went more than a few of days … READ MORE >
Posted in Backpack Hunting, Mountains & Trails, Trip Reports, Uncategorized
Tagged NICE 6500, NICE Daypack Lid, NICE Frame, NICE Load Sling
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Freeskiing World Tour Photos
Featuring: BlackjackSaddle Peak
Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 Freeskiing World Tour in Revelostoke! Here are a few shots from our very own Meg Haywood Sullivan. Thanks again Meg. For full coverage, follow this link:
The next stop on the tour travels to our neck of the woods. Good luck to everyone at round 4 of the tour, at Moonlight Basin, Montana.… READ MORE >
Posted in Mountains & Trails, Skiing, Trip Reports, Uncategorized, What's Hot
Tagged Blackjack, Saddle Peak
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The Hills
By Peter Moore
“You going to be able to make it to The Hills this year?”
That’s what I asked Sam as soon as my unsuccessful bow season ended. Sam is my hunting partner of six years, but he’s never around these days, busy training for the 2012 Paralympics’ Cycling events, while traveling the country as a motivational speaker.
“The Hills” is our annual hunting trip, and since Sam grew up hunting, he should know that tradition is everything.
He could only squeeze one long weekend out of rifle season, and it was all we needed to pack up the Sprinter and head north. We drove five hours and talked about where we might find some big Mulies, knowing that in late October, the deer hold high, waiting ’til mid November to head down to the wheat fields to rut. We settled on putting our MR packs, and our legs, to the test and hauled up to a high ridge line where we could set up camp.
The weatherman called for 50 degrees and calm and was wrong as usual. What he meant was 30 degrees with 70-mile-an-hour gusts – not necessarily the conditions you want when camping on a … READ MORE >
Posted in Backpack Hunting, Trip Reports
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Get Powder Blasted!
Who: You
What: The 13th Annual Powder Blast
Where: The Emerson Center for Arts and Culture
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday, October 28
Why: Fabulous Mexican fare, Lone Peak brewskies and live music by The Sierra Padres – all to raise some dough for the Friends of Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. Why the heck not?
Tickets: Get ‘em at Northern Lights Trading Company, Timber Trails in Livingston, Grizzly Outfitters in Big Sky, or right here.
Cost: $30 per person.
We’re stoked to be a major sponsor of this event. Thanks Friends of the Avalanche Center!… READ MORE >
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‘Solitaire’ in Bozeman
Who: You and your friends from Mystery Ranch.
What: After 2 years of filming, Sweetgrass Productions brings their ski epic, ‘Solitaire,’ to Bozeman.
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, October 11
Where: Emerson, 111 South Grand Ave.
Why: See for yourself…
How: Tickets. $10 in advance, $12 day of. Available at Northern Lights Trading Company or buy online here.… READ MORE >
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