Monthly Archives: April 2009

Saddle Peak Photo Essay

By Kyle Christenson | Published April 24, 2009
Featuring: Saddle Peak

The Saddle Peak Pack quickly found its home this winter as locals began putting their names on a waiting list before production of the pack even began!  Its ultimate arrival was marked shortly after Bridger Bowl’s opening weekend.  Armed with modest disposable incomes, (read ski bums) a few early Saddle Peak adopters headed into the mountains armed with their cameras to document the release.

I pulled time off work and crammed all my gear and myself into the back of a pickup of friends headed to Mount Baker.  The short trip to Washington gave 3 incredible days of skiing with over 30″ of snow!  A horrific Pineapple Express quickly pushed us back towards the Rockies….. ahhh Montana!  Here are some shots I gleaned from a few crucial and well planned “sick days”.

Here’s a glimpse into part of my winter…. enjoy some Montana skiing shots!

The Saddle Peak really excels when all you need are skins and avi gear. Jonny Wood entering one of the many new couloirs that the Slushmans lift has brought into the slack country.

Lets hope spring will bring more snow,
Kyle… READ MORE >

Posted in Mystery Ranch Employees, Trip Reports, Uncategorized | Tagged | 3 Comments

“Wow, I made this Pack!”

By Robert Montague | Published April 13, 2009

“Wow, I made this pack.” That was the thought in my head as I worked to carry sixty plus pounds at fifteen thousand feet on Aconcagua. South America’s highest peak is located in Argentina along the spine of the rugged Andes mountain range. At 22,849 feet, it is the highest point outside of the Himalaya in Asia. Our route is called the “False Polish” traverse. There are three camps above base camp and we will spend a total of 16 days on the mountain. We will shuttle our gear and supplies up the mountain in alternating carries and moves. This is what mountaineers call “capsule style” climbing. We carried everything up and down the mountain ourselves as a self supported climbing team. I knew what was involved in climbing Aconcagua because I had been there the previous winter. Before I left for Argentina this time, I built a stripped down version of the Mystery Ranch G6000. I wanted a pack that carried as well as the G-series but I wanted to make it as light as possible. It all seemed like a blur. Building the pack, planning the trip, organizing the gear, buying the food, and getting myself and two … READ MORE >

Posted in Mountains & Trails, Mystery Ranch Employees, Stories from the Floor, Trip Reports | 4 Comments

Everything Happens for a Reason

By Tyler Johnerson | Published April 13, 2009
Featuring: NICE Crewcab

After having a rocky archery season which ended without harvest but with a high note, I regrouped and looked forward to the rifle season.  I had film jobs going throughout the first few weeks of November, so my elk hunting was going to have to wait until the end of the month.  With the last week of November upon me, I began my search.  Bursting with ambition and physically refueled, I began routinely strapping on my Crew Cab day after day loaded with all the hunting necessities including my video camera and tripod.  Miles were being logged and no bulls were to be found.  I couldn’t believe it. I had hunted as hard as I could throughout the fall for elk and just couldn’t seem to put anything together.  The days and miles sucked into my Crew Cab were running together.  Being tired was only part of it,  physiologically I was waning because of the old saying I stand by, “what you put in is what you get out!”  Well, I knew that I had put in a ton but was definitely not getting anything out.  I couldn’t find a nice bull no matter how far I hiked or long I glassed.  I decided to … READ MORE >

Posted in Backpack Hunting | Tagged | 4 Comments

Praire Bull

By Trevor Carruthers | Published April 13, 2009

After waiting 9 years of building priority in Alberta, I was lucky enough to draw a tag in a new prairie unit that is known to hold some great bulls. I hiked daily for the week before the season, scouting and locating several herds of elk. On the day before the season, a long hike revealed 24 different bulls and 1 big herd bull tending to 15 cows. We made a plan to make a move on him in the morning on opening day.

Early in the morning, we rose and strapped our packs on, ready for a long day of hiking the prairie hills. We spotted the herd from the night before and made a play on them. In the end I decided to pass on the bull and continue looking, as the day was young and I had plenty of time in the season.

Moving on through a low coulee the wind picked up very strong. It was probably the strongest wind I have ever hunted in southern Alberta and it was starting to take its toll on us. It was around 11:00 when we walked down another depression and I looked back to see that 2 bulls … READ MORE >

Posted in Backpack Hunting | 2 Comments